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Best Credit Cards for 18-Year Olds
WalletHub experts track 1,500+ offers to help you get the right credit card for 18 year olds.
The best credit cards for 18-year-olds have low fees and high approval odds, and many even offer rewards or low introductory interest rates. The best credit cards for 18-year-olds also report account information to the major credit bureaus on a monthly basis, giving you the chance to build a good credit score (some offers are from WalletHub partners). ... show more
Best Credit Cards for 18-Year-Olds (2023)
FILTER CREDIT CARDS FOR 18-YEAR-OLDS
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- No annual fee
- Available to people with limited credit
- Free credit-score access
- No foreign transaction fee
- No rewards
- High regular APR
- No reduced introductory rates

- No membership fees
- No foreign fee
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- No rewards bonus
- No balance transfers allowed

- No annual or monthly fees & No fees for account opening
- Up to 2% cash back
- First-year rewards doubled
- Relatively low minimum deposit
- High regular APR

- No annual or monthly fees
- Starting credit line $200
- Great for credit-building
- No rewards
- Higher-than-average interest rate

- 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Available to people with limited or fair credit
- No foreign fee
- $39 annual fee
- Above-average regular APR

- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- Membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee

- No membership fees
- No foreign fee
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- No rewards
- High regular APR

- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Low security deposit
- One-time fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee

- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- One-time fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee

- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
What are the best credit cards for 18-year-olds?
The best credit cards for 18-year-olds are the Capital One Platinum and QuicksilverOne cards. Platinum has long been one of the best starter cards on the market because it doesn’t charge an annual fee and people with no credit can get it. And QuicksilverOne is a great option for anyone who plans to spend at least $2,600 per year. That’s what’s needed for the card’s 1.5% cash back earning rate to cancel out its $39 annual fee.
If you’re a college-bound 18-year-old, or you’re already on campus, the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students are great options. Both offer generous rewards, and neither charges an annual fee or a foreign transaction fee.
There are lots more attractive offers, too, including secured cards great for people who want the highest approval odds. You can check out all of WalletHub’s top picks below.
Best Credit Cards for 18-Year Olds Comparison
Best For | Card Name | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate |
No Annual Fee | Capital One Platinum Credit Card | $0 | N/A |
Cash Back | Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | $39 | 1.5 - 5% Cash Back |
High Approval Odds | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | $35 | N/A |
College Students | Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 | 1 - 5% Cash Back |
Study Abroad | Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students | $0 | 1.5 points / $1 |
Online Purchases (Fair Credit) | Amazon.com Store Card | $0 | 0 - 5% back in rewards |
Once you have a credit card, you’ll need to use it responsibly if you want to build good credit and qualify for better deals in the future. Responsible use includes always paying your bills on time and utilizing less than 30% of your available credit. For an in-depth guide, check out WalletHub’s How to Build Credit in 8 Simple Steps.
Questions & Answers
Comparing credit cards for 18-year-olds can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.show more
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We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. Actual terms may vary. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.
† Approval Odds are WalletHub estimates intended to gauge your likelihood of approval for a particular product. Approval Odds are based on WalletHub data and are not provided or endorsed by the lender. Approval Odds are not meant to imply or guarantee that you will be approved by the lender or that credit will be extended. WalletHub may share your information with third-parties in order to show personalized offers, as well as enable you to interact more easily with pre-fill forms or applications. You can opt-out of sharing your personal info here.
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