Best credit cards 2025: Rated by pros

New balance transfer deals, cashback, air miles and more. Updated daily.

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By

Chris Lilly

Reviewed by

Rachel Wait

Updated

Fact checked

Today's top 10 deals

Best for...BrandDeal
0% purchasesM&S Bank24 months at 0%
Spending overseasBarclaycard0% forex fees and 0.25% cashback
Frequent flyersAmerican Express5,000 welcome points then 1 per £
Frequent flyers (non-Avios)Virgin Money3,000 welcome points then 0.75 per £
CashbackAmerican ExpressUp to £125 initial cashback then 0.5%
RewardsAmerican Express30,000 welcome points then 1 per £
Rewards (non-Amex)Yonder10,000 welcome points then 5 per £
Balance transfersBarclaycard33 months at 0%
No-fee balance transfersBarclaycard14 months at 0%
Bad creditTesco BankCredit limits from £200 to £1,500

Our experts evaluated the full UK card market and boiled it down to this shortlist. Click on individual deals above to see why we think they're top, plus runners up by category.

0% purchases

M&S Bank Credit Card Purchase Plus Offer

M&S Bank Credit Card Purchase Plus Offer

  • Finder Score: 9.9/10
  • Interest-free periods: 0% interest on purchases for 24 months. 0% interest on balance transfers for 12 months with a fee of 3.49%.
  • Benefits: 1 point per £1 spent with M&S and 1 point per £5 spent elsewhere. Enjoy 55 days interest free, preferential rates plus no cash advance fee when buying M&S travel money with the card.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: 2 years interest-free to spread the cost of a forthcoming expenditure, and you can earn rewards points on that spending too (redeemable for M&S vouchers). With no annual fee, it's a hard-to-fault way to tackle a hefty outlay, like a new-used car, perhaps.
  • Need to know: M&S Bank can tell you your chances of approval before you apply (so without impacting your credit score) but doesn't give you an estimated credit limit... which would be rather useful if you're seeking to cover a specific expenditure.
  • 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 eligibility

Rather pay in set 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 eligibility

All 0% purchase cards

Travel

Barclaycard Rewards Card

Barclaycard Rewards Card

  • Finder Score: 8.6/10
  • Benefits: Earn 0.25% cashback and benefit from fee-free currency conversion on non-sterling transactions. You can also add another cardholder at no extra cost.
  • 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 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 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 30% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £95 per annum, your representative rate is 53.7% APR (variable).
Check eligibility

All travel credit cards

Frequent flyer points

British Airways American Express Credit Card

British Airways American Express Credit Card

  • Finder Score: 7.7/10
  • Benefits: Collect 1 Avios for every £1 you spend plus a 5,000 Avios welcome bonus if you spend £2,000 in your first 3 months. You'll also bag a companion voucher (use this to take a companion with you on the same flight or, if travelling solo, a 50% discount on the Avios price you pay for your flight) if you spend £15,000 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 30% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30% APR (variable).
Check 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 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 eligibility

All frequent flyer cards

Cashback

Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card

Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card

  • Finder Score: 7.5/10
  • 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. If you spend £500 a month on the card, you stand to earn £142.50 cashback in year one. With no annual fee, provided you pay off your balance in full each month, this card needn't cost you a penny.
  • 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 earn in cashback, and a 0% purchase or low rate card might be more suitable for you. You'll need to spend £3,000 per year to qualify for cashback.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30% APR (variable).
Check 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. Cashback is capped, but at a fairly generous £10 per month.
  • 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 eligibility

Don't want an Amex?

The Amazon Barclaycard
The Amazon Barclaycard
  • Benefits: 1% cashback on Amazon spend and 0.5% cashback elsewhere (0.25% after year one). There's also a £20 Amazon credit welcome bonus and doubled earn rates for Prime Members during key events like Prime Day.
  • Need to know: After a year, this card is a lot less rewarding... but you're under no obligation to stick around! Like most rewards cards, this one's only a good bet if you'll be paying your balance off in full every month (otherwise interest will outweigh benefits).
  • 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 eligibility

All cashback cards

Rewards

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

  • Finder Score: 9.4/10
  • Benefits: 2 complimentary airport lounge visits every year, 30,000 Membership Rewards Points welcome bonus (provided you spend £3,000 in your first 3 months), plus an otungoing 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 – performing consistently well in our customer satisfaction surveys. 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 30% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum, your representative rate is 87.3% APR (variable).
Check 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 30% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30% APR (variable).
Check eligibility

Don't want an Amex?

Yonder Credit Card
Yonder Credit Card
  • Benefits: With the Yonder credit card you can earn 5 points for every £1 you spend. These points can then be redeemed on meals out, flights and selected theatre tickets. The Yonder credit card has a £15 per month fee, but there’s currently a 10,000 points introductory bonus for signing up, plus you’ll get your first month free.
  • Need to know: The Yonder credit card is only available in London, Manchester, Bristol, Bath and Birmingham, although it is looking to expand. If you don’t want to spend £15 per month on the card fee, Yonder also has a free version of its card, where you earn 1 point for every £1 spent.
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.64% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £15 per month, your representative rate is 66.3% APR (variable).
Check eligibility

All rewards cards

Balance transfers

Barclaycard Platinum 33 Month Balance Transfer Card

Barclaycard Platinum 33 Month Balance Transfer Card

  • Finder Score: 9.9/10
  • Interest-free periods: 0% interest on balance transfers for 33 months with a fee of 3.45%. 0% interest on purchases for 3 months.
  • Account fee: £0.
  • Why we like it: Barclaycard has snuck in front of its competitors to offer almost 3 years at 0%.
  • Need to know: Balance transfers need to take place in the first 60 days and there's a rather painful 3.45% fee per balance transferred. If you don't need such a long 0% period to clear your debt, then think about the no-fee deal below. You can transfer up to 90% of your credit limit. Like all card issuers, Barclaycard tailors credit limits to the individual, but frustratingly, it doesn't give you any idea what credit limit you'll get until you actually apply (MBNA, by contrast, gives you an estimated limit before you apply). As ever, when the 0% period ends, any outstanding balance will be subject to the credit card's standard interest rate.
  • 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 eligibility

Don't want to pay a balance transfer fee?

Barclaycard Platinum 14 Month Balance Transfer Card
Barclaycard Platinum 14 Month Balance Transfer Card
  • Benefits: Up to 14 months 0% on transfers and no balance transfer fee.
  • Need to know: Balance transfers need to take place in the first 60 days to qualify for 0% interest, and transfers from existing Barclaycards 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 eligibility

Transferring from Barclaycard?

Tesco Bank Balance Transfer Card
Tesco Bank Balance Transfer Card
  • Benefits: Up to 32 months 0% on transfers (3.19% transfer fee). If you have a clubcard, that could positively affect your eligibility.
  • Need to know: You can transfer up to 95% of the credit limit Tesco offers you, but annoyingly won't know your credit limit until you actually apply (MBNA's better for this).
  • Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.942% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).
Check eligibility

All balance transfer cards

Credit building

Tesco Bank Foundation Card

Tesco Bank Foundation Card

  • Finder Score: 8.3/10
  • 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 £200 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 eligibility

Prefer shopping at Asda?

Asda Money Select Credit Card
Asda Money Select Credit Card
  • Benefits: Earn rewards while building your credit: get 0.75% on spend at Asda and 0.2% elsewhere. So if you spend £100 at Asda in a week, and £200 at other merchants, you'd earn £1.15 back that week (75p and 40p). Earn more on Asda's 'Star products' or by completing 'missions'.
  • 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 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 eligibility

All credit builder cards

Michelle Stevens's headshot
Our expert says: Credit and loans expert Michelle Stevens explains how to pick the best credit card

"Credit cards come in fairly distinct categories – like rewards cards or 0% purchase cards – so Step one is understanding what type you need. Step two: use an eligibility checker (or perhaps a couple) on a comparison site, to see which cards you’re actually eligible eligible for. This step is important, because once you’ve settled on a card and you formally apply for it (Step three), you’ll be “hard” credit checked, which means a small impact on your credit score."

Deputy editor

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:

  • 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.

Top credit card companies for customer satisfaction

We asked credit card users to rate their card issuer and tell us whether they’d recommend it to a friend. Our independent survey of more than 750 card customers was carried out in January 2025.

Card issuerAboutWould recommendRange and review
Monzo
Monzo is this year’s winner. Its “Flex” credit card functions like a buy now pay later service – perhaps not surprising given the brand’s popularity with younger adults.
93%
first direct
first direct is HSBC’s digital-only little sister, offering a boutique (AKA “small”) range of credit cards.
90%
M&S Bank
M&S Bank was highly commended in 2023. Its cards are provided in partnership with HSBC.
90%
Yonder
This year was the first time we heard from Yonder customers. Yonder cards are all about local rewards (tailored to specific cities).
87%
Tesco Bank
Highly commended last year, Tesco Bank, comes in 5th this year.
87%
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank offers balance transfer cards, all-rounders and more.
87%
Zable
Lendable brand Zable is a straightforward card for people who don’t have excellent credit, offering a stripped-back fee structure.
87%
Asda Money
Asada Money’s credit cards are aimed at people with limited/damaged credit, but have the sweetener of “Asda Pound” rewards.
87%
Barclaycard
Barclaycard 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.
85%
NatWest
NatWest is a high-street staple offering credit cards for balance transfers, rewards and more.
83%
American Express
Perks specialist American Express was our winner in 2023 and runner up in 2024.
83%
John Lewis
John Lewis just has the one card, and as you might expect, it particularly rewards shopping at John Lewis or Waitrose.
83%
Virgin Money
Virgin Money has a broad range of credit cards to suit different financial requirements and a variety of purposes.
83%
Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland’s cards are very similar to those of its sister, NatWest. Both banks are part of NatWest Group.
80%
HSBC
HSBC has a broad range of cards, including for students, for balance transfers and for earning rewards.
80%
MBNA
Part of the Lloyds Banking Group, MBNA is a frequent table-topper when it comes to ultra-long 0% deals.
80%
Halifax
Halifax is also part of Lloyds Banking Group and offers a wide range of cards including the holiday favoutite Clarity card (with no fees for transactions abroad).
80%
Bank of Scotland
Another brand in the Lloyds Banking Group alongside Halifax and MBNA, Bank of Scotland offers a smaller range of cards than its siblings.
80%
118 118 Money
118 118 Money (yes, the two running chaps with moustaches) offers one credit card, tailored to people with low or no credit.
80%
Sainsbury’s Bank
Sainsbury’s Bank is our lowest-scoring supermarket brand this year. Its cards are all about 0% deals and Nectar points.
77%
Santander
Santander’s range includes balance transfer cards, and deals with cashback on your spending.
67%
Capital One
Capital One offers credit cards to help people improve a bad credit rating.
63%
Vanquis Bank
Vanquis Bank’s credit cards are designed for those who want to build their credit profile.
67%
Aqua
Bringing up the rear, Aqua offers credit cards designed to help people with a low credit score, or no credit history, to build up their credit records.
53%
Rachel Wait's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Rachel Wait, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
Chris Lilly's headshot
Written by

Head of publishing

Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio

Chris's expertise
Chris has written 566 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Loans & credit cards
  • Building credit
  • Financial health
  • Share trading

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