The 6 best starter cards for building your credit

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, informed on a regular basis with new information. This page includes information about the Discover it Secured that is not currently available on The Points Guy and may be out of date.

Starting from scratch with credit cards can be a daunting assignment. At TPG, we want to give you the confidence to take control of your business tour — wherever you might happen to be. Remember that everyone started as a fledgling at one point or another.

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From sharing simple rules to stay out of card debt to debunking myths about your credit score, we’re here to help along the way. And whether you’re building credit from the get-go — or looking to rebuild — this guide will help you consider the best credit card for you.

Related: TPG’s 10 commands of credit cards

Today, let’s take a closer look at six of the best starter placards for structure your approval to wreak more stability to your financial future. From entry-level first cards to secured posters, these products will help those who lack an lengthy recognition sketch or need to repair some monetary mistakes from the past.

In This Post

The best starter posters to build credit

Capital One Platinum Credit Card : Best for starting out with some ascribe Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best for future cost Discover it Secured Credit Card: Best for amateur honors Bank of America( r) Cash Rewards credit card for Students: Best for students Citi( r) Double Cash Card: Best for flat-rate cash back OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card: Best for no recognition check

Comparing the best posters to build credit

Card Best for Sign-up bonus Annual fee

Capital One Platinum Credit Card Establishing credit Nothing$ 0

Chase Freedom Unlimited Future importance $200 bonus after spend $500 in the first three months $0 Discover it Secured Credit Card Beginner honors At the end of your first time, Discover automatically parallels all the cash back you deserved $0 Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students Students None $0 Citi( r) Double Cash Card Flat-rate currency back None$ 0

OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card No recognition check None $35

The information for the Capital One Platinum, Discover it Secured, Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card for students has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The placard detailed information on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

As you can see, these placards race the compas from household names like Chase to much more niche participates in the secured card landscape. Let’s take a closer look at each of these placards to see which may fit the bill for you.

Best placards to build credit Capital One Platinum Credit Card: Best for establishing recognition ( Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)

Sign-up bonus: None

Rewards: None

Who should apply: Whether you’re just starting out or would like to build up your ascribe, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a practical poster for countless looking to elevate their recognition profile. In fact, Capital One marks( and business) the Platinum for shoppers with median recognition. Taken instantly from the Capital One website, this placard is a fit for you if 😛 TAGEND

” I have restraint credit autobiography. I’ve had my own credit cards or other approval for less than three years( including students, parties new to the U.S ., or licensed consumers on someone else’s credit cards ).”

When you have an average credit score or a short credit history, you likely won’t be accepted for reinforces or travel posters that require good to excellent credit for admiration. Therefore, there’s no need to shoot for the stars just yet if the probability of getting a card is low.

It’s likely in your best interest to open a poster — even a basic one — to get positive info flowing into your credit reports and to start building up a credit history.

Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best for future value ( Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)

Sign-up bonus: $200 bonus after spend $500 on obtains in the first three months of history opening.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on trip obtained through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining( including takeout) and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases.

Who should apply: The Chase Freedom Unlimited may be a good fit if you already have some recognition history. It’s also a dynamic starter placard because it pairs very well with other Chase placards.

When you have this poster by itself, you’ll give nothing less than 1.5% cash back on all buys in addition to bonus places for specific categories. Cardholders can pay 5% on expedition purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible transmission service and 3% on drugstore purchases.

And because you can transfer your points into an Ultimate Rewards account, the points earned by the Chase Freedom Unlimited are worth 2 pennies apiece if you join the card to a higher-end Ultimate Rewards-earning card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

Related: How to transfer Ultimate Rewards sites between chronicles

When you combine the reinforces you pay on the Freedom Unlimited with your other Ultimate Rewards-earning cards, you can then transfer the points you give with it to one of Chase’s 10 airline and three inn marriages or redeem them for added value directly in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Ultimate Rewards sites are some of the most valuable targets when it comes to redeeming for travel.

Discover it Secured Credit Card: Best for beginner honors ( Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)

Sign-up bonus: At the end of your first year, Discover automatically joins all the cash back you earned.

Rewards: Earn 2% currency back at service station and restaurants on up to $ 1,000 in obtains each quarter and unlimited 1% currency back on all other purchases.

Who should apply: The Discover it Secured is one of the few fastened credit cards that pays rewards. To open it, you must provide a deposit of either $200 for a personal credit line of that width or $500 for a personal credit line of $500. With this card, you can earn 2% money back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $ 1,000 in purchases each quarter you enroll and 1% currency back on everything else. Plus, Discover will parallel all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This means you can earn honors while you work to build your approval by using your card responsibly and compensating your statement each month.

As a cardholder, you too get to check your FICO rating for free and you won’t pay any foreign transaction fees when you use your card abroad. After you’ve been a cardholder for eight months, Discover will automatically discuss your chronicle monthly to see if you are eligible to get your security deposit back and may consider converting you to an unsecured card. Discover likewise will waive the late payment penalty fee the first time you compensate late.

Related: Your eventual steer to Discover placards

Bank of America Cash( r) Honors credit cards for Students: Best for students ( Photo by Parinda Yatha/ EyeEm/ Getty Images)

Sign-up bonus: None

Rewards proportions: Earn 3% money back in the category of your preference and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale fraternities( on up to $ 2,500 in blended expend every quarter on selection list, grocery store and wholesale societies, then 1 %); 1% on all other purchases.

Who should apply: The Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students is unique in that it proposals slew of opennes in its award earning structure . It merits consideration if you demand a cash-back card that you don’t need to replace when you graduate from college .

The card has a 3-2-1 cash-back system, and the cardholder can select which list they want to earn a 3% bonus on each month. Your options include gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, home improvement and furnishings. The poster likewise pays a consistent 2% back at grocery store and wholesale teams and 1% elsewhere.

However, it’s important be pointed out that the 3% and 2% bonus categories applies only to your first $2,500 in combined obtains each quarter. Once you contact that threshold in a one-fourth, all your obtains restored to 1% money back.

Related: Best credit cards for college student

Citi( r) Double Cash Card: Best for flat-rate cash back ( Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)

Sign-up bonus: None

Rewards: Earn 2% currency back on every purchase( 1% when you buy, plus 1% as you pay ).

Who should apply: If you’re looking to earn a solid cash-back return on everyday acquires beyond your first year, you may want to consider the Citi Double Cash Card. As its identify intimates, the card gives 2% currency back on all purchases( 1% when purchasing, plus 1% as you pay off your statement ). While other mid-tier credit cards may have more valuable benefits, 2% back on everything contributes the pack in terms of the best no-annual-fee credit cards. Plus, there’s no restriction on the amount of money back you can earn.

Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, opening the Double Cash card can open most valuable rewards in the future. Cardholders who too have the Citi Premier( r) Card or Citi Prestige( r) Card can effectively convert their Double Cash earnings into fully transferable Citi ThankYou objects — which TPG values at 1.7 cents apiece. As a cause, this opens the ability to transfer your points to Citi’s 15 airline collaborators and redeem for flights. If you quality simplicity with no curbing categories to keep track of or enroll in, a honourable 2% earning frequency and no annual rewards, the Citi Double Cash Card is a fascinating choice.

Related: What credit score do you need to get the Citi Double Cash Card ?

Just note that the Citi( r) Double Cash Card accuses a 3% foreign transaction reward, so you won’t want to use it outside of the U.S.

The information for the Citi Prestige card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The poster detailed information on this sheet have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card: Best for no ascribe check ( Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)

Sign-up bonus: None

Rewards: None

Who should apply: Looking to build credit and don’t mind compensate a nominal annual cost of $35? While this card lacks any perks or wages, the OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card reports your fee work to all three major credit unit, helping you boost your credit compose when paying your balance off each month. With an easy acceptance process, this poster may offer the key to a better monetary path.

This is a foundational starter placard conveyed for individuals looking to build credit by making on-time fees. In words of secured posters, the OpenSky Visa is a kind of the few that you can qualify for without a bank account or credit check. That intends if you’re grappling with past business gaffes or merely have bad to poor credit, this is a card that might be on your radar. Additionally, those without any recognition history, like students, can start their recognition from scratch.

Related: OpenSky Secured Visa Card Review

Doing so will likewise open opportunities for car loans and mortgages with lower interest rates. This makes a secured card, such as the OpenSky Visa, a much better option than utilizing currency or prepaid cards since those remittance approaches don’t help in flourish credit.

Fanny word

If you’re looking to build or mend your ascribe with a credit cards, you’ll want to make sure the card you get will be presenting reports your payment pleasure to the credit bureaus. All of the cards described in this guide do so.

Related: Ways to use cards responsibly

Your credit report( which includes your fee autobiography, reports and more stats about your relationships with lenders) and recognition value are what lenders look at when deciding to approve you for texts of credit. This includes mortgages, small business loans, car loan, credit cards and even apartment rentals. The higher your orchestrate, the more likely you will be approved and the better your interest rates on accounts will be.

Credit cards aren’t the only practice to build credit, but they are one of the easiest ways. If applied responsibly, credit cards can be a useful fiscal implement and get you on your channel to building good credit.

Related: Things to understand about credit before applying for cards

Additional reporting by Stella Shon and Juan Ruiz.

Featured photo by kizilkayaphotos via Getty Images.

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