Credit Newcomer Gateway | US Credit Card Dex

🎁 $25 bonus (set up autopay)

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee 3%

1.5% on all purchases
Friendly to credit newcomers
Easier approval with a Chase account

✓ VerifiedStudent OK

Details

Capital OneStarter

•••• •••• •••• 2347

Capital One PlatinumMastercard

🎁 No sign-up bonus

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

No rewards: pure credit building
Credit-line review after 6 months
No annual fee

✓ VerifiedNone FTF

Details

Capital OneRebuild

•••• •••• •••• 7821

Quicksilver SecuredMastercard

🎁 No bonus (deposit from $200)

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

1.5% rewards even on a secured card
Upgrade path to refund the deposit
No annual fee

✓ VerifiedNone FTFSecured

Details

DiscoverStarter

•••• •••• •••• 3059

Discover it StudentDiscover

🎁 First-year Cashback Match

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

No credit history required for students
5% rotating categories
No annual fee

✓ VerifiedNone FTFStudent OK

Details

DiscoverRebuild

•••• •••• •••• 2359

Discover it SecuredDiscover

🎁 First-year Cashback Match (deposit from $200)

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

2% gas & dining
Automatic deposit-refund review after 7 months
No annual fee

✓ VerifiedNone FTFSecured

Details

Goldman SachsStarter

•••• •••• •••• 2465

Apple CardMastercard

🎁 No fixed sign-up bonus

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

2% via Apple Pay
3% on Apple products
Best-in-class app experience

✓ VerifiedNone FTF

Details

ZolveRebuild

•••• •••• •••• 4205

Zolve AzpireMastercard

🎁 No sign-up bonus

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

No SSN & no U.S. credit history needed
Apply before you land in the U.S.
Reports to all three bureaus

✓ VerifiedNone FTFStudent OKNo SSNSecured

Details

FirstcardRebuild

•••• •••• •••• 9207

Firstcard SecuredMastercard

🎁 No sign-up bonus

Annual fee $48/yr Foreign transaction fee 3%

Apply with a passport, no SSN
No credit history needed for students
Reports to bureaus to build score

✓ VerifiedStudent OKNo SSNSecured

Details

DeserveStarter

•••• •••• •••• 3360

Deserve EDU Mastercard for StudentsMastercard

🎁 No sign-up bonus (1% cash back on all purchases)

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

International students can apply with no SSN
1% cash back on everything
One year of free Amazon Prime Student (illustrative)

✓ VerifiedNone FTFStudent OKNo SSN

Details

WebBankMainstream

•••• •••• •••• 5941

Petal 2 Cash Back No Fees VisaVISA

🎁 Up to 1.5% cash back after on-time payments (illustrative)

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

Approvable with no credit history via cash-flow underwriting
1% to 1.5% cash back on purchases
No annual fee and no fees of any kind

✓ VerifiedNone FTF

Details

Stride BankRebuild

•••• •••• •••• 3899

Chime Credit Builder VisaVISA

🎁 No sign-up bonus

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

No credit check and no annual fee
No preset minimum security deposit
Reports to all three credit bureaus

✓ VerifiedNone FTFSecured

Details

Lead BankRebuild

•••• •••• •••• 3015

Self Visa Credit CardVISA

🎁 No sign-up bonus

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

Secured by a Self savings-builder account
No hard credit check to apply
Reports to all three bureaus

✓ VerifiedNone FTFSecured

Details

Capital OneStarter

•••• •••• •••• 5773

Capital One Quicksilver StudentMastercard

🎁 $50 (spend $100 in 3 months, illustrative)

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee None

1.5% cash back on every purchase
No annual fee and no foreign transaction fee
Built for students building credit

✓ VerifiedNone FTFStudent OK

Details

UpgradeStarter

•••• •••• •••• 8765

Upgrade Cash Rewards VisaVISA

🎁 $200 (illustrative) after opening a rewards checking account

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee 3%

1.5% cash back when you make a payment
Accessible to fair credit
Hybrid card and installment-loan structure

✓ Verified

Details

Mission LaneStarter

•••• •••• •••• 2735

Mission Lane VisaVISA

🎁 No sign-up bonus

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee 3%

Designed for fair or rebuilding credit
No security deposit required
Reports to all three credit bureaus

✓ Verified

Details

ChaseStarter

•••• •••• •••• 7688

Chase Freedom StudentVISA

🎁 $50 bonus after your first purchase in 3 months

Annual fee No fee Foreign transaction fee 3%

1.5% cash back on all purchases
$20 Good Standing reward each year for up to 5 years
Automatic credit line increase reviews to help build history

Student OK

Details