22+ Best Credit Cards for 18 Year Olds (With No Credit History)

Tomo credit card has no annual fee and a 0% APR (forever).

It accepts folks with no credit score, and has some teen-approved benefits (like free DoorDash for three months, ShopRunner membership, or cellphone protection).

You can’t carry a balance on the card, but your spending power is totally up to you. All you need to do is link your bank accounts and Tomo will establish your credit line based on them—you’ll get a credit limit that works for you.

Petal 2 Visa® is called “cash back, no fees” for a reason.

To use the card you don’t have to pay any annual, monthly or penalty fees.

It’s a great teen credit card to build credit—there’s no credit check to apply and no security deposit.

You can also make some extra cash on your way to good credit scores—from 1% to 1.5% on everyday purchases, up to 10% at chosen merchants.

This card was made with students in mind.

It doesn’t charge an annual fee, and lets you earn up to 3% cash back on using streaming services, dining out, or buying groceries.

You can also buy stuff online from wherever you want—there’s no foreign transaction fee.

On top of that, you get a bonus of $50 if you spend $100 in the first three months.

If you’re looking for a student credit card, one without an annual fee and with a cash back program is the one to go.

Discover It Student Cash Back checks these boxes, giving you 5% cash back on purchases at restaurants and wholesale clubs.

Additional perk is Discover-only unlimited cash back match—whatever you earn in rewards during first twelve months is doubled.

Sable offers a new take on credit cards. With this card, you set your credit limit. Sounds crazy, but with a Sable card, you set a budget with the size of the security deposit you want to make. The really good part is there’s no minimum amount, so you can start wherever you’re comfortable and work your way up.

What if you don’t even have average credit—but have bad credit instead? Then what do you do for a travel credit card? Not going to lie to you—your options are limited.

Based on our research, the best travel credit card for bad credit is the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. It’s a secured card, so you’ll need to load it with funds (at least $200) before you can start swiping—but it does come with benefits and rewards!

Bank of America’s secured card can be a good place to start for anyone with bad credit. Your credit limit is determined by your security deposit, making this an affordable way to build credit without worrying about missed payments. As with some other cards, you can view your FICO score for free too.

A pretty standard credit card to build credit. It has no annual, monthly, or foreign transaction fees.

It’s a safe bet to apply for it, as it doesn’t pull your credit records.

Another take at a secured credit card for a teenager to build credit is a Citi® Secured Mastercard®.

It doesn’t have a fancy rewards program, but it’s a solid option to build credit from scratch. There’s no annual fee, and the card can be used worldwide.

Some reviewers claim it’s hard to increase the credit line on the card.

OpenSky® Secured Visa® is another choice for teens wanting to build credit.

You’ll need a refundable security deposit of $200 which will become your credit limit—allowing you to build your score fast and move on to unsecured credit cards.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card—it’s all in the title.

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Also, the card has no annual or monthly fee. And you get 0% introductory APR for the first fifteen months and earn from 1.5% to 5% in cash back.

Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students is another starter card that will help you build credit while also earning some rewards along the way.

For the first $2,500 spent, you can choose the category that will bring you the most rewards (3%). At the same time, you earn 1% or 2% buying groceries.

If you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days, you’ll also get a $200 bonus.

U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Card is another option for those with fair credit score.

It doesn’t charge an annual fee and you can earn points while doing everyday activities, like dining out or using Netflix.

You can redeem the points you collect as gift cards, cash back, merchandise, and more.

The card is secured, which means you have to put a $300–$5,000 security deposit upfront.

Yet another card that does all the talking for itself.

It has no annual fee, and earns you cash back on everyday purchases.

It also offers bonus intro deals, including one-time $200, Disney Bundle credit, and Home Chef credit—a stellar option for a 19-year-old.

Not content with a $50 bonus? Chase is offering an extra $20 every year for five years if your account is in good standing. Students can easily earn an increase in their limit, too, just by making five on-time payments in the first ten months.

The Ignite card doesn’t just encourage you to keep up your payments, it rewards you for it. As well as the bonus offers, you can earn 1% cash back on every purchase. It’s a little on the low side, but Sallie Mae is tailored toward helping students reach financial goals.

As with other Discover cards, the major benefit here is in the rewards. If you’re often the designated driver on the way to the game, take the chance to earn some rewards at the pump.

Spending $1,000 in your first three months of school will be terrifyingly easy, so why not make the most of it and earn some bonus cash? You can earn unlimited cash back, but at 1.5% it’s lower than other providers are offering. Still, with free access to your FICO score, you can ramp up your credit score and have access to better deals in no time.

If you want to go further, this is the card. Discover guarantees to match your reward miles at the end of your first year, and you can redeem these against a ton of travel purchases, from hotel rooms to airline tickets. If you don’t have a license yet, you can even use them to pay for public transport.

Want to travel, study, and earn some extra cash while doing so? Then go for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students.

It earns you 1.5 points for every dollar you spend. And you get 25,000 online bonus points if you spend $1,000 within first three months of account opening.

Plus, with Better Money Habits® you can learn a lot about how to keep your credit health in check.

While this card can be tougher to get (since it’s catered more toward those with average credit), it might be worth a shot considering all the positives.

You need an excellent credit score to apply, but this is an excellent flat rate cash back credit card at 1.5%. And if traveling is your thing, this is a very good card to have in your pocket. With travel accident insurance and 24-hour travel assistance, you can jet off with peace of mind. Add to that the complimentary concierge service for personalized help wherever you are, and this is a great second credit card after you’ve built up your score.

The Citi® Double Cash Card was one of the first to offer a 2% cash back reward—1% when you charge a purchase, and the other 1% when you pay the bill.  This card is still among the leaders in the cash back space.

This is Chase Sapphire Reserve’s more sensible sister. (Not quite as costly, but still comes with benefits.) The Chase Sapphire Preferred® credit card is just $95, but has quite a few perks.

This has to be the most basic card on our list, but it’s one of the most interesting too. As well as a long 0% intro APR period, this card promises no late fees or penalties, ever. This is a no-frills card, with no rewards on offer. If your biggest concern is saving money and having peace of mind as you build credit, this might be a good choice.