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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. SHARE: Georgijevic/E+/Getty Images January 17, 2022 Checkmark Bankrate logo How is this page expert verified? At Bankrate, we take the accuracy of our content seriously. "Expert verified" means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content. Nicole Dieker has been a full-time freelance writer since 2012—and a personal finance enthusiast since 2004, when she graduated from college and, looking for financial guidance, found a battered copy of Your Money or Your Life at the public library. In addition to writing for Bankrate, her work has appeared on CreditCards.com, Vox, Lifehacker, Popular Science, The Penny Hoarder, The Simple Dollar and NBC News. Dieker spent five years as writer and editor for The Billfold, a personal finance blog where people had honest conversations about money. Dieker also teaches writing, freelancing and publishing classes and works one-on-one with authors as a developmental editor and copyeditor. Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
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You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Applying for a credit card with a co-signer—that is, another person who agrees to share responsibility for charges made on the card—is a good way to In the past, applying for a credit card with a co-signer was a common way to increase your approval odds. Unfortunately, most major credit issuers have phased out this option. However, Bank of America allows you to add a co-applicant to your credit card after your application has been approved—and a few credit cards, including the Apple Card, allow you to create a joint credit account with another person. Here’s what you need to know about co-signers, co-applicants and joint credit cards, as well as other options for people who want to build their credit quickly. Credit card issuers that allow co-signers
As of January 2022, none of the major credit card issuers we contacted allow co-signers. In the past, it may have been possible to apply for a credit card with a co-signer if you were applying with Bank of America, USAA or U.S. Bank. However, we reached out to these issuers in January 2022 and confirmed that Bank of America, USAA and U.S. Bank no longer allow co-signers on credit cards. That said, people who apply for Bank of America credit cards have another option. Once you have been approved for a Bank of America credit card, you can request to add a co-applicant to your newly-issued credit account. If the co-applicant is accepted, the two of you will share legal responsibility for all charges made to the card. This is not the same thing as applying for a credit card with a co-signer, but it still allows you to share a line of credit with another person. Issuers that don t allow credit card co-signers
None of the major credit card issuers we contacted allow credit card co-signers. We contacted each of the following credit card issuers in January 2022 to confirm that they did not allow people to apply for credit cards with co-signers: does not allow co-signers. does not allow co-signers. does not allow co-signers. does not allow co-signers. does not allow co-signers. does not allow co-signers. does not allow co-signers. USAA does not allow co-signers. U.S. Bank does not allow co-signers. Alternatives to finding a co-signer
Since most credit issuers no longer allow people to apply for credit cards with co-signers, you’ll need to look for alternative ways to access credit. If you have and are unlikely to be eligible for one of , here are a few ways to build credit without a co-signer. Become an authorized user
One of the best ways to build credit quickly is by on another person’s credit card. When you become an authorized user, you receive authorization to make purchases on another person’s credit account. The account owner is responsible for all payments and any debt incurred. Most credit card issuers report authorized user accounts to the (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). This means that every time the account owner makes an , for example, it shows up as a positive record on your credit report, which boosts your credit score. Becoming an authorized user is an easy way to piggyback on someone else’s good credit while building your credit score, especially if you are a student or young person who isn’t of your own. Apply for a joint credit card
In some cases, you may be able to apply for a . Joint credit cards are exactly what they sound like: a credit card issued jointly to two people (spouses, for example), both of whom are legally responsible for any debt incurred on the card. All activity on the card is reported to both cardholders’ credit reports, which means that if you both use your joint card responsibly, you could both receive a credit boost! Only a few credit cards, such as the , allow joint accounts. If you are considering becoming a joint cardholder, make sure you are prepared to take full responsibility for any charges made on the card. Also, make sure that every payment is on time, regardless of who makes the payment. Apply for a secured credit card
If you want to apply for a credit line of your own—without becoming an authorized user or looking for a joint credit card—consider applying for a . These credit-building cards require a small security deposit in exchange for a small credit limit, allowing you to prove that you can handle credit responsibly. Once you’ve demonstrated your ability to make on-time payments and manage your small line of credit, most credit card issuers will return your security deposit and . Secured credit cards can be rewarding—especially if you choose a card that offers , such as the . Consider credit cards for people with bad credit
Want more options? You might want to look at our lists of and . Many of these cards are secured credit cards, but these lists also include unsecured cards designed for people who are hoping to build or rebuild their credit—such as the , which may use factors like income and bill payment history to determine eligibility, offers cash back rewards on select purchases and allows cardholders to earn a after six months of card ownership. The bottom line
Even though most major credit card issuers no longer allow credit cards with co-signers, there are still ways to build credit—even if you have a low credit score or a limited credit history. Consider becoming an authorized user, applying for a secured credit card or looking for a card designed to help people build credit. Once you have a line of credit of your own, make sure you practice responsible credit habits to establish a positive credit history and build your credit score. SHARE: Nicole Dieker has been a full-time freelance writer since 2012—and a personal finance enthusiast since 2004, when she graduated from college and, looking for financial guidance, found a battered copy of Your Money or Your Life at the public library. In addition to writing for Bankrate, her work has appeared on CreditCards.com, Vox, Lifehacker, Popular Science, The Penny Hoarder, The Simple Dollar and NBC News. Dieker spent five years as writer and editor for The Billfold, a personal finance blog where people had honest conversations about money. Dieker also teaches writing, freelancing and publishing classes and works one-on-one with authors as a developmental editor and copyeditor. Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to Related Articles