11 easiest credit cards to get approved for in July 2024

Many of the top travel credit cards and rewards credit cards can be difficult to qualify for as a beginner and usually require good to excellent credit. If you are unable to qualify for those cards, you still have options for earning rewards with a variety of credit cards that are easier to get.

CNBC Select analyzed the most popular cards to determine the easiest credit cards to get in a variety of categories. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the easiest credit cards to get).

Who’s this for? The Discover it® Student Cash Back is available to college students with fair credit or limited credit history. Not only is this card easy to get, but it also lets you earn cash back on every purchase.

Standout benefits: You don’t tend to find generous welcome bonus offers with student credit cards or other easy-to-get cards, but the Discover it® Student Cash Back card is an exception. When you open a new account, all of the cash back you earn in the first year will automatically be matched by Discover. There’s no limit to this offer, so if you earn $300 cash back in your first year, you’ll get an additional $300 at the end of that year.

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Who’s this for? If you’re struggling to get approved for your first credit card, the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card could be a good option. According to its website, based on Q1 2024, the average approval rate of this card is 89.35%.

Standout benefits: The OpenSky Secured Visa Card only requires a $200 upfront deposit and reports to all three major credit bureaus. You also have the opportunity to earn up to 10% cash back on select purchases through special offers.

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Who’s this for? The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is an excellent secured credit card that not only earns rewards but also comes with a potentially lucrative welcome bonus.

Standout benefits: The cash back you earn during the first year you have the card will be matched. There’s no minimum spending requirement, so you won’t risk missing out on your intro bonus. Plus, this card charges no foreign transaction fees.

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Who’s this for? The Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card is open to applicants with no credit history, including those without a social security number. Instead of requiring a credit score, your banking activity and other financial data can determine your eligibility for the card.

Standout benefits: You can boost your cash back by making on-time payments. You’ll start off earning 1% cash back and can earn up to 1.5% back after making 12 on-time monthly payments.

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Who’s this for? The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card is easy to get, even with poor credit or no credit, because it is a secured credit card and requires an upfront deposit. But unlike many other secured credit cards, it has a generous rewards structure.

Standout benefits: This card allows you to customize where you earn bonus cash back. You receive 5% on the first $2,000 spent in combined eligible purchases each quarter in two of 12 categories of your choice. You’ll also earn 2% back in one additional category of your choice.

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Who’s this for? The Chase Freedom Rise℠ is a card designed for anyone new to credit and offers a great opportunity to build a relationship with Chase. According to Chase, having a Chase checking account with a balance of at least $250 will increase your chances of getting approved for this card.

Standout benefits: This card earns 1.5% back on all purchases, which is an above-average return for a regular credit card and is exceptional for a credit card designed for those who are establishing their credit history.

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The ability to earn cash back in rotating categories makes Discover it® Student Cash Back a valuable choice for students looking for a card that’s easier to qualify for.

Rewards

• 5% back for up to $1,500 in purchases in rotating quarterly bonus categories you activate throughout the year (then 1%).
• 1% back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

For all new accounts, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year with no minimum spending requirement or cap on the match.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The Discover it® Student Cash Back card has no foreign transaction fees, which is helpful for anyone who is studying abroad or travels internationally during school breaks. You also receive an introductory 0% APR on new purchases for the first six months. After the introductory period, an 18.24% to 27.24% variable APR applies.

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The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card is a low annual fee secured card with an 89% average approval rate, which is great news if you’re struggling to qualify for other credit cards.

Rewards

• Up to 10% cash back through offers

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$35

Notable perks

To be eligible for the OpenSky Secured Visa Card, you’ll need to make a refundable security deposit of at least $200 ($3,000 maximum deposit). While this is a secured credit card, after you make six months of on-time payments you could qualify for a credit limit increase or transition to an unsecured card.

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What makes the Citi Double Cash Card such a great no-annual-fee credit card is the uncapped 2% back you earn on all eligible purchases.

Rewards

Earn 2% cash back on all purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. For a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel^SM portal through 12/31/24.

Welcome bonus

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

When you complete a balance transfer with the Citi Double Cash® Card in the first four months of opening the account, that transfer receives an introductory balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum). After the intro period, there’s a balance transfer fee of 5% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum). With a new account, you’ll receive 0% intro APR for the first 18 months (then a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR)

While it is technically a cash-back card, it earns cash back in the form of Citi ThankYou® points. This gives you more options for redeeming your points. You can use ThankYou points to get cash back (checks, direct deposits, statement credits) and other redemptions, such as gift cards at a value of one cent per point. You can also transfer these points to three travel loyalty programs: JetBlue, Wyndham and Choice Hotels. If you pair this card with the Citi Strata Premier^℠ Card (see rates and fees), you’ll unlock access to even more transfer partners, including Turkish Airlines, Avianca and Singapore Airlines.

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The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a credit-builder card that offers a path to upgrading to a more rewarding credit card in as little as six months.

Rewards

None

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

This card has no foreign transaction fees and grants users free access to CreditWise, which is Capital One’s credit monitoring service. You can also save 50% on handcrafted beverages at Capital One Cafés when you pay with your Capital One card.

To help you avoid an unnecessary hard pull on your credit report, Capital One offers pre-approval for this card. Capital One automatically considers you for a higher credit line or upgrade to a rewards card in as little as six months.

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The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is an easier credit card to get, even if you’re in the process of rebuilding your credit. It allows you to earn rewards as you improve your credit score and offers a clear path to upgrading to an unsecured card.

Rewards

• 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Discover will match the cash back you earn during the first year with no minimum spending requirement or cap on the match.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The Discover it® Secured Credit Card requires a minimum $200 refundable security deposit, but after seven months there’s an automatic review to see if you can be moved to an unsecured card. This takes the guesswork out of wondering when you’ll qualify for an unsecured credit card.

There are no foreign transaction fees, so you won’t be charged for using the card abroad. The cashback you earn can be redeemed at any time with no minimums, including directly through PayPal.

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The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a card designed for students with rewards rates that match many of the top cash-back credit cards.

Rewards

• 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats through Nov. 14, 2024
• 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
• 3% cash back on dining
• 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
• 3% cash back on popular streaming services
• 3% cash back on entertainment
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn a $50 cash bonus after spending $100 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

This card has no foreign transaction fees and provides access to Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment. When you need to get off campus to study, you can take advantage of 50% off handcrafted beverages at all Capital One Cafés.

Eligible purchases qualify for protections such as travel accident insurance and extended warranty protection*. Capital One also offers you complimentary access to CreditWise®, its credit monitoring service.

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The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card is a secured card that requires a minimum upfront deposit of $200.

Rewards

• 1% cash back on all payments

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$49

Notable perks

There’s no minimum credit score required to be approved for the First Progress Platinum Prestige secured card. You will need to make an upfront refundable security deposit of $200 to $2,000 and your credit limit is based on your deposit. You can redeem the cash rewards you earn as a statement credit toward your balance.

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The Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card isn’t just easy to get, but also has no fees, including no late payment fee. Instead of judging your creditworthiness solely based on credit history, Petal may ask you to link bank accounts during the application process. Then, WebBank, analyzes your bank statements and other data, such as bill payments and earnings, to determine your eligibility.

Rewards

• 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, which can increase up to 1.5% cash back after you make 12 on-time monthly payments
• 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The best part of the Petal 2 card is its lack of fees, it has no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no late payment fee and no returned payment fee. The ability to earn up to 1.5% cash back after making 12 on-time monthly payments is not only a nice perk but a great way to encourage responsible behavior. You can also take advantage of limited-time offers for 2% to 10% back at select merchants.

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The flexibility with what purchases earn the most rewards is what makes U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card a good choice for anyone who wants to earn cash back.

Rewards

• 5% cash back on prepaid airfare, hotels and car rentals booked through the U.S. Bank Rewards Travel Center
• 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter in two categories you choose. Eligible categories include cell phone providers; TV, internet and streaming; home utilities; fast food restaurants; gyms; ground transportation; furniture stores; sporting goods stores; select clothing stores; electronics stores; department stores; and movie theaters.
• 2% cash back on eligible purchases in your choice of one everyday category (like gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants)
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The main benefit of the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card is its flexible bonus reward categories. Plus, the cash back you earn with this card is easy to redeem. You can redeem cash back for a statement credit, a deposit to a U.S. Bank account (savings, checking or money market) or a prepaid U.S. Bank Rewards card. You’ll need at least $25 to make a redemption.

When you open a new account, you must put down a deposit of between $300 and $5,000 which acts as your credit line. If you spend within your credit limit and pay your bill when it’s due, U.S. Bank could eventually upgrade you to the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, at which time your security deposit will be returned.

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The Chase Freedom Rise℠ is a no-annual-fee card geared toward those just starting their credit journey. It is easier to qualify for if you’re an existing Chase checking account customer with a balance of at least $250.

Rewards

• 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025
• 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn a $25 statement credit after enrolling in automatic payments within the first three months of opening the account.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

You can redeem the cash back you earn with the Chase Freedom Rise for gift cards, statement credits, travel and more. And as you build your credit history, this card provides a path to upgrading to other Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

It also provides peace of mind with perks such as purchase protection, extended warranty protection and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. Anyone who loves delivery can enroll to receive three months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass (activate by Dec. 31, 2024). After the free months, you’ll be automatically enrolled in DashPass at 50% off for the next nine months.

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When you apply for a credit card, it typically results in a hard inquiry on your credit report. Hard inquiries can temporarily lower your credit score, however, if a credit card offers pre-approval you can potentially avoid the situation where you get a hard pull on your credit report but aren’t approved for the card.

Receiving a pre-qualified or pre-approved credit card offer doesn’t guarantee you’re eligible for the card, but it can help you hone in on cards you’re more likely to be approved for. If you’re not pre-approved, then it’s a card you probably don’t want to consider applying for.

Many credit card issuers offer pre-approvals, including Discover, OpenSky, American Express and more.

When shopping for a credit card, you want to pick the best option for you. Start by thinking about why you want a credit card and what you’re hoping to get out of it. If you’re hoping to build your credit, then any card you can get approved for can help, as long as you pay your balance in full and on time each month.

You’ll also want to carefully consider the costs and benefits before applying.

Credit card benefits

Aside from providing a way to build your credit, credit also comes with a huge range of benefits and perks.

Big welcome bonuses and rewards rates are a big part of the value you receive from any card. Knowing what you want to use the rewards for and where you spend the most, can help you hone on the best card for you. Cash-back rewards are easy to use, but travel rewards can have a higher potential value if you jump through a few hoops. Some cards are especially rewarding for groceries, gas, dining or travel. Other cards are great for everyday purchases because they offer a higher flat-rate return on every dollar you spend.

Credit card costs

Most credit cards have interest and fees that are extremely important to understand. One of the most common fees is the annual fee, which you pay every year just to keep the card. If you’re building or rebuilding your credit, it’s typically best to focus on credit cards without annual fees.

Credit cards also tend to have high APRs. When you carry a balance on your card, the interest you pay can easily offset any value you receive from that card’s benefits. If you’re working to pay off card debt, you may be able to benefit from a card that offers an intro 0% APR, just remember that if you don’t pay off the balance before the intro APR expires, you’ll start paying interest again.

Credit cards come in all shapes and sizes. Regardless of where you are in your credit journey or what you want to get out of a credit card, there’s likely a good fit for you.

Secured credit cards

Secured credit cards are a good option if you have no credit history or have a weak credit score because they are easy to get approved for. This type of credit card requires an upfront refundable deposit and your credit line is based on your deposit. Secured cards tend to have few rewards, but you may be able to upgrade to an unsecured card after making regular on-time payments.

Unsecured credit cards

An unsecured credit card doesn’t require you to make a deposit and the credit line you receive is based on factors such as your income and credit history. You’ll typically need a credit score to open this type of card and the most rewarding unsecured cards require the highest credit scores. Most types of credit cards are unsecured, including travel credit cards, cash-back cards, business credit cards and many more.

Rewards credits cards

Cash back cards, airline cards, hotel cards and travel cards are all different types of rewards credit cards. With a rewards credit card, you can earn points with a specific merchant or brand or earn general rewards that can be redeemed in a variety of ways. These cards may also offer additional benefits such as purchase protections, elite status perks or additional bonuses when you spend a certain amount on your card.

Student credit cards

You’re usually eligible to open a credit card when you turn 18, however, it can be difficult to qualify for a card if you have no credit history. Student credit cards are a solution to this problem. To be eligible, you generally need to be 18 years old and enrolled in a qualifying college. These cards allow you to establish your credit history and some even offer basic rewards.

Business credit cards

Business credit cards are a great tool for small business owners because they allow you to easily separate personal and business expenses. Business credit cards are typically designed with small to mid-sized businesses in mind and differ from corporate credit cards. You’ll often need a personal credit score to qualify for these cards, although the activity may not appear on your personal credit report.

When you apply for a credit card, the issuer will usually check your credit and verify your identity. To complete an application, you’ll typically need your Social Security Number (although some cards are available without an SSN), address, income, employment status and contact information. You can save yourself the heartache of applying for a card and being denied, by researching a few key factors before hitting submit on an application.

Know your credit score

Most of the top credit cards have minimum credit score requirements. By knowing what your credit score is ahead of time, you can hone in on just the cards you have the best chance of qualifying for. If your credit score isn’t where it needs to be, then it may be better to wait and work on boosting your score before applying.

Understand the card’s requirements

In addition to a certain credit score, credit cards also have other guidelines. These restrictions vary by card, card issuer and type of card. For example, secured credit cards require an upfront deposit and business credit cards require you to have a business or side hustle. Other rules depend on the card issuer, American Express typically limits you to earning the intro bonus from a specific card once per lifetime. With Chase, you may not be eligible for a card if you’ve opened five or more credit cards from any bank in the previous 24 months. Do your research ahead of time and read the fine print so you can navigate any limitations you may face.

See if you’re pre-approved

Some banks or cards offer pre-approval or pre-qualification. Getting pre-qualified for a credit card doesn’t guarantee your approval. However, if you aren’t pre-approved, you can avoid applying for a card if you’re likely to be denied. This can save you from adding an unnecessary hard inquiry to your credit report, which is useful because hard pulls temporarily lower your credit score.

While there are different credit scoring models, the most commonly used versions rely on similar information to create your credit score. However, your payment history and debt are typically weighted more heavily. So these are the two areas to focus on the most if you want to give your credit a helping hand

Payment history

When you open a consumer credit card or take out a personal loan, the activity from these accounts is tracked by the agencies that create your credit report. When you make an on-time payment, that reflects positively on your credit score. Over time, consistently paying your bills on time is one of the best ways to increase your credit score.

One thing to keep in mind is that not all bill payments are tracked on your credit report. When you pay your utility bill or streaming subscription, it usually won’t impact your credit score. However, there are services, such as *Experian Boost™ and eCredable Lift®, that allow you to link additional types of accounts to specific credit reports.

These types of tools can give your credit a boost, but there are limitations. You may need to pay a fee, they typically only affect one of the three major credit reports and some services could hurt your score if you add negative payment histories.

Debt

Your total debt is usually a big part of your credit score. Being debt-free or having a plan to pay down your debt, is vital to building your credit.

With revolving accounts, such as credit cards, paying your balance in full each month is important because it lowers your credit utilization ratio. Your credit utilization ratio shows how much of your available credit you are using. Keeping this number low will help improve your credit score.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best easy credit cards.

To determine which cards offer the best value for cards that are easy to be approved for, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.  

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back). 
 
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of a point or mile varies based on what they can be redeemed for, we also considered things like transferability and the ability to redeem for cash-back. 

When choosing the best easy-to-get credit cards, we focused on cards that are available to consumers with no credit or poor credit. 

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

*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.

Information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card is issued by WebBank.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.