Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
Compare Aqua credit cards
Aqua’s range of credit cards is designed specifically to help those with a low credit score, or those with little or no credit history, to build up their credit records.
Compare Aqua credit cards
Please note: Aqua’s interest rates (other than promotional rates) are linked to the Bank of England Base Rate.
Aqua is part of the London-based NewDay group of companies, which was the credit card provider for retail giants past and present, including Debenhams, Topshop, Laura Ashley and Amazon. Aqua credit cards are also on the Mastercard network, which means they can be used in more than 35 million places worldwide.
Aqua offers customers a range of tools designed to help borrowers run their card accounts. The company is open about the fact that it aims to help people move to other finance products as their needs evolve, with the intention to “help all customers be better with credit”.
What benefits can I expect from an Aqua credit card?
- Customer support. Aqua operates a local call rate customer helpline with staff available between 8am and 8pm daily.
- Online account management. You can register online to make payments, check the available balance on your card, update your details and carry out a range of other tasks involved in servicing your account.
- Free unlimited credit report access. The Aqua credit checker gives you a monthly-updated picture of the state of your credit record, which you can access through your online account, or by calling the Aqua customer services hotline.
- Access to a range of credit-building tools and advice. Aqua’s “road to good credit” is all about helping consumers on their journey to accessing more competitive rates and services.
Applying for an Aqua credit card
The easiest and most convenient way to apply for an Aqua credit card is online – you can get an instant indication of the likelihood of your application being successful by using Aqua’s “FastCheck”, and it won’t leave a “footprint” on your credit file so you don’t have to worry about your credit score.
Eligibility requirements
To qualify for an Aqua credit card, you must:
- Be 18 or over
- Have a permanent UK address
- Not have been registered bankrupt in the past 18 months or have bankruptcy proceedings against you
- Have a current UK bank or building society account
- Not have received a county court judgement in the past 12 months
- Not have an existing Aqua card or have taken out another card issued by NewDay in the past 12 months
Why might your application not be approved?
If you meet the broad criteria outlined above, but have a history of bad debt, you could be rejected. Also, if you have been made the subject of a CCJ you may not be accepted, and you are unlikely to be given a card if you have ever declared bankruptcy.
Can I transfer a balance to my Aqua credit card?
Previously, Aqua had a balance transfer card (the Aqua Classic Balance Transfer credit card), however this is no longer available. But that’s not to say that your Aqua card can’t be a balance transfer card. You can do this by:
- After activating your card, use either the Online Account Manager or Aqua App to request a balance transfer.
- Log in, select ‘Balance Transfer’, then specify the amount and details of the card you’re transferring from. Aqua will then “handle the rest”.
Aqua customer reviews
In our 2024 customer satisfaction survey, Aqua received a relatively low score of 73% of customers who would recommend the brand to a friend. While some customers stated that the app was good, others referred to high fees, with one survey respondent saying that there was “no flexibility with payment”.
Frequently asked questions
Finder credit card ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
To find out more, read our full methodology.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
More guides on Finder
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Aqua Classic Credit Card review
A “credit-builder” aimed at applicants who have a poor credit rating. Compare live rates and alternatives.