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Student Credit Cards for Fair Credit
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Chase Freedom® Student credit card Chase Freedom® Student credit card
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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15.74% (V)
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Chase Freedom® Student credit card is a decent credit card for students who have limited credit score. Freedom Student has a $0 annual fee and gives a $20 bonus after each account anniversary, for up to five years, to cardholders who keep the account in good standing.
Read our editor's full Freedom Student review.
Pros
- $0 annual fee
- $50 initial bonus
- $20 good-standing bonus for up to five years
- 1% Cash Back on all purchases
Cons
- 15.74% (V) APR
Rewards Details
- $50 Bonus after first purchase made within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 1% cash back on all purchases
- $20 Good Standing Rewards after each account anniversary for up to 5 years
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
Additional Info
- No annual Fee
- Earn a credit limit increase after making 5 monthly payments on time within 10 months from account opening when meeting credit criteria
- Free credit score with Chase Credit Journey
Discover it® Student Cash Back Discover it® Student Cash Back
Purchase Intro APR
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0% for 6 months
Transfer Intro APR
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10.99% for 6 monthsTransfer Fee: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Regular APR
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13.74% - 22.74% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1 - 5% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Discover it® Student Cash Back card is a good credit card for students with limited credit history or no credit score who want to earn bonus rewards without paying an annual fee. Offering 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent per quarter in bonus categories that change (1% back otherwise), Discover it® Student Cash Back clearly is worthwhile. Discover also doubles cardholders’ first-year rewards earnings after the first account anniversary.
Read our editor's full Discover it Student Cash Back review.
Pros
- First-year rewards doubled
- No annual fee
- No foreign-transaction fee
- Intro APR on purchases
Cons
- High regular APR
- No initial bonus
Rewards Details
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Additional Info
- No credit score required to apply.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- NEW! Discover helps remove your personal information from select people-search websites. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 13.74% - 22.74% applies.
- Click "Apply Now" to see terms and conditions.
Discover it® Student chrome Discover it® Student chrome
Purchase Intro APR
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0% for 6 months
Transfer Intro APR
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10.99% for 6 monthsTransfer Fee: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Regular APR
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13.74% - 22.74% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1 - 2% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
Pros
- No membership fees
- Intro APR on purchases
- High rewards rate
- Bonus categories
Cons
- Spending caps on rewards
- No initial rewards bonus
- Balance transfer fee
Read our editor's full Discover it Student chrome review.
Rewards Details
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Additional Info
- No credit score required to apply.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- NEW! Discover helps remove your personal information from select people-search websites. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 13.74% - 22.74% applies.
- Click "Apply Now" to see terms and conditions.
Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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13.74% - 27.74% (V)
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1 - 1.5% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card is a very good starter credit card for people with limited or no credit. The Petal 2 Visa Card is worth considering because it has $0 fees, rewards equal to 1 - 1.5% Cash Back on all eligible purchases, and monthly credit-bureau reporting.
Read our editor's full Petal 2 Card review.
Pros
- No membership fees
- No foreign fee
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
Cons
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- No balance transfers allowed
Rewards Details
- Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments.
- 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away
- 2% - 10% cash back at select merchants
Additional Info
- No fees whatsoever. No late fee, foreign transaction fee, annual fee, or any-other-kind-of-fee, fee.
- Variable APRs range from 13.74% - 27.74%
- $300 - $10,000 credit limits
- No credit score? No problem. If eligible, we'll create your Cash Score instead.
- See if you're pre-approved within minutes without impacting your credit score.
- Build credit alongside hundreds of thousands of Petal card members.
- Petal reports to all 3 major credit bureaus.
- No deposits required
- Card issued by WebBank, Member FDIC
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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15.24% - 25.24% (V)
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1.5 - 5% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good credit card for students who want to earn above-average rewards while they build credit. Capital One Quicksilver Student Card is worth it because it gives unlimited 1.5 - 5% Cash Back on purchases, has a $0 annual fee, and is available to students with limited or no credit history.
Read our editor's full Capital One Quicksilver Student Card review.
Pros
- No membership fees
- No foreign fee
- Qualify with limited credit history
- Does not require security deposit
Cons
- No intro APR on purchases
- No intro APR on balance transfers
Rewards Details
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- Limited Time Offer: Earn $100 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
Additional Info
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- You can help build your credit with responsible use of a card like this
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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15.24% - 25.24% (V)
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1 - 5% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good credit card for students who want to save money on dining and entertainment. Applying for this card is worth it because it has a $0 annual fee and gives 3% cash back on groceries, restaurants, streaming services, and various other entertainment expenses. That includes everything from concert tickets to amusement parks. Plus, you can get approved for the Capital One SavorOne Student Card with limited or no credit history.
Read our editor's full Capital One SavorOne Student Card review.
Pros
- No membership fees
- High rewards rate
- $100 initial rewards bonus
- No foreign fee
Cons
- No intro APR on purchases
- No intro APR on balance transfers
Rewards Details
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), with 1% on all other purchases. Plus, earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and tickets at Vivid Seats
- Limited Time Offer: Earn $100 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
Additional Info
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- You can help build your credit with responsible use of a card like this
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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26.99% (V)
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1 - 5% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a credit card for college students with limited or no credit that offers unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 0.25% bonus (for a total of 1.25% back) each month you pay the bill by the due date. Journey Student Rewards from Capital One also has a $0 annual fee. The card’s $0 foreign transaction fee makes it a good study-abroad companion, too, as does the fact that it’s on the VISA card network, which is accepted worldwide.
Read our editor's full Capital One Journey review.
Pros
- 1% cash back on all purchases
- 0.25% rewards bonus for paying on time
- No annual fee
- Possible credit-line increase after first five on-time payments
Cons
- No reduced introductory interest rates
- Above-average regular APR
Rewards Details
- Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases. Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
- Earn $5 per month for 12 months on Select Streaming Subscriptions when you pay on time. *Exclusions Apply
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
Additional Info
- Enjoy no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- You can help build your credit with responsible use of a card like this
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- $0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
- Pick the monthly due date that works best for you
Destiny Mastercard® Destiny Mastercard®
One-Time Fees
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$0
Regular APR
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35.9%
Annual Fee
See Terms
Monthly Fee
$0 1st year, $10.40 after
Minimum Credit
Bad
WalletHub's Take
The Destiny Mastercard® is not a good option for most people because it charges a high annual fee and has a 35.9% APR. The Destiny Mastercard® can help people with bad credit improve their credit score and borrow modest amounts, but other cards can do the same thing at a lower cost.
Read our editor's full Destiny Card review.
Pros
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
Cons
- High membership fees
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
Additional Info
- Greater access to credit than before - $500 credit limit
- All the benefits of a Mastercard, without a security deposit.
- Keeping your account in good standing may help establish and/or improve your credit history
- Less than perfect credit is okay, even with a prior bankruptcy!
- Prequalify for a card today and it will not impact your credit score
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus
Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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20.74% - 30.24% (V)
WalletHub's Take
The Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card is a good credit card for people with limited credit who do not want to place a refundable security deposit. The Petal 1 Card offers a credit limit of $300 to $5,000, has a $0 annual fee that makes it easily worthwhile, and reports to all three major credit bureaus.
Read our editor's full Petal 1 Card review.
Pros
- No membership fees
- No foreign fee
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
Cons
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- No balance transfers allowed
Additional Info
- $0 Annual Fee
- Variable APRs range from 20.74% - 30.24%
- $300 - $5,000 credit limits
- Earn a credit limit increase in as little as 6 months. Terms and conditions apply.
- No credit score? No problem. If eligible, we'll create your Cash Score instead.
- 2% - 10% cash back at select merchants
- See if you're pre-approved within minutes without impacting your credit score.
- No annual or foreign transaction fees.
- Build credit alongside hundreds of thousands of Petal card members.
- Petal's mobile app makes it easy to manage your money, track your spending, and automate payments.
- Petal reports to all 3 major credit bureaus
- No deposits required
- Card issued by WebBank, Member FDIC
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
Purchase Intro APR
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Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
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Not Offered
Regular APR
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20.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1% Cash Back
Minimum Credit
Limited History
WalletHub's Take
The Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students is a good credit card for international students because it has a $0 annual fee, a $0 foreign transaction, and no SSN requirement. Deserve EDU accepts the combination of a passport, proof of a U.S. bank account, and some other basic documentation instead of a Social Security number. The Deserve EDU Mastercard also is worth it because it rewards cardholders with 1% cash back on all purchases.
Read our editor's full Deserve EDU review.
Pros
- Amazon Prime Student Membership
- 1% Cash Back
- No Annual or Foreign Fees
- No SSN Required
Cons
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- No balance transfers allowed
Rewards Details
- Receive one year of Amazon Prime Student on Deserve after spending $500 in the first three billing cycles with your EDU card (Lifetime Value of $59).
- Earn 1% Cash Back on all purchases with your Deserve EDU Mastercard. Once approved, you'll automatically start earning cash back on all purchases.
- Feel secure with cell phone protection up to $600.
- Refer A Friend Program: Refer anyone to Deserve using your personal referral code. Upon approval, card activation and use, you'll receive $30 and so will your referral. Referral bonuses are unlimited!
Additional Info
- No deposit required. No annual fees.
- No international transaction fees on purchases abroad so you can travel with confidence.
- No Social Security Number required for international students to apply.
- Manage and track your spending, set automatic payments and securely freeze your card all through one easy to use app.
- See if you prequalify with no impact to your credit score in minutes.
- Deserve Mastercards are issued by Celtic Bank, Member FDIC.
- Enjoy Mastercard Platinum Benefits intended to make your life easier like Mastercard ID Theft Prevention™ and Master Rental®.
NO FOREIGN FEE
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Questions & Answers
Comparing student credit cards for fair credit 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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