If you want to build a credit profile and earn rewards as you spend, it’s worth looking at the 2 credit cards from Yonder to see if they could work for you.
Although both cards offer similar benefits, you’ll get a bit extra with the Yonder ‘full membership’ card, but you’ll need to pay a monthly fee in return. The Yonder ‘free membership’ card has no monthly fee.
Yonder credit cards
Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
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.
What is Yonder?
Yonder was founded in 2021 by former Clearscore employees Tim Chong, Theso Jivajirajah and Harry Jell. It was set up in a bid to help more people get access to credit.
Rather than focusing solely on customers’ credit scores, Yonder uses Open Banking data to assess eligibility. The company runs an initial soft credit check and then uses Yapily’s Open Banking system to give it a clearer picture of applicants’ finances and assess their spending data. Yonder uses this information to determine an appropriate credit limit for each of its customers.
Yonder memberships: How much does a Yonder credit card cost?
The Yonder ‘free membership’ card has no monthly fee, while the Yonder ‘full membership’ credit card has a monthly fee of £15, but you’ll get a greater range of benefits in return.
The key differences between the 2 cards are outlined in the table below:
Yonder – Free membership
Yonder – Full membership
Price
Free
1 month for £0, £15 per month thereafter (or £160 if paid annually)
Points per £1 spent
1%
5%
Points per £1 spent on experiences
Up to 5%
Up to 25%
Welcome bonus points
0
10,000
Experiences per month
10+
25+
Worldwide family travel insurance included
No
Yes
No foreign exchange fees
Yes
Yes
Physical card
Plastic card, £5
Metal card
Credit limit
Up to £10,000
Up to £10,000
Pros and cons of Yonder credit cards
Pros
Worldwide acceptance. Cards are accepted everywhere Mastercard is.
Earn reward points. Earn between 1 point and 25 points for every £1 spent, depending on where you spend and which card you have.
Fee-free spending abroad. There are no fees for using your card overseas.
Can be easier to get accepted. Yonder uses Open Banking rather than traditional credit checks to see if you’re eligible.
Easy to track. Use the app to track your points and choose your payment plans.
Build your credit score. If you make your repayments on time and don’t exceed your credit limit, your credit score should start to improve.
Additional perks for ‘full membership’ customers. These include a metal card and worldwide travel insurance.
Cons
Rewards limited to certain cities. You can currently only redeem points for in-person experiences at locations in London, Manchester, Bristol and Bath.
High annual purchase rate. This applies if you don’t pay off your balance in full each month.
Monthly fee for ‘full membership’ customers. This card has a monthly fee of £15.
Not all banks are integrated with Yapily. This means the application process could take longer.
Limited cash withdrawals. You can only withdraw £150 per day and £600 a week.
What benefits can I get with a Yonder credit card?
Whenever you spend on your Yonder credit card, you’ll earn reward points. How much you earn will depend on which card you have.
With the Yonder ‘free membership’ card, you’ll earn 1 point for every £1 spent, increasing to up to 5 points for every £1 spent with Yonder experience partners.
With the Yonder ‘full membership’ card, you’ll earn 5 points for every £1 spent, increasing to up to 25 points for every £1 spent with Yonder experience partners. You’ll also get 10,000 welcome bonus points.
How does Yonder’s reward scheme compare?
Yonder’s reward scheme is a little more restricted compared to other credit card reward schemes, as points for in-person experiences can only be redeemed in London, Manchester, Bristol and Bath.
By contrast, American Express offers a range of rewards cards that let you earn cashback or Avios points to spend on flights and holidays. With the British Airways Amex card, for example, you can earn 1 Avios for every £1 spent and there is no annual fee.
Meanwhile, the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold card has a hefty annual fee of £195 (but this is only £35 more than the Yonder ‘full membership’ card’s fee if paid annually) and you can earn between 1 and 3 points for every £1 spent. Points can then be redeemed on purchases made at merchants such as Amazon, or you can transfer your points to travel loyalty programmes. Plus, you’ll benefit from free airport lounge access and exclusive experiences on top.
Similarly, Barclaycard offers a Rewards card that lets you earn 0.25% cashback and there are no fees for spending abroad. Or you can earn 1 Avios for every £1 spent on the Barclaycard Avios card and there’s no monthly fee.
But although these schemes are less restricted, keep in mind that you’ll need a good credit rating to get accepted for the Barclaycard and Amex cards, whereas this isn’t a strict requirement with Yonder.
Redeeming Yonder rewards
Points can be redeemed at Yonder-selected experiences. These include restaurants, fitness classes and tickets to gigs. These in-person experiences are currently only based around London, Manchester, Bristol and Bath. There are a few places online that you can redeem points for too, such as selected flower delivery services.
You can redeem your rewards within the Yonder app and there is no expiry date on the points.
How can I apply for a Yonder credit card?
To apply for a Yonder credit card you’ll first need to download the Yonder app from either the App Store or Google Play Store. You’ll then need to verify your email address and provide a few details about yourself, before selecting the card membership plan you want.
What supporting documents and information will I need?
When applying, you’ll need your bank account details to hand so that you can connect your bank accounts through Open Banking.
You’ll also need to have a form of ID, such as a passport, as Yonder will carry out a quick ID check.
Who is eligible for a Yonder credit card?
To be eligible for a Yonder credit card you’ll need to be at least 18 years old and a UK resident.
You might not be offered a card if, in the last 2 years, you’ve either:
Missed at least 1 payment on another lending product
Missed a payment or more on at least 1 account on your credit report
Been on a debt management plan
Had a County Court Judgment (CCJ)
Expert analysis: Weigh up the benefits of a Yonder credit card
Arguably, the biggest benefit of applying for a Yonder credit card is that you don’t need to have a UK credit history to get accepted. Yonder will look at your overall finances, not just your credit score, to determine your eligibility. By repaying your balance in full each month and not going over your credit limit, you’ll be able to build a credit history and get access to other credit deals in the future.
On top of this, you’ll also be able to earn reward points. This could be particularly lucrative if you live near London, Manchester, Bristol or Bath, but less so if not. The Yonder credit cards could also be attractive if you have plans to travel overseas as you won’t be charged any foreign transaction fees. If you plan to travel regularly, you might want to opt for the ‘full membership’ card and benefit from worldwide travel insurance on top.
Yonder customer reviews
Yonder is rated highly on customer review site Trustpilot. It scores 4.7 out of 5 from more than 550 reviews (updated March 2024), giving it an “Excellent” rating.
Positive reviews focus on the “excellent rewards”, quick and efficient customer service and easy-to-use app. However, other reviewers said they had had problems applying for a credit card.
On the App Store, Yonder scores 4.8 out of 5 from 319 reviews (updated March 2024).
Bottom line: are the Yonder credit cards any good?
If you’re looking to build your credit score while also earning rewards, the Yonder credit cards are certainly worth considering. You’ll just need to decide whether you’re happy to pay a monthly fee in return for bigger rewards, or if you’d prefer to stick to a free card.
However, if you don’t live near London, Manchester, Bristol or Bath, the rewards currently on offer won’t be particularly beneficial. And if you already have a good credit score, you could be better off selecting a more competitive rewards credit card instead.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you need to be a UK resident to apply for a Yonder credit card. However, you can still apply if you’ve only recently moved to the UK and don’t yet have a UK credit history.
You don’t need to have a credit score to apply but if you do, Yonder will carry out a soft credit check to see if you’re eligible. It will then run a hard check on your credit report (if you have one) once you progress.
You can apply for a Yonder credit card if you have a poor or average credit history. But you might not be accepted if you have missed credit repayments, are on a debt management plan or have a CCJ.
It takes less than 60 seconds to see if you’re eligible for a Yonder credit card. You can then proceed and make your application in full.
This depends on the card you apply for. The ‘free membership’ card has no annual fee, while the ‘full membership’ card charges £15 a month or £160 a year.
The maximum credit limit you can be offered is £10,000. However, this will depend on factors such as your spending habits, income and credit history.
You can contact Yonder at any point to ask for a credit limit increase, but your request might not be accepted. The maximum credit limit you can be offered is £10,000.
Yonder reports to the 3 main UK credit reference agencies – Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
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Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time. See full bio
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