Fluid Credit Card review
- Representative example:
- When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).
- Minimum credit limit
- £250
- Interest-free each billing period
- Up to 48 days
- Account fee
- £0
Our verdict
Want to clear existing card debt but don't have perfect credit? The Fluid card could help you get debt-free faster and more cheaply.There are plenty of headline-grabbing, ultra-long balance transfer deals on the market, but the trouble is, they're generally reserved for the very best credit scores.
Thankfully, options for "near-prime" credit are emerging and the Fluid Credit Card is one of them.
With this card you could enjoy 9 months where you're not paying interest on any existing card debt that you bring across, but you will incur a relatively high transfer fee of 4%. However, once your grace period ends, the card then begins to charge fairly high and variable rates.
You can check your eligibility before applying, without affecting your credit score, and Newday states that you'll get a response within 60 seconds.
If you have reasonable-but-not-fantastic credit and you're paying interest on existing card debt, the Fluid card is a respectable option, albeit perhaps not one for the long-term. Provided you use the card responsibly and clear as much as possible of your debt during the 0% period, it could function well as a "stepping stone" product to cards with better rates.
Pros
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Fast and straightforward application process, with a same-day decision.
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You can get multiple cards for free and set a different spending limit on each of them.
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No commission on non-sterling transactions.
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Different credit card options available, with or without annual fee.
Cons
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Credit card cashback is a premium feature.
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Capital on Tap is only a lender, so you’ll need another bank for the rest of your financial needs.
Details
Product Overview
| Issuer | NewDay Ltd |
| Network | Mastercard |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Balance transfers | 0% for 9 months reverting to 34.94% |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% for 9 months reverting to 5% |
| Purchases | 34.94% |
| Purchases interest-free period | Up to 48 days |
| Money transfers | 34.94% |
| Cash advances | 44.94% |
| Minimum credit limit | £250 |
| Maximum credit limit | Subject to status: £4,000 |
| Additional cards available | 1 |
| Potential costs | 3.5 ★★★★★ |
| Doing its job | 4.5 ★★★★★ |
| Extras | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
| Overall Finder score | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
Fees and charges
| Minimum monthly payment | 1% or £5 (whichever is greater) or the total of any interest, default fees and charges plus 1% of the outstanding balance. |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% for 9 months reverting to 5% |
| Money transfer fee | 3% (min. £3) |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 2.95% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 2.95% |
| Cash advance fee | 5% (min. £4) |
| Late payment fee | £12 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £12 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
Application Requirements
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Minimum income | £5,000 |
| Residency | UK resident |
| Availability | Available to new customers |
| Additional Criteria | You must be employed or self-employed and must not have been declared bankrupt in the past 18 months or received a CCJ in the past year. |
The Fluid Credit Card is issued on the Mastercard network so it's accepted at more than 50 million merchant locations across more than 210 countries and territories.
Compare against other balance transfer credit cards for less-than-perfect credit
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.
Repayment options
You can make manual repayments through Fluid's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0333 414 1090). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and damaging your credit score – making it harder and more expensive to borrow money in the future – and getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) as a result.
You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.
Choose from the following direct debit options for your monthly repayments:
| Minimum amount | Fixed amount | Fixed percentage | Full amount |
|---|---|---|---|
How to apply for the Fluid Credit Card
First check your eligibility – you can do this on the Fluid site using its "FastCheck" service. This doesn't take long and it won't affect your credit rating, because it uses a "soft" credit search. If this indicates that your application would have a good chance of success, you can go ahead and apply. The folks over at Fluid will then request a "hard" search of your credit file – as any responsible lender would – which has a small, usually short-lived negative effect on your score.
You'll get a response "in minutes", and provided it's good news, your card should be with you within 14 days. Don't forget to sign the back and activate the card (call 0808 156 6590).
Frequently asked questions
What credit limit will I get with the Fluid Credit Card?
If NewDay Ltd offers you this deal, it will specify a personalised credit limit based on NewDay Ltd's assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on the card is £250, while the maximum is £4,000. Once you've had the card for a while and shown NewDay Ltd you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.
Can I withdraw cash using the Fluid Credit Card?
Although it's possible, withdrawing cash from a credit card account is generally not a good idea, as "cash-like transactions" (such as withdrawing cash at an ATM, getting cashback at the till, spending at a casino or buying currency) often incur steep fees and/or higher rates of interest.
The cash advance fee on the Fluid Credit Card is 5% (min. £4). For example, if you withdraw £50, you'll incur a fee of £4.00. Withdraw £250 and you'll incur a rather painful fee of £12.50.
The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 44.94%, which is 29% more than the standard purchase rate (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 48 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).
How much does it cost to use the Fluid Credit Card abroad?
Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.95% charge. For example, if you spend 200 euros (£171.26), it'll cost you around £5.05 in fees.
What is the minimum payment on the Fluid Credit Card?
Each month, you must pay at least 1% of your balance at that point or £5.00 – whichever of the 2 figures is greater. So if you had, say, £450.00 outstanding, you'd pay £5.00, and if you had £2,000.00 outstanding, you'd pay £20.00.
Paying only the minimum required amount each month is generally not advisable as it tends to be a very expensive way to borrow money, which can lead to persistent debt.
Can I transfer money from the Fluid Credit Card to a bank account?
Yes. That's what's known as a "money transfer" (rather than a "balance transfer") in credit card jargon. You can arrange this from your online banking or using NewDay Ltd's app. This part of your card balance will incur interest of 34.94%. The fee for a money transfer is 3% (min. £3).
Finder credit card scores
Our experts score credit builder credit cards to determine their value against similar products on the market. We look at a number of important factors, like interest rates, credit limits, features to help you track your credit, plus the potential costs involved with running the card both in the short and longer term.
You can read more about our scoring criteria on our credit card methodology page.
