Maybe you just recently became an adult and are looking to get your first credit card? Or maybe maybe you’ve been an adult for many years but just haven’t used them? If either of these describe you, here’s what you need to know to get a good beginners credit card for yourself!

Where Do You Begin?

First of all, just start out by answering this one question… are you a college student or not?

If you are a student, then the next section is for you. If you are not a student, skip ahead to the second section.

Beginner options for college students

If you’re a college student, one of the advantages (or disadvantages depending on how you look at it) is that there are plenty of beginner cards specifically tailored to you. They are a good first credit card since they are made for people with little to no credit history.

Dangerous?
Of course all of us have heard horror stories about college students raking up credit card debt. However the truth of the matter is that as long as you spend within your means and pay your bill in full every month and on-time, there won’t be any interest charges or late fees to pay.

On the other hand, if you are the type of person that has no self control and can see yourself spending frivolously with a credit card, then it would be best to avoid them altogether.

Are there benefits and rewards?
Surprisingly, you can get a pretty sweet beginners credit card as a college student. In fact, if you waited until after college to get your first card, you probably wouldn’t be eligible for a regular card with comparable rewards.

For example, both the student and regular version of the Discover More card has 5% cash back. However to qualify for the regular (non-student) version, you would need to first have a great credit history built up. Meanwhile the student version is geared towards first-timers in college.

Check out our sponsored section of the top student credit card offers to learn more.

For Everyone Else

Being a newbie to credit isn’t all that bad. Why? Because card issuers are much more lenient to those that are new to credit, compared to how they treat those with a blemished credit history.

Which cards are you most likely to get approved for?
If you’re brand new or relatively new to using credit, you won’t quite be eligible for some of the mid to upper tier credit cards. For example, the Chase Freedom and American Express Gold card you see advertised on TV you probably won’t qualify for yet.

However, there are some that you have a good shot at. In fact, there is even on American Express card that you might be able to qualify for.

Top recommendation
The AmEx Zync is a newer card that was launched not too long ago. It’s a premium charge card but its annual fee is a very reasonable $25 (which is a steal once you see the benefits). It is marketed towards young adults and there have been several people on our forum – some as young as 18 and 19 – that have reported getting approved with little to no history. In my opinion this is the best credit card for beginners. Check out our sponsored offer and review to learn more: American Express Zync card offer

Other options
Most people that are new to credit have what you would call a fair credit score… so you will want to look at card deals for fair credit.

We have a sponsored listing page with several of the top credit cards for people with fair credit scores that you will want to check out.

Lastly, it never hurts to check with the bank where your checking or savings account is at. However it should be noted that most regional banks offer very bland beginner credit cards… little to no rewards and few benefits. If you’re okay with that, then there’s nothing wrong with going that route. But if you want more bang for your buck, the previously mentioned cards would probably be a better idea.