Can you get a credit card with no income? Banks will issue you a credit card with no income proof. In the United States, these will be restricted to what is called a secured credit card. In the UK, because of its more relaxed lending criteria, there are more options. Today, nearly 3/4 of all banks are able to offer a credit card with no income proof. With the renewed demand, it is important to know what to look for in order to get the best deal. It is recommended to go with the Chase Liquid for prepaid cards and with the Discover it for secured cards or student credit card without income proof.
- There are 2 ways to get a debit or credit card without income proof: a secured credit card (meant to be a tool to built credit, temporary) or a prepaid debit card which is a better choice against the dreadful "payday loan" cards. For prepaid debit cards, the recommended offer is the Chase Liquid. For secured credit cards, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card is an excellent option.
- Look into all options regarding credit cards with no income proof. You can start your research with offers from Discover, Capital One or DCU (recommended).
- Before you apply for a no income proof credit card, make sure you either know your credit score and work to build it up. This is very important and should be like a job if you want to have proper credit in the future. This is the difference between the poor and the rich: learn how to build your credit, please!
- Reduce or consolidate your debts so banks can see the best income/debt ratio.
- Add any type of income you have, and, if you have family members or are married, try to apply with a co-signer.
- If all else fails, you can also become an authorized user on someone else's credit card (a cosigner), then after a few months, try again.
- For students: you can get a card even if you earn $2000 a year or less with Discover! This is how to get a credit card for students with no income.
Credit Card Without Income Proof
A job is not the only criteria used by banks to issue you a no income credit card, but generally speaking it is rather important that one shows some form of income to qualify for a credit card with no income requirement. Yet, even without income at all, some companies may issue you a card, especially if you are student or if you are married because your spouse's income may qualify as income proof to a bank.
Banks with credit card without proof of income
This list shows some secured credit card offers for USA folks and regular credit cards for UK citizens. In the US, you are unlikely to get a card without income proof, but in the UK it is much easier!
| Country | Card | Minimum Income | Apply Now |
| USA | Discover | $0 | Apply |
| USA | Capital One | $0 | Apply |
| USA | DCU (recommended) | $0 | Apply |
| USA | Open Sky | $0 | Apply |
| UK | Aqua | $0 | Apply |
| UK | Sainsbury | $0 | Apply |
| UK | Virgin | $0 | Apply |
| UK | MBNA | $0 | Apply |
| UK | Opus | $0 | Apply |
| UK | Mark & Spencer | $0 | Apply |
| UK | Clydesdale | $0 | Apply |
- Get a credit report from one of the major credit bureaus: TransUnion, Experian or Equifax.
- Follow these tips for improving your score: watch your credit card balances, pay on time, do not risk it, don't obsess over it
Credit Card with No Income Proof: Credit scores
A credit card with no income requirement is still a credit card and it requires that you are aware of your credit history so you can start your credit card ownership journey with good quality financial information and awareness. Your "can i get a credit card with no income" question starts with your doing the following then:
- Have a plan. Know that you have to get your finances together and getting a credit card is an important step. It all starts with the steps: work to pay off and get rid of debt, monitor your credit, get a secured card, work your way up to a normal card, get an good card, then get the best cards. This process may well take over a year, but this is important!
- Maximize your qualifications.Try to get a card with a spouse if you have one. This is the case because it is no longer possible to report your household income to get a card, so the next best thing is to include the right people in the application!
- Your freelance jobs are important. With the new world of micro jobs, freelancing and the sharing economy,
people are making money driving for Uber, selling stuff online, subletting rooms, and other creative ways to make money. Report all your income sources! This also includes benefits, investments, child support and so on. - Credit Consolidation! As important as it is to have a job or income, what banks are looking for is that your income/debt ratio. This means that you cannot have more debts than money coming in, so it is important that you find ways to reduce the bills. Get rid of your cable TV for example, and think about living a simpler life by following tips from this page.
- Have a bank account. Yes, having a bank account is an important step. This is important because it is a credible way that banks have to get their loan bank in case you default. If you have one it will absolutely make your application look better.
- Credit reports need to be used correctly. Yes, get a credit report for free, first. Then, check it for errors and other inaccuracies and yes, dispute errors! It will be a lot of work, but it will be worth it as a step to having a credit card with no income proof and your eventual financial independence. Make sure you take concrete steps to improve your credit too.
Credit Card with No Income Proof: Step by Step
This is how to get a credit card with no job and bad credit:
- Try to get a supplementary credit card. If you do not have income because you are still a dependent, it may be a good idea to get a supplementary credit card connected to your parent’s or guardian’s account.
- Try to get a fully secured credit card. A secured credit card involves an initial deposit that is equal to the account you are borrowing. For all intents and purposes, this is a card that reports to the credit bureaus so that overtime you have some positive financial history and then move on to a partially secured card (as suggested above in this article) and then to a normal card.
- Try to get a co-signer. If you really need to get a credit card, then one way to secure one is to get someone to back you up. Someone you know really well or trusts you can offer to become your guarantor. Note however, that in this case you are now responsible for someone else’s creditworthiness.
Credit Card with No Income Proof: Alternatives
There are many ways to get a credit card without proof of income - there are just some notable limitations to such products. If the need for a credit card is great, then these are easy applications to fill up. Get ready to become a responsible credit card user with these hassle-free cards!
Credit Card with No Income Proof: Which is best?
See youtuber Sebby compare some secured credit card offers for the American market below.
- No or low maintenance fees.
- The fact that this is a temporary solution and it should be used as a temporary solution until you have good credit.
- That there are a lot of bad cards out there and you have to be careful. Generally speaking, the big banks have good offers so you are generally on the safe side by choosing to work with them. Exceptions are for credit unions such as DCU.
credit card for students with no income
As a student, it is challenging for banks to qualify you as for a no income proof credit card because of limited credit history and (often) no job. Therefore, getting a first credit card is an important first step which is guaranteed to help a person further down the line with low rates for cars, mortgages and other loans. Here are some guaranteed ways to get a good student credit card without income and no credit score.
By far the easiest way to start out with a credit card is to get a secured credit card in your name. All there is to do is to deposit $49 and what happens is that you get a credit card that reports to all credit bureaus and it comes with a limited credit of usually under $200.
The $49 is collateral which is held by the bank to secure it if the owner fails to pay off debts and therefore the bank hedges against their possible losses. It works just like any other credit card where regular payments are necessary and anything that you do that is negative will reflect on your credit score.
What you need to look for in a secured credit card is:
Further reading
Reddit: Can you get a student credit card without an income?
No income? You can STILL get a credit card
