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Legally, no one can get a credit card on their own unless they’re at least 18 years old. However, a minor can be an authorized user on someone else’s account. Here are some credit card options that allow teens under 18 as authorized users, along with a few tips for teaching them financial habits.
5 credit cards that allow authorized users under 18
Many card issuers — Bank of America, Capital One and Chase — have no minimum age for authorized users. This means you can get your kid a credit card as soon as you think they are ready. However, some card providers have minimum age requirements, usually 13 to 16. Before adding your teen as an authorized user, consider how responsible you are as a cardholder as your teen’s fortunes will rise and fall with yours.
Like the name suggests, the Blue Cash Everyday is an excellent choice for letting your teen earn rewards on everyday purchases, including stuff they're likely purchasing anyway, such as groceries or gas. The card's lack of annual fee means that even if your teen ends up not using it much, it won't burden your finances to leave the account open.
Pros
No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card, which lets you and your teen focus on building good spending habits.
Earn rewards on everyday purchases. This card earns 3% cash back at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 in annual qualifying purchases, reverting to 1%, 2% back at US gas stations and eligible US department stores, and 1% back on other eligible purchases
Intro APR on purchases. The Blue Cash Everyday comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months reverting to 13.99% to 23.99%. This makes it a strong choice if you need to invest in some school supplies or other larger purchases and pay it off interest free.
Cons
Cap on 3% tier. While it's unlikely to bother your teen much, this card only earns 3% back on groceries on up to the first $6,000 spent on eligible purchases each calendar year, reverting to 1 back. This leaves it less powerful than the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express in this regard.
Grocery rewards exclusions. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express excludes 'superstores' like Walmart or Target from its 3% back category.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
N/A
Welcome Offer
Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a leading flat rate cashback card thanks to its simple rewards structure. Your kid can earn 1.5% back on all purchases to your account without needing to worry about categories or earning limits.
Pros
Earn cash back. Earn 1.5% cash back as statement credit on all purchases.
No annual fee. This card doesn't charge an annual fee for you or your child.
Intro APR. This card comes with a 0%% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, reverting to 14.99% to 24.99% variable after.
No foreign transaction fees. You'll pay a 0% fee on purchases made abroad on this card.
Welcome offer. One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
Cons
High APR. The ongoing APR for this card is 24.99% variable, which is higher than the 16% industry average. .
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 24.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 24.99% variable)
Welcome Offer
One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is next step up from the Blue Cash Everyday and carries a $95 annual fee after your first year. But this fee is balanced out by much larger earning potential on everyday purchases. In fact, both you and your teen will want to hold on to this card even after they can apply for their own thanks to the card's top notch earning rates.
Pros
Earn cash back. Earn 6% cash back as statement credit on up to $6,000 annually, reverting to 1% after reaching the cap. Also earn 6 back on select US streaming services, 3% back at US gas stations and on transit purchases, and 1% back on other eligible purchases.
Welcome offer. Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in your first 6 months.
Intro APR. This card comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, reverting to 13.99% to 23.99%.
Cons
Rewards cap. Like the Blue Cash Everyday, the card's groceries earning rate is only 6% until you reach the $6,000 spending cap, after which it reverts to 1%.
Category restrictions. Superstores such as Target and Walmart don't fall into the 'grocery store' category based on Amex's specifications. Similarly, gas obtained at stores like Target or Sam's Club won't count as gas purchases for the sake of earning rewards.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
N/A
Welcome Offer
$300 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is our current favorite pick for earning big rewards in rotating categories throughout the year and the fact that you can add your teen as an authorized user is icing on the cake. The card is a point earning powerhouse for travel, dining, and rotating categories, and it doesn't even require an annual fee. Let your teen in on the purchasing action and you can max out your quarterly earning categories in no time.
Pros
Earn points. This card earns 5% back in rotating categories up to $1,500 combined each activated quarter, reverting to 1%, 5% on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. Few other cards can match this reward potential. Note that cash back is earned as Ultimate Rewards points, which you can choose to redeem on cash back or other options.
No annual fee. This card requires no annual fee to use. This is surprising given the high earning rates on the card.
Welcome offer. Spend $500 in your first 3 months of account opening and you'll earn $200 back to your account. You can also earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
Cons
You need to enroll in the quarterly categories. If you don't enroll into the bonus categories each quarter, you'll earn just 1% on those purchases. Thankfully, only one person on the account between you and your teen need to enroll to activate for both.
Quarterly categories hidden. You won't know what each quarter's categories are until the quarter draws near.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 24.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 24.74% variable)
Welcome Offer
$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores (not including Target® or Walmart®) on up to $12,000 in the first year
Like the Chase Freedom Flex, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is terribly powerful cash back card, earning a flat 1.5% back on all purchases in addition to the new unlimited categories introduced to the Flex. This card is also an excellent introduction to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program and can educate your teen on the ins and outs of credit card points.
Pros
Earn cash back. Earn 5% cash back on Chase Travel Portal purchases, 3% back on dining, including takeout and delivery, and 3% back on drugstore purchases. On everything else, earn 1.5% back.
Signup bonus. Earn an additional 1.5 back on all purchases on up to $20,000 spent total in your first year. This is a 300 value when maxed.
Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. Enjoy a 15 months 0% intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers. After that, a variable APR of 14.99% to 23.74% applies.
Cons
Foreign transaction fees. If you or your teen use this card abroad, you'll pay a 3%% fee on each transaction made.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
Welcome Offer
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back
Capital One's new secured card is a surprisingly generous credit building option for teens if you want to give them their own card account, but still keep the training wheels on. It requires no annual fee, offers respectable cash back and allows for a security deposit of up to $3,000 depending on creditworthiness.
Pros
Earn cash back. You'll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this secured card.
Flexible security deposit. The security deposit for this card starts at $200 minimum, though you can deposit up to $3,000 depending on your creditworthiness.
Cons
High APR. The ongoing APR for this card is rather high at 26.99% variable.
Your teen likely (hopefully) doesn't have need for a balance transfer to wipe out some debt. However, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card as an excellent opportunity to settle some of your own debt and then open the floodgates to your teen so they can start building good credit habits. The card also comes with an intro APR on purchases, but it's unwise to make purchases on the card if you've performed a balance transfer, so hatch out a plan before you apply.
Pros
Intro APR. The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card comes with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months, reverting to 13.74% to 23.74% variable. This is one of the longest intro periods on the market.
No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card. Four-month limit to transfer a balance. This card has a slightly longer than average time limit for transferring existing debts of 4 months. Many cards on the market give you just 30 to 60 days to make a transfer.
Cons
No rewards. This card is strictly focused on the intro APR offers, so this might not prove the greatest long term credit card option for your teen when it comes to building value.
Steep penalty APR. Missing payments can result in a penalty APR of 29.99% variable. Missing a payment can also lead to the loss of the card's intro APR. This isn't a problem if you pay your balance in full at the end of each month, so consider turning on automatic payments.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.74% to 23.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 21 months (then 13.74% to 23.74% variable)
Although your teen could benefit from a credit card, they might not be ready for one just yet. Fortunately, debit cards for teens can teach your teen healthy financial habits without any risk of damaging their credit. And when you’re confident your kid can manage their money, you can graduate them into a full-fledged credit card.
Greenlight is among the best debit cards for teens because it includes a broad set of features and parental controls, including the ability to restrict when and where your teen uses their card. The Greenlight app includes the ability to assign chores and automate allowance payments. Plus, it encourages your teen to invest some of their balance and donate money to charity. But there's a $4.99 monthly fee, and you'll pay more to access some of Greenlight's features.
Pros
Beyond banking. You could access an investing platform, parent-paid interest, and purchase protection depending on which plan you choose.
Merchant-specific limits. Greenlight lets you limit how much money your teen can spend at specific retailers.
Good for multiple kids. Greenlight supports up to five kids and one parent per account, making it a good option for families with multiple kids.
Cons
Unavoidable fee. You'll pay at least $4.99 per month for this account, but you won't pay extra if you have up to five kids on the account.
Compatibility issues. Your teen can receive direct deposits from an employer, but Greenlight isn't compatible with PayPal, Venmo or Apple Cash.
Not accepted globally. The Greenlight Card won't work in some countries, so make sure your teen is covered if they're traveling abroad.
Annual or monthly fee
$4.99 per month
ATM withdrawal
$0
Card replacement fee
$3.50
Age requirements
Any age
Card type
Debit
Card network
Mastercard
Special offer
For each successful referral you or your kid make, you’ll earn a cash bonus and so will your referral.
BusyKid is the best debit card for families with multiple kids because you can have up to five different debit cards for one competitive fee. Like Greenlight, BusyKid features chore assignments and automated allowance payments. But you can't restrict spending at certain retailers. BusyKid costs $3.99 per month, which is less costly than other cards with similar features. Plus you can have up to five BusyKid cards for no additional fee.
Pros
Competitive fee. BusyKid costs $3.99 per month or $38.99 per year for up to five cards. By comparison, Greenlight costs at least $4.99 per month.
Parent-paid interest. This feature lets you reward your teen for steadily contributing to their savings goals.
Donating and investing. Along with spending and saving, your teen can also use their BusyKid account to buy stocks or donate to charities.
Cons
Can't control spending. You'll need to approve transfers to your teen's BusyKid card, but you can't control where or when they spend money once it's on the card.
Loading limits. You can't load more than $2,000 onto your teen's BusyKid card within a 30-day period.
Step leverages secured loans to help your child develop a strong credit score. The account combines aspects of a debit card and a credit card to help your child build credit. But you won't have to worry about paying overdraft fees because Step won't allow your kid to spend more money than is in their account.
Pros
Build credit. Step lets your kid develop a credit record even before they're old enough to apply for a credit card.
Automated transfers. As the joint owner of the account, you can turn on recurring transfers to fund the card automatically.
No recurring fees. There's no monthly or annual fee to use the Step card, and teens won't have to maintain a minimum balance to keep the account active.
Cons
Can't deposit cash or checks. You can't deposit cash or checks into this account, but you can fund the account through direct deposits, bank-to-bank transfers and apps like Venmo.
ATM withdrawals. ATM withdrawals work like cash advances with Step, so you may face interest fees or finance charges if your account balance is insufficient.
APY
N/A
Intro or bonus offer
Teens can earn $6 per referral by joining the Step Squad, which requires three successful referrals, one peer-to-peer transfer and one purchase with the Step Visa card.
You must be 18 years old to apply for a credit card
You can’t get a credit card until you’re at least 18 years old. If you’re under 18, however, you can be an authorized user on someone else’s account. This can be a good option for a minor as it helps them build a credit score and history. Having a strong credit history can help a minor be eligible for better credit card options — such as a rewards or travel card — once they’re old enough to apply.
Here’s an example of a typical journey a teen might have with credit cards
Teens: 11–13 years old
This age range is a good time to introduce your tween to a debit or prepaid card designed for kids. These cards are a relatively safe way to teach your child how to spend responsibly. They don’t accrue interest and they draw from preloaded money through a bank account or other source. These cards don’t build credit, however, so only rely on them until you think your kid has picked up on the fundamentals of card usage.
Teens: 14–17 years old
If your teen proves they’re able to responsibly use a debit or prepaid card, consider letting them graduate to a credit card. After you add them as an authorized user, you can monitor their spending. At the same time, you can teach them how to manage credit before they get their own card.
Teens: 18+ years old
Once your child hits 18 years of age, they can legally apply for a credit card with certain providers. This is where the training wheels can come off and your child can open an account in their own name. While you could encourage your child to apply for a strong rewards or travel card right away, a student credit card is one of the safer options available. These cards tend to have some built in forgiveness for missed payments and few fees, which is perfect for a kid still coming to grips with a credit card.
4 reasons your teen should get a credit card
You might think your teen is far too young to use a credit card. But you’ll find two big reasons why it could be a good idea for them to have one.
1. It can teach your teen how to use a credit card responsibly for the future.
After adding your teen as an authorized user, you have control over their account and can see how they use their card. With insight into their spending, you can more effectively teach them solid financial habits. It’s better for them to learn from you now than figure everything out on their own later.
2. It can help your teen build credit early.
Most people start with a brand-new credit history when they’re ready to get a credit card. This usually means they’re limited to student cards and secured cards, both of which typically come with limited features. You can help your teen build an impressive credit history before they reach adulthood. Just add them as an authorized user on your account and consistently make payments on time. When they turn 18, their credit may be strong enough to expand their card options considerably.
3. It’s convenient for parents and kids.
Sometimes you could forget to give your kid cash for meals at school, transportation or supplies. Getting your kid a credit card can help you avoid unpleasant situations and avoid cash theft. And for some cards, you can set spending limits to ensure your child doesn’t spend over their budget.
4. You can earn more rewards.
Why not get something in return for helping your teen build credit? Most credit cards let you earn rewards on purchases made by authorized users. Consider a credit card geared toward families as adding your teen as an authorized user on one of these cards could help you earn additional rewards on common purchases.
4 credit card mistakes to teach your kids to avoid
While you still have them under your wing, teach your teen how to avoid trouble with a credit card. Here are a few common pitfalls they should know about.
1. Just paying the minimum payment.
A cardholder is allowed to make only the minimum monthly payment on their credit card. However, that’s arguably the worst thing to do behind paying late. Paying the minimum allows interest to snowball and debt to accumulate.
Here’s what to do: Show your teen why it’s smart to pay off their balance in full each month. Teach them how credit card interest accumulates, and how it can be avoided.
2. Overspending.
Teach your teen they should avoid spending close to their credit limit. Carrying a high balance puts one in danger of incurring overlimit fees, on top of accumulating high debt. Many experts recommend keeping spending under 30% of one’s credit limit.
Here’s what to do: Encourage your teen to spend less than they receive from their allowance or job. Teach them how their credit utilization ratio affects their credit score. And explain why it’s smart to keep their ratio under 30%.
3. Paying late.
This is a sure path to decreasing a credit score. Because your teen is an authorized user on your account, you can protect them by paying your card bill as usual. But if you see signs your teen may pay late in the future, it’s best to nip the problem in the bud.
Here’s what to do: Set up automatic payments on your card account so that you never miss a payment on your teen’s card account. Meanwhile, ask your teen to repay you by a certain date each month. Encourage them to set up phone or calendar reminders so they don’t forget.
4. Credit card fraud.
Teach your kids how to keep their credit card information safe. Although credit card fraud can happen even if you take all necessary precautions, it’s a good starting point for your kid to learn how to protect their credit cards.
Here’s what to do: Explain to your kids that the credit card information can be copied and used illegally. Also, teach them how to recognize which sites are safe and which aren’t for online use.
Which card issuers allow authorized users?
Each of these card issuers allows authorized users under 21 years old, though the minimum age varies. These issuers also report authorized user activity to credit bureaus, which can help the authorized user build a healthy credit score and history.
Getting your teen on the path to a credit card can be a great way to help them financially prepare for the future. Before you make them an authorized user on an account, however, be sure they have proper financial supervision and that they understand the basics of how credit cards work.
Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
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