13 Best Credit Cards For 18 Year Old In 2023

18 is a courageous time in somebody’s life. The youngest people employed contribute significantly less because they have less experience or skills and are usually paid lower than experienced staff with high salaries. But it’s not a concern that, at present, plenty of credit card providers offer reliable best credit cards for 18 year old generation.

Typically 18 is the ideal age to start a career in finance, but you may not be able to enter into credit card-related activities until you are 18. Many credit cards have restrictions for those under 18, so we will review the seven best credit cards that allow individuals as young as 17.

How To Choose Best Credit Cards For 18 Year Old?

Many companies provide student credit cards. You should check the terms and conditions of each offer to decide which one is best suited for your needs. The following tips will help you pick a suitable card:

Credit Card Fees

Ensure you understand all fees involved with your card before applying, including the annual membership fee, foreign transactions fee, and penalty fees.

Apply for the best credit card you can afford to keep your credit score high.

There are many reasons why you should try to keep your credit score high:

•  You will have a higher chance of getting accepted for a student credit card with a good rewards program.
• The best credit cards for students usually offer 0% introductory APR.
• A good credit score means good lending opportunities in the future (For example, mortgage approvals).
• Finally, it can impact your car insurance premiums and other types of insurance.

Your credit score will be checked at least once by banks, card issuers, cell phone companies, and even employers. It’s essential to keep your credit score high, and a good way to do that is to apply.

Rewards and introductory offers:

Make sure you know the basics of rewards cards. You can get cash back, travel points, or points that can be used to buy gift cards. A good student rewards credit card should offer no annual fee and low-interest rates (Or better yet – 0% introductory APR on purchases). Good bonus potential for sign up.

Cash-back offers

These credit card rewards are on your purchases in the form of cashback. The more money you spend, the higher your reward is. There are no limits or restrictions. You get paid just for using it. Some great cashback credit cards for students include Discover it® Student Cash Back and Discover it® Chrome.

The introductory offer is your chance to improve or maintain your credit score.

Many student cards come with an introductory offer of 0% APR on purchases, balance transfers, and new purchases, provided you pay off the entire balance by the introductory period. This way, you can avoid paying interest and still get cashback rewards.

Rewards programs

Your credit card should come with a rewards program that allows you to earn points on all your purchases. Many student cards offer cashback in statement credits if you set up automatic payments or unique features such as cell phone insurance.

Special features

Consider applying for Platinum Plus® Business Credit Card from American Express or the Citi ThankYou PremierSM Card if you travel a lot. If you often eat out with friends at restaurants or buy groceries from chain stores like Walmart, Chase Freedom UnlimitedSM is an excellent choice.

Fees:

If your credit card has a foreign transaction fee, think twice before applying because it might negatively affect your score. Some student cards may have an annual fee too.

Compare cards and their benefits before you apply.

Always compare your options, do online research or ask a trusted adult to help you with this task. You can get more information about the right card using the credit score simulator on this site: NerdWallet Score Simulator.

Credit Monitoring and Credit Reports

Another way to have a higher FICO score is to check your credit reports regularly. You can do that by signing up for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. This will give you the essential information: Your current score, payment history, inquiries made on your account, etc.

If you’ve had any negative marks or unusual activity on your credit report, you should contact the bank immediately. Tell them that there are some mistakes and ask them to look into them.

13 Best Credit Cards For 18 Year Old in 2023

1. ING Orange Credit Card For 18 Year Old Student

Making your settlement in 18 is not as strange as you might think. Once the person has finished high school, he can choose whether to work full time or go to college and get a diploma.

In the first case, it would be much better if financed by credit cards – it will help him become independent and more like an adult.

ING Orange Credit Card for Students is the best credit cards for 18 year old students who started university education or cannot get involved in the workforce.

This credit card does not have a high-interest rate, which is 10% and up to 15% if paid late or you exceed your limit. If you earn a $3000 salary per year, you can pay the debt off in a year or two.

The best part about this ING Orange credit card is that it encourages responsible spending for students by allowing them to earn cashback on everyday purchases, which involves paying back the minimum amount without additional penalties 12 times a year. That means that if you get a $3000 salary per year, your monthly payments will range between $50 and $75.

The need for this credit card is to show that you are responsible, which in turn will assist you to get a low-interest rate and the best credit cards for minors under 18. You have 2 full years to establish your credit score after turning 18, so there’s no reason not to start sooner.

2. Capital One Credit Card

Many credit card providers require a minimum age of 18 before you can enter their world. At this time, most college students rely on the support of parents or relatives to finance their living expenses and pay off their debts, which is not recommended at all.

After becoming independent, you need to get used to living without help and earn your own money by paying for daily expenses.

Capital One Credit Card is a good choice if you want to get it when 18. Capital One Credit Card has no annual fees, which means that college students can enjoy the services of this credit card and start building their financial history without worrying about additional costs.

And unlike other credit cards, Capital One Credit Card does not require a certain credit score to be successful.

Some people believe that the financial value of this card is too low for college students who graduated from high school or college. But it’s not true: if you only buy $300 per month, paying off your balance will take 1 year because there’ll be no interest or fees. With the help of this Capital One Credit Card, you will learn to manage your finances and budget for future purchases.

When looking for a better credit card, having one year of experience with Capital One Credit Card will give you an advantage over just starting because they won’t have a financial history.

3. Chase Freedom Credit Card

Chase Freedom is one of the best credit cards for 18 year old that allow people as young as 18 to be qualified.

It does not require a minimum credit history, which means you can achieve the desired results without having a bad or good credit score.

This is an excellent way to start building your credit history for those who have just entered adulthood.

Chase Freedom has no annual fee, which means you can pay for the services of this credit card without any additional costs, and if you cancel your membership before 5 years, you won’t be charged a certain amount of money.

Chase Freedom is quite affordable compared with other credit cards because it requires an income of $1000 per month to be paid off.

Chase Freedom gives you access to credit cards that will allow you to earn rewards and get cashback every month, strengthening the bonds between parents or relatives while helping you start your own personal finances. Chase Freedom has excellent customer service agents available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week if you have any queries.

4. Discover Student Credit Card

Discover is the most well-known credit card that requires a minimum age of 18.

It is one of the best credit cards for students because it’s easy to get – you can be approved in minutes and without having a previous credit history, which will allow high school graduates and college students to take control over their financial future.

Discover Student Credit Card allows you to earn cashback, get gift cards and even travel rewards when traveling.

There is no annual fee for students to use this credit card, which means you will only have to pay a certain amount each month until the balance reaches zero.

And because it takes about 1 year to establish your financial history, you can use Discover Student Credit Card to start building your own credit score. The spending limit is relatively high, which means you can get this card even if your parents approve it.

Discover Student Credit Card offers 100% automatic fraud coverage when used online shopping. If someone steals your personal info also uses the credit card without permission, Discover will immediately stop the damage by paying the amount. And for customers who travel frequently, Discover Student Credit Card works very well in many countries all over the world – so you can use it when you go on vacation!

5. First Progress Platinum Select MasterCard

The minimum age is 18 to get the First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard. It’s a relatively good credit card for college students or high school graduates who want to build their credit score.

The annual fee is $89, but you can cover this with the card’s cashback program and authorize your parent to pay it for you.

First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard is a great credit card choice because it allows you to get a rewards program that gives you cash back.

You can earn 10% on gas and dining, 5% on groceries, and 1% cash back for other purchases during the first 3 months of owning a credit card under 18. The cashback is added to your account when you reach $25 in rewards points.

You also have access to shopping protection for price matching if the retailer has a lower cost for the same item, and if your card is stolen or lost, you can cancel all charges with zero liability.

6. Discover it Student Cash Back Card

Discover it student cashback credit card offers you a 1% rewards program, which means you earn $10 when you charge $100 on purchases during the first 3 months of owning a credit card.

You can also earn 5% cashback from rotating categories, including gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants during different periods that you can find out by logging in to your account on Discover’s website.

Discover it student cashback gives you free access to FICO ® Credit Scores when used with the myDiscover ® Mobile app, which will help you build your own credit score and learn how to manage it. However, Discover it student cashback can only be used in the United States and its territories.

7. Capital One’s Journey Student Rewards Credit Card

Capital One is another best option for students between 18 and 22 years of age who want a credit card that can be used to build their credit score.

The annual fee is $0, and you’ll earn 1% cashback on everything you charge on your credit card until the end of the year when your account will automatically switch to a flat 15.99% APR for purchases and balance transfers (then 3% or $5, whichever is higher).

You can also earn bonus cashback when using this credit card to purchase gas, groceries, or paying your cell phone bill on time. Capital One’s journey student rewards credit card comes with a low-interest rate and gives you access to the CreditWise ® tool that helps you assess how well you’re managing your money.

8. Discover it Student chrome card

Discover it Student chrome card is one of the best credit cards for college students because you can earn cashback rewards while building your credit score.

Your first-year free annual fee is $0, and you’ll earn 2% cashback on purchases in rotating categories that change every 3 months. You can earn 5% cashback during your first year on qualified mobile phone purchases and 1% cashback on everything else.

9. Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card

The minimum age to get this card is 18 years old, and you’ll earn a $100 cash rewards bonus after charging at least $500 in purchases during the first 90 days.

You also earn unlimited 1.5% cashback on every purchase, every day; 2% cashback at grocery stores, wholesale clubs; and 3% cashback on gas for the first $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/gas purchases each quarter—1-Year APR: 15.24%, Annual Fee: $0 first year, then $45.

10. Capital One’s 360 Student Credit Card

Capital One 360 is a suitable option for students between 19 and 24 years of age who want a credit card that can be used to build their credit score.

The annual fee is $0, and you’ll earn 1% cashback on purchases until the end of your first year with the card when your account will automatically switch to a flat 15.99% APR for purchases and balance transfers (then 3% or $5, whichever is higher).

11. Chase Freedom Unlimited

The minimum age to get this credit card for child under 18, and you’ll earn a $150 bonus after charging at least $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

You also earn 1.5% cashback on every purchase; this greatly benefits the Chase Freedom Unlimited card’s users.

After reaching $25,000 in spend each year, you also enjoy an unlimited 1.5% cashback on all other purchases for the remainder of that calendar year.

So effective October 1st and December 31st, you’ll earn unlimited 3% cashback on all purchases.

The no-fee card also benefits from a robust 0% introductory APR for 15 months and carries $0 liability for unauthorized transactions.

Another attractive fact is the ability to earn rewards without limits: users can redeem their cash back when they want, for any amount, at any time. Plus, you’ll automatically receive a $25 bonus each year you spend more than $500 on purchases.

12. Citi Rewards+ Best Credit Cards For 18 Year Old

Citi Rewards + is a great card for individuals who want to earn rewards on their purchases. The card offers 1% cashback on all purchases and another 1% cashback when the bill is due (similar to Citi Double Cash). There’s also no annual fee, making this one of the best credit cards for 18 year olds to get.

As with any card, there are some costs associated with opening and maintaining your account, including a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) for balances transferred within the first 60 days of activation.

Other fees include $10 or 3% (whichever is greater) for late payments and up to $38 in statement reprints. If you frequently make late payments, it’s good to check your credit report for free at least once per year.

13. Deserve Digital First Card

Deserve Digital First Card is another best option for anyone looking to build a good credit score. It has no annual fee, but it does have an average interest rate of 26.99% APR on purchases and balance transfers – 7 times higher than the national average!

That means that if you’re trying to pay your balance off in three years, the average interest you’ll be paying is $1,240.

The good news is that Deserve does offer a 0% introductory APR for 4 months on purchases and balance transfers, making it perfect if you want to pay off your bill on time without additional charges.

According to FICO’s latest analysis, four in five Americans with credit scores below 700 (out of 850) are considered subprime. Subprime cards like Deserve are a great way to build credit – and they can do it faster than interest-free cards or student credit cards.

Why is it important to research before applying for a credit card?

The first step in deciding which card to apply for is research. This research includes looking at the two major rating agencies (Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s) to see what type of debt obligations are on the market, comparing all credit cards, finding out APRs and comparing them, and looking at rewards points any other incentives offered below.

Specifically, look at each card and confirm that you’re qualified for it by checking their minimum limit requirements before proceeding. This is important because applying for a credit card without meeting the requirements will likely lead to a rejection status – making your information unavailable to creditors till you fix these errors by updating your required qualifications. 

It’s important when researching whether or not one needs a credit card.

What is the best credit card for an 18-year old?

One of the best-used credit cards for 18-year olds is the Discover it Student card. It’s a cashback card with an exceptional 5% rotating category each quarter and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers during college.

You can also get a free social security number look-up, which may come in handy when applying for jobs, renting property, or condo association approval.

Another excellent choice is Barclaycard Visa® Platinum Card® because that includes no annual fee that saves money over time – and gives you access to rewards points on everything you buy! Plus, new members offer like $200 cash back after spending just $500 in purchases within 3 months from account opening!

What are some of the best no annual fee cards available right now?

The best no annual fee cards available right now are the Capital One Platinum No-Term Credit Card. The card awards customers a one-time $100 cashback reward and 0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers (existing balances only), purchases, and cash advances.

This means that you can spread your purchase out over a year without paying interest fees during the promotional period or quickly consolidate any existing credit line debts to get them under control in just one month.

Important security features include alerts for fraudulent transactions, data breach notification services, and an emergency response service that provides round-the-clock assistance when needed.

Is there any bad credit card that’s perfect for improving your credit score?

The best option for those looking to improve their credit score is the Discover it Secured Credit Card. The card offers a $200 cash rewards bonus and will provide your credit with an observed rating for free.

The Discover it Secured Credit Card determines one’s creditworthiness by processing a refundable security deposit of $200 – $2,500, which ranges from the size of your monthly income.

For those who qualify for higher limits, like individuals making more than 100k per year, this can be a game-changer because many secured cards on the market charge an annual fee AND require money upfront to start building up creditworthiness.

What are the best rewards credit cards for 18-year olds?

The best rewards credit card for 18-year olds is the Citi Double Cash Card. It earns 2% on every purchase; you can use those cashback rewards to pay off your purchases or invest them in something else.

This card also features an intro APR of 0%. That means when you borrow money through this card, it’s easy to get a head start on paying for what you want with your reward money. After the intro rate ends, there will be 0% for 12 months, and then rates start at 16.99%, so customer service remains outstanding as well.

For bonuses, discounts, and cashback redemptions, use the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card, which offers a $150 sign-up bonus.

What are the best-secured credit cards for 18-year olds?

In this order, the best secured credit cards for 18-year-olds are Chase Slate and Citi Simplicity. If you want to know my specific opinion about the best-secured card for an eighteen-year-old, I would have to say the Chase Slate is the best based on its features and benefits, including a low introductory APR from 13.24% – 22.24%.

No annual fee, the ability to work more closely with your lender without getting turned down as often, and protection against fraud when shopping online or by phone.

The Citi Simplicity has similar benefits as the Chase Slate but lacks some quantitative information making it difficult for consumers like me to do a comparative analysis between these two cards side-by-

What’s the best card for an 18-year old with no credit history?

Bank of America offers a card for someone with no credit history; It’s their Essential card. Essential is a minimalist but reliable prepaid debit card without any bells and whistles–just the basics.

You can avoid the $36 annual fee if you don’t sign up for paperless statements ($3 per month) or get your balance via phone each month ($10 plan). There are no monthly fees, and direct deposit gives you an extra 10% back on purchases.

Can you suggest any good cards to help fix my bad credit score?

There are a lot of different ways to improve your credit score. However, if you have enough money for one strategy, our absolute favorite is that you should check out the ClearStart card by Comenity.

What is the best cashback credit card for 18-year olds?

The best cashback credit card for 18-year olds is UPromise. UPromise’s principle statement is You can earn up to 2% cashback every day.” They offer the capability to get started with them right in a student’s college.

Should I get a credit card with no annual fee?

Yes, you should get a credit card with no annual fee.

If you’re still in the process of rebuilding your credit or if you have some balance to pay down, it may make sense to go for a credit card with an intro APR offer (0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12-months). If not, chances are more likely that you’ll be better off finding the best cashback or rewards cards instead.

More importantly, there’s usually no reason why a good quality card will come with an annual fee these days. The most obvious exception is if the cardholder has limited access to funds via other means such as debit cards but does require the use of their American Express or Visa.

Which rewards credit cards for students are better – Visa or MasterCard?

Visa or MasterCard are equally good when it comes to student rewards credit cards. The only difference between them is that Visa has a bit more merchant acceptance than MasterCard, and on the other hand, there’s no foreign transaction fee on MasterCards, unlike Visas.

Is there any bad credit card that’s perfect for improving your credit score?

No, there isn’t. Don’t get frustrated. Any card can be the one to raise your score some more. It would help if you took some time to find an efficient strategy and stick with it. The ClearStart secured credit card from Comenity is a one-of-a-kind offering to help borrowers like you.

What’s the best cashback rewards card for student travel?

Probably the Charles Schwab Visa Platinum card or a cashback rewards card for student travel. We’ve found in our data searches that the two most popular types of offered cards offer rewards for gas and groceries and those that offer rewards for traveling.

The best cashback card we have found is from Charles Schwab Bank, in which you can easily use your points on their own website to pay for flights, hotels, vacations, cruises, and more with no blackout dates.

What are the best credit cards to apply for as a college student?

Chase Freedom is a good option to ensure that your card has no annual fee and an interest rate of 0% (usually on-balance transfers. They offer introductory APR periods, but the APR percentage ranges from 16.24-23.24% after the intro period.

If you keep paying down the balance before each statement cuts up, this is a fairly good option for students who need to spend time repairing credit or establishing their credit history. Just make sure not to incur any late fees or get cash advances with this card because it will boost your APR by 25%.

Is there such thing as good student credit cards?

Yes. Credit cards are a much better option for paying for school than financing with student loans or maxing out a credit card. Some cards offer benefits to students such as campus security services and discounts on things like food, books, technology, and apparel.

Suppose you have a job where you use your own set of tools for work each day (e.g., an electrician). In that case, leasing those items with the company rather than purchasing them can also be beneficial in keeping your credit score intact if you plan to finance other large purchases in the future.

Final Verdict

In general, the best credit card for an 18-year old student is one with a low interest rate that helps build your credit. The Discover it® Student Cash Back offers both of these benefits and more – and could be an excellent choice if you’re looking to pay off your bill in three years or less.

The card gives you up to 5% cashback and 2% when you pay off your balance in full at the end of each billing cycle. It also offers a competitive, low intro APR of 6 months on purchases and 12 months on balance transfers (then 14.24%-25.24% variable).

Other features include a 0% intro APR for new purchases and balance transfers for 18 months (then 14.24%-25.24% variable). And if you register, you’ll get a free FICO® Score!

If your goal is to build credit, Deserve is another great choice. The card offers no annual fee with average interest rates between 18-26.99%. If you want to make your balance payments each month, get a free FICO score, and don’t mind paying around $1,240 on average in interest fees over the 3-year time span, Deserve may be just right for you! Plus, this one is the best credit cards for 18 year old with no credit history.

And if you have a good credit score and are looking for ways to get more rewards, Chase Freedom could be the card for you. You’ll earn 5% cash back on rotating categories every quarter, 2% at grocery stores and restaurants, and 1% everywhere else – up to $1.