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August 1, 2022
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This article was last updated August 1, 2022 . Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
If you are new to credit and have no credit history, our top pick is the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. This card requires a minimum security deposit of $200, charges a $0 annual fee, and offers the chance to graduate to an unsecured card and get your deposit back. It also comes with a solid cashback rewards program.
However, if you have at least a “good” credit score (670 to 739), we suggest you check out the BankAmericard® credit card as it has a generous 0% intro APR, allowing you to save on interest charges for more than a year.
Whether you’re about to graduate high school and go out into the world, enter a college program you’re excited about or take your first professional job and start your career, you’re at a good point in life to make sure your credit score is moving in the right direction. Using a credit card responsibly is one of the best ways to build credit, so we’ve picked out the best credit cards for young adults and young professionals based on a variety of needs.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is aimed at applicants with poor/limited credit and is a great choice for a first credit card. You must submit a security deposit in the amount of your desired credit limit (ranging from $200 to $2,500), but after 7 months, Discover will begin conducting monthly reviews of your account to see if you qualify to graduate to an unsecured credit card and get your deposit back.
Plus, you’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. Many secured cards don’t offer rewards, so this is a nice feature. There’s also a unique sign-up bonus: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
The annual fee is $0 and there’s a 24.49% Variable APR.
If you haven’t yet established a credit history, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help you do that as it reports account and payment activity to the big three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). The security deposit protects the issuer, just in case you don’t pay back what you charge to the card — and if you use the card responsibly, you get a chance to get your deposit back when upgrading to a secured card. Note that Discover considers information not just from your Discover it® Secured Credit Card account but any other credit cards and loans you may have as well when making the decision of whether you qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured card.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is aimed at applicants with poor/limited credit and is a great choice for a first credit card. You must submit a security deposit in the amount of your desired credit limit (ranging from $200 to $2,500), but after 7 months, Discover will begin conducting monthly reviews of your account to see if you qualify to graduate to an unsecured credit card and get your deposit back.
Plus, you’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. Many secured cards don’t offer rewards, so this is a nice feature. There’s also a unique sign-up bonus: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
The annual fee is $0 and there’s a 24.49% Variable APR.
If you haven’t yet established a credit history, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help you do that as it reports account and payment activity to the big three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). The security deposit protects the issuer, just in case you don’t pay back what you charge to the card — and if you use the card responsibly, you get a chance to get your deposit back when upgrading to a secured card. Note that Discover considers information not just from your Discover it® Secured Credit Card account but any other credit cards and loans you may have as well when making the decision of whether you qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured card.
While most secured credit cards require a deposit in the amount of your desired credit limit, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card does things a little differently. After you apply, if you’re approved for the card, Capital One will set your minimum deposit at $49, $99 or $200. Whichever deposit amount you’re required to make, you’ll receive a starting credit limit of $200.
Plus, the issuer will automatically consider your account for a credit limit increase in as little as six months, and will also monitor your account to see if you qualify to get your deposit refunded based on responsible usage. Note that there isn’t a set timeline for when you might qualify for such a refund, however.
The card’s annual fee is $0 and it comes with a 26.99% (variable) APR.
When you envision consumers who need to rebuild credit, you might not typically think of young adults — but it can happen. For example, if a parent or guardian commits identity theft by using a child’s information to open credit cards and then doesn’t pay the cards off, a young adult could wind up with a damaged credit score without even realizing it.
If this has happened to you, you’ll want to report identity theft at identitytheft.gov and file disputes on the fraudulent accounts with the three major consumer credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).
But while you’re going through the process of trying to fix the damage done, you might struggle to get approved for financial products such as credit cards and loans. That’s where a card such as the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, aimed at applicants with poor/limited credit, can help.
You’ll have to submit a security deposit to the issuer, but in other regards, it functions just like any other credit card. You can use it responsibly, pay it on time, and use it to build positive credit history with the credit bureaus and improve your credit score.
While most secured credit cards require a deposit in the amount of your desired credit limit, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card does things a little differently. After you apply, if you’re approved for the card, Capital One will set your minimum deposit at $49, $99 or $200. Whichever deposit amount you’re required to make, you’ll receive a starting credit limit of $200.
Plus, the issuer will automatically consider your account for a credit limit increase in as little as six months, and will also monitor your account to see if you qualify to get your deposit refunded based on responsible usage. Note that there isn’t a set timeline for when you might qualify for such a refund, however.
The card’s annual fee is $0 and it comes with a 26.99% (variable) APR.
When you envision consumers who need to rebuild credit, you might not typically think of young adults — but it can happen. For example, if a parent or guardian commits identity theft by using a child’s information to open credit cards and then doesn’t pay the cards off, a young adult could wind up with a damaged credit score without even realizing it.
If this has happened to you, you’ll want to report identity theft at identitytheft.gov and file disputes on the fraudulent accounts with the three major consumer credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).
But while you’re going through the process of trying to fix the damage done, you might struggle to get approved for financial products such as credit cards and loans. That’s where a card such as the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, aimed at applicants with poor/limited credit, can help.
You’ll have to submit a security deposit to the issuer, but in other regards, it functions just like any other credit card. You can use it responsibly, pay it on time, and use it to build positive credit history with the credit bureaus and improve your credit score.
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a basic, no-frills card. It offers no rewards or sign-up bonus. However, it charges a $0 annual fee and is available to applicants with fair/limited credit.
You may also be considered for a higher credit limit in as little as six months, which is a nice feature in the event you’re initially granted a low credit limit. The card’s APR is 26.99% (variable).
If you’re looking for a good first credit card that doesn’t require a security deposit, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card fits the bill. Unlike the Discover it® Secured Credit Card and the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is an unsecured card — what people typically think of when they think of a “normal” credit card. Once you’ve used this card responsibly for some time, you will likely be able to request a product change to another Capital One card such as the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns flat-rate cash back on every purchase.
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a basic, no-frills card. It offers no rewards or sign-up bonus. However, it charges a $0 annual fee and is available to applicants with fair/limited credit.
You may also be considered for a higher credit limit in as little as six months, which is a nice feature in the event you’re initially granted a low credit limit. The card’s APR is 26.99% (variable).
If you’re looking for a good first credit card that doesn’t require a security deposit, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card fits the bill. Unlike the Discover it® Secured Credit Card and the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is an unsecured card — what people typically think of when they think of a “normal” credit card. Once you’ve used this card responsibly for some time, you will likely be able to request a product change to another Capital One card such as the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns flat-rate cash back on every purchase.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically. There’s a $1,500 spending cap in the 5% category each quarter, after which your earning rate will drop down to 1% on all purchases.
There’s also a unique sign-up bonus for new cardmembers: 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.
Finally, enjoy an intro 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases, after which a 14.49% - 23.49% Variable APR applies. The card’s annual fee is $0.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is an excellent choice for students enrolled in college or university programs. It offers a chance to build credit history while earning cash back at a generous rate (as long as you remember to activate the rotating categories each quarter). Plus, the intro APR period on purchases can help if you need time to pay off a big purchase such as textbooks or a laptop for your classwork.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically. There’s a $1,500 spending cap in the 5% category each quarter, after which your earning rate will drop down to 1% on all purchases.
There’s also a unique sign-up bonus for new cardmembers: 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.
Finally, enjoy an intro 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases, after which a 14.49% - 23.49% Variable APR applies. The card’s annual fee is $0.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is an excellent choice for students enrolled in college or university programs. It offers a chance to build credit history while earning cash back at a generous rate (as long as you remember to activate the rotating categories each quarter). Plus, the intro APR period on purchases can help if you need time to pay off a big purchase such as textbooks or a laptop for your classwork.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically. After spending $1,500 in the 5% category for the quarter, your earning rate will drop to 1% on all purchases. That means you can earn a maximum of $75 in cash back at the elevated rate.
Plus: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
There’s an intro 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases, after which a 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR applies. And there’s an intro 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, after which a 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR applies. The balance transfer fee is 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*, and the annual fee is $0.
Discover is often considered to be more willing to accept applicants without extensive credit history than some other credit card issuers. If you’re a young professional looking for your first credit card, consider the Discover it® Cash Back. It earns cash back at a generous rate (as long as you activate the quarterly categories) and comes with a unique cashback match the first year you have the card.
While the cashback categories can change from year to year, here’s what Discover offered in 2022 to give you an idea of what to expect:
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically. After spending $1,500 in the 5% category for the quarter, your earning rate will drop to 1% on all purchases. That means you can earn a maximum of $75 in cash back at the elevated rate.
Plus: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
There’s an intro 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases, after which a 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR applies. And there’s an intro 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, after which a 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR applies. The balance transfer fee is 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*, and the annual fee is $0.
Discover is often considered to be more willing to accept applicants without extensive credit history than some other credit card issuers. If you’re a young professional looking for your first credit card, consider the Discover it® Cash Back. It earns cash back at a generous rate (as long as you activate the quarterly categories) and comes with a unique cashback match the first year you have the card.
While the cashback categories can change from year to year, here’s what Discover offered in 2022 to give you an idea of what to expect:
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Plus, earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Spending about $333.33 per month can help you hit that target. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is geared toward those with excellent/good credit.
The card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, after which a 17.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% variable APR applies. There’s also a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, after which a 17.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% variable APR applies.
To transfer a balance, you’ll pay a fee of 3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%; min: $5. The annual fee for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is $0.
If you don’t want to worry about activating categories each quarter or earning a higher rate on some purchases and a lower rate on others, you need a flat-rate cashback card. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a stellar choice in that case.
The cash back you earn with this card can be redeemed toward past purchases, as a credit to a qualifying Wells Fargo credit card, checking account, or mortgage, for cash at a Wells Fargo ATM (requires a Wells Fago ATM card or debit card) or for gift cards from a variety of retailers.
Note that the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not the best card to take when traveling abroad.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Plus, earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Spending about $333.33 per month can help you hit that target. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is geared toward those with excellent/good credit.
The card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, after which a 17.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% variable APR applies. There’s also a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, after which a 17.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% variable APR applies.
To transfer a balance, you’ll pay a fee of 3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%; min: $5. The annual fee for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is $0.
If you don’t want to worry about activating categories each quarter or earning a higher rate on some purchases and a lower rate on others, you need a flat-rate cashback card. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a stellar choice in that case.
The cash back you earn with this card can be redeemed toward past purchases, as a credit to a qualifying Wells Fargo credit card, checking account, or mortgage, for cash at a Wells Fargo ATM (requires a Wells Fago ATM card or debit card) or for gift cards from a variety of retailers.
Note that the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not the best card to take when traveling abroad.
This card offers excellent cashback rates in several useful categories. Earn 3% Cash Back on dining and entertainment; 3% Cash Back on popular streaming services; 3% Cash Back at grocery stores; 1% Cash Back on all other purchases. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and tickets at Vivid Seats.
Plus, earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. The rewards and sign-up bonus are especially competitive on a $0 annual fee card.
There’s 0% intro on purchases for 15 months, after which a 16.49% - 26.49% (variable) APR applies.
Whether you’re out at a restaurant for a work lunch with colleagues, hosting a meal at home with friends using groceries you picked out just for the occasion, or going on a date to the movie theater, paying with the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card can help offset some of those expenses.
Plus, if you happen to be planning a vacation abroad, you’ll appreciate that this card comes with a foreign transaction fee of none. That means you’re free to explore exciting new cuisine without worrying about an extra fee being tacked onto every purchase you make.
This card offers excellent cashback rates in several useful categories. Earn 3% Cash Back on dining and entertainment; 3% Cash Back on popular streaming services; 3% Cash Back at grocery stores; 1% Cash Back on all other purchases. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and tickets at Vivid Seats.
Plus, earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. The rewards and sign-up bonus are especially competitive on a $0 annual fee card.
There’s 0% intro on purchases for 15 months, after which a 16.49% - 26.49% (variable) APR applies.
Whether you’re out at a restaurant for a work lunch with colleagues, hosting a meal at home with friends using groceries you picked out just for the occasion, or going on a date to the movie theater, paying with the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card can help offset some of those expenses.
Plus, if you happen to be planning a vacation abroad, you’ll appreciate that this card comes with a foreign transaction fee of none. That means you’re free to explore exciting new cuisine without worrying about an extra fee being tacked onto every purchase you make.
Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases. 1X on other purchases.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers a generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There’s a $95 annual fee, but the value of the sign-up bonus easily outweighs the cost of the sign-up bonus in the first year of having the card.
Whether you travel for business or pleasure, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great card to have in your wallet. It has a $0 foreign transaction fee, offers 25% more value per point when you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, and lets you earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 value to the following airline and hotel partners:
Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases. 1X on other purchases.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers a generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There’s a $95 annual fee, but the value of the sign-up bonus easily outweighs the cost of the sign-up bonus in the first year of having the card.
Whether you travel for business or pleasure, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great card to have in your wallet. It has a $0 foreign transaction fee, offers 25% more value per point when you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, and lets you earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 value to the following airline and hotel partners:
The BankAmericard® credit card charges a $0 annual fee and offers a 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases. After the intro period ends, a 15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR applies.
There’s also a sign-up bonus: Earn a $100 statement credit online bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Finally, the card offers 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After, a 15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR on balance transfers applies. The balance transfer fee is either $10 or 3% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
Perhaps you’ve just moved into a new apartment and need to furnish it. Or maybe you’re starting a new job and have decided it’s time to upgrade your laptop. Whatever the case may be, between a lengthy intro APR period on purchases and a decent sign-up bonus, the BankAmericard® credit card allows you to pay off a big purchase for more than a year without incurring interest charges.
The BankAmericard® credit card charges a $0 annual fee and offers a 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases. After the intro period ends, a 15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR applies.
There’s also a sign-up bonus: Earn a $100 statement credit online bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Finally, the card offers 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After, a 15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR on balance transfers applies. The balance transfer fee is either $10 or 3% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
Perhaps you’ve just moved into a new apartment and need to furnish it. Or maybe you’re starting a new job and have decided it’s time to upgrade your laptop. Whatever the case may be, between a lengthy intro APR period on purchases and a decent sign-up bonus, the BankAmericard® credit card allows you to pay off a big purchase for more than a year without incurring interest charges.
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. That’s a maximum of $25 per month ($300 per year) at the 5% rate, which is generous, especially with the $0 annual fee.
Plus, earn $200 in cash back after you spend $750 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
There’s a solid 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, after which a 16.24% - 26.24% (variable) APR applies. And there’s a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers as well, after which a 16.24% - 26.24% (variable) APR applies. The balance transfer fee is on the high end, however, at 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Maybe you don’t want to have to keep track of your top spending category and like the idea of a card that figures it out for you and adapts. Or perhaps you have a carefully planned cashback setup in place with other credit cards and want the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card for purchases where your existing cards don’t earn an elevated rate. Either way, this is a flexible card that is worth keeping in your wallet.
Just note there’s a 3% foreign transaction fee, so this isn’t the card to take if you’re traveling abroad.
The card’s cashback categories include the following:
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. That’s a maximum of $25 per month ($300 per year) at the 5% rate, which is generous, especially with the $0 annual fee.
Plus, earn $200 in cash back after you spend $750 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
There’s a solid 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, after which a 16.24% - 26.24% (variable) APR applies. And there’s a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers as well, after which a 16.24% - 26.24% (variable) APR applies. The balance transfer fee is on the high end, however, at 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Maybe you don’t want to have to keep track of your top spending category and like the idea of a card that figures it out for you and adapts. Or perhaps you have a carefully planned cashback setup in place with other credit cards and want the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card for purchases where your existing cards don’t earn an elevated rate. Either way, this is a flexible card that is worth keeping in your wallet.
Just note there’s a 3% foreign transaction fee, so this isn’t the card to take if you’re traveling abroad.
The card’s cashback categories include the following:
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Your cash back is automatically redeemed a statement credit. If you max out the higher rate, that’s $1,000 in cash back.
Plus, earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months.
There’s also an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening, after which a 15.49% - 23.49% Variable APR applies. And there’s no annual fee.
To see rates and fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please click here.
Whether you’ve got a great idea for a new business or you’re already an established small business owner, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers a way to easily keep your business purchases separate from your personal expenses and earn cash back while doing so. Your business doesn’t need to operate on a big scale to apply — something as simple as selling handcrafts on Etsy counts as operating your own business as a sole proprietor, for example.
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Your cash back is automatically redeemed a statement credit. If you max out the higher rate, that’s $1,000 in cash back.
Plus, earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months.
There’s also an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening, after which a 15.49% - 23.49% Variable APR applies. And there’s no annual fee.
To see rates and fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please click here.
Whether you’ve got a great idea for a new business or you’re already an established small business owner, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers a way to easily keep your business purchases separate from your personal expenses and earn cash back while doing so. Your business doesn’t need to operate on a big scale to apply — something as simple as selling handcrafts on Etsy counts as operating your own business as a sole proprietor, for example.
| Credit card | Best for | Rewards | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover it® Secured Credit Card | Young adults with no credit history | 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. | $0 |
| Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | Young adults rebuilding credit | No rewards. | $0 |
| Capital One Platinum Credit Card | Young adults with no deposit required | No rewards. | $0 |
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Young adults attending college | 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically. | $0 |
| Discover it® Cash Back | Young professionals as a first credit card | 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically. | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Young professionals to earn cash back | Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. | $0 |
| Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Young professionals for dining and entertainment | 3% Cash Back on dining and entertainment; 3% Cash Back on popular streaming services; 3% Cash Back at grocery stores; 1% Cash Back on all other purchases. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and tickets at Vivid Seats. | $0 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Young professionals who travel | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases. 1X on other purchases. | $95 |
| BankAmericard® credit card | Young professionals planning a big purchase | No rewards. | $0 |
| Citi Custom Cash℠ Card | Young professionals who need flexibility | Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. | $0 |
| American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card | Young professionals starting a business | Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. | No annual fee |
To see rates and fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please click here.
To apply for a credit card in the United States, you must be at least 18 years old and have a source of income.
While issuers won’t allow someone under the age of 18 to open their own credit card, parents have the option of adding children as authorized users on cards where the parent is the main account holder, which offers a chance for the child to start building credit history.
When calculating your FICO Score, which is the credit scoring method typically used by lenders when deciding whether or not to extend credit, length of credit history makes up 15% of your score. This is something that simply can’t be rushed; the earlier you start building credit history, the better chance you have of reaching an exceptional or even perfect credit score.
The better your credit score, the more likely you’ll be approved for the best interest rates on loans, such as car loans or a future mortgage. Plus, landlords also typically check your credit score before approving you for an apartment lease.
Yes, there are student cards specifically targeted at helping college students build credit. Note that you’ll need to be at least 18 years old and have a source of income to qualify.
No matter how old you are, building credit is a matter of being consistent with good behavior. Always pay your credit cards and loans on time, don’t use more than 30% of your cards’ credit limits (for example, spend no more than $150 on a card with a $500 limit) and don’t apply for new credit products too often.
When evaluating the best credit cards for young adults and young professionals, one of the key factors we considered was whether or not a card charges an annual fee. Since young adults are likely to have limited incomes and young professionals may be on a tight budget, most of the cards on this list have no annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one exception, charging a $95 annual fee, but it offers enough value to compensate for that.
In many cases, we selected cards that are accessible to applicants with no credit history or limited credit history. For young adults just starting to build credit, the odds of being approved for more premium cards are low until your credit score hits the mid-700s. Plus, all the cards on this list report to the three major consumer credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), so you’ll be building a positive credit history as long as you pay on time and don’t max your card out.
We also considered rewards. For example, the Discover it® Student Cash Back allows cardholders to build credit while earning cash back at a very competitive rate.
Finally, having an introductory APR period was counted in a card’s favor, because an intro APR offers cardholders a chance to pay down their balance without immediately incurring interest charges.
To see rates and fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please click here.
The above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.
