What Is a Credit Card Cosigner and Should You Use One?
If having no credit or weak credit is making it hard to qualify for a credit card, adding a cosigner to your application could help you get approved. A credit card cosigner is someone with good credit who applies with you and is responsible for the debt if you fail to pay.
Since someone else is promising to settle the bill if you can't, some of the risk is taken away from the credit card issuer, which could help you qualify. Once approved, making on-time payments could help you build credit so you can apply for your next card on your own.
What Is a Credit Card Cosigner?
When you apply for a credit card, the card issuer determines how likely or unlikely you are to pay your credit card debt by reviewing your credit history. If you have limited or poor credit, the issuer may determine you're too risky to lend to and deny your application.
This is where a credit card cosigner might come in handy. Applying with a cosigner who has strong credit scores and a good repayment history could help you get a credit card because they agree to pick up the tab if you don't or can't pay.
Two parties are involved in a cosigner scenario:
- The primary credit card holder: The primary credit card owner has the same privileges and obligations as most credit card consumers, including the ability to make purchases and pay off the balance. However, if the primary card holder can't repay the debt, the payment obligation shifts to the credit card cosigner (just like when there's a cosigner on a loan).
- The cosigner: A credit card cosigner takes the same responsibility as a cosigner would on any other kind of debt: If the primary card holder does not pay the credit card debt, the credit card cosigner is responsible for repaying it.
Best credit cards of 2026
Compare cards from our partners with intro bonuses, cash back or points offers, and annual fees as low as $0.
Offers from our partners
Citi Double Cash® Card
Intro APR:0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Intro bonus:As High As $200 Cash Back. Find Out Your Offer.
Intro APR:0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:$0
American Express Platinum Card®
Intro bonus:As high as 175,000 points. Find out your offer.
Ongoing APR:See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards:1x - 5x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$895
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Intro bonus:$200
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:2% (Cash Rewards)
Annual Fee:$0
Discover it® Cash Back
Intro bonus:Cashback Match™
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
FIT™ Platinum Mastercard® - $400 Credit Limit
Ongoing APR:35.90% Fixed
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:$99 first year; $125 thereafter
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:29.99%*
Rewards:2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0*
The opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
Ongoing APR:23.89% Variable
Rewards:10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$35
Credit One Bank American Express® Card for Rebuilding Credit
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$75 First year. $99 thereafter, billed monthly at $8.25
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Intro bonus:As High As $300 Cash Back. Find Out Your Offer.
Intro APR:0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 6% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Intro APR:0% for 15 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Ongoing APR:18.74% - 26.74% (Variable)
Rewards:1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
American Express® Gold Card
Intro bonus:As high as 100,000 points. Find out your offer.
Ongoing APR:See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards:1x - 4x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$325
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$75*
Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:1x - 6x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$350
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$39*
First Progress Select Secured Mastercard® Cash Back Rewards
Ongoing APR:17.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$39
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$39
Credit One Bank® Wander® American Express® with Dining, Gas & Travel Rewards
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$95
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Intro bonus:70,000 Points
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:3x - 7x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Intro bonus:200,000 Points
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:2x - 6x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$650
Discover it® Miles
Intro bonus:Discover Match®
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1.5x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Intro bonus:As High As 100,000 Bonus Miles. Find Out Your Offer.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 3x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$650
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Intro bonus:As High As 80,000 Bonus Miles. Find Out Your Offer.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Intro bonus:10,000 Miles
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card
Ongoing APR:See Rates & Fees
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:See Rates & Fees
One Key™ Card
Intro bonus:$300
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 23.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1.5x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
One Key+™ Card
Intro bonus:$350
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 23.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:2x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$99
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0*
See all our best credit cards for 2026.
Pros and Cons of Credit Card Cosigning
The benefit of using a cosigner if you have less-than-stellar credit is that it could help you qualify for an unsecured card that doesn't require an upfront deposit. Plus, managing credit under the watchful eye of a cosigner could help you establish responsible credit habits.
For cosigners, an advantage of cosigning is that you could put your good credit to use by helping a family member, significant other or friend qualify for a card they may not be able to get on their own. But before cosigning, it's important to consider all the responsibilities involved.
Bills that the credit card owner doesn't pay are redirected to the cosigner, who is contractually obligated to pay the bills. At that point, late payments could cause the cosigner's credit score to drop, and disagreements over unpaid bills could cause the relationship to sour.
If you decide to cosign on a credit card, your main responsibility will be keeping an eye on the primary cardholder's spending and whether they are making timely payments since their inability to pay will have financial ramifications for you.
If you're the credit card applicant partnering with a cosigner, your main responsibility is to make at least minimum payments (though it's best to pay off the balance each month) and to not charge more to the card than you can manage.
Credit Card Cosigner vs. Authorized User
Credit card cosigners and authorized users are often confused, but they are two different things. Here's an overview of how both work.
- A credit card cosigner: A credit card cosigner agrees to pay the credit card bill if the account owner on the same card account doesn't pay. Typically, credit card cosigners don't receive a physical credit card, don't get a bill (unless the account owner doesn't pay the credit card debt) and don't have access to the credit card account.
- An authorized user: A primary credit card holder can add an authorized user to his or her credit card account. The authorized user then can use the card to make purchases but is not ultimately responsible for the card payment (that burden falls on the primary credit card holder). Authorized users may see a moderate uptick in their credit scores, assuming the primary user pays bills reliably and those payments are reported to the credit bureaus. Some cards may charge a fee for an additional cardholder; check with your card issuer for details.
Which Credit Card Issuers Allow a Cosigner?
Most credit card providers do not accept credit card cosigners. Before attempting to apply for a credit card with a cosigner, check with the card provider to find out whether cosigners are allowed. Also, make sure that both the primary cardholder and the credit card cosigner are notified of important card information, like credit limit changes, interest rate changes, and any fees or penalties both parties should know about.
Alternatives to Cosigning a Credit Card
Because so few credit card issuers are currently accepting cosigners, you may have to explore other ways of obtaining and building credit. Here are some alternatives to consider:
- Get a secured card. Secured credit cards work like regular credit cards, but they're backed by a deposit you make upfront, which typically acts as your credit line. After proving you can keep up with payments, you may get your deposit back or be transitioned to an unsecured card.
- Become an authorized user. Another way to potentially build credit is by becoming an authorized user on a family member's or friend's account with excellent payment history. If the credit card issuer reports card payments to the credit bureaus for authorized users, it could positively help your score. With improved credit, you could then apply for your own card.
The Bottom Line
Not many credit card issuers accept cosigners, so you may have to explore other ways of obtaining a credit card and building credit. One option is getting a secured card and building credit with on-time payments. Another option is becoming an authorized user on another person's card and leveraging their positive payment habits to help grow your score.
Lastly, using a tool like Experian Boost®ø—a free service that adds on-time utility, phone and streaming payments to your Experian credit report—could be a way to see some score improvement. Monitoring your FICO® ScoreΘ through Experian through Experian could also help you keep track of where you stand ahead of your next credit card application.
Don’t apply blindly
Apply for credit cards confidently with personalized offers based on your credit profile. Get started with your FICO® Score for free.
See your offers
About the author
Taylor Medine
Taylor Medine is a personal finance writer who has covered money topics for various media outlets over the past seven years. Her work has been published on USA Today, Business Insider, MSN, Yahoo! and more.
Read more from Taylor