Best credit cards UK

We compare the whole UK market daily so you can bag the best credit card for you.

Best for no-fee balance transfers
NatWest Balance Transfer Credit Card logo
NatWest Balance Transfer Credit Card
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24.9% APR representative variable
3.5 ★★★★★
Balance transfers are interest-free for 13 months
No balance transfer fee
No annual fee
Best for cashback (+ no annual fee)
Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card logo
Finder Award
Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card
Check eligibility
31% APR representative variable
4 ★★★★★
No annual fee
Ongoing uncapped cashback
Access to pre-sale tickets with American Express Experiences
Promoted for spending abroad
Santander All in One Credit Card logo
Santander All in One Credit Card
Check eligibility
29.8% APR representative variable
4.5 ★★★★★
No foreign transaction fees
Over a year to spread the cost of purchases
Earn 0.5% cashback

If you're someone who religiously pays off their credit card balance in full each month, it could be time to apply for a cashback credit card and get rewarded for your spending.

That's because the popular Amex Everyday Cashback credit card has just got even better. As long as you apply by 9 April 2024, you can benefit from 5% cashback on your purchases for the first 5 months of card membership (up from the previous 3 months), with cashback capped at £125. After that you can earn between 0.5% and 1% cashback on your purchases, depending on how much you spend. There's no annual fee for the card, but it does charge a high interest rate.

If a cashback credit card isn’t what you’re after, check out 0% purchase, balance transfer, rewards or credit-building cards instead. We’ve rounded up the best deals on the UK market right now.

Which are the best credit cards at the moment?

Our experts put the full UK credit card market to the test and picked out the best credit cards available for March 2024 listed below.

Our pick for 0% purchases

Barclaycard Platinum all-rounder Visa

Barclaycard Platinum all-rounder Visa

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.0/5)
  • Interest-free periods: 0% interest on purchases for 21 months. 0% interest on balance transfers for 20 months with a fee of 2.99%.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: This versatile all-rounder from Barclaycard gives you a lengthy break from interest on both purchases and balance transfers. With no annual fee and a low reverting purchase rate, it can help keep the cost of your purchases down.
  • Need to know: The 0% offer is restricted to new cardholders, and transfers must be made within 60 days of account opening. You'll need to earn at least £20,000 per year and have a fairly good credit score to apply.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Need more time?

Tesco Bank Clubcard Plus Credit Card
Tesco Bank Clubcard Plus Credit Card
  • Benefits: If you’re comfortable paying an account fee, Tesco Bank offers up to 2 years for successful applicants to spread the costs of purchases. Plus, you could earn Clubcard points on all your spending.
  • Need to know: This card does come with a monthly account fee of £7.99 per month, and you'll need to be a Tesco Plus subscriber to apply for this card.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 19.94% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £7.99 per month, your representative rate is 37.7% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Rather pay in instalments?

Monzo Flex
Monzo Flex
  • Benefits: If you're open to something new, the Monzo Flex credit card offers the option to spread purchase costs over 3, 6, or 12 months, blending buy now, pay later with a traditional credit card. If you pay in full monthly or over 3 months, you could be eligible for 0% purchases.
  • Need to know: To be eligible for this card, you’ll need to have an existing Monzo account.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare 0% purchase cards

Our pick for cashback

Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card

Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.0/5)
  • Benefits: Get 5% cashback on your purchases (up to £125) for the first 5 months of Cardmembership and 0.5% thereafter (or 1% on annual spend over £10,000). Earn £20 cashback for each friend you invite (provided they're approved).
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: An accessible and easy-to-use card that rewards your everyday spending with cashback. With no annual fee, you can also keep your costs low, provided you pay off your balance in full each month.
  • Need to know: If you don't pay off your balance in full every month, you're likely to pay more in interest than you'd earn in cashback, and a 0% purchase or low rate card might be more suitable for you. You'll need to spend £3k per year to qualify for cashback on every £1 you spend using the card.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 31% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Comfortable with an annual fee?

Santander All in One Credit Card
Santander All in One Credit Card
  • Benefits: 0.5% cashback is one of an array of benefits (along with 0% on purchases for 15 months and fee-free overseas spending) that come in exchange for a fee of £3 per month (spend £600 per month and your cashback outweighs it).
  • Need to know: You’ll need to have a good credit history to be eligible for this card.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 23.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £3 per month, your representative rate is 29.8% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Don't want an Amex?

Halifax Cashback Credit Card
Halifax Cashback Credit Card
  • Benefits: Although its cashback rates are not as high as some deals on the market, it makes up for this by not charging an annual fee or capping the amount you can earn. Plus, as a new customer, you could earn up to £20 introductory bonus cashback.
  • Need to know: Unlike other cashback credit cards on the market, cashback is paid into your credit card account every January. This could help reduce balance, but it won’t count towards your minimum payment.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 22.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 22.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare cashback cards

Our pick for rewards

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.0/5)
  • Benefits: 2 complimentary airport lounge visits every year, 20,000 Membership Rewards Points welcome bonus (provided you spend £3,000 in your first 3 months), plus an ongoing earn rate of 1 point per £1 spent.
  • Account fee: Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum.
  • Why we like it: Amex is working super hard to entice and retain new customers, coming top in our latest customer satisfaction survey. This statement rewards card offers points by the bucketload – when you join, as you spend, when you refer friends or add an additional cardholder, and also on the anniversaries of your being a cardholder. Plus, there are more perks to unlock through the app. Did we mention travel inconvenience and travel accident insurance (subject to enrolment)?
  • Need to know: While accepting Amex is increasingly becoming the norm, some places still only take Visa or Mastercard.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum, your representative rate is 88.8% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Don't want an annual fee?

American Express Rewards Credit Card
American Express Rewards Credit Card
  • Benefits: Enjoy a 10,000-point welcome, then earn points on all your day-to-day spending with no annual fee. Refer friends to earn even more point bonuses. A great first rewards credit card with an engaging app.
  • Need to know: If you’re likely to carry a balance over month to month, you might end up paying more in interest than the value you’ll get out of the rewards programme.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 31% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Don't want an Amex?

Asda Money Credit Card
Asda Money Credit Card
  • Benefits: Offering competitive rates and the chance to collect Asda Pounds every time you shop.
  • Need to know: You may be offered an opening credit limit as low as £250
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 25.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 25.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare rewards cards

Our pick for travel

Barclaycard Rewards Visa

Barclaycard Rewards Visa

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.5/5)
  • Benefits: 0.25% cashback on everyday spending, fee-free currency conversion on non-sterling transactions and cash withdrawals.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: The Barclaycard Rewards Visa card has replaced Halifax Clarity as our top credit card pick for travel. It's one of a few cards offering commission-free non-sterling cash withdrawals in addition to the more common commission-free card spend, all with no account fee and some cashback. If you do use it to withdraw cash overseas, this part of your balance will benefit from the usual 0% interest grace period.
  • Need to know: Making cash withdrawals using a credit card can hurt your credit score, so it's still best avoided. If cash is key on your trip, consider taking some foreign currency with you or backing this card up with a debit card that charges no fees on non-sterling transactions.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 28.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Want a Mastercard?

Halifax Clarity Credit Card
Halifax Clarity Credit Card
  • Benefits: The nation's go-to holiday credit card charges no non-sterling transaction fees on purchases or cash withdrawals made overseas. Otherwise, an extremely standard credit card.
  • Need to know: There are still some fees you’ll need to look out for – such as cash advance and foreign ATM fees.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 23.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 23.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Looking for hotel perks?

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
  • Benefits: A generous intro bonus (20,000 points) and ongoing rewards for regulars at Marriott properties, where you can earn 6 points per pound spent.
  • Need to know: This is an expensive option if you’re likely to carry a balance over month to month.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £95 per annum, your representative rate is 54.8% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare travel credit cards

Our pick for balance transfers

Barclaycard Platinum 28 Month Balance Transfer Visa

Barclaycard Platinum 28 Month Balance Transfer Visa

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.0/5)
  • Interest-free period: 0% interest on balance transfers for 28 months with a fee of 3.45%.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: With the longest 0% deal on the market right now, there’s no doubt why Barclaycard took the balance transfer crown this month. To enjoy this interest-free period, you’ll need to make your transfers within the first 60 days.
  • Need to know: The main catch with this card (as with all the longest balance transfer deals) is the balance transfer fee. If you don't need the full 28 months to clear your debt, then think about the no-fee deal below. Secondly, if you don't have good enough credit, Barclaycard may offer you a shorter 0% period (potentially only half as long). Finally, there's the very-standard-but-still-painful revert rate, which applies to any outstanding debt after 28 months. If you haven't cleared your balance by that point, it'll be time to balance transfer again, if possible.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Don't want to pay a balance transfer fee?

NatWest Balance Transfer Credit Card
NatWest Balance Transfer Credit Card
  • Benefits: Up to 13 months interest-free and no balance transfer fee.
  • Need to know: Transfers from existing NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank cards are not allowed.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare balance transfer cards

Our pick for frequent flyer points

British Airways American Express Credit Card

British Airways American Express Credit Card

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.0/5)
  • Benefits: Collect 1 Avios for every £1 you spend plus a 5,000 Avios welcome bonus if you spend £1,000 in your first 3 months. You'll also bag a companion voucher (use this to take a companion with you on the same flight) if you spend £12,000 in a membership year (membership years start and end on the anniversary of taking out the card).
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: With no annual fee, this is a great introduction to collecting air miles. You can also opt for the Premium Plus version for an even better earn rate and heftier intro bonus in return for an annual fee. If what you'll earn in rewards outweighs the annual fee, then that could be a smart choice.
  • Need to know: If you're not going to pay off your balance in full each month, chances are you'll pay more in interest than you'll earn in air miles. If that sounds like you, you could consider a 0% purchase or low rate deal instead.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 31% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Don't want an Amex?

Barclaycard Avios Card
Barclaycard Avios Card
  • Benefits: Collect 1 Avios for every £1 you spend plus a 5,000 Avios welcome bonus if you spend £1,000 in your first 3 months.
  • Need to know: If you’re willing to shell out an annual fee, you might benefit more from the Avios Plus Card.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Looking for an alternative to Avios?

Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
  • Benefits: Earn 0.75% Flying Club miles for every £1 spent and 1.5% miles for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
  • Need to know: Unlike other frequent flyer cards, there is no welcome bonus unless you opt for this card’s sister, which comes with an account fee.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 26.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare frequent flyer cards

Our pick for credit building

Tesco Bank Foundation Card

Tesco Bank Foundation Card

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (4.0/5)
  • Benefits: Designed for customers with a less-than-perfect credit record or simply not much in the way of credit history, Tesco offers a popular card to help you build your credit.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: Credit Builders rarely offer much in the way of perks, but Tesco's Foundation card lets you earn Clubcard points on day-to-day spending (at Tesco or elsewhere). It also lets you track your credit score through Tesco Bank CreditView.
  • Need to know: The card's standard interest rate is relatively high, making it an expensive option if you don't clear your balance in full each month. Ideally, you should set up a direct debit to clear your full balance each month (Tesco Bank can do this for you). Expect a low initial credit limit – from £250 to £1,500, depending on Tesco Bank's assessment of your situation. After a few months, you may be able to request an increase if you've made all repayments on time.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Prefer shopping at Asda?

Asda Money Select Credit Card
Asda Money Select Credit Card
  • Benefits: Earn money-saving rewards on day-to-day spending. Plus, new customers can earn up to £20 back in Asda Pounds. You must apply by 5 December 2023 and meet the eligibility criteria.
  • Need to know: You may be offered an opening credit limit as low as £250.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Looking for 0% spending?

Barclaycard Forward Credit Card
Barclaycard Forward Credit Card
  • Benefits: Up to 6 months 0% interest on purchases (depending on eligbility) and price promise benefit – meaning a 3% interest rate reduction if you repay on time for your first year and 2% reduction if you do the same in year 2.
  • Need to know: You may be offered a personalised opening credit limit as low as £50.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 33.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 33.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare credit builder cards

Our pick for money transfers

Virgin Money 12 Month All Round Credit Card

Virgin Money 12 Month All Round Credit Card

  • Finder score:★★★★★ (3.5/5)
  • Interest-free periods: 0% interest on balance transfers for 12 months with a fee of 2.9%. 0% interest on money transfers for 12 months with a fee of 4%. 0% interest on purchases for 12 months.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: This specialised card lets you move funds to a different account and avoid paying interest (you'll just pay the one-off transfer fee), and this is one of the longest around. Unlike other 0% offers, money transfer deals give you much more flexibility – great if you need to pay several parties in cash, for example.
  • Need to know: The 4% money transfer fee reverts back to 5% after the 12-month 0% period. You'll need to have a good credit to apply.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).
Check your eligibility

Compare money transfer cards

Frequently asked questions

Are reward point credit cards worth it?

It depends on how you use the card. For example, if you carry a balance on your credit card from month to month, then you’ll usually pay more in interest than you’ll earn in rewards. If you always clear your balance in full each month, however, then with most cards on the UK market right now, you won’t pay interest at all, thanks to a grace period on purchases. That means that, provided you choose the right card and use it carefully, you can earn reward points interest-free.

Some rewards or frequent flyer cards come with annual or monthly account management charges, but thankfully, plenty don’t charge this fee. If you think you would spend a lot on a credit card but would also clear your balance in full each month, then paying an annual fee might actually be worth it. That’s because these cards tend to come with the best reward point earn rates.

Can I get a credit card with bad credit?

Possibly, yes. Although realistically, some top cards will be off the table, plenty of card issuers specialise in credit-builder cards – which are specifically designed for those with a damaged or limited credit history.

Additionally, the interest rates and credit limits of credit cards are often tailored to the applicant, which means you may find that you are offered a card but with a relatively low opening credit limit and potentially with a rate that’s higher than the advertised representative APR (this is the rate that most people will pay and includes the interest rate and any mandatory fees such as an annual fee, which some cards have).

Which credit card gives the best travel rewards?

Virgin Atlantic and American Express are frequently found battling at the top of frequent flyer comparison tables.

If you can make your peace with an annual fee, the British Airways Premium Plus Card offers the highest Avios earn rate, while Amex’s Preferred Rewards Gold Card comes with 2 complimentary airport lounge visits annually.

What are the best credit cards for beginners?

If you’re just starting out your credit card journey, you might have a low credit score and can’t apply for the more competitive rates on the market. However, there are credit builder credit cards available to those looking to build or rebuild their credit history.

What are the most popular credit card payment networks in the UK?

Visa and Mastercard are by far the most dominant payment networks in the UK, followed by American Express. While Visa has long been the market leader, Mastcard has been catching up. Between 2016 and 2021, Mastercard captured an additional 5% of the market as big brands like Santander and first direct made the leap due to Visa’s fee structure.

How we choose our top credit cards

Founded in 2006, Finder has been comparing credit cards for more than 15 years. Here’s an overview of the criteria we use to pick our top credit cards:

  • Providers. The “best” and “promoted” credit cards at the very top of the page are chosen from among a pool of card providers we have partnerships with. However, our list further down the page considers the wider market of cards and providers.
  • The best at doing the job they’re meant to. There’s no absolute “best credit card” for everyone, so our aim is to help you find a card that works for you. That’s why we picked a card for each of the main types.
  • Quality and price. Zero annual fees and low APRs sometimes don’t tell the whole story – we take them into account but also look at what you get in return.
  • Going the extra mile with rewards. Some credit cards do the job just fine but don’t give you anything else. We like credit cards that offer ongoing rewards, be it tickets for your favourite concert or extra supermarket loyalty points.

Finally, we check whole-market rates, fees and terms every single day to make sure the features on our credit card tables are accurate. Read more about our ratings methodology for credit cards.

2024’s top credit card companies for customer satisfaction

We asked credit card users to rate their card issuer (using a 1-5 star rating) and tell us whether they’d recommend it to a friend. We’ve shown both in the table below, which is ordered by the percentage of customers who said they’d recommend the brand to a friend. Our independent survey of 750 card customers was carried out in December 2023.

Card issuerAboutWould recommendOverall satisfactionRange and review
Virgin MoneyVirgin Money takes the gong this year, with an impressive 4.9 out of 5 from its credit card customers in our survey and 98% saying they’d recommend the brand.98%★★★★★Read our review
American ExpressAmerican Express was our winner last year. This year Amex was just pipped to the top spot. Still, its customers gave it 4.9. out of 5 for overall satisfaction and 93% would recommend the brand.93%★★★★★Read our review
Tesco BankTesco Bank shares the podium this year, coming highly commended jointly with Amex. Customers gave the bank a score of 4.9 out of 5 for overall satisfaction. 93%★★★★★Read our review
M&S BankM&S Bank was highly commended last year, and this year it’s only just missed out. Customers’ overall satisfaction score was 4.9 out of 5.91%★★★★★Read our review
Sainsbury’s BankSainsbury’s Bank adds another supermarket brand to the top 5 this year. Customers we surveyed gave it a score of 4.8 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.91%★★★★★ Read our review
SantanderSantander’s range includes balance transfer cards, and deals with cashback on your spending. Customers in our survey gave the bank 4.7 out of 5.91%★★★★★ Read our review
Lloyds BankLloyds Bank offers balance transfer cards, all-rounders and more. Lloyds customers in our survey gave the bank 4.6 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.89%★★★★★ Read our review
BarclaycardBarclaycard scored 4.6 out of 5 for overall satisfaction. The brand offers a wide range of cards and has a long history of providing market-leading deals including some of the longest balance transfer periods going.87%★★★★★ Read our review
Vanquis BankVanquis Bank’s credit card is designed for those who want to build their credit profile. Vanquis customers in our survey gave the brand 4.5 out of 5.96%★★★★★ Read our review
NatWestNatWest offers cards for balance transfers, rewards and more. NatWest customers in our survey gave it a score of 4.5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.93%★★★★★ Read our review
Royal Bank of ScotlandRoyal Bank of Scotland’s cards are very similar to those of its sister, NatWest. Both banks are part of NatWest Group. RBS customers in our survey gave the bank 4.5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction (just like NatWest).89%★★★★★ Read our review
Capital OneCapital One offers credit cards to help people improve a bad credit rating. Customers in our survey gave the brand 4.5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.86%★★★★★ Read our review
HalifaxHalifax is part of Lloyds Banking Group and offers a wide range of cards including the popular Clarity, which charges no fees for transactions abroad. Customers in our survey gave the brand a score of 4.3 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.86%★★★★★ Read our review
HSBCHSBC has a broad range of cards, including for students, for balance transfers and for earning rewards. HSBC customers gave the bank 4.3 out of 5 for overall satisfaction in our latest survey.84%★★★★★ Read our review
MBNAMBNA cards have some competitive transfer and purchase offers, and many boast competitive default rates that the cards revert to when offer periods expire. Customers in our survey gave the brand 4.2 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.91%★★★★★ Read our review
AquaAqua’s credit cards are designed to help people with a low credit score, or with little or no credit history, to build up their credit records. Customers in our survey gave Aqua 3.5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.73%★★★★★ Read our review

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.

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