Best credit cards for no credit of 2024

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Choose a card with an intro bonus or rewards to get more for your money.

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Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Intro bonus:

N/A*

Rewards:

N/A*

Ongoing APR:

29.99% (Variable)

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual fee

Some credit cards have an annual fee you'll pay when you first receive the card and at each cardholder anniversary. Take the cost of an annual fee into account when considering which card will benefit you the most over the course of a year.

Annual percentage rate (APR)

The APR on credit cards is simply the interest rate the card issuer charges when you don’t pay off your balance in full each month—it doesn’t include the card’s annual fees or other fees you may be charged for using your card. There are several types of APR that can apply to credit cards including purchase, balance transfer and cash advance.

Rewards

While qualifying for the most competitive rewards cards will require you to build your credit further, some credit-builder credit cards come with rewards. Rewards credit cards reward you with cash back, points or miles equal to a percentage of each dollar you spend, which may be a rate of 1% to 2%. Some rewards credit cards reward spending in categories such as gas, groceries and dining at a significantly higher rate—3% to 6%, for example. Look for rewards that align with what you spend the most on.

Minimum security deposit

Some credit cards for no credit are secured. A secured card generally requires you to make a refundable security deposit that will become your credit limit. The standard deposit is $200.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:

N/A*

Rewards:

1.5%-5% (cash back)

Ongoing APR:

29.99% (Variable)

Annual Fee:

$39

Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card

Intro bonus:

N/A*

Rewards:

1% (cash back)

Ongoing APR:

18.74% Variable

Annual Fee:

$39

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:

N/A*

Rewards:

1.5%-5% (cash back)

Ongoing APR:

29.99% (Variable)

Annual Fee:

$0

Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the banks, lenders and credit card companies.

*For complete information, see the offer terms and conditions on the issuer or partner’s website. Once you click apply you will be directed to the issuer or partner’s website where you may review the terms and conditions of the offer before applying. We show a summary, not the full legal terms – and before applying you should understand the full terms of the offer as stated by the issuer or partner itself. While Experian Consumer Services uses reasonable efforts to present the most accurate information, all offer information is presented without warranty.

Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party companies ("our partners") from which Experian Consumer Services receives compensation. This compensation may impact how, where, and in what order the products appear on this site. The offers on the site do not represent all available financial services, companies, or products.

ΘCredit scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any offer.

How to find the best credit card with no credit

1

Look for 3-bureau reporting

Build your credit with a card that reports to all 3 credit bureaus.

2

Start with a secured card

Add a deposit to your card to set your credit limit.

3

Consider upgrade potential

Switch to an unsecured card once you build your credit.

4

Pick a pre-qualified card

Avoid extra inquiries by picking a card that you pre-qualify for.

Start with your FICO® ScoreΘ and see card offers matched to your credit profile.

Get started for free

ΘCredit score calculated based on FICO® Score 8 model. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO® Score than FICO® Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. Learn more.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can get a credit card with no credit history. That said, you'll be limited in your options. The best credit cards for borrowers with no credit are typically secured credit cards. Secured credit cards have low credit requirements and are designed to help you build your score. To be approved, you'll typically need to put down a refundable cash deposit, which will act as your credit limit for the card.

Here are the faster ways to start building credit if you currently have no credit history:

  1. Get a secured credit card. Using a secured credit card responsibly can help you build up a history of good credit management. This increases your score over time, and can open the door to a wider range of credit products in the future. To get the most out of your secured credit card, use your card to make small purchases only. Then, pay them off quickly to avoid carrying a balance.
  2. Establish credit with Experian Go. Experian Go is a free program that allows consumer with no credit report to generate one for free. To sign up, you'll need to create an Experian membership account and answer some basic questions about your finances. Then, you'll receive tailored advice on how to continue your credit journey.
  3. Get credit for your bills. Sign up for Experian Boost to get credit for the bills you already pay on time, such as your utility bills and streaming subscriptions. This is a strong strategy for building credit from scratch because you won't have to qualify for a credit card in order to start increasing your score.
  4. Become an authorized user. If you have the opportunity to become an authorized user on someone else's credit card, doing so could help you build credit without qualifying for your own card. Be sure that you only consider becoming an authorized user if you're confident in the primary account holder's ability to responsibly manage credit. The account's balance information and payment activity will appear on both parties' credit reports, which can help build credit, so long as you keep your balance low and make on-time payments.

To get approved for a credit card when you have no credit, you'll need to meet these requirements:

  • Be at least 18 years old with proof of reliable, independent income
  • Demonstrate that you have the financial capacity to afford monthly payments
  • Provide proof of identity, such as your Social Security number

If you decide to apply for a secured credit card, you'll also need to provide the required security deposit for the card, which typically starts at $200.

No, having no credit is not the same as having bad credit. Having no credit is overall a better position to be in than having bad credit, because it's faster to build credit from scratch than to recover from negative marks on your credit report. That said, both no credit and bad credit can be a barrier to achieving your financial goals.

When you have no credit, lenders won't have access to the data they need to determine how reliable you are as a borrower. That can make them reluctant to lend to you, and makes it difficult to be approved for credit. On the other hand, a borrower with bad credit has a credit history that indicates difficulty responsibly managing credit. That, too, makes lenders reluctant to lend to them, because it makes the borrower appear risky.

When you're building credit from scratch, it can generally take anywhere from three to six months before you accumulate enough credit history to generate a FICO® Score. To start building credit faster, consider becoming an authorized user, signing up for a secured credit card, using Experian Go to generate your credit report and getting credit for your bills with Experian Boost.

The primary thing you should look for in a starter credit card is a set of applicant requirements that you're able to meet. Primarily, steer clear of credit cards designed for good or excellent credit borrowers. It's unlikely you'll be able to qualify for these until you build credit. To avoid applying for a credit card you won't be approved for, narrow down your list to only cards that you're able to get prequalified for based on your income and credit.

Beyond that, look for a credit card that has the benefits you want. While you won't typically see the same competitive rewards and perks that credit cards with more stringent credit requirements offer, you can still find secured credit cards and student credit cards that offer some rewards or the opportunity to earn a welcome bonus.

Last, look for a starter credit card with no or low annual fees. That way, you won't have to pay yearly for having the card.

The best credit cards for applicants with no credit are secured credit cards and student credit cards.

Secured credit cards have lower credit requirements because the lender can rely on your security deposit to cover you if you were unable to afford your monthly payment. That makes them an accessible way to begin building credit, and they can act as a stepping stone to a wider range of credit card down the line. Some secured card issuers even automatically evaluate you for an upgrade to an unsecured credit card after you prove you can manage a credit card well.

A student credit card is a credit card designed for students who haven't built up a credit history yet. They're often unsecured, easy to qualify for and typically come with no annual fees. Sometimes, student credit cards also offer rewards.

It would be challenging to qualify for most credit cards if you have no credit and no income. Lenders generally look for evidence that you'll be able to comfortably afford your bills before approving your application for credit.

That said, you can ask a family member to add you as an authorized user on their credit card account. This allows you to establish credit and work toward building a good credit score.

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