Best first credit cards for beginners

A credit card can be a powerful tool in your personal finance strategy. With a good beginner credit card, you can establish credit history, earn rewards on your spending and enjoy valuable perks.

Plus, if you love to travel like we do here at TPG, you can use your credit card to elevate your next experience.

We all begin at different places. Sometimes, that means breaking up with your debit card, which typically won’t earn rewards on your spending. Perhaps you’re a complete first-timer and simply want to build up credit as you plan for the future.

Or, you may be ready to move on from being an authorized user of someone else’s card and take on the responsibility of having your own card. This is where I started.

When I was 18, my mom added me as an authorized user on my parents’ Disney® Visa® Card. After a few years, I was ready to find my own card with simple rewards and a 0% introductory annual percentage rate period.

Regardless of where you are in your journey, you’ll need to use your credit card responsibly and pay off your bills in full each month to get the most value out of your rewards and perks.

Whether you’re interested in earning cash-back rewards, points and miles or a combination of all three, we have you covered with our selection of the best first credit cards.

The best first credit cards

The information for the Discover it Cash Back card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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Comparing the best first credit cards

Here are some recommendations for the best first credit cards for beginners.

Card	Best for	Welcome offer	Earning rates	Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Travel rewards	60,000 bonus points	1 to 5 points per dollar	$95
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card	Simple cash back	$200 cash back	1.5% to 5% cash back	$0
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card	Flat-rate rewards	20,000 miles	1.25 to 5 miles per dollar	$0
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card	Dining and entertainment	$200 cash back	1% to 8% cash back	$0
Chase Freedom Unlimited	Flexible cash rewards	Up to $300 cash back	1.5% to 5% cash back	$0
Citi Double Cash Card	Everyday purchases	$200 cash back	1% to 5% cash back	$0
Discover it Cash Back Credit Card	Cash-back rewards	Cashback Match™	1% to 5% cash back	$0

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Annual fee: $95

Standout benefits: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points on every purchase and features popular bonus categories to get more points to use toward travel on common expenses.

It’s easy to collect points to use toward travel with this card. You’ll earn:

5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs)
2 points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases
1 point per dollar spent on everything else

You’ll also receive a statement credit of up to $50 on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel when you open the card and on each account anniversary.

Cardholders get a 10% anniversary points bonus each year, based on their total spending during the account anniversary year, at a rate of 1 point for each $10 spent. The card also includes at least one year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and features a host of travel and purchase protections.

Why it’s great for beginners: If you’re ready to dip your toes into transferable credit card points as a beginner, there are few better places to start than the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards points you’ll earn with this card are valuable when used for travel, whether you’re redeeming to purchase airfare, reserve hotel rooms or rent a car through Chase Travel at a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point or transferring to one of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners for maximum value.

While some points-earning travel cards can carry hefty annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card’s $95 annual fee is a modest entry point for those starting off with credit cards. It’s ideal for frequent or casual travelers looking to earn valuable rewards.

For more details, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Welcome offer: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within three months of account opening.

Annual fee: $0

Standout benefits: The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good card to have in your wallet because of how easy it is to earn cash back.

You’ll get unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no annual fee and no expiration dates on the cash back you rack up.

Plus, if you add a card that earns Capital One miles down the line, you can potentially convert this cash back into a transferable travel currency that can be used with one of Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners.

Why it’s great for beginners: If you’re new to credit cards, it doesn’t get much easier than this no-annual-fee card that earns a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no limits.

You won’t have to worry about memorizing bonus categories or managing Capital One miles if you opt to earn simple cash back with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, meaning all your purchases are automatically maximized without shuffling around multiple cards or activating quarterly categories.

For more details, please see our full review of the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Learn more: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases within three months of account opening.

Annual fee: $0

Standout benefits: The earning rates on the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card are solid, especially for a card that earns miles with no annual fee. You’ll earn a flat 1.25 miles per dollar spent on all your purchases, meaning you won’t have to memorize bonus categories or activate quarterly bonus awards.

You’ll also earn 5 miles per dollar spent when you reserve hotels or rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal, making the card better to hold if you’re interested in booking through a portal. Plus, earning Capital One miles with the Capital One VentureOne is unlimited.

Other perks of the Capital One VentureOne include travel and emergency assistance, auto rental insurance and extended warranty, which is the standard suite of World Elite Mastercard travel and shopping benefits.

Why it’s great for beginners: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a good entry point for anyone curious about transferable travel currency but uninterested in paying an annual fee. Plus, the card earns miles at a flat rate across everyday purchases, adding more simplicity since you won’t have to memorize bonus categories.

You’ll start collecting Capital One miles that you can transfer to one of Capital One’s 15-plus airline and hotel partners or redeem as a statement credit on eligible purchases. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards is a strong option for first-timers who want a travel credit card but don’t want to budget for an annual fee.

For more details, please see our full review of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Learn more: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Welcome offer: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 within three months of account opening.

Annual fee: $0

Standout benefits: Foodies and those who spend on entertainment are prime candidates for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, as cardholders earn more cash back within these popular bonus categories.

The Capital One Savor also earns:

8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked with Capital One Travel
3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
1% on all other purchases

If the majority of your spending is in those categories, you could earn outsize cash-back rewards for no annual fee.

Plus, this card charges no foreign transaction fees and comes with MasterRental Coverage, Master RoadAssist Service and extended warranty protection.

Why it’s great for beginners: For beginners who spend money on food and entertainment, there are few better ways to earn bonus cash back than with the no-annual-fee Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card.

First-timers can unlock bonus cash-back earnings within popular spending categories without making the budget investment of an annual fee, making it a strong candidate for anyone looking to dive into credit card rewards.

For more details, please see our full review of the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Learn more: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Welcome offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on all purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year), worth up to $300 cash back.

Annual fee: $0

Standout benefits: With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you’ll earn cash back on every purchase. Within certain bonus categories, you’ll earn at an elevated rate.

The categories include earning 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel, 3% back on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 3% back at drugstores and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

Plus, you’ll receive various other perks that aren’t always a given on a no-annual-fee card. Some of the Chase Freedom Unlimited’s perks include rental car protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, roadside dispatch, extended warranty protection and purchase protection.

Why it’s great for beginners: Cash-back rewards are a solid starting point for beginners, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited earns at elevated rates across multiple common bonus categories to help you maximize earnings on the dollars you spend.

The cash back you’ll earn can be used as a statement credit or a direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts at a value of 1 cent per point.

You can also redeem cash back for gift cards or use them to book travel through Chase Travel for the same value. While you can also use cash-back rewards at Amazon, you’ll get a lower value going this route.

You can potentially set yourself up for a greater Chase credit card strategy with the Chase Freedom Unlimited as well. In the future, you could pair this card with another card that earns premium Chase Ultimate Rewards points (such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card) and convert your cash-back rewards into transferable points.

For more details, please see our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

Apply here: Chase Freedom Unlimited

Citi Double Cash

Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 in the first six months from account opening.

Annual fee: $0

Standout benefits: The Citi Double Cash stands out for its simplicity. You’ll earn 2% cash back on every purchase (1% as you buy and 1% as you pay it off) without any limits on how much you can earn.

Plus, you’ll earn 5% cash back on select hotel, car rental and attraction bookings made through the Citi travel portal through the end of 2025.

Citi cash back is earned in the form of Citi ThankYou Rewards points, meaning you’ll earn 2 points for every dollar spent on the card. These points are redeemed at a ratio of 1 cent per point, and you can use these points to redeem as a direct deposit to any checking or savings account, as a statement credit or as a check by mail.

Why it’s great for beginners: This is an easy option for those who aren’t familiar with credit card rewards. The only thing you have to do to earn 2% cash back on all your purchases is swipe the Citi Double Cash Card and pay your statement balance.

You won’t have to memorize bonus categories or be concerned about activating rotating categories. Instead, you’ll know you’re getting 2% cash back on every purchase you make. Plus, cash-back rewards are easy to redeem if you’re a true newcomer.

For more details, please see our full review of the Citi Double Cash.

Apply here: Citi Double Cash

Discover it Cash Back

Welcome offer: Discover will automatically match all the cash back you earn on the card after your first card anniversary year, effectively doubling your rewards for the first year of card membership.

Annual fee: $0

Standout benefits: With the Discover it Cash Back, you’ll receive up to 5% cash back in quarterly rotating bonus categories once you activate, which can give you some serious earnings in various popular categories, such as restaurants, gas stations and Target.

Plus, your earnings are effectively doubled after your first card anniversary year, which means you could actually get up to 10% back on quarterly bonus categories and 2% back on all other spending for the first year.

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee. It’s also a solid option if you’re looking for a card that has a 0% introductory APR period. Eligible applicants may be approved for up to 15 months with a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers.

Why it’s great for beginners: This card is a good option for beginners as they start to think about their spending habits to maximize bonus categories. The important factor here is not to forget to activate the Discover it Cash Back’s rotating quarterly categories.

However, if you maximize the card’s bonus categories each quarter and use it for all your spending in the first year, you could rack up some serious cash-back rewards — all while learning about your spending strategy and activating bonus categories.

Learn more: Discover it Cash Back

What to consider when choosing your first credit card

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the best first credit card. However, there are a couple of factors to consider that could help narrow down the perfect beginner credit card for you.

When I was weighing what benefits were most important to me as I prepared to apply for my first credit card, I knew I wanted to earn simple cash-back rewards that I could redeem for statement credits. I wasn’t quite ready to budget for an annual fee, so that was another factor I considered.

What you value is all up to your personal preferences, and weighing all these factors will help you select the right starter credit card for your financial strategy.

Preferred rewards

First, what type of rewards are you looking to earn? Do you want to collect points or miles to use toward travel purchases, or are you interested in earning cash back on every dollar you spend?

When I was ready to pick my first credit card, I looked for simple cash-back earnings on my purchases since I wasn’t yet familiar with the vast world of points and miles.

Welcome bonus

You’ll want to consider a card’s welcome offer, which is a rewards bonus typically earned after opening a card and meeting a minimum spending requirement within a certain window.

Spending habits

Next, consider how you spend your money. If you frequently dine out and buy groceries, you may want to consider a card that earns bonus points, miles or cash back in those categories.

However, if you often have expenses across several categories, it may make more sense to apply for a credit card that earns a simple, flat rate on all purchases.

Annual fee

Finally, think about your budget and personal preference for annual fees. Many credit cards that charge annual fees offer perks, protections and credits that help offset the annual fee.

If you’re not looking to add a yearly charge for your first credit card, there are plenty of no-annual-fee options available to get you started.

Credit cards for limited credit history

It’s worth noting that if you are starting out with limited (or no) credit history, you may want to start simpler than what we’ve included in this list.

You could start out like I did as an authorized user on a credit card held by your parents or someone you know with a good credit history. Most credit cards allow authorized users to be added for no extra cost.

Just be sure to use that card responsibly so you can start building healthy credit habits early.

If being an authorized user isn’t in your plans, consider a secured credit card. Secured cards are good options for those who don’t have a credit history or are working to rebuild it.

Secured credit cards are easier to be approved for and require a security deposit that becomes your credit limit. With responsible use of a secured credit card, you can establish good credit history and become eligible for cards that earn more rewards — such as the cards on this list.

Plus, some of our picks for a best first credit card also have a secured version, such as the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Discover it® Secured Credit Card.

The information for the Discover it Secured has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: What is a secured credit card?

How we chose the best first credit cards

We rated the best first credit cards based on several factors, including reward earning rates, perks and benefits associated with each card and the overall value each card delivers to you, the consumer.

To learn about how TPG evaluates and chooses cards for our roundups, check out our methodology here.

Redemption options for first credit cards

While many of the cards listed earn cash back, you aren’t always limited to just redeeming for statement credits with these rewards.

Cash-back cards can still be used as travel cards. You can use the cash back you earn to offset travel costs, opening a variety of ways to use rewards earned from a beginner credit card.

Plus, some of the best cards for beginners earn points or miles, which can be used toward free nights at hotels or a seat in a premium cabin on a flight. You can also use points and miles to upgrade your travel experience. The possibilities are vast.

Bottom line

Choosing your first credit card is a big decision, and there are multiple options available. It’s most important to pick a card that suits your spending habits, lifestyle and budget, as there’s no perfect credit card for all beginners.

Once you’ve applied for your first credit card, you’re ready to start enjoying rewards and perks to set your financial future in motion.

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.

Best first credit cards for beginners

The best first credit cards