Credit Cards for No Credit History

Get a Discover credit card with no credit score required to apply1

See if you’re pre-approved with no harm to your credit score9

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Student Cash Back Credit Card
Discover it® Student Cash Back Credit Card
★★★★★
★★★★★
x / 5 Average of x Reviews

See how we calculate our ratings

Earn 5% cash back

on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.

Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

No annual fee

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Unlimited Cashback Match

Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much we'll match.7

x% Intro APR† for x months on purchases.

Then x% to x% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.

†See rates, rewards, fees, and other cost information > , Opens new window
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No credit score required to apply1


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Student Chrome Credit Card
Discover it® Student Chrome Cash Back Credit Card
★★★★★
★★★★★
x / 5 Average of x Reviews

See how we calculate our ratings

Earn 2% Cashback Bonus®

at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.6

Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

No annual fee

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Unlimited Cashback Match

Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much we'll match.7

x% Intro APR† for x months on purchases.

Then x% to x% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.

†See rates, rewards, fees, and other cost information > , Opens new window
Read Less >
Apply Now

No credit score required to apply1


Learn More >

Secured Credit Card

Discover it® Secured Credit Card
★★★★★
★★★★★
x / 5 Average of x Reviews

See how we calculate our ratings

Earn 2% Cashback Bonus®

at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.6

Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

No annual fee

Read More >

Unlimited Cashback Match

Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much we'll match.7

Build your credit with responsible use.2

x% Standard

Variable Purchase APR† applies.

†See rates, rewards, fees, and other cost information > , Opens new window

Your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200.8

Read Less >
Apply Now

No credit score required to apply1


Learn More >
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What to do before you apply for a credit card with no credit score

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Check your credit score

Reviewing your current credit score can help you establish credit score goals and see how credit actions impact your score. But if you don't have a credit score, rest assured, Discover has credit cards with no credit score required to apply.1

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Find the right types of credit cards for beginners

If you are looking for your first credit card, a student credit card or a secured credit card may have different credit requirements than traditional credit cards. Among other criteria, student cards require active student status. Secured cards require a security deposit from your bank account, which secures your credit limit.

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Apply for starter credit cards

Making multiple applications at once for many credit cards may impact your credit score negatively, because the applications will result in hard inquiries placed on your credit report. But applying for credit cards that are built for people with no credit scores may make more sense for someone starting their credit journey.

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Create good credit habits

Responsibly using a new credit card, like paying every bill on time, can help you build credit.2 After you use a secured credit card responsibly for a while, you may be able to upgrade to an unsecured card. With the Discover it® Secured credit card, you can upgrade to an unsecured card after 6 consecutive on-time payments and maintaining good status on all your credit accounts.3

What to look for in a starter credit card

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No annual fee
Discover student and secured credit cards also have no late fee on your first late payment and no interest increase for late payments. See important pricing info.
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Lower credit score requirements

No credit score is required to apply for Discover it® Student Cash Back, Discover it® Student Chrome, and Discover it® Secured Credit Card. 1 Discover will consider information you include on your application and provided by others to determine your eligibility.

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Flexible secured credit cards

Your credit card company may review your account to see if you qualify to upgrade from a secured credit card to a traditional card. If you have a secured credit card with Discover, you can get your deposit back when you upgrade to an unsecured credit card after six consecutive on-time payments and six months of good status on all your credit accounts.3


Find Out if I’m Pre-Approved

Benefits of getting your first credit card when you have no credit score

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Build a credit history2

Establishing a credit history requires having a credit card or other credit line like a personal loan that reports activity to a credit bureau. Payments you make (or miss) on a Discover credit card and other information will be reported on your credit report to begin building your credit history, where a debit card or prepaid card generally won't report activity to credit bureaus.

Some cards offer cash back rewards

Cash back rewards are one of the best benefits of many credit cards. And Discover it® Student Cash Back, Discover it® Student Chrome, and Discover it® Secured all offer cash back rewards on every purchase. Learn more about our cash back program.

How to build credit history as a new credit user in the U.S.

Parents with their young child in the kitchen, all smiling and interacting
Parents with their young child in the kitchen, all smiling and interacting

To help make every credit card monthly payment on time, create a budget for your income to cover expenses including credit card bills. Responsible credit use means budgeting your credit card expenses to make sure you can always make at least your minimum amount due by your due date for each monthly payment.

Parents sitting at a table with their young child in a modern kitchen, interacting and smiling
Parents sitting at a table with their young child in a modern kitchen, interacting and smiling

Annualcreditreport.com requires some basic information like your name and Social Security number and then provides you with one free credit report from each major credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) every year. Reviewing your credit report can help you confirm that the information reported is accurate, can build credit knowledge and see why lenders may think you have good credit, fair credit, poor credit, or limited credit. 

Group of people enjoying an outdoor gathering, with a man in sunglasses and a woman smiling in the foreground
Group of people enjoying an outdoor gathering, with a man in sunglasses and a woman smiling in the foreground

While your payment history is the biggest factor in your FICO® Score, your amounts owed (including your balances as compared to your limits), the age of your credit accounts, the mix of your credit accounts, and the number of credit applications you have submitted all can impact your score.4

A couple smiling and walking with shopping bags outside a clothing store
A couple smiling and walking with shopping bags outside a clothing store

For people immigrating to the U.S. with a limited credit history, establishing personal credit can be challenging, but not impossible. After you have the required documents to apply, a secured credit card or student credit card may help you build a credit history.2

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Find Out if I'm Pre-Approved

Credit card questions for people with no credit

People who have no credit history, a limited credit history, or those who need to rebuild their credit may find credit cards for no credit most beneficial. If you’re a student and have no or a limited credit history, a student credit card may be best. If you’re not a student and have a limited credit history, or you need to rebuild your credit after some recent setbacks, a secured credit card may be best for you.

To make the most of a credit card for no credit, you’ll want it to build your credit as quickly as possible. But keep in mind that building credit history takes time and won’t happen overnight. You have to show creditors you can responsibly manage credit from month to month. One of the biggest factors in calculating credit scores is on-time payments, so be sure to pay at least your minimum monthly credit card payment by the due date every month. Another important factor is how much of your available credit you’re using, called your credit utilization ratio. To help maintain a low credit utilization ratio, use your credit card to make only the purchases you can afford and pay off your credit card balance in full by your due date. By knowing how credit scores are calculated, you can take the steps to use your card responsibly to help improve your score and make the most of your new credit card.

There’s no set time for credit card payments to help develop your credit score. As your credit history shows more and more activity reported to the different credit bureaus, your credit score will evolve. Keep in mind, credit bureaus may keep records of missed payments for several years.

There are different types of credit cards meant for people with no credit history. There's no credit history required to apply for a Discover it®️ Secured credit card1, but you’ll need to provide a refundable security deposit, which will equal your credit line, of at least $200.8 Student credit cards are also popular with students who may not have sufficient credit history to apply for traditional credit cards.

For many credit cards, having no credit history could disqualify you from getting approved. However, as many people need to start their credit journey somewhere, student credit cards and secured credit cards often have different eligibility standards than traditional unsecured cards. There's no credit score required to apply for a Discover it® Secured credit card1 or a Discover it® Student credit card1.

If you’re new to the U.S., you may not have any credit history: but be sure to review your credit report, as student loans or other bills may supply some level of credit history.

 

Look for a secured credit card if you can provide a security deposit for the card or see if you're pre-approved for an offer with low eligibility requirements.

 

When you've established credit, you may qualify to get your deposit back.
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Learn more about credit cards for no credit

What credit card do I qualify for?

 

Find out which credit cards you qualify for by trying online card pre-approval tool, checking doesn’t impact your credit score and can personalize your offer.

What credit score do you start with?

 

Learn what credit score you start with, and what goes into building a credit score.2

When can you get a credit card?

 

Learn when you can get a credit card, what information you need to get started, and whether you can get a credit card at 18, even if you have no income.

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