Best Credit Cards for Young Adults

One of the best credit cards for 18-year-olds is the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card because it rewards cardholders with up to 1.5% cash back on purchases. The card also has a $0 annual fee and is intended for beginners with limited. There's no security deposit required to open the account, either.

Best Credit Cards for 18-Year-Olds

As you can see, the best card depends a lot on your financial situation and spending habits. For example, the best credit card for 18-year-old students is the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students. This card comes with a $0 annual fee and a high rewards rate. A student's age and earning potential are an attractive prospect for credit card issuers, so they're willing to extend offers not readily available to non-students.

In addition, some of the other best credit cards for 18-year-olds are secured credit cards, which offer the easiest approval. They require a security deposit, typically around $200 or $300. The security deposit sets the credit limit and serves as collateral for the lender. It's fully refundable after closing the account in good standing. The Capital One Platinum Secured is one of the best secured credit cards for 18-year-olds.

Best Ways for 18-Year-Olds to Access Credit

Keep in mind that the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 places limits on credit cards for 18-year-olds. Under the law, consumers younger than 21 years old must have either a co-signer or proof of a steady income to be a credit card's primary accountholder. If you can meet one of these two requirements, you'll have a pool of cards to choose from that will help you establish credit.

Another option is to become an authorized user on someone else's credit card. You can become an authorized user on any type of credit card, and you'll enjoy any benefits the card offers while you establish your credit. The primary cardholder is financially responsible for the account, and his or her card activity will also be reflected on your credit report. However, any negative information such as late or missed payments will cause a drop in both of your credit scores.

Applying for a starter credit card as soon as possible will add positive information to your credit reports and will help you build credit fast. The main thing you need to do in order to benefit from a credit card's credit building effects is to always pay your bills on time and in full.

You can build your credit at 19 by becoming an authorized user on someone else's credit card account or by getting your own credit card. You can get your own credit card when you turn 18 as long as you have an independent source of income. You can also build credit without a credit card by getting a loan – student loans, auto loans, and most other types of loans will help build your credit if you make your payments on time. You can also get a credit builder loan, which is designed for people with limited or bad credit.

If you don't have income, the easiest way to start building credit at 19 is by becoming an authorized user on someone else's account. This doesn't require a credit check or independent income. Authorized users are not responsible for paying the credit card bill. But if the primary cardholder pays the bill on time and uses the credit card responsibly, any authorized users on the account will build credit history.

Getting your own credit card at 19 will require independent income, as you can't use someone else's income that you have reasonable access to (i.e. a parent or spouse's income) on a credit application until you turn 21. Building credit at 19 is a good idea, but limited credit history could bar you from getting approved for some credit cards on your own. That said, there are plenty of starter credit cards and student credit cards that will increase your approval odds as someone with a thin credit file. Secured credit cards are another great choice.

Taking out a loan can also help build your credit, if you qualify for one. There are lots of types of loans out there, and they all require you to either provide proof of income or have someone else cosign for the loan. Getting approved for an auto loan, a student loan, or a personal loan will build your credit. Credit builder loans are upside-down loans, where you make payments to a lender in order to get the amount of the loan back when it's paid off. These are generally offered by smaller banks, credit unions, and online lenders. No matter which loan you get, good information will be reported to credit bureaus every month as long as you pay on time.

However, building credit isn't just about finding a financial institution that's willing to extend you a loan or line of credit with your limited credit history. It's also about managing your credit well. Those just starting out in the realm of credit cards should take time to learn the basics of building credit. A credit card won't get you very far if you don't know how to use it properly. And using credit properly – keeping your balance low and paying at least the minimum payment on time – is what eventually produces an excellent credit score.

The best credit cards for young professionals are the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. They all offer above-average rewards per $1 spent, plus a sign-up deal of some kind.

Young professionals are likely to have some credit history behind them and to want a credit card that rewards an on-the-go lifestyle while not costing them too much or being too rigid with rewards redemption. You can get to know the top options a bit better below.

Best Credit Cards for Young Professionals

Initial Bonus: 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase, 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on dining and online grocery purchases, 3 points per $1 on select streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $95

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Initial Bonus: 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $95

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Initial Bonus: 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: a total of 10 points per $1 spent on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase, a total of 10 points per $1 spent on prepaid restaurant reservations or takeout orders made through Chase, a total of 5 points per $1 spent on flights purchased through Chase, 3 points per $1 spent on all other travel and dining purchases, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $550

Min. Credit Required: Excellent credit

Initial Bonus: $200 cash rewards after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 2% cash rewards on all purchases

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Intro APR: 0% for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Regular APR: 17.99% - 29.99% Variable

Balance Transfer Fee: 5% (min $5)

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Initial Bonus:

Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $39

Min. Credit Required: Limited History

Ongoing Rewards: 4 points per $1 spent on dining (including takeout and food delivery), 2 points per $1 spent at grocery stores (including grocery delivery) as well as with streaming services, EV charging stations and gas stations, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Bad credit

Whether you travel frequently or stay put most of the time, credit cards can be rewarding no matter which bracket you fall into as a young professional. Take your time to weigh out what you want in a credit card versus how you spend your money. And whichever rewards you end up choosing, make sure you redeem them often.

For more options, check out the rest of the best credit cards available right now.

You can get a credit card without a job. Most credit card applications have a section for employment information, but you can also put student, homemaker or unemployed. Annual income and assets are more important than employment status when applying for a credit card, though.

Income is usually from a job, but it can also come from other sources like an inheritance or investments. Your assets are anything of value that you own. For example, if you have a rental property, the property would be an asset. And the rent you charge would be part of your income.

If you're under 21 years old, you'll need your own income source to qualify for a credit card. That could include a regular allowance from your parents, though. If you're over 21, you can list household income that you have reasonable access to. For example, a stay-at-home parent could list their spouse's income. Without a job or any income, a credit card will be much more difficult to get.

How to get a credit card without a job:

• Put down non-employment income: You can list alimony, disability benefits, certain scholarships, and investment or rental income, for example.
• List shared income: If you have consistent access to someone else's income, you can list that. For example, it could be an allowance from a relative (if you're under 21 years old) or your partner's pay (21+).
• Become an authorized user or get a joint account with someone else: An authorized user can make charges on someone else's account. But the primary cardholder owns the account and is legally responsible for paying the bills. This option is the easiest way to get a card and start building credit. You can also get a joint credit card from U.S. Bank without a job, as long as the co-owner has enough income. But in a joint credit card arrangement, both people are liable for the debt.
• Get a secured card: To get a secured card, you must put down a security deposit (usually $200+), which serves as the credit limit. Since there is no possibility of borrowing more than you can pay, secured cards are easier for people with limited income or bad credit to get.

You can get a credit card without a job as long as you have enough income or assets to pay your bills. So being out of work doesn't mean losing out on the opportunity to improve your credit score or enjoy the convenience of plastic.

The most important piece of credit card advice for young adults is to get a first credit card as early as possible and then use it responsibly, by spending within your means and not missing due dates. If you do that, you'll be able to graduate to a great second credit card sooner.

The credit building efforts can start way sooner. Becoming an authorized user on an adult's account is the only way to get credit before you turn 18. This can add positive information to your credit reports each month and help you build credit faster.

Yes, you can get a credit card for your teenager by making them an authorized user on one of your credit card accounts, or by helping them apply for their own credit card if they are 18 or older. For teens under the age of 18, becoming an authorized user on someone else's account is the only way to get a credit card.

Best Credit Cards for Teenagers

• Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card
• Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Chase Freedom® Student credit card

Ways to Get a Credit Card for Your Teenager

Make your child an authorized user on one of your credit card accounts.

Adding a teenager as an authorized user on your credit card account is the easiest way to help your teen build their credit. It's easy to do, and usually it's free, too. Your child will get their own credit card with their name on it, and purchases made with their card will come out of your account's credit limit. All the bills will have your name on them, too, and you're the only person who will be responsible for paying them.

As long as you pay your credit card bills on time, your child's credit score will benefit from the card, even if they never use it. If you don't pay your bills on time, your child will be able to successfully dispute the account and get it removed from their credit report.

Help your teenager apply for their own credit card if they are 18 or older.

If your teen is old enough and has the independent income required to make monthly bill payments, you can help them pick the best credit card to apply for. In most cases, this will be a student credit card, but there are plenty of other good starter credit cards to choose from as well.

It's important to note that applicants who are under 21 years old can only list independent income on a credit card application. For example, they cannot include income from their parents, unless the money is in a shared account that the teen has access to.

The best credit card for young travelers is the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students. 

It's a good option if you're a student who wants to reduce the cost of travel without paying an annual fee, both because it has appealing travel rewards and because it doesn't have a foreign transaction fee, so no surcharges when you travel abroad or purchase from internationally-based merchants.

If you're not a student, Capital One Platinum might be your best choice, considering the lack o an annual fee and foreign transaction fees, however, it has no travel rewards.

The best credit card for young adults who love dining out is the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card because it offers 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category (including dining), up to $500 spent per billing cycle. Cardholders also get 1% back on all other purchases, and an initial bonus of $200 for spending $1,500 in the first 6 months.

Citi Custom Cash has a $0 annual fee. It requires good credit or better to get approved.

Best Credit Cards For Young Adults Who Love Dining Out

The very best credit cards for dining out require at least good credit for approval. People with less-than-good credit still have options, though. For example, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card, the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card and the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card all give decent rewards. If you're not sure what your score is, you can check your credit score for free on WalletHub.

The best credit card for young adults with credit card debt is the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card because it offers 0% for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, and you can get it with good credit. Wells Fargo Reflect also has a $0 annual fee.

Just bear in mind that Wells Fargo Reflect charges a balance transfer fee of 5% (min $5). In addition, the regular APR that takes effect when the intro rate expires will be 17.99% - 29.99% Variable, depending on your overall creditworthiness.

Most of the best balance transfer credit cards require a minimum of good credit for approval. But if you're a student with no credit, you could be in luck. The BankAmericard® credit card for Students offers 0% for 21 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days on balance transfers and has a $0 annual fee. However, the BankAmericard® credit card for Students also has a 3% transfer fee.

Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards for Young Adults

When you're in credit card debt, a balance transfer can be a good way to stop (or slow down) the runaway train of accruing interest while you pay off your debt, but only if you can get a balance transfer credit card that has a low balance transfer fee and a low balance transfer APR.

If the card you're transferring your debt to does not have a lower APR on balance transfers and it has a balance transfer fee, the odds are good that you won't be saving any money by doing a balance transfer. You can estimate your potential savings using WalletHub's balance transfer calculator.