Best student credit cards of July 2024

Building credit early with a student credit card grants you a financial headstart crucial for a few key reasons: 

• Responsible Financial Habits: Building credit as a student can help develop responsible financial habits. By managing a credit card or small loan, you’ll learn valuable lessons about budgeting, making timely payments and understanding the impact of debt. These experiences lay the groundwork for a lifetime of financial decision-making, which is essential for long-term financial stability.
• Future Financial Opportunities: Establishing a positive credit history early on can pave the way for future financial opportunities. As you progress into adulthood, you may need to secure loans for higher education or to finance other loans. A strong credit history can translate into lower interest rates, higher credit limits and better loan terms, ultimately saving you money in the long run.

How can a good credit score benefit a student?

Student cards offer an opportunity to establish credit history to eventually qualify for better, more rewarding cards. A good credit score early could also make it easier for you to: 

• Rent an apartment: A good credit score can make it easier to rent an apartment, as landlords often use credit checks to assess the financial responsibility of potential tenants. A strong credit history may increase your chances of being approved for a lease and may even help you secure a lower security deposit or better rental terms. 
• Buy a car: A good credit score can simplify the car-buying process by helping you qualify for better auto loan terms, such as lower interest rates and a higher loan amount. With a strong credit history, you may have access to more financing options and be able to negotiate a better deal when purchasing a vehicle.
• Start a small business: When starting a small business, a good credit score can help you secure business loans, lines of credit or investment capital to fund your venture. Lenders and investors often rely on credit scores to assess the risk of lending money, so having a solid credit history can increase your chances of obtaining the necessary funding to launch and grow your business.

It can be hard to determine the best way to start building a credit history, especially as a student. But credit history is a big factor in what cards students are eligible for. When asked if student credit cards were worth getting over a standard unsecured credit card, Reddit users in the r/CreditCard community say it depends.

One Reddit user remarks that “what matters is that you start your OWN revolving credit history. [Authorized user] accounts can help, but they aren't nearly as meaningful as your own accounts.” This is a common sentiment that echoes advice found in other communities and subreddits, too.

For instance, a user in the r/personalfinance community writes, “You should open your own credit card to start building independent credit history if you ever need to take yourself off as an [authorized user] on your parents' card.”  Several reasons can cause your time as an authorized user to an end, but if you open your own card as soon as you’re able you can still establish a lengthy credit history without relying on someone else's account.

Overall, many users agree that student credit cards can help young adults achieve financial independence and stop relying on their parents’ or guardians' credit cards or from using debit cards.

Although you may not be able to open a decent credit card right away, a student card can be a gateway to better rewards and higher credit limits. If you’re interested in exploring your options, check which ones you’re a potential match for by using tools like Bankrate’s CardMatch™. 

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Be sure to check the issuer's website/terms and conditions for all up to date content. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Student credit cards give you a chance to get a head start on building credit, which could help you with future financial goals. Here are some tips to ensure you use your student card to its fullest potential. 

Still deciding if a student credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool to get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

How to make the most of your student credit card

Using your student credit card to its full potential could set you up for success on your credit journey. Pair responsible habits with some of the following tips and you’ll be off to a great start on your credit-building journey.  

What are some alternatives to student credit cards?

College is a great time to try new things and take risks, but that’s not an ideal approach to your finances. Some students may feel as though credit cards are too overwhelming or they aren’t eligible for the card that they want just yet. 

Whether you need help gaining access to credit or want to avoid dealing with the disadvantages of using a credit card, you have several alternatives that can help. Some of the most common alternatives to student credit cards are:

• Secured credit cards: These cards may require a security deposit but have more safeguards than a traditional credit card.
• Credit-builder loans: You can build credit through fixed monthly payments and show lenders that you can handle different types of credit, also known as a credit mix.
• Alternative credit scoring models: Tools like UltraFICO and Experian Boost can help establish a credit score and take into consideration other information.
• Becoming an authorized user: You’ll receive your own card that is connected to the primary cardholder's account. You can use this card to access the authorized user’s credit line, but only the authorized user is responsible for payments. 

When evaluating the best cards for students, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that make it easy to build credit history while minimizing costs.

We analyzed over 50 of the most popular cards designed for students and rated each based on its cost, APR, credit-building features and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered: 

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.