What’s the Minimum Age for a Credit Card? 9 Best Beginner Cards (Dec. 2023)

If you’re wondering about the minimum age for credit card ownership, well, the answer isn’t exactly clearcut. It depends on several factors which we will explore below.

I got my first credit card when I was 18 years old. I can’t quite recall the terms associated with it — 18 was nearly half my life ago — but I do know that it wasn’t the best card I could have gotten at the time. That’s because a) I excitedly applied for the first offer I received and b) this was pre-Credit CARD Act of 2009.

First of all, NEVER apply for the first card offer you receive/see/hear about. Research is of the utmost importance when choosing a card, as we’ll dive deeper into later. Secondly, the Credit CARD Act of ’09 greatly affected the rates and terms of cards, and it also upped the age in which one could apply for a credit card.

Before the CARD Act, you could be 18 years old to get a credit card, and there weren’t very many restrictions on getting one. You didn’t even have to have a job to be approved. Today, you must be 21 years of age to get a credit card in your own name, unless you have a cosigner or can show proof of steady income.

You can still apply for a credit card at 18, but your parents will need to cosign for you. This can be tricky because the responsibility becomes much heavier when someone else’s credit is at stake. If you miss a payment, the bank can – and will if they can’t get in touch with you – call your parents for payment (not exactly the best way to display your newfound independence).

Late payments are the worst thing you can do for your credit, and will be reflected in your parents’ credit too because their names are on the account right alongside yours. You’ll also need their permission if you decide to apply for a credit limit increase down the road.

If you have a steady job and income, you can apply for a card without a cosigner by supplying the issuer proof that you can afford the monthly payments on your own. The issuer will likely call your job to verify employment and how long you’ve been with the company, and will want to see your paycheck stubs and/or W2s.

Long story short, you can still get a credit card if you’re 18, but the requirements are much more stringent than they were in years past. If your parents are footing the bill anyway, you may best benefit from becoming an authorized user on one of their cards instead of opening an account in your own name. This is also a great option for anyone under the age of 18 looking to establish credit.

If you’re a minor, you can become an authorized user on your parent’s account. This means you’ll receive a card with your name on it to use as your parents permit. Below is a chart provided by CreditCards.com showing the minimum ages some of the most popular issuing banks allow authorized users to be added.

This helps instill healthy credit habits at an early age, and, so long as the account is properly maintained (low credit-utilization ratio, on-time payments), will establish positive credit history for everyone listed on the account.

You want your first credit card to be one that offers fair terms and flexibility, such as no penalties on your first late payment and the ability to choose your payment due date, and is why it’s so important to do your homework when shopping for your first credit card.

Student Cards

Some of the best cards for those new to credit are, without a doubt, student credit card offers. These cards typically offer the ability to earn rewards, statement credits for good grades (usually defined as a GPA above 3.0 – proof will be required), no annual fees, and sometimes even 0% intro APRs. This means you don’t have to worry about interest charges for however long the promotional period is good for.

Discover it® Student Cash Back

at Discover Card'ssecure website

STUDENT RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.5/5.0

Our Review »

• INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
• Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
• Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
• No credit score required to apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies.
• Terms and conditions apply.

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 6 months	10.99% Intro APR for 6 months	18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR	$0	Fair/New to Credit

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

STUDENT RATING

★★★★★

4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.6/5.0

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
• Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
• Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
• Lock your card in the Capital One Mobile app if it's misplaced, lost or stolen

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)	$0	Average, Fair, Limited

Discover it® Student Chrome

at Discover Card'ssecure website

STUDENT RATING

★★★★★

4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.0/5.0

Our Review »

• INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
• Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
• No credit score required to apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies.
• Terms and conditions apply.

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 6 months	10.99% Intro APR for 6 months	18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR	$0	Fair/New to Credit

+ See More Student Offers

Cards for No/Limited Credit History

You don’t need to be a student to get a good card, you just need to be sure you’re applying for the right types of offers. Be sure to look for cards that don’t charge annual fees and offer perks like free FICO credit scores, so you can watch your score rise as you establish your credit history.

4. Capital One Platinum Credit Card

NO/LIMITED CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.5/5.0

• No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
• Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
• Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	30.74% (Variable)	$0	Average, Fair, Limited

5. Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

NO/LIMITED CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.6

OVERALL RATING

4.5/5.0

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
• No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
• Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	30.74% (Variable)	$39	Average, Fair, Limited

6. Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

NO/LIMITED CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.5

OVERALL RATING

4.0/5.0

• No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
• Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
• Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
• You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	30.74% (Variable)	$0	Limited, Bad

+ See More Offers for No/Limited Credit

The last offer, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, is what’s known as a secured credit card. These types of cards sort of act like prepaid cards in that a deposit is required to secure your line of credit. The amount of your deposit is typically equal to the amount of credit limit you receive. This particular secured card reports to all three credit bureaus, so though you’re using your own money to fund purchases, you’re still building positive credit history.

Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards are available to anyone 18 years of age or older, and do not require a cosigner or credit check. This is because you’re not borrowing money from an issuing bank, but rather funding the card with your own money – if you deposit $200 onto the card, you’ll have $200 to spend. This is a viable option if you just need a card to make purchases online or anywhere credit cards are accepted.

7. Discover® Cashback Debit Card

at the issuer'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

4.6/5.0

• Cashback – Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month
• No. Fees. Period. That means you won’t be charged an account fee on our Cashback Debit account.
• Early Pay – Get your paycheck up to two days early with no charge
• No Credit Impact - You can apply without affecting your credit score.
• Fraud Protection - You’re never responsible for unauthorized debit card purchases. If you suspect someone else has used your debit card without your permission, let us know.
• Member FDIC
• Fee-free overdraft protection
• No minimum opening deposit and no minimum balance
• Add cash into your account at Walmart stores nationwide
• Cash access at over 60,000 no-fee ATMs nationwide
• 100% US-based customer service available 24/7

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	N/A	$0	No Credit Needed

8. Chime® Checking Account

at the issuer'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

4.1/5.0

• Your Chime Checking Account comes with a Chime Visa^® debit card, no monthly fees or maintenance fees.
• Avoid out-of-network ATM fees and access to 60,000+ fee-free ATMs¹ — more than the top 3 national banks combined!
• Direct deposits arrive up to 2 days early.²
• Disclosures: Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
• ¹Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
• ²Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	N/A	$0	Not applicable

9. GO2bank

at the issuer'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.1/5.0

Our Review »

• Overdraft protection up to $200 with opt-in and eligible direct deposit*
• No monthly fees with eligible direct deposit, otherwise $5 per month
• Earn up to 7% cash back when you buy eGift Cards in the app
• Get your pay up to 2 days early - Get your government benefits up to 4 days early.*
• High-yield savings account, 4.50% APY paid quarterly on savings up to $5,000.*

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	All Credit Types Considered

+ See More Prepaid Offers

Prepaid cards do not report usage to the credit bureaus, however, meaning you won’t build credit using one. If establishing credit is your goal, prepaid cards are not your solution.

By becoming an authorized user on your parents’ account or opening an account of your own, you can begin to establish credit history — a super important component of adulthood. Your credit history and credit score will be the deciding factor when it’s time to get your first apartment, a new car, and in some cases, a job.

Do your due diligence and find a card that will support your (healthy) spending habits with perks that are attractive to you. The card I got when I was 18 did not offer me most of the things I suggest you find in your first credit card. Needless to say, that card is no longer in my wallet.