Best Credit Cards to Build Credit
If your credit score is below 670 or you have a thin file (limited credit history), most rewards cards aren't available to you yet. The cards on this page are designed specifically to help you build or rebuild credit — and the best ones earn rewards while doing it.
The strategy is simple: get approved, use the card for small recurring charges, pay the statement in full every month, and wait. On-time payments are the single largest factor in your credit score, and a new tradeline (credit account) with a clean payment history will move your score.
Best secured card that earns rewards
Requires a refundable deposit ($200 minimum) that sets your credit limit. Earns 2% at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 per quarter combined) and 1% on everything else. Discover doubles all your cash back at the end of year one with Cashback Match. Automatically reviewed for graduation to an unsecured card.
Learn more at Discover →Most secured cards are punishment cards — high fees, no rewards, no path forward. The Discover it Secured is the exception. It earns real cash back, doubles it in year one, has no annual fee, and Discover automatically reviews your account for graduation to an unsecured line (meaning you get your deposit back without closing the account, which protects your credit history length).
Best unsecured card for fair credit
No deposit required, no annual fee, no rewards. This card exists for one reason: to build credit. Capital One automatically considers you for a higher credit limit after your first 5 on-time monthly payments. Use it, pay it, and graduate to a rewards card within a year.
Learn more at Capital One →The Platinum doesn't earn rewards, and that's fine. Its job is to get you approved without a deposit and give you a clean tradeline. If you're rebuilding after a negative event (missed payments, collection, bankruptcy discharge), an unsecured approval is harder to get and more valuable on your credit report than a secured card.
How long does it take to build credit?
From no credit history: you'll typically need 6 months of on-time payments before most scoring models (FICO, VantageScore) generate a score. After 12 months, you'll have enough history to apply for mid-tier rewards cards.
From a low score (under 600): rebuilding depends on what caused the drop. A single missed payment can recover in 6-12 months of on-time payments. Collections and charge-offs take longer — their impact diminishes over 2-3 years and they fall off your report after 7 years.
Three rules that always apply: pay at least the minimum on time every single month (late payments crush scores), keep utilization under 30% of your credit limit (under 10% is better), and don't apply for multiple cards at once (each application triggers a hard inquiry that temporarily lowers your score).