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Best First Credit Card: Top Starter Credit Cards of June 2025

Written by Katherine Fan edited by Sarah Silbertreviewed by Angela Fung

All information about credit cards (including but not limited to Discover, Wells Fargo, Citi, Chase and American Express cards) has been collected independently by Business Insider. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Expiration Disclosure: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

A young woman researches the best beginner credit cards on her cell phone.
Business Insider compares the best starter credit cards of 2025. Westend61/Getty Images
Updated

If you're trying to get your first credit card, you may encounter a common paradox: Qualifying for a credit card typically requires good credit history.

Fortunately, the best credit cards for beginners acknowledge this issue and offer different ways to enter the world of credit without prior experience.

Business Insider's personal finance team reviewed dozens of credit cards to compile this list of the best first credit cards for new applicants in 2025. We reviewed earning rates for rewards, additional benefits such as purchase protection, and potential drawbacks such as annual fees.

Some of our picks are issued by Discover, which is well known for being friendly to students and others who are building credit for the first time. Other recommendations in this guide come from Chase and Capital One. Both companies offer many other credit products, such as bank accounts, loans, and mortgages, that can further enhance your financial life down the road.

These are the best first credit cards you can apply for right now, as chosen by our experts.

Best First Credit Cards of June 2025

Best ForCardAnnual Fee
Best for cash backChase Freedom Rise℠ $0
travel rewards credit card with a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.

Cardholders earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and unlimited 1.25 miles on every other purchase, plus 5 miles per dollar on entertainment booked through Capital One Entertainment.

New cardholders can earn 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within three months from account opening. These are worth an average of $340 toward travel by Business Insider's valuations.

First-time cardholders can also enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (intro fee of 3% for the first 15 months, then 4% of the amount of each balance transfer at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time), then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR.

Best First Credit Card for Students

Best first credit card for students
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Read Review
Insider’s Rating
A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star
4/5
Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.
Perks

Earn 5% cash back on purchases from rotating categories each quarter up to $1,500 when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Intro APR

0% intro APR for six months on purchases

Regular APR

17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR

Intro Offer

Earn Unlimited Cashback Match®

Recommended Credit

Fair/New to Credit

Pros
  • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. From April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025, earn 5% cash back at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%
  • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Discover matches your cash back after the first year
Cons
  • con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not the most rewarding cash-back card for non-bonus purchases
Insider’s Take

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a great choice if you're a student with limited credit history and want to earn a strong rate of cash back on your everyday spending without paying an annual fee.

Discover it® Student Cash Back review External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."
Product Details
  • Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
  • Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • No credit score required to apply.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. 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 17.24% - 26.24% applies.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Show Pros, Cons, and More chevron down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down.

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is one of the best first credit cards for students and other young adults who have minimal credit history.

Cardholders can earn 5% cash back on purchases from rotating categories each quarter up to $1,500 when you activate and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Our credit cards for fair credit.

The card has an annual fee of $39, which is a relatively low price to pay for a financial tool that can help you rebuild your credit while earning rewards. You can recoup this investment each year after spending $780 in hotels or rental cars through Capital One at the 5% cash-back rate, or $2,600 across non-bonus expenses at the 1.5% rate of cash back.

Pro tip: The Chase Freedom Rise℠ is a better choice if you can qualify for it, since it doesn't have an annual fee. But if your credit isn't strong enough to qualify for the Chase option, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card still offers strong benefits and earns generous flat-rate cash back.

Best First Secured Credit Card

Best first secured credit card
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Read Review
Insider’s Rating
A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star
3.6/5
Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.
Perks

Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

27.24% Variable APR

Intro Offer

Earn Unlimited Cashback Match®

Recommended Credit

New/Rebuilding

Pros
  • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers cash-back rewards, which isn't a given for secured credit cards
  • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Discover matches cash back after your first account year
Cons
  • con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Other secured cards let you start with lower minimum security deposits
  • con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. You must fund the security deposit from a bank account
Insider’s Take

The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is worth considering if you're new to credit or are working on rebuilding your score, since it's unlikely you'll be approved for any of the best credit cards on the market. It's unique because it earns strong rewards when most other secured credit cards do not.

Discover it® Secured Credit Card review External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."
Product Details
  • No credit score required to apply. No Annual Fee.
  • Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
  • 30 points or more—that’s how much you could increase your FICO Credit Score on average after just six months of responsible use.
  • Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
  • Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
  • Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Show Pros, Cons, and More chevron down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down.

If you have poor credit or no credit history at all, you may need to start your credit journey with a secured credit card. Secured credit cards require a cash deposit upfront to secure an equally small line of credit. This deposit will be refunded to you once your credit is strong enough to allow you to upgrade to an unsecured credit card.

The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is one of the Discover credit cards are also very friendly toward credit newbies overall, with similar preapproval tools available to help you determine whether you're likely to be approved for a new card.

The how we rate credit cards.

FAQs

How do I choose the best first credit card?

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

You should choose the right beginner credit card for you by prioritizing your spending habits and understanding your credit score so you know which cards you qualify for. If you've never had a credit card before, you may need to start with a secured credit card that requires a cash deposit to shore up a small line of credit.

What is the best first credit card for young adults?

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

The best first credit card for young adults is the Chase Freedom Rise℠ or the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. Both cards earn generous returns on bonus categories, flat-rate cash back on other purchases, and don't charge annual fees.

What is the best first time credit card with no credit history?

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

The Chase Freedom Rise℠ is one of the best first credit cards for someone with no credit history. This card is specifically designed for people with no prior credit and offers an easy path to better credit cards through responsible financial activity.

Can I get my first credit card with no security deposit?

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

Yes, many people who are new to credit cards can apply for their first credit card with no security deposit. Before you apply, look up preapproved credit card offers to help you estimate your chances of qualifying without hurting your credit.

What kind of credit card is best for beginners?

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

The best starter credit cards for beginners typically earn cash back on all purchases, offer credit-building tools such as free credit score reports and fraud protection, and automatically upgrade you to better credit cards after several months of responsible use. We recommend the Chase Freedom Rise℠ if you have no prior experience with credit, the Discover it® Student Cash Back if you are in school, and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card if you like to travel.

Angela Fung's face on a gray background.
Angela Fung
Affiliate Compliance and Operations Manager
Angela Fung is the compliance and operations manager for Business Insider’s personal finance team. She is a personal finance expert and has been a part of Business Insider for over four years. ExperienceAngela leads the compliance team in identifying and reducing risk for readers, the editorial team, and external financial partners. Her team aims to provide readers with accurate, up-to-date information about financial products and maintain reader trust. She ensures regulatory and partner marketing guidelines are upheld for partners and adheres to the personal finance team’s editorial standards so they can maintain editorial independence. Angela likes helping readers better understand personal finance so that they can build a strong foundation for their financial plan and, hopefully, give themselves the freedom to do more in other facets of their lives.ExpertiseAngela has expertise in and oversees compliance in the following areas of personal finance:
  • Personal credit cards
  • Business credit cards
  • High-yield savings accounts
  • CDs
She also has a thorough knowledge of federal regulation for consumer financial protection. A few examples include:
  • Regulation Z, Truth in Lending
  • Unfair, Deceptive, Or Abusive Acts Or Practices (UDAAP)
  • Regulation N, Mortgage Acts and Practices Advertising Rule
  • Endorsement Guidelines
EducationAngela graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. In her free time, she shoots lifestyle photography, volunteers at Meals for Unity, and plays tennis.
Photo of the author Katherine Fan
Katherine Fan
Correspondent, Credit Cards
Katherine Fan was a personal finance expert, journalist, and public speaker with 10 years of industry experience. She covered all things credit cards for Business Insider's personal finance hub.ExperienceKatherine has published more than 1,800 articles, guides, and reviews covering credit card benefits and rewards, small business finances, points and miles travel, loyalty programs, and real estate investing. She wrote full-time for The Points Guy and NerdWallet before joining Business Insider.

***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

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