Just turned 18, can I get a credit card? Complete guide

by karthik.sundaram · 6 Nov 2025, 10:50 am · 1325 views · 20 replies

6 Nov 2025, 10:50 am

Hey everyone! I just turned 18 last month and I'm really excited to get my first credit card. I've been doing some research but I'm getting confused with all the information out there.

My situation:

Just turned 18, currently in first year of college
I have a savings account with SBI since I was 16 (my parents helped me open it)
No income yet, but I do some freelance graphic design work (₹5-8k per month)
My parents are willing to help but they don't want me to get into debt

My questions:

Can I actually get a credit card at 18 with no formal income?
What's the difference between a student card and a regular card?
I've heard about secured credit cards - are those better for beginners?
Should I get an add-on card on my dad's account first to build credit history?
What credit limit can I expect as an 18-year-old?

I really want to start building my credit score early because I've read that it helps later when applying for loans and stuff. But I'm also scared of messing up and getting into debt like I've heard happens to many people.

Any advice from people who started at 18 would be really helpful! Also, if you know specific cards that are good for 18-year-olds in India, please share.

Edit: Just to clarify - I'm NOT looking to spend beyond my means. I want to use it responsibly, maybe for my monthly mobile recharge and Netflix, and pay it off fully every month. My goal is to build credit history, not to buy stuff I can't afford.

19 Comments

pooja.desai · 7 Nov 2025, 11:34 am

Yes you can! But banks will want to see some income proof. Your freelance income might work if you can show bank statements. Start with your own bank - SBI has decent options for students.

vikram.iyer · 10 Nov 2025, 03:19 pm

At 18, your best bet is honestly an add-on card on your parent's account first. Use it for 6-12 months, build some history, then apply for your own card. That's what I did and got approved easily for Axis MyZone when I turned 19.

harsh.agarwal · 13 Nov 2025, 07:13 pm

Student cards you can look at:

SBI Student Plus - Specifically designed for students, low limit (₹20k-50k)
HDFC ForexPlus - If you're planning to study abroad
ICICI Student Credit Card - Decent rewards on e-commerce

But be warned - student cards usually have lower benefits and higher interest rates.

ishita.sen · 13 Nov 2025, 10:33 pm

DON'T GET A CREDIT CARD AT 18. I'm 24 now and I got my first card at 18. Biggest mistake of my life. I thought I'd be responsible but the minimum payment option is a trap. Ended up with ₹45k debt by the time I was 20. Please just use a debit card.

vikram.iyer · 17 Nov 2025, 08:22 pm

^Ignore the fear mongering. A credit card is a tool. If you're disciplined, it's great. If you're not, it's dangerous. Simple as that.

Since you're planning to only use it for subscriptions and pay in full, you'll be fine. Set up autopay for the full amount and you won't even have to think about it.

ananya.reddy · 24 Nov 2025, 01:55 pm

I got ICICI Amazon Pay card at 18. They didn't ask for income proof, just my college ID and savings account statement showing regular deposits from my part-time work. Limit was ₹25k. Worth a shot!

kavya.krishnan · 19 Nov 2025, 01:48 am

Try OneCard. They approved me at 18 with just FD as security. You don't need physical FD, they create a virtual one. Limit was ₹30k for me. After 6 months of good usage, they increased it to ₹80k and I'm 19 now.

rahul.joshi · 2 Dec 2025, 05:20 pm

Secured credit cards are actually perfect for your situation. HDFC, ICICI, Axis all offer them. You put ₹25k-50k in FD, get a card with 80-100% of FD value as limit. After 12-18 months of good usage, they convert it to unsecured and release your FD. Zero risk.

priya.sharma · 20 Nov 2025, 09:59 pm

Income proof is the main issue at 18. Banks want salary slips or ITR. Your ₹5-8k freelance income won't cut it unless you're filing taxes on it. Better to wait till you get a proper job or internship.

rahul.joshi · 28 Nov 2025, 08:24 pm

The add-on card strategy is underrated. I used my mom's HDFC Regalia add-on for 2 years. When I applied for my own card at 20, I had a CIBIL score of 780 with 2 years of perfect payment history. Got approved for premium cards immediately.

divya.pillai · 2 Dec 2025, 11:53 pm

The fact that you're asking these questions shows you're already more responsible than 90% of 18-year-olds. Go for it, but stick to your plan of paying in full every month.

meera.bhat · 19 Dec 2025, 11:16 pm

Your plan of using it for subscriptions and mobile recharge is perfect. That's exactly what I did. Set up autopay, forget about it, and your credit score builds automatically. I'm at 805 now after 3 years of this boring strategy.

aditya.singh · 5 Dec 2025, 06:29 pm

Check if your bank has pre-approved offers in their app. Sometimes they'll give you a card without formal income proof if you have good account history. SBI, HDFC, ICICI all do this.

rajesh.nambiar · 8 Dec 2025, 10:32 pm

Secured cards: 80-100% of FD value
Student cards: ₹20k-50k
Regular cards (if approved): ₹30k-75k

Don't expect high limits. Banks are cautious with young applicants.

ananya.reddy · 12 Dec 2025, 03:33 pm

I'm 18 and just got Kotak 811 #DreamDifferent card. Limit is only ₹15k but that's perfect for me. No joining fee, no annual fee. Basic card but good to start building credit.

harsh.agarwal · 14 Dec 2025, 04:21 am

Whatever you do, NEVER EVER pay just the minimum amount. If you can't pay the full bill, don't use the card that month. Interest rates are 36-42% per year. It compounds like crazy.

riya.choudhury · 17 Dec 2025, 01:01 am

SBI Simply Click was my first card at 19. They wanted ₹25k monthly income proof. I showed them my stipend letter from internship (₹15k) + freelance income proof (₹10k in bank statements). Got approved for ₹50k limit.

riya.choudhury · 19 Dec 2025, 05:41 am

Apps like CRED and Paytm also have credit card features but those aren't real credit cards and won't build CIBIL score. Make sure you get a real credit card from a bank or NBFC.

aditya.singh · 23 Dec 2025, 10:31 pm

The freelance income angle: If you're serious about using that as income proof, start filing ITR even if it's below taxable limit. ITR for 2-3 years makes credit card applications much easier. Future you will thank you.

Page 1 of 2 Next