Your 18-year-old wants a credit card — which one should they get?
Editor's Note
Quick summary
Did you know you can add your kids as authorized users to credit cards that you already have to help them establish and build their own credit?
It's a great way to begin discussing financial responsibility and helps prepare your kids for opening their own independent card accounts.
Granted, every family is different, but if you've been talking about finances with your kids as they edge closer to adulthood and they're asking you which credit cards are best for starters, this is a great place to begin.
Related: How to build credit
Best credit cards for an 18-year-old
- Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for common bonus categories
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees): Best for flat-rate cash back
- opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card: Best for credit building
- Discover it® Cash Back: Best for rotating cash-back categories
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.
Comparing the best cards for 18-year-olds
| Card | Best for | Annual fee | Rewards rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | Common bonus categories | $0 | Earn:
|
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | Flat-rate cash back | $0 | Earn:
|
| opensky Secured Visa Credit Card | Credit building | $35 | Earn:
|
| Discover it Cash Back | Rotating cash-back categories | $0 | Earn:
|
Notice that you won't see any of TPG's top picks like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) here.
In fact, most of the cards on this list aren't going to have huge welcome offers or stellar perks that the more premium cards offer. That's because this is a marathon, not a sprint, so it's going to take time to build up your kid's credit to the point where they will qualify for cards with better rewards that typically require excellent credit scores and lengthier credit histories.
Because the average age of accounts is so important to your overall credit score, you'll want to help your child pick at least one or two options that are no-annual-fee cards that they can keep long-term. Having one or two older cards will help their credit score down the road.
A closer look at the best cards for 18-year-olds
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn a one-time cash bonus of $100 after spending $300 on purchases within three months of account opening.
Rewards rates:
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site
- 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), dining, entertainment and select streaming services
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Unique perk: This card is exclusively for students at a four-year university, community college or other higher education institution. Upon graduation, you'll upgrade to the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards with the same rewards and benefits.
Learn more: Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Welcome bonus: Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards rates:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and on drugstore purchases
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Unique perk: The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a strong option for beginners, as you can potentially turn your cash-back rewards into valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you apply for a points-earning card from Chase, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, in the future.
To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Related: 5 reasons I love the Chase Freedom Unlimited as a credit card beginner
Apply here: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Discover it Cash Back
Welcome bonus: Discover will match all cash back earned in your first year.
Rewards rates:
- 5% cash back on purchases in select rotating categories on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter (when you activate)
- 1% cash back on everything else
Unique perk: Besides a cash back match at the end of your first year, the rewards you earn with the Discover it card never expire. Cardholders also have the option to redeem their cash back starting at $1.
To learn more, read our full review of the Discover it Cash Back.
Opensky Secured Visa Credit Card
Welcome bonus: None
Rewards rates:
- Up to 10% cash-back rewards on everyday purchases at over 40,000 retailers.
This is a secured credit card, which means you'll have to deposit money (as little as $200) into your account, which will define your credit limit. This is somewhat counterintuitive, but it allows you to make payments on the card that are reported to the credit bureaus to help build your credit score.
Once you build up your credit score, the security deposit is fully refundable, and you can graduate to other credit cards that earn points, miles or cash-back rewards.
Note that there's a $35 annual fee with the opensky card.
Unique perk: There's no credit check needed. To apply, all you need is an official form of identification and to submit your refundable security deposit (which will define your monthly credit limit).
To learn more, check out our full review of the opensky Secured Visa.
Related: How old do you have to be to get a credit card?
Apply here: opensky Secured Visa Credit Card
Applying for a credit card when you're 18
The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 changed a few things about how and when people could get credit cards. Most of the changes introduced were positive for consumers, including giving individuals enough time to pay their bills and making it easier to pay off debt.
Another change from the Credit CARD Act? Legal adults — think 18-year-olds — can no longer apply for a credit card without proof of independent income.
This effectively eliminated the whole university campus "sign up for this card using your parents' income and get a free T-shirt" situation that used to exist.
However, if your 18-year-old is in college, they can apply for a student credit card instead. If your 18-year-old isn't attending a two- or four-year college, they can opt to open a secured credit card with a refundable security deposit instead.
Related: Best credit cards for college students
Add your kids as authorized users — even before they turn 18
Another solid option is to add your children as authorized users until they can qualify for other rewards cards on their own, which gives them your credit card with their name attached to it.
You're responsible for paying off all their charges, so most parents only allow their children to use their cards for emergencies. But it's a great way to start teaching your children the importance of finances early on, plus you'll pool all their points into your account as the primary cardholder.
Some issuers have age requirements for authorized users (American Express requires your child to be 13 years old), while others don't have any restrictions whatsoever (Chase, for example).
This theoretically means you can add your child as an authorized user, even as an infant. You'll have to consider the right time for your child to be added as an authorized user, but this can happen well before they turn 18 years old with some issuers.
Related: Best credit cards for authorized users
Length of credit is important
Another important reason to start signing up your kids for credit cards when they turn 18 (or add them to your credit cards as authorized users) is that the average age of accounts is one of the biggest factors in determining your credit score.
So acquiring — and keeping — a card when you're young can really give a boost to your credit score as you get older.
Related: How to cancel a credit card
Watch out for targeted offers
One final note — watch out for targeted mailers. For most credit card issuers, the marketing departments don't always talk to the issuing and underwriting departments.
Even with targeted mailers, it's unlikely that someone with limited credit history and income will be approved for a premium card, which typically requires good or excellent credit.
This is why it makes the most sense to start small — consider the cards listed above — before your child starts applying for other credit cards.
Related: How can I get a higher, targeted credit card introductory bonus?
Bottom line
There are several important considerations to factor into choosing your first credit card as an 18-year-old.
Whether you're a parent with a healthy credit score and long-standing credit history or a teen on the brink of adulthood, start having conversations about how to best build good credit in order to qualify for premium cards, personal loans and more down the line.
Related: College students: How to use your credit card responsibly