John S Kiernan, Managing Editor
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The best unsecured credit card for no credit is the Capital One Platinum Credit Card because it has a $0 annual fee and a $0 foreign fee. Capital One Platinum does not have rewards, but no annual fee is more important when you’re first starting out with credit. If you’re willing to pay for better perks, consider the Capital One QuicksilverOne Card, which has a $39 annual fee and gives 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
If you’re in college, you can get a student credit card. Student cards are unsecured credit cards for no credit that are available only to college students. They tend to give better terms than non-student unsecured credit cards for no credit because issuers predict college graduates will have larger incomes. One of the best options is Discover it® Student chrome. It gives 2% cash back on the first $1,000 you spend each quarter at gas stations and restaurants combined, plus 1% on everything else. On top of that, Discover matches all the cash back you earn during your first year. And they give you a $20 statement credit for every year you earn a 3.0 or higher GPA, for up to 5 years.
Best Unsecured Credit Cards for No Credit
- Best for no annual fee: Capital One Platinum Credit Card. $0 annual fee. $0 foreign transaction fee. 26.99% (V) regular APR.
- Best for cash back: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. $39 annual fee. $0 foreign transaction fee. 1.5% cash back on all purchases. 26.99% (V) regular APR.
- Best for business: Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business. $0 annual fee. $0 foreign transaction fee. 1% cash back on all purchases. 26.99% (V) regular APR.
- Best for student cash back: Discover it® Student chrome. $0 annual fee. 0% foreign transaction fee. 2% cash back on the first $1,000 at gas stations and restaurants per quarter. 1% cash back on all other purchases. First year’s cash back matched. 0% intro APR for 6 months on purchases. 12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR after that.
- Best for student travel: Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students. $0 annual fee. 0% foreign transaction fee. 25,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. 3 points / $1 at the BofA Travel Center and 1.5 points / $1 on all other purchases. 0% APR for 12 months on purchases. 14.99% - 22.99% (V) regular APR.
- Easiest approval: Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card. $0 - $99 annual fee, depending on creditworthiness. 3% foreign transaction fee. 1% cash back on eligible purchases. 17.99% - 23.99% (V) regular APR.
It’s pretty easy to qualify for unsecured credit cards for no credit, provided that you have a steady income. But if you want the absolute highest chances of approval, you may want to consider secured cards. They help you build credit just as well as unsecured cards, but you have to put down a security deposit to open them.

2021's Best Credit Cards for People with No Credit
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