Credit cards can be great financial tools, but if you’re not an adult, you won’t be able to get one on your own just yet. Getting credit cards for teens is possible, but teens will likely need to be an authorized user before their 18th birthday.
How credit cards work
Credit cards give you access to a revolving line of credit. With each swipe of the card, you’re borrowing money from the card issuer. You’ll have a maximum credit limit, which is how much you can borrow, and you can reuse that line of credit over and over again.
Credit cards offer flexible repayment options. When you use the credit card for a purchase, you can repay the entire balance, in moderate chunks or with minimum payments over a few months. However, balances that roll over to the next billing cycle are charged interest.
The best way to manage a credit card is to spend only what you can pay back quickly to avoid interest altogether. Credit cards have notoriously high interest rates, and credit card debt can quickly become a problem if left unchecked.
Can teenagers get a credit card?
Yes, but your exact age matters. To get a traditional credit card on your own, you must be at least 18 years old. So, to be clear, minors can’t get a credit card on their own, but 18- and 19-year-old teenagers can.
However, teens aged 13, 14, 15, and so on, may become authorized users on an adult’s account if the bank allows it. An authorized user gets their own card, and both users access the same line of credit. Many banks allow teenagers to be added as authorized users on their credit cards, including Bank of America, Chase, Discover and Step.
The Step Visa Card earns the top spot with its secured credit card and digital account. It features no monthly fees, overdraft fees or interest charges. With no age requirements, minors of all ages can get this secured card with an adult sponsor. Step is designed to help kids and teens build credit without debt and learn about finances. Spending is limited to the available balance in their Step account. Once the teen turns 18, the Step card retroactively reports payment history from the last two years to help build credit history. Users can also earn up to 4% in savings rewards by setting up at least $500 in monthly direct deposits. Other perks include cashback rewards, referral bonuses, investing options and financial literacy tools.
Minimum deposit required
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
New / limited credit
The Step Visa Card earns the top spot with its secured credit card and digital account. It features no monthly fees, overdraft fees or interest charges. With no age requirements, minors of all ages can get this secured card with an adult sponsor. Step is designed to help kids and teens build credit without debt and learn about finances. Spending is limited to the available balance in their Step account. Once the teen turns 18, the Step card retroactively reports payment history from the last two years to help build credit history. Users can also earn up to 4% in savings rewards by setting up at least $500 in monthly direct deposits. Other perks include cashback rewards, referral bonuses, investing options and financial literacy tools.
Fizz is heavily designed for college students, but if you’re 18 and older, you can sign up. Fizz is a secured card option with no interest charges, late fees or foreign transaction fees, and payments are reported to the three main bureaus. Earn cashback rewards, access live customer support in the app and get a monthly fee discount if you’re a student. Fizz starts at $5.99/month for students or $11.99/month for non-students. To set it up, you need to link an account with a balance of at least $150, but there’s no credit check.
APY
N/A
Fee
From $5.99 per month
Fizz is heavily designed for college students, but if you’re 18 and older, you can sign up. Fizz is a secured card option with no interest charges, late fees or foreign transaction fees, and payments are reported to the three main bureaus. Earn cashback rewards, access live customer support in the app and get a monthly fee discount if you’re a student. Fizz starts at $5.99/month for students or $11.99/month for non-students. To set it up, you need to link an account with a balance of at least $150, but there’s no credit check.
Pros
No APR or late fees
Reports to major credit bureaus
Cashback rewards
Discounted fee for students
Cons
Unavoidable monthly fee
Requires external account with $150 balance
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Intro or bonus offer
Earn 1,000 points ($10 value) when you download the Fizz app and enter code FINDER.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Credit cards vs. debit cards for teenagers
Debit cards are not a line of credit, unlike credit cards. Debit cards are linked to a deposit account, typically a checking account. When you use the debit card, it “debits” money from that account, meaning you are spending your own funds, not borrowing from the bank.
Since debit cards don’t involve borrowing money, they’re typically considered a safer introduction to banking for teenagers than credit cards. Credit cards involve borrowing, interest and risk of credit score damage — features that debit cards won’t have at all.
Similarly to credit cards, minors can’t typically get a debit card on their own. In most states, an adult is required to open a deposit account with the minor as a joint owner.
Consider these points carefully before you give your teenager a credit card under your name.
Pros
Parents have control. You’d be the primary account holder, having control over the account and getting insight into their spending. Alternatively, you can add them to your account to help them build credit without giving them their own card.
Builds credit. Adding a teen as an authorized user helps them start building credit history early. This way, they’ll have better approval chances when they’re ready to borrow on their own.
Convenient for everyone. Instead of giving your teen cash for meals, transportation or supplies, a credit card means they always have access to funds, which is also helpful in the case of emergencies.
Earn rewards. With another user on your credit card account, you could earn cashback rewards or travel points from spending a lot quicker.
Cons
Overspending. There’s the risk that your teen goes buckwild with their new credit card and overspends. Avoid this by teaching them how their credit utilization ratio affects their credit score and how high balances make it hard to repay over time.
Late fees. These fees are often around $40 per late payment, which can really add up.
Could damage credit scores. If your teen overspends and you’re unable to repay the balance on time, it’s a surefire way to damage both yours and your teen’s credit score.
Theft or fraud. Although credit card fraud can happen even if you take all necessary precautions, teach your teen to recognize which sites are safe and which aren’t for online use.
Editor’s note: Proof of income is required for credit cards
Even if you’re an adult, applying for a credit card may be tricky until you’re 21. There’s a minor stipulation for 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD Act) requires that they provide proof of income to show their ability to repay the card’s payments, or have a cosigner who is at least 21 years old. Once they’re 21 years old, the co-signer requirement is lifted, though lenders are still required to ask for proof of income for anyone before approving a line of credit.
Bottom line
Getting your teen on the path to a credit card can be a great way to help them financially prepare for the future. However, before you make them an authorized user on an account, be sure they have proper financial supervision and understand how credit cards work.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add my 13-year-old to my credit card?
There’s no legal age requirement for authorized users on credit cards, so financial institutions are free to set their own. If your bank allows it, you can add a 13-year-old as an authorized user on your existing credit card. Some banks, such as Bank of America, Chase and American Express, allow minors as young as 13 to be authorized users.
Can a 14-year-old get a credit card at Chase?
A 14-year-old can’t get their own credit card at Chase, but they can become an authorized user on an adult’s credit card. Chase accepts authorized users as young as 13.
How do you start building a child’s credit history?
Many parents add their children as authorized users on an existing credit card. However, to make sure they receive credit history, check the bank’s or credit union’s reporting practices. Learn more about building credit.
Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full bio
Bethany's expertise
Bethany has written 464 Finder guides across topics including:
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