Is the BofA Customized Cash Rewards Card a Good First Credit Card?

On the surface, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card looks like an easy recommendation for someone getting their first credit card: no annual fee, cash back rewards, and digital tools that make it easy to track spending. (See Rates & Fees)

A fee-free card is appealing for first-time users, and this one adds flexible rewards on top. Here's a look at who this card works best for as an early card, and how newer applicants can position themselves to qualify.

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A strong first card usually shares a few traits:

• No annual fee

• A simple rewards structure that doesn't require active management

• Forgiving approval odds for a thin credit file

• Features that help build good habits, like autopay and low-balance alerts

Customized Cash Rewards lines up with several of these. Its cash-back structure is simple enough for a beginner, and the automatic grocery and everyday rates mean you keep earning even if you never revisit your category.

Grant's point is worth weighing against this card's standard variable APR of [placeholder_regular_apr]. For context, the Federal Reserve's latest data puts the average rate on credit card accounts assessed interest at 22.15% (Q2 2026). Paying your balance in full each month means the APR never comes into play.

• No cost while you learn: There's no annual fee, so there's no cost risk while you're still learning. The automatic grocery and wholesale club rate, plus the base rate on everything else, works like a simple flat-rate card if you don't want to think about categories at all.

• More rewards, if you want them: Choose a category to earn the card's top rate: [placeholder_rewards_rate_description]. If you never pick one, your category defaults to gas and EV charging stations.

• Picking a category that fits a student budget: If you eat out or order takeout often, dining could be the best fit. If you don't have a car and rely on rideshare or public transit, travel may be the better choice, since Bank of America includes taxis, rideshare, and public transit in that category.

• Built-in tools for building good habits: Bank of America's Online and Mobile Banking tools make it easy to track spending and monitor your account. Cardholders can also see their FICO® Score and credit report for free through My Credit, which is especially useful for someone new to credit.

• Built-in protection: Every cardholder gets Bank of America's $0 Liability Guarantee for fraudulent transactions, plus account alerts that flag due dates and balances.

• Room to grow with BofA Rewards™: If you also bank with Bank of America, joining BofA Rewards™ can add a rewards bonus on eligible credit card purchases on top of the card's regular cash back.

Whether this structure makes sense for you comes down to whether you'd rather pick one category and revisit it now and then, or earn the same rate on everything. Our guide to flat-rate versus bonus-category cards walks through that choice.

Credit score: The card generally requires good to excellent credit; a "good" FICO® Score starts at 670, though other factors play into approval too. Someone applying for their very first credit card, with no prior accounts, usually has no credit score at all, or a very thin one, and will usually need to build some history first, since approval looks at your own credit record.

Age and income: Applicants also need to be at least 18, and those under 21 need an independent income source to qualify under their own name. These requirements reflect that the card is built for applicants who already have some credit standing and reliable income.

“There are a lot of factors that go into getting a credit card, even when you've been ‘pre-approved.’ Low income, lack of other reporting on their credit report, an inaccurate credit report due to fraud, applying for too many cards at the same time: these are all valid reasons for people being denied any credit card,” says Grant. He recommends checking the card's requirements and your own credit beforehand for a smoother application experience.

For someone with no credit history yet, the most realistic path is usually indirect: become an authorized user on a parent's or family member's well-managed account first. That account's on-time payment history is reported to the credit bureaus, so your own credit file benefits from those positive signals.

Why Authorized-User Accounts Work

This path is common. In a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau study of how people first establish credit, 9.6% of consumers had their credit records created when they became an authorized user on someone else's account, and about 1 in 4 first got a credit history from an account someone else was also responsible for. The same study found that credit cards are the most common first credit product, accounting for 37.6% of newly credit-visible consumers. (The study uses data through 2016; it's still the CFPB's most detailed look at this question.)

Once a modest credit file exists, applying for a first card in your own name becomes a much more realistic step. Building a short employment or income history before applying can also help meet the under-21 income requirement.

When to Apply on Your Own

There's no fixed rule for how long to stay an authorized user before applying on your own. Grant says it's essential to confirm that the card issuer actually reports authorized-user activity to the credit bureaus.

“Once you're certain it's being reported, which can take a couple of months to show up, I would typically wait 6 months so a period of on-time payments can be seen. Then find a card with a low barrier to entry, and submit an application.”

— Dave Grant, CFP®, Founder and Financial Planner, Retirement Matters, Inc.

Once you qualify for a card of your own, keeping things simple with a single account while you build a track record is often easier than juggling several at once.

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Customized Cash Rewards works well as an early card if you already have a small credit footprint, like a period as an authorized user, a starter loan, or a short credit history elsewhere, and you meet the age and income requirements.

For that applicant, the card's low complexity and [placeholder_annual_fee_value] annual fee make it a reasonable, low-risk way to start building credit under their own name. If you don't have a credit file yet, building a small amount of history first sets you up for a stronger application.

Once this card's structure feels manageable, you may eventually want to add a second card and start maximizing cash back across multiple accounts, but that's a decision for later.

The Customized Cash Rewards card has a lot going for it as an early card: a [placeholder_annual_fee_value] annual fee, an automatic grocery rate that works without any setup, and free credit monitoring through My Credit. It's designed for applicants with good credit, so if you're starting from scratch, a few months as an authorized user can put this card within reach. If you're comparing it against the issuer's other options, see our roundup of the best Bank of America credit cards.

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Can I get this card with no credit history at all?

The card is designed for applicants with good to excellent credit, so it's best to build some credit history first. Many factors go into the underwriting process, and a few months as an authorized user can help.

What's a more realistic first step if I have no credit history?

Becoming an authorized user on a family member's well-managed account is a practical way to build a credit history before applying for your own card.

Do I need a job to qualify?

Not necessarily a job, but you need to be at least 18. If you're under 21, you also need an independent income source to qualify on your own.

Does the card charge an annual fee?

The annual fee is [placeholder_annual_fee_value], so there's no membership cost working against the cash back you earn while you learn to manage credit.

Is the card hard to manage as a beginner?

No. Choosing a bonus category takes a few minutes, and the automatic grocery, wholesale club and everyday rates run with no additional setup.

• Bank of America: Customized Cash Rewards credit card product page (rewards structure, welcome offer, APR, and terms)

• Bank of America: Customized Cash Rewards categories and exclusions (category options and default category)

• Bank of America: Customized Cash Rewards terms and conditions

• Bank of America: My Credit (free FICO® Score and credit report access)

• Bank of America: BofA Rewards™ program (rewards bonus on eligible credit card purchases)

• myFICO: What Is a Credit Score? (FICO® Score ranges)

• Federal Reserve: G.19 Consumer Credit release (average credit card interest rate)

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Becoming Credit Visible data point (entry products and authorized-user accounts)

Editorial disclosure: The credit card offers and information presented on this page are current as of the published date. However, credit card terms, including APRs, fees, and promotional offers, are subject to change without notice. Some offers listed may no longer be available or may have expired. Please refer to the issuer's website for the most up-to-date terms and conditions.