If you want a credit card but have no credit history, there are plenty of options — as long as you limit your search mostly to secured and student cards. Use our table to compare your options and narrow your search by clicking "Show filters" to see products that fit your credit range and have features that will benefit you most.
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
Finder score
| Welcome Offer | n/a |
|---|---|
| Rewards | None |
| Annual fee | $35 |
| Minimum credit score | 300 |
Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
Finder score
| Welcome Offer | n/a |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 10% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | New / limited credit |
Self Visa® Credit Card
Finder score
| Welcome Offer | n/a |
|---|---|
| Rewards | None |
| Annual fee | $25 |
| Minimum credit score | 300 |
Tomo Credit Card
Finder score
| Welcome Offer | n/a |
|---|---|
| Rewards | None |
| Annual fee | $35.88 |
| Minimum credit score | New / limited credit |
If you’ve recently moved to the US, you’ll want to look at credit cards that cater to those without prior credit history and a Social Security number. Though your choices are more limited than traditional credit cards, you do have several strong no-credit options for immigrants.
If you want to apply for a credit card but don’t have a Social Security number, there’s another option: Get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Once you start building a credit history, you’ll eventually able to apply for a wider variety of financial products.
An ITIN is a nine-digit tax processing number issued by the IRS. Many people who can’t obtain Social Security numbers opt for ITINs instead.
An ITIN can be useful if you want to apply for a credit card. Most card providers require a Social Security number in their applications, but some let you use an ITIN instead.
Follow these steps to get an ITIN:
For more information about applying for an ITIN, visit the IRS website.
To get a credit card with no credit:
Here are a few tips to increase your odds of approval:
If you have no credit history, follow these steps to start building it:
Additionally, keep your card balance low, retain your card accounts for a long time, open other types of credit accounts and new accounts sparingly to keep your score in great shape. The aim is to eventually build a good credit score — at least 670 for your FICO score.
A 670 gives you the opportunity to apply for more valuable credit cards and get better interest rates on loans. There are four types of credit-building credit cards that are especially useful if you’re just starting out.
Apply for credit cards that offer a good chance of approval for your financial situation. These include:
When you’re looking for the right credit card for no credit, you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions to narrow down your choices:
If you have no credit, it means you have no history on your credit report.
Your credit report is a record that shows information such as your debt, payment history and how long you’ve had credit accounts. If you haven’t borrowed money — for example, through a loan or credit card — you won’t have a credit history.
A credit history is important because it’s similar to a report card. It’s something lenders can use to judge your reliability as a borrower. If you have no credit, you’re a question mark to lenders, and they’ll be more hesitant to accept you as a customer.
Your credit score plays an important role in whether providers are willing to lend to you when it comes to making big purchases. Personal loans, mortgages, and auto loans are only a few of the big-ticket items you’ll need to consider as you make life’s big purchases. Depending on your credit score, the amount a provider is willing to loan you can increase or decrease.
Use one of the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian or TransUnion — to check your credit score.
One of the best ways to beef up your credit report is by opening a credit card.
Look for a product that’s available to someone new to credit — such as a secured card. Unlike an unsecured card, a secured card requires you to put down a deposit which serves as your credit limit.
As you spend with your card and pay your card bill on time, your provider will report your positive payment activity to the credit bureaus. Eventually, you’ll get a credit score. And as you continue being a responsible cardholder, you’ll steadily see your score rise.
Scott Nelson, CEO of MoneyNerd Ltd, tells Finder that building credit is important for several reasons.
“In today’s society, it is very rare for an individual to be able to go through life without the need for credit, a mortgage or any other financial product,”
“For this reason, in order to qualify for the best financial products and, more importantly, the lowest interest rates granted to prime
borrowers, one must have a strong credit history.
“Without a strong credit history, you may be declined loans, receive extremely high interest rates and end up in greater debt through being forced into taking out poor financial products like payday loans.”
If you have no credit, there are plenty of good credit cards to start with. As you make card payments on time, you’ll steadily build your credit score. With a strong score, you can apply for better credit cards, including cashback and travel products.
A secured credit card requires a security deposit, typically a cash deposit. Other than the deposit, secured credit cards work the same as regular credit cards.
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