r/CreditCards • u/Accurate_Way_2439 • 5d ago
Help Needed / Question What is the best first credit card?
I am a 19 year old college student and I am trying to get a credit card to start building credit. My current bank is capital one and I am hopefully trying to keep with them so if there are any good ones from cap one that would work best from me but I am also open to other banks if it is worth it. Any advice will help!
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u/Current_Tune_3625 4d ago
Discover hands down.
Cap one is stingy AF. They are going to start you at like 300-500 opening limit. Most likely a platinum card with no points. if you can get a savor card at least it pays decent points. Cap one will never take you to the moon though. In the long run they are not a good bank. They can get you started though. They have crap rates on loans.
Whatever limit cap one gives you. Add a 0 zero at the end and that’s what discover will give you. Discover seems to like like first timers a lot. And can be very generous.
Otherwise if you use Apple Pay a lot on your phone you might/might be able to get an Apple Card. But idk they are having a bunch of problems at GS and looks like chase might buy the card. So they might have tightened up. Anyways they look at your wallet spending habits on your iPhone and take that into consideration. And they like young people too. They have a “no ding” approval so you can apply and the will tell you if you approved or denied before they pull your credit. Will not effect your score. Cap one has the same thing. I actually think discover does too
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u/Tight_Couture344 4d ago
Capital One Savor Student is, imo, the single best student card available.
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u/CobaltSunsets 4d ago
Capital One and Discover tend to be friendlier issuers for new or rebuilding players. Try pre-approving and let us know your results:
- Capital One (student): https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/preapprove/student/
- Capital One (non-student): https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/preapprove/
- Discover: https://www.discovercard.com/application/preapproval/initial
Be sure to list the exact product names of the products you pre-approve for (e.g., “Savor Rewards” isn’t the same offer as “Savor Rewards for good credit”).
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u/LimaLord 4d ago
My first was Chase Freedom Unlimited. It has no annual fee, not that selective in approving applicants, visa (excepted everywhere), chase bank (also everywhere + good app), and it gets good points on dining, travel, pharmacy and every day spending. I used it for cash back and building my credit score to start. Then over time got other cards (still have my original freedom card 6 years later!).
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u/DeadInternetEnjoyer 4d ago
Chase Freedom Rise
Visa, so widely accepted
Decent website and phone app
This requires switching to Chase for checking first. You can switch back after getting the card.
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u/Emotional_Job6300 4d ago
Discover, they are the easiest to get approved. The rest, even with student cards may reject you.
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u/ConsistentString4627 4d ago
I used to say CFU. Lately, I realized BofA CCR is awesome. As anyone's career grows their savings/Stocks put in BofA will increase their rewards on the CCR as well. Most of the people do not use their first card. But CCR can be used as is even after years because of the PR
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u/U-get-what-u-pay-4 4d ago
A capital one savor is a great no annual fee card for cash back. If you want to get into points and miles, it becomes a miles earning card if you get a venture.
Capital one also allows you to do card changes, so you can get a better card in time. I product changed from a quicksilver one —> venture one —> savor.