What is the best type of credit card for someone with no credit history?

For someone starting with no credit history, a secured credit card is the most accessible and most predictable path — you deposit collateral that becomes your credit limit, and the issuer reports on-time payments to all three bureaus, building a FICO score within four to six months.

With no credit history you have no FICO score — and most unsecured cards require at least a thin file. Three card types exist specifically to solve this: secured credit cards, student credit cards (for enrolled students), and credit-builder loans (technically a loan, but often discussed alongside starter cards). For most people not in college, a secured card is the first move.

Why secured cards are the default starting point

A secured card requires a refundable security deposit — commonly $200–$500 — which becomes your credit limit. Because the issuer holds collateral, approval rates are high even with no credit file. Your payment activity is reported to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and you can have a scoreable FICO score as early as four to six months after opening, according to myFICO.

Student cards: good if you're enrolled

Student credit cards are unsecured (no deposit required), but issuers underwrite them with the expectation that applicants have limited or no history — and many will approve based on proof of enrollment plus income. If you're a full-time student, a student card lets you build credit without tying up a deposit.

Authorized user: fastest of all

Being added as an authorized user on a family member's or partner's card can create a credit history entry immediately — without needing your own account. The CFPB notes that most major issuers report authorized-user accounts to the bureaus. If the primary holder has a long, on-time history, their account history may attach to your file and give you a running start.

Secured card: best default if you're not a student — low approval barrier, full reporting to all three bureaus.
Student card: best if you're enrolled and can show income — no deposit, often rewards-bearing.
Authorized user: fastest if a trusted person will add you — but you don't control the payment behavior.
Credit-builder loan: strong complement to a secured card; not a credit card, but builds payment history at low cost.

What the sources say

To generate a FICO Score, a credit report must have at least one account that has been open for six months or more, and at least one account that has been reported to the credit bureau within the past six months. — myFICO — FICO Score Requirements
The CFPB recommends secured credit cards as one of the primary tools for people with no credit history who want to establish a credit record. — CFPB — Building Credit
Authorized users are permitted to use a credit card account but are not liable for payments; most major issuers report authorized-user activity to the credit bureaus. — CFPB — Authorized Users

Key takeaways

Secured card is the most accessible entry point for someone with zero credit file.
Student cards skip the deposit requirement — worthwhile if you're enrolled.
Becoming an authorized user on a trusted person's account can fast-track your history.
Consistent on-time payments — not the card type — do the credit-building work.
Most issuers let you graduate from a secured card to an unsecured card after 12–18 months of on-time payments.

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