The 7 Best Credit Cards for 18-Year-Olds in 2024

Credit cards are often an important part of building credit and learning how to manage your finances. But at 18, you (or your child) may have little to no credit history, which makes qualifying for a credit card challenging.

This is a common problem for young adults who haven’t had the opportunity to build their credit history. Fortunately, there are plenty of credit cards designed with this issue in mind. See which credit cards for 18-year-olds might make the most sense for you or your child.

Our picks for the best credit cards for teens:

• Discover it^® Student Cash Back
• Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Petal^® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa^® Credit Card
• Chase Freedom Unlimited^®
• Discover it^® Secured Credit Card
• Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

Best credit cards for 18-year-olds

The right card for you or a child likely depends on each situation. Here are some of the best credit cards for 18-year-olds that could work in a variety of situations:

Discover it^® Student Cash Back

The Discover it^® Student Cash Back is a cashback card with a $0 annual fee and you can 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.

Also, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

The Discover it Student Cash Back could be good for 18-year-olds because it’s a student card that doesn’t require an excellent credit score to qualify. This may be ideal for college students going through a credit card application for the first time.

And for a student credit card, the opportunities for earning cash back are generous. In addition to the cash back on your purchases, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Since this card has a 0% intro APR offer for the first 6 months, then 17.74% - 26.74% Variable it could be a good resource to help you stock up on everything you need for school and then pay it off over a longer period.

Find out more in our Discover it Student Cash Back review.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great option for young adults because it only requires fair credit. According to Capital One, you could qualify even if you have a limited credit history.

The QuicksilverOne offers solid cashback rewards. While it doesn’t have any bonus categories, you can earn a generous flat rate on all of your spending with no limits. And while you’re likely to start with a low credit limit, Capital One will automatically review your account and may increase your limit after just six months.

Keep in mind, however, that this card does charge an annual fee. If you qualify for a card with similar perks and no annual fee, that might be a better way to go.

Find out more in our Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

Petal^® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa^® Credit Card

The Petal^® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa^® Credit Card could be good for 18-year-olds because it’s an unsecured card that doesn’t require a credit check or a long credit history. Petal will check your credit score if you have one, but it will also analyze information from a linked bank account. This could be helpful for credit beginners who don’t have any credit history. And if you don’t qualify for the Petal 2, you might qualify for the Petal^® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa^® Credit Card, a similar card that has fees.

One feature of the Petal 2 that really stands out is that it charges no card fees. Plenty of cards on this list don’t charge annual fees. But Petal takes that one step further and also doesn’t charge late fees or returned payment fees. In other words, you won’t be punished for minor financial mistakes like forgetting a credit card bill.

Learn more in our Petal Visa Credit Card review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

If you’ve been proactive about building your credit — or your parents have helped you do so — then the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® could be a good option. This card requires a better credit score than most of the other cards on our list, but it’s a great card for young adults who can meet those requirements.

The Freedom Unlimited has a solid cashback rate on your spending. Plus, you can earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). Many cards suited to young adults don’t have welcome offers. Meanwhile, plenty of cards that do have welcome offers have high spend thresholds, so this lower threshold is ideal for 18-year-olds.

Finally, this card is a great option if you’re planning a big purchase, whether it be school supplies or a trip with your friends. It offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.99% - 28.74% Variable, which gives you lots of flexibility.

Apply now or learn more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

Discover it^® Secured Credit Card

The Discover it^® Secured Credit Card is a great option for young adults with no credit history or with bad credit. It’s a secured credit card, which means you pay a security deposit starting at $200, and that makes up your credit limit. You can then spend just like you would on a regular card. And because you pay a security deposit, the eligibility requirements are minimal.

I know that many secured credit cards don’t offer cash back, but this one does — up to 2% cash back on some purchases. Just like we talked about on the Discover it Student Cash Back, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This card does require a security deposit, but you can start with just $200. And if you use your card responsibly, Discover may upgrade you to an unsecured card after seven months, in which case you’d get your security deposit back.

Find out more in our Discover it Secured Credit Card review.

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is designed for students but stands out from other student credit cards with its bonus categories. It offers elevated cash back on food and entertainment, which are two areas where college students tend to spend a lot of their money.

I also love that this card has a welcome offer — you can earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. It’s one of few cards on this list that has a welcome offer, and this spending threshold is even lower than the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

It’s worth noting that while Capital One doesn’t actually disclose the credit requirements for this card, plenty of people online report having been approved with fair or average credit, though.

Find out more in our Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

I’m including the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express on this list, not for teens and students to qualify on their own, but because it’s a great card for adding an authorized user. So, if you’re a parent and are considering opening a new card to add your young adult child to help them boost their credit, this may be a good option since it doesn’t charge fees for adding an authorized user.

This card has some impressive cashback bonus categories without having a high annual fee. It also allows you to earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months. That offer has a high spending threshold, but if you’re opening the card and adding your child, it would be easy for you to spend enough together.

Finally, this card has a generous 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then 18.49% - 29.49% (variable). If you’re planning a big purchase, this card could help you pay it off over a full year.

Find out more in our American Express Blue Cash Preferred review.

What to look for in credit cards for young adults

Turning 18 is typically thought of as an important milestone for a teenager. In a financial sense, it’s the age at which you can legally apply for a credit card. But, according to the Credit CARD Act of 2009, 18- to 20-year-olds can get a credit card only if they have a co-signer who’s 21 or older or they can provide proof of sufficient independent income.

Co-signing for a credit card is a bit of an outdated practice that most major credit card issuers no longer offer. This leaves using your income as the recommended path to getting a credit card if you’re 18 to 20 years old.

If you don’t have any income, it might make more sense to become an authorized user to help build your credit. You could also consider a secured card or one with minimal credit requirements, like the Petal 2.

Here are a few factors to consider when deciding between different credit cards:

• Credit score: Even if you have sufficient income, you might not have enough credit history to qualify for certain credit cards. Student credit cards and secured credit cards often have less strict qualifications. See our page about the best credit cards for students to learn more.
• Annual fee: It’s common for certain credit cards to have annual fees, but typically only if they have benefits to help offset the cost. Consider whether a card’s fee might be worth it depending on the benefits it offers. In some cases, building your credit could be enough of a benefit to warrant paying a fee. But having no annual fee could help you save money.
• Benefits: Credit card benefits range from travel insurance to purchase protection and more. Are you a frequent traveler, or would you like additional coverage for recent purchases? Explore a card’s benefits to see how they might be useful for you.
• Rewards: Certain cards offer rewards, such as cash back, points, or miles, whenever you make eligible purchases. This could be a valuable resource for saving money, especially if you like to travel. Check out the best rewards credit cards for recommended options.
• Interest rate: Many credit cards have relatively high interest rates, often expressed as an APR, or annual percentage rate. If you’re concerned about paying interest on a card, consider credit cards with lower variable APRs.
• Intro APR: Some credit cards offer 0% intro APR on purchases for a certain amount of time. These cards are a great choice if you’re planning a big purchase — maybe you’re heading off to college and need to stock your dorm room. You can pay the money off over a longer period without paying interest.

Secured vs. unsecured cards

Unsecured credit cards are what you might typically think of when talking about credit cards. These cards can often be used just about anywhere worldwide (if Visa or Mastercard) for an amount up to the provided line of credit.

Secured credit cards function similarly, but the credit limit is typically associated with a deposit you make when you open the card. If you deposit $200, your credit limit could be $200. The deposit serves as collateral for the lender, which means that if you don't make your payments, the card issuer can use your deposit to pay off your card balance.

FAQs

Bottom line

Young adults, including teenagers, often fall into a difficult situation where they need a credit card to build credit but can’t qualify for most credit cards. Fortunately, student credit cards, secured credit cards, and other alternatives are available to help avoid these circumstances.

Using one of these options could help you build your credit history and open up more financial opportunities in the future. This could mean qualifying for additional credit products with increased benefits and reduced interest rates. Check out our dedicated credit card page to compare credit card offers and see what products might work best for you.

Double Rewards on Gas and Dining

Discover it^® Student Chrome

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

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.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Intro APR on purchases
• Up to 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter)
• Choice of card designs
• No annual fee

Drawbacks

• Into APR period is relatively short

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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 cash back 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 17.74% - 26.74% applies.
• Terms and conditions apply.