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BUILDING CREDIT

How to build credit without a credit card

Five ways to start a credit history with no card, how long each takes to produce a score, and which to start with if you have no credit at all.

JG
By Jean GillesSEP 23, 2026
A smiling young man in glasses tapping a card on a payment terminal at a café table

Moomoo vs. Robinhood (2026): Which One Should You Open?

UPDATED 25 SEP 2026 · 5 MIN

Four taps to a trade, or Level 2 free and margin at 6.80%. The answer depends on how long you plan to stay.

RECENTLY PUBLISHED

How to Get Paid as a Freelancer

SEP 23, 2026 · 5 MIN
DID YOU KNOW?
The most common FICO score needs an account open about six months before it can score you
Paying rent on time only builds credit if the payments are reported to the bureaus
One late payment can undo months of on-time payments on a new credit file
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WHERE TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT

Brokers we rate, and who each one suits

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Moomoo
BEST FOR IDLE CASH
The 8.1% headline is a base rate plus a booster that expires. The durable number is the one worth planning around.
Sweep base 3.35% APY · checked 12 NOV 2025
Read the review
Robinhood
BEST FOR STARTING
Four taps to a trade and the simplest app on the list. Thin research, and Gold costs more than most people recover.
Gold $5/mo · checked 16 AUG 2026
Read the review
Fidelity
BEST ALL-ROUND
ZERO index funds at a 0.00% expense ratio and no $3,000 minimum — the simplest way to start a passive portfolio.
FZROX 0.00% expense ratio · checked 7 NOV 2025
Read the review
Webull
BEST FOR CHARTS
Strong charting and free paper trading — but thinkorswim carries far more indicators, if you can live with a Schwab account.
Thinkorswim: 373+ indicators · checked 9 NOV 2025
Read the review

Checks & payments

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QUICK ANSWERS

Where Is the Routing Number on a Check?

The nine digits at the bottom-left, why your bank has more than one, and which one the form in front of you actually wants.
UPDATED 19 SEP 2026 · 7 MIN

Moving money

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QUICK ANSWERS

Best Money Transfer Apps: What Each One Actually Costs

Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Wise and Zelle: what each actually costs, which payments carry protection, and the settings worth changing.
UPDATED 19 SEP 2026 · 8 MIN

What Is ACH?

19 SEP 2026 · 7 MIN

What Is a Wire Transfer?

19 SEP 2026 · 7 MIN

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