What is the best Capital One starter card?

The best Capital One first-time credit card is the Capital One Platinum Credit Card because it is available to people with limited credit and has a $0 annual fee. This card doesn’t require a security deposit to open an account, and it comes with the opportunity for a higher credit limit in as little as 6 months.... read full answer

Best Capital One First-Time Credit Cards

To give you a bit more context, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is Capital One’s first-time credit card for rewards, giving 1.5% cash back on all purchases. But it comes with a $39 annual fee.

For students, there’s the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, which has a $0 annual fee and gives 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases, along with 1% back on all other purchases (except for 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 10% back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats).

Another noteworthy Capital One first-time credit card option is the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card. It’s also designed to help people build credit. It reports to the major credit bureaus just like an unsecured credit card, but you’ll have to pay a refundable security deposit to open the account. You’re guaranteed a starting credit limit of $200 with an initial deposit of $49, $99 or $200, depending on the specifics of your credit history.

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is similar, but it doesn’t have the low-deposit options and it does offer rewards.

How to Qualify for the Best Capital One Credit Cards

It’s important to note that when you’re a first-time credit card user, you normally have no credit history. A Capital One first-time credit card is ideal for helping you establish that credit. In time, you’ll qualify for some of the best Capital One credit cards with lower interest rates, higher credit limits, and better rewards and benefits.

No, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is not a good first-time credit card because it is only available to people with good credit or better. People who’ve never owned a credit card are unlikely to get approved unless they’ve built good credit through other means. There are plenty of good first-time credit cards on the market, though.... read full answer

Best First-Time Credit Cards

You can learn more about the best first-time credit cards on WalletHub.

A starter credit card is also called a beginner credit card or a first credit card and is designed for people with limited or no credit. The best starter cards tend to be secured credit cards and student credit cards as both are easy to get with no credit history and report monthly to the credit bureaus. There are some worthwhile unsecured options for beginners who aren’t in school, too.... read full answer

Below, we’ll provide some more details on each type of starter card as well as some of the best starter credit cards to consider.

Best Starter Credit Cards

Types of Starter Credit Cards

Secured Credit Cards

Secured credit cards have some of the highest approval odds since they require a refundable security deposit as collateral. The security deposit will be equal to your credit card limit, keeping you from spending more than you can afford to repay. The security deposit also allows issuers to charge low fees.

Student Credit Cards

As the name states, student credit cards are geared to students and allow them the opportunity to build credit early. Since college and graduate students have high earning potential, card issuers also tend to give students favorable terms, such as low interest, no annual fees and good rewards. With some student cards, you may be required to provide proof of school enrollment.

Other Unsecured Credit Cards for No Credit

There are also some unsecured credit cards for people who have limited or no credit history but aren’t in school. Unlike secured cards, they do not require a security deposit to open the account, and some of them may even offer rewards. To check out those options, take a look at WalletHub’s list of the best unsecured credit cards for no credit.