You want a credit card but you have no credit history. It’s a “Catch-22” — banks won’t take a chance on you because you have no credit, but you’ll have no credit unless someone accepts you.

Below we offer some unsecured credit card options for those with no credit history. Note that you may have a higher interest rate with these cards and may have to pay an annual fee. (If that sounds bad, you should consider using a secured credit card to help build your credit. This requires a security deposit but is often cheaper overall.)

Capital One “Average Credit” Cards

Capital One has a number of cards that it lumps together under the “average credit” banner, but their description of average credit seems to include those with no credit history, or at least very little history. Among the major issuers, they are the first one we would try. You can also use their Pre-Qualify page to see what you’re likely to be accepted for, without any harm to your credit score for doing so.)

• Capital One Platinum Mastercard – No annual fee but a high 26.99% interest rate. No rewards.
• Capital One QuicksilverOne Rewards – $39 annual fee and the same 26.99% interest rate, but you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on all your purchases.
• Capital One Journey Student Rewards – As the name suggests, this one is for students. Capital One and other card issuers are more lenient with students, meaning it is easier to get accepted, even with no credit history. No annual fee, 26.99% interest rate, cash back of up to 1.25%.