Bianca Smith, WalletHub Credit Cards Analyst
@bianca_stoian
The best credit card for low-income earners is the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card because it has a $0 annual fee and offers 1 - 1.5% cash back on purchases. The combination of no annual fee and cash back on purchases makes this card a great fit for people who are on a budget but want to earn rewards. Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card requires limited credit or better for approval. The card’s minimum monthly payment can be very low, too, which should make it easy to afford with limited income.
There is no official minimum income requirement for getting a credit card, though most credit card issuers impose their own limits. The goal is to ensure that you have enough income or assets to afford the card’s monthly payments. Your assets are anything of value that you own, such as a car or real estate. In general, you should be able to get a credit card with an income as low as $10,000 per year if your debt-to-income ratio is low enough.
Best Credit Cards for Low-Income Earners
Ongoing Rewards: 1% cash back on all eligible purchases, up to 1.25% back after 6 months of on-time payments, and 1.5% cash back after 12 consecutive months of paying on time
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Limited History
Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, along with 1% back on all other purchases (except for 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases)
Annual Fee: $39
Credit Score: Limited History
Ongoing Rewards: 1% cash back on all purchases
Annual Fee: $0 - $89
Credit Score: Bad
Ongoing Rewards: 2% cash back on all purchases for the first year, and 1.5% cash back thereafter
Annual Fee: $0
Minimum Deposit Required: $200
Credit Score: Bad
Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, along with 1% back on all other purchases (except for 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases)
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Limited History
Ongoing Rewards: 2% cash rewards on purchases
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Good
What to Look for in a Low-Income Credit Card
- No annual fee: When your budget is tight, a no annual fee credit card will help you keep costs to a minimum.
- Rewards: Cash back is a great choice for a low-income card because it's like getting a small discount on purchases.
- Low security deposit (for secured cards): If you don’t have a lot of available income and you have bad credit, look for a secured credit card with a low security deposit.
- 0% intro APR: Cards that have a 0% intro APR do not charge you interest for a specified amount of time. These cards are ideal for low-income earners who wish to make a big purchase or reduce the cost of their debt.
It is also worth noting that if you have a low income, you might only be approved for a modest credit limit. Credit card issuers determine spending limits based on what minimum monthly payments you can comfortably afford given your annual income. For example, if you have around $100 of disposable income per month and you apply for a credit card with a 5% minimum monthly payment, then your credit limit will likely be around $2,000, since 5% of $2,000 is $100.
2026's Best Credit Cards
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Low Intro APR & Bonus Rewards
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Everyday Cash Back
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Good Credit
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0% Intro APR
Jason Watson, Member
@jwatson_consult
Definitely get something with no annual fee. Beyond that, it really depends on your credit score. If you have good credit, a card like Citi Custom Cash or U.S. Bank Cash+ could be good. They have high reward rates that are capped at a certain amount of spending, which won’t be as big of an issue for a low spender. They also don’t charge annual fees.
David Patel, Member
@dpatel_tech
- Capital One Platinum - Low limit, no annual fee
- Capital One Platinum Secured - Super low barrier to entry, and they sometimes only ask for a $49 deposit.
- Petal 1 or 2 - Don't just rely on credit scores; they check your bank activity, so if you manage money well, you might get approved.
- Chime Credit Builder - No credit check, no fees, and it still helps your score.
Skip anything with annual fees - you don’t need that stress.
People also ask
What is a good income for a credit card?
A good annual income for a credit card is more than $62,000 per year, since that puts you above the U.S. median. At the very least, you are required to have enough income to afford the monthly minimum payments on a credit card, along with your other financial obligations.
Having enough money to pay the monthly bills is the only official minimum income requirement for credit card approval in general, but individual credit card...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyDo credit cards check your income?
Yes, credit cards do check your income when you apply. Credit card issuers are required by law to consider your ability to repay debt prior to extending a new line of credit. So, listing your annual income is a requirement on every credit card application. To that end, credit card issuers may also ask for proof of income, such as pay stubs, bank statements, or tax returns.
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read full answer by Bianca Smith, WalletHub Credit Cards AnalystDoes applying for a credit card hurt your credit score?
Applying for a credit card does hurt your credit score, but your score should only drop a few points and rebound within 3-6 months if you use your credit card responsibly. The longest the hard inquiry from a credit card application can affect your score is 12 months. After that, it will still be visible on your credit report for another year but will have no influence on your score.
Impact of a Credit Card...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyDid we answer your question?
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