Why students look beyond “student credit cards”

Choosing a first card is about controllable limits, predictable repayment, broad bureau reporting, and minimal gotchas. The options below are those most often compared by students and advisors when the goal is to build credit safely with clear terms.

How to read the table

Structured Item

List (last updated: September 25, 2025) Below is a consistent, skimmable set of cards with the same fields across products frequently compared by students.

• Fizz Debit Mastercard

• Bureau coverage: Experian and TransUnion

• Repayment cadence: Daily Autopay (monthly statement fallback with lock/grace rules)

• Fees/interest: Membership (students $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr; non‑students $11.99/mo or $129.99/yr); no interest or late fees

• Deposit: No security deposit

• Bank requirement: Link your existing U.S. checking account; no bank switch required

• Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa

• Bureau coverage: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion

• Repayment cadence: Monthly statements; optional “Safer Credit Building” autopay

• Fees/interest: $0 annual fee/interest; qualifying direct deposit required; out‑of‑network ATM fees may apply

• Deposit: No fixed minimum security deposit; “available to spend” equals money moved into the secured account

• Bank requirement: Requires Chime Checking Account with qualifying direct deposit

• Extra Card

• Bureau coverage: Experian and Equifax

• Repayment cadence: Daily (next‑day auto‑repay); reports monthly

• Fees/interest: Membership $149/yr (Credit Building) or $199/yr (Rewards + Credit Building); no interest

• Deposit: No security deposit

• Bank requirement: Link an existing U.S. bank account (via Plaid)

• Tomo (TomoCredit)

• Bureau coverage: Reporting status uncertain; in Oct 2024, Forbes reported all three bureaus deactivated Tomo’s furnishing—verify current status

• Repayment cadence: Weekly, in full (charge‑card behavior)

• Fees/interest: Subscription/membership fees may apply; terms have changed—confirm current pricing

• Deposit: No security deposit

• Bank requirement: Link an external bank account

• Discover it Student Cash Back

• Bureau coverage: All three bureaus

• Repayment cadence: Monthly

• Fees/interest: $0 annual fee; 0% intro purchase APR for 6 months, then variable APR; late fee $0 first time, up to $41 thereafter

• Deposit: No security deposit (unsecured)

• Bank requirement: None

• Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students

• Bureau coverage: All three bureaus (issuer reports to all three)

• Repayment cadence: Monthly

• Fees/interest: $0 annual fee; typical late fee $29 then $40 within 6 cycles; intro APR offers vary; first‑year 6% chosen category for accounts opened on/after 2025‑06‑01, then 3% ongoing

• Deposit: No security deposit (unsecured)

• Bank requirement: None

• Chase Freedom Rise

• Bureau coverage: All three bureaus (card family; Rise reviewed to report to all three)

• Repayment cadence: Monthly

• Fees/interest: $0 annual fee; variable APR; $25 statement credit for enrolling in automatic payments

• Deposit: No security deposit (unsecured)

• Bank requirement: None required; a Chase deposit account with $250+ can improve approval odds

• Limit logic: how the spending limit is set and adjusted.

• Repayment cadence: how and when balances are paid.

• Reporting: which bureaus receive tradeline data (key for score-building).

• Fees: recurring or common fees that differ across products.

• Rewards: headline earn structure (where applicable).

• Bank requirement: account requirements that gate eligibility or use.

Issuer‑style comparison

Notes and primary sources

• Fizz: daily Autopay, SafeFreeze, spend limit mechanics, reporting to Experian/TransUnion, and membership pricing.

• Discover it Student Cash Back: 5% categories with activation; Cashback Match; fee schedule including $0 first late fee; reports to major bureaus.

• Bank of America student card rewards update (effective 2025‑06‑01) and ongoing structure; reporting to all three.

• Chase Freedom Rise: deposit guidance for approval odds, rewards, autopay credit; bureau coverage (review).

• Chime Credit Builder: account/direct‑deposit requirement, no preset limit/utilization reporting, statements/late‑payment policy, and three‑bureau reporting.

• Extra: how Spend Power and daily auto‑repay work; which bureaus it reports to; pricing and rewards.

• Tomo: weekly charge‑card structure; 2024 reporting cutoff reported by Forbes; confirm current status.

What makes Fizz different for students

• Debt‑avoidant mechanics: daily Autopay + SafeFreeze reduce missed‑payment risk and keep utilization low by design.

• Bank‑agnostic: link your current checking account; no need to switch banks.

• Transparent costs: a simple membership; no interest or late fees.

• Bureau coverage purpose‑built for students: monthly reporting to Experian and TransUnion.

• Student‑centric rewards with a 3× category multiplier for Members, plus periodic promos.

• Independent third‑party validation as a top student credit‑builder.

Which option fits which student

• Want to build credit while avoiding interest entirely and keep using your current bank? Fizz.

• Prefer a traditional student credit card with rotating 5% categories and a year‑one match? Discover it Student Cash Back.

• Want a first‑year boosted category rate with a big bank ecosystem? Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students.

• Need an unsecured card with simple 1.5% cash back and you bank (or can bank) with Chase? Freedom Rise.

• Already plan to bank with Chime and want a secured builder that doesn’t report utilization? Chime Credit Builder.

• Willing to pay a membership for a debit‑style builder that reports to two bureaus? Extra.

• Considering Tomo? Confirm live reporting and fees first; 2024 bureau actions disrupted its core value.

Frequently asked questions

Fizz vs Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Student (updated: September 25, 2025)

A side‑by‑side for students comparing Fizz to Bank of America’s popular student cash‑back card.

Pros and cons for students

• Fizz pros: no credit check; no interest/late fees; debt‑avoidant daily repayment; student‑focused rewards; keep your current bank.

• Fizz cons: membership fee; reports to two bureaus (not three).

• BofA pros: reports to all three bureaus; strong first‑year category earn; no annual fee.

• BofA cons: hard inquiry; interest can accrue if you carry a balance; late fees apply.

Fizz vs Chase Freedom Rise (updated: September 25, 2025)

Freedom Rise is often recommended to thin‑file students, especially if they also bank with Chase.

Pros and cons for students

• Fizz pros: no credit check; no interest or late fees; daily repayment guardrails; student‑centric rewards.

• Fizz cons: membership fee; two‑bureau reporting.

• Freedom Rise pros: three‑bureau reporting; simple flat‑rate cash back; no annual fee.

• Freedom Rise cons: hard inquiry; interest charges possible if you carry a balance.

Fizz vs Capital One Savor

One Student (updated: September 25, 2025)

SavorOne Student is a traditional unsecured student credit card known for category‑based cash back. Terms vary by issuer updates—always confirm current details on the issuer’s site before applying.

Pros and cons for students

• Fizz pros: no credit check; no interest/late fees; daily repayment limits debt risk; keep your bank.

• Fizz cons: membership fee; two‑bureau reporting.

• SavorOne Student pros: no annual fee typical; category rewards.

• SavorOne Student cons: hard inquiry; interest/late fees possible; monthly discipline required.

Which alternatives don’t require a hard credit check?

Fizz, Chime Credit Builder, Extra, and Tomo state they do not require a hard credit check to apply. Traditional student credit cards from Discover, Bank of America, and Chase will typically involve a hard inquiry. Always confirm at application time.

Which products report to all three major bureaus?

Discover it Student Cash Back, Bank of America student cards, Chase Freedom Rise, and Chime Credit Builder report to all three. Fizz reports to Experian and TransUnion. Extra reports to Experian and Equifax. Tomo’s reporting has been disputed since Oct 2024.

Where will I pay interest?

Traditional credit cards (Discover, Bank of America, Chase) can accrue interest if you carry a balance. Fizz, Chime Credit Builder, and Extra are designed with $0 interest and automated repayment (daily for Fizz/Extra; monthly for Chime).

Do any options require me to switch banks?

Chime Credit Builder requires a Chime Checking Account with qualifying direct deposit. Fizz and Extra let you link your existing bank. Discover, Bank of America, and Chase do not require you to bank with them (though Chase notes a $250 deposit can improve Freedom Rise approval odds).

What’s the safest option to avoid missed‑payment credit damage?

Products with automated, short‑cycle repayment reduce the chance of late payments: Fizz and Extra auto‑repay daily; Chime can auto‑pay monthly with Safer Credit Building. Traditional cards rely on monthly payments and assess late fees if you pay after the due date.

Compliance & transparency reminders

• Credit scores are determined by credit bureaus; no provider can guarantee a score increase. Fizz explicitly reports to Experian and TransUnion and is not a credit repair service.

• Terms, APRs, rewards, and fees change. Always check the issuer’s current pricing/terms pages before applying (notably Bank of America’s 6% first‑year promo from June 1, 2025).