Cards for people with no credit history generally fall into a few categories: student cards from major issuers, secured cards that require a refundable deposit, and newer cards that use alternative data like bank account cash flow or direct deposits instead of a credit score. Each approach has different trade-offs in terms of annual fees, APR, and how rewards work.
This article is for general education only. It is not financial advice, and it does not guarantee approval for any card. Always confirm current terms on the issuer's official page before applying, since rates and offers can change.
How these cards were selected
- Each card is publicly available and marketed toward students or people building credit from scratch
- The list spans different issuer types: large banks, credit unions, and fintech/bank partnerships
- Only cards with a clearly published annual fee, purchase APR, and official source page were included
- Cards cover different approval paths, including secured deposits, no credit check, and cash-flow-based underwriting
- The order below is not a ranking — it's simply the order the cards are presented in
1. Discover it® Student Cash Back: rotating categories for students
May fit: Students who don't mind activating categories each quarter to earn a higher cash-back rate.
This card is aimed specifically at students and doesn't require an existing credit score to apply. It earns 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum, once you activate the category, with 1% on everything else.
The standout feature is Discover's Unlimited Cashback Match at the end of the first year, which effectively doubles whatever cash back you've earned during that period. There's no annual fee, and the purchase APR is 17.74% - 26.74% Variable, so carrying a balance still costs more than paying in full.
Because the 5% categories rotate and require activation, this card rewards people who are willing to track quarterly details. Applicants also need to confirm current student status when applying.
2. Discover it® Student Chrome: steady cash back on gas and dining
May fit: Students who regularly spend on gas and restaurants and prefer a simpler category structure.
The Student Chrome card simplifies rewards compared to the rotating-category version: it earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, plus 1% on everything else.
Like its sibling card, it carries no annual fee, the same 17.74% - 26.74% Variable purchase APR, and the same Unlimited Cashback Match offer at the end of the first year, which matches all cash back earned in that period.
The $1,000 quarterly cap on the 2% categories means heavy spenders in those categories will eventually earn at the base 1% rate, so it's worth tracking spending if gas and dining are a large part of your budget.
3. Discover it® Secured Cash Back: a deposit-backed option outside student status
May fit: People building or rebuilding credit who aren't in school but want a Discover-backed secured card.
Unlike the two student cards above, this one doesn't require student status — instead it uses a refundable security deposit as low as $49 to set the credit line, which makes it an option for anyone with no credit history.
It earns the same 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 combined per quarter) and 1% elsewhere, plus the same first-year Cashback Match. The purchase APR is higher at 27.74% Variable, reflecting the secured-card category generally.
Discover states it automatically reviews accounts for a transition to an unsecured card over time, which is a key feature of secured cards: they're often a stepping stone rather than a permanent product.
4. Savor Rewards for Students: dining and entertainment focus
May fit: Students with fair credit who spend regularly on dining, entertainment, and groceries.
This Capital One card targets students who already have some credit history, since it's listed as requiring fair credit rather than none at all. It earns 3% cash back at grocery stores and on dining and entertainment, with 1% on everything else.
There's a one-time $50 cash bonus after spending $100 on purchases within the first 3 months, and no annual fee. The purchase APR is 29.99% Variable, which is on the higher end among the cards in this list.
One detail worth noting: the 3% grocery category excludes superstores like Walmart and Target, so shoppers who rely on those stores for groceries won't earn the bonus rate there.
5. Quicksilver Rewards for Students: a flat-rate option
May fit: Students with fair credit who prefer one simple cash-back rate over tracking categories.
Quicksilver Rewards for Students trades category bonuses for simplicity: it earns a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no categories to track or activate.
Like Savor for Students, it requires fair credit, has no annual fee, and includes the same $50 cash bonus after spending $100 in the first 3 months. The purchase APR is also 29.99% Variable.
For someone who wants predictable rewards without managing rotating or bonus categories, the flat rate may be easier to use day to day, though it won't out-earn category cards in categories like dining or groceries.
6. Chase Freedom Rise®: built for new-to-credit customers
May fit: People with no credit history at all, especially those who already bank with Chase.
Chase Freedom Rise® is positioned for applicants with no credit history, not just students. It earns a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases and carries no annual fee, with a purchase APR of 26.74% Variable.
There's a $25 statement credit for signing up for automatic payments within the first three months — a feature that nudges new cardholders toward on-time payment habits from the start. Chase also reviews accounts for a credit limit increase after 6 months.
According to the issuer, having a Chase checking account with $250 or more can improve approval odds, and the card is limited to people who are new to credit, so it's not meant for those with an existing credit file.
7. Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa®: cash-flow-based approval
May fit: People with no credit history who want to avoid fees entirely while building a payment record.
Petal 2 is issued by WebBank and uses cash flow data, not just a credit score, as part of its approval process, which makes it an option for people with no credit history. It earns 1% cash back on eligible purchases, rising to up to 1.5% after 12 on-time payments.
The card has no annual fee, and importantly, no fees of any kind — including no late fees or foreign transaction fees, which is unusual for cards aimed at this group. The purchase APR range is 27.99% - 31.49% Variable.
There's no welcome bonus here, so the appeal is mainly the fee structure and the built-in incentive to earn a better cash-back rate over time through on-time payments.
8. Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa®: merchant-specific cash back
May fit: People building credit who want potential for a higher limit and don't mind merchant-specific rewards.
Also issued by WebBank, Petal 1 is marketed for no credit history or people still building credit. Rewards come as 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants, rather than a flat or category rate across all spending.
The card has no annual fee, but its purchase APR range of 29.49% - 34.49% Variable is the highest among the cards in this list, so avoiding carried balances matters even more here.
The issuer notes the card offers the potential for a higher credit limit as part of building credit, but applicants should weigh that against the limited scope of where the bonus cash back applies.
9. Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card: a no-credit-check, no-interest option
May fit: People who already use Chime banking and want to build payment history without interest charges.
This card works differently from the others: there's no credit check to apply, and the purchase APR is 0%, because spending is funded by money you transfer in from your Chime checking account rather than a traditional credit line.
It has no annual fee and no rewards program (the JSON lists rewards as 'None'), and Chime states it reports payment activity to all three credit bureaus, which is the main credit-building mechanism here.
Access requires a Chime checking account and a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more, so it's really built for existing or new Chime banking customers rather than a standalone card application.
10. nRewards® Secured Credit Card: a credit union option with rewards
May fit: Navy Federal members who are building or rebuilding credit and want rewards on a secured card.
This secured card from Navy Federal Credit Union requires membership, but offers a feature not all secured cards include: it earns 1 point per $1 spent even while secured, with no annual fee and an 18.00% Variable purchase APR.
The minimum security deposit is $200, and Navy Federal states the card can graduate to unsecured status in as little as 6 months with responsible use — a relatively fast timeline compared to some secured cards.
Because membership is required, this option mainly fits people already connected to Navy Federal (such as military members, veterans, or their families) rather than the general public.
Comparing your options before you apply
With no credit history, the right card often comes down to trade-offs rather than one clear winner: a secured card trades a refundable deposit for broader approval odds, while a cash-flow-based card like Petal skips the deposit but may carry a higher APR. Comparing the total potential cost — annual fee plus what interest you'd pay if you carried a balance — is more useful than focusing on any single feature.
Across every option here, paying your statement balance in full each month avoids interest charges entirely, which matters more than any rewards rate when you're just starting to build a credit history. On-time payments are also typically the single biggest factor in building a credit score over time.
Before applying, visit the issuer's official page linked for each card to confirm current rates, fees, and offers, since these can change after this article was verified. The independent resources below can also help you understand how credit scores and credit cards work in general.