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What Are the Best Credit Cards for Young Adults?

7 min read

Last Updated: January 8, 2026

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

A young adult with limited credit history may benefit from a secured card or student credit card because they don’t always require a credit score.
Student credit cards might require you to verify your college enrollment.
If you have a good credit history, you may qualify for unsecured credit cards offering higher credit limits than secured and student cards.

Young people have a lot on their plates, whether they’re studying in college, establishing a career, or starting a family. A credit card may make it easier to navigate these milestones.

But it may be difficult to find the best credit card for young adults when you’re not sure what features to look for. If you’re a young person looking to take the next step in your credit journey, consider your specific credit needs and background to find the best credit card for your busy lifestyle.

Different credit cards for young adults

Your financial history—like your income, credit history, and spending habits—often plays a role in determining your credit card options. If you’ve just begun building credit history, you may not qualify for many premium credit cards. But you may still have great options.

Student credit cards

When you start college, you may be responsible for managing your finances for the first time. A student credit card may be helpful for learning good credit habits and establishing a credit history. Student credit cards are unsecured credit cards—meaning they don’t require a security deposit—designed specifically for young adults enrolled in college or other higher education institutions. Student cards may offer tools and educational resources that help cardmembers learn to manage debt and track expenses, among other personal finance skills.

Many credit card companies don’t require established credit to get a student credit card, but you might need to provide proof of your college enrollment to qualify.

A student credit card may start with a lower credit limit than a standard card. However, as you use your card responsibly and build a good credit history, you may become eligible for a higher credit limit in the future.

Did you know?

Some student credit cards let you earn rewards on purchases. For example, with the Discover it^® Student Cash Back Card, you can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.

Learn More

Secured credit cards

If you’re not in college and you have a low credit score or no credit history, a secured credit card may meet your needs. Secured credit cards require a deposit that typically equals your credit limit. The deposit acts as collateral in case you default on your payments. Otherwise, secured cards work like standard credit cards. As you use your secured card for everyday purchases, your balance grows (and accrues interest if you don’t pay off your balance in full each month). Some credit card companies even allow you to earn cash rewards with each eligible purchase you make with your secured card.

A secured credit card may be a helpful tool for establishing a strong credit history, as long as you use the card wisely. If you make consistent on-time payments and keep your balance low, your credit card issuer may return your deposit and upgrade you to an unsecured card.

Unsecured credit cards that require a credit score to qualify

What if you’ve already built a strong credit history? You may be eligible for an unsecured credit card with a higher credit limit than secured and student cards. And while some student and secured credit cards offer rewards, an unsecured credit card that requires good credit to qualify may offer a higher rewards rate for each eligible purchase. With a strong credit score, you may also qualify for a lower interest rate.

Things to consider before applying for a credit card

Applying for a new credit card is a significant financial decision. Before you take the leap, pause to ask yourself a few questions about your circumstances and credit needs. Reflecting on your situation may help you make the right choice.

What is your credit score?

Your three-digit credit score reflects your experience managing credit. As you use your credit accounts, lenders may report your activity to at least one major credit bureau, which compiles your credit report. Your score is based on the information in your report. Your credit score might influence the credit cards you qualify for, your interest rate, and even your credit limit. A higher credit score shows lenders you’re more likely to repay your credit card debt on time, which may result in additional credit card options and more favorable terms.

Some credit card companies offer pre-approval tools that let you see which cards you may qualify for before you apply—without affecting your credit score.

See if You’re Pre-Approved

When you apply for a new credit card, the card issuer typically conducts a credit check, which may impact your credit score. Knowing your credit score may help you avoid applying for cards you won’t qualify for.

What fees apply?

Credit cards come with various fees. As you compare credit cards, weighing fees may help you narrow your search. Most credit cards charge late payment fees, which you may avoid by ensuring you pay your bill on time each month. Other types of fees depend on the credit card issuer and the card itself. Discover^® has no annual fee on any of our cards, but some card issuers may charge a yearly fee to keep your account open.

You may want to avoid a credit card company that charges you for transactions you anticipate making often. For example, if you spend time traveling internationally, you may want a card without a foreign transaction fee. Other costs to keep in mind include cash advance or balance transfer fees. You may check a credit card’s terms and conditions to identify potential fees and help determine whether a card is a good fit.

What rewards program is best for you?

Do you want to make the most of credit card rewards? Look at your spending habits to find a rewards program that maximizes your earnings. For instance, some rewards credit cards offer a higher reward rate for eligible purchases in a specific category, like gas, groceries, or restaurants.

You may also consider your credit card reward redemption options. Some credit cards allow you to redeem your cash back rewards as a statement credit to help pay your bill or as a gift card for places you shop.

How young adults can use their credit card responsibly

Whether you’re opening your first credit card account or upgrading to a card that better fits your lifestyle, it’s important to manage your credit responsibly so you don’t lower your credit score. A few best practices may help.

Make on-time payments

Payment history plays a major role in determining your credit score. Falling behind on your credit card bill may hurt your score. Be sure to make at least the minimum monthly payment on time, every month. If you have trouble remembering your due date, consider tools like autopay and payment alerts from your card issuer.

Avoid too much debt

It’s best to keep your credit card balance to a minimum whenever possible. A high balance may quickly become unmanageable as it accrues interest. Mounting credit card debt may put you in a precarious financial situation and hurt your credit score.

High debt affects your creditworthiness because it increases your credit utilization ratio, which is a big part of your credit score. Your credit utilization ratio is the portion of your total available revolving credit that is used at one time. Paying down your debt may help your credit score.

Monitor spending

Young people managing credit for the first time or trying to make ends meet may feel tempted to overspend on a credit card account. But charging more than you can afford often leads to financial problems, like missed credit card payments or high credit utilization.

Periodically review your credit card statement or mobile banking app to identify areas where you might be able to cut down on your spending. Monitoring your transactions may also help you spot fraudulent purchases quickly. Having a good idea of your spending habits may help you develop and stick to a thoughtful budget.

The bottom line

Credit cards may help young adults build credit history, earn rewards, and accomplish financial goals. Understanding factors like your credit score, spending habits, and the types of credit cards available to you may help you find the best credit card for your needs.

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