Credit card information: The basics you need to know

Travel cards reward frequent travelers with credits you can use toward travel purchases or points you can transfer to an airline or hotel. The best travel cards also offer exclusive perks like airport lounge access or companion passes.

Designed for young people with little or no credit history, these cards make it easy to build your credit. Many student cards even offer cash back rewards for spending in certain popular categories, like restaurant, rideshare and grocery store purchases.

Unlike the vast majority of unsecured credit cards, secured cards require a security deposit as collateral. This deposit then acts as your credit limit. Secured credit cards are easy to get approved for in most cases and are a great way to build or repair credit.

Store cards are offered through a specific retail store and can only be used at that store (or family of stores). Generally, they have some of the highest interest rates, but can be a good option if you shop at a particular store frequently and want to take advantage of cardholder perks like discounts or deferred interest.

Business credit cards operate under a different set of rules and regulations than consumer credit cards, though the terms and language used to talk about them are similar. They’re geared toward sole proprietors and small business owners who need a line of credit and want to earn rewards on business-related spending.