In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Details
    • Product Overview
    • Fees and charges
    • Application Requirements

thinkmoney credit card review

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thinkmoney credit card
3.9
★★★★★
Finder score
Representative example:
When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).
Minimum credit limit
£200
Interest-free each billing period
Up to 56 days
Account fee
£0

Our verdict

A straightforward card issued by Capital One for people whose credit rating is less than perfect.

If your credit score isn't high, if you've missed repayments in the past or if you've had CCJs, getting a credit card can be particularly tricky. Specialist cards, such as the thinkmoney credit card, offer more lenient criteria for approval in return for higher rates and lower credit limits.

thinkmoney is perhaps better known for its current account and loan products. Those who are not existing thinkmoney customers looking to keep their finances under one roof may struggle to see the appeal of this simple yet potentially expensive card.

The good news is that if you don't carry a balance from month to month, you'll be able to take advantage of up to 56 interest-free days on your spending, meaning that despite that high rate, the card could cost you nothing.

thinkmoney's credit card is issued on the Mastercard network, so it's accepted at more than 35 million merchants and ATMs worldwide.

Pros

  • Applicants with low credit scores may be eligible
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • As with most credit builders, this card packs a fairly steep interest rate on purchases
  • You may be offered an opening credit limit as low as £200

In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Details
    • Product Overview
    • Fees and charges
    • Application Requirements

Details

Product Overview

Issuer Capital One
Network Mastercard
Annual/monthly fees £0
Balance transfers 39.94%
Balance transfer fee 3%
Purchases 39.94%
Purchases interest-free period Up to 56 days
Money transfers 39.94%
Cash advances 39.94%
Minimum credit limit £200
Maximum credit limit Subject to status: £1,500
Additional cards available 3
Potential costs 3.8 ★★★★★
Doing its job 4.4 ★★★★★
Extras 4.0 ★★★★★
Overall Finder Score 3.9 ★★★★★

Fees and charges

Minimum monthly payment 3% or £5 (whichever is greater) or the total of any interest, default fees and charges, 1/12th of annual fee plus 1% of the outstanding balance.
Annual/monthly fees £0
Balance transfer fee 3%
Money transfer fee 3% (min. £3)
Foreign usage charge (EU) 2.75%
Foreign usage charge (rest of world) 2.75%
Cash advance fee 3% (min. £3)
Late payment fee £12
Duplicate statement fee £0
Exceeding limit fee £12
Additional card fee £0
Dormancy fee £0

Application Requirements

Minimum Age 18
Availability Available to new customers

The thinkmoney 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.

How does it compare?

Think Money Limited's card

1 - 1 of 1
Name Product UKCCF Finder Score Annual/monthly fees Initial credit limits Minimum income Representative APR Incentive Link
thinkmoney credit card
3.9
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.
Not specified
39.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).
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Other popular credit builders

Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
1 - 20 of 28
Name Product UKCCF Finder Score Annual/monthly fees Initial credit limits Minimum income Representative APR Incentive Link
118 118 Money Guaranteed Rate Card
3.8
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£0
Min. limit £500, max. limit not specified.
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Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 49% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 49% APR (variable).
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Yonder 'No Fee' Credit Card
4.0
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit not specified, max. limit not specified.
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32.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 32.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 32.9% APR (variable).
Check eligibility
Zable credit card
3.4
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.
Not specified
48.9%
Representative example: Representative 48.9% APR (variable). Based on assumed borrowing of £1200. Rate of interest 48.9% (variable) annual.
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Tymit Credit Card
4.0
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £500, max. limit £15,000.
Not specified
29.9%
Representative Example: 29.9% (variable) based on a borrowing of £1200 over 12 months with no annual fee.
Vanquis Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card Visa
3.0
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £500, max. limit £3,000.
Not specified
33.5%
Representative example: When you spend £1,000 at a purchase rate of 33.5% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 33.5% APR (variable).
Vanquis Bank Credit Builder Credit Card Visa
3.6
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £500, max. limit £3,000.
Not specified
30.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,000 at a purchase rate of 30.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.9% APR (variable).
Tesco Bank Foundation Card
3.9
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £100, max. limit not specified.
£5000
29.9%
5 points per £4 spent (£4 minimum) in Tesco and 1 point per £8 spent (£8 minimum) outside Tesco. Must have available credit to earn points. Points are converted to Tesco vouchers or can be exchanged for Partner rewards to receive money off a variety of restaurants, entertainment or Avios points.
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).
Ocean Credit Card
3.9
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £8,000.
Not specified
39.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).
thinkmoney credit card
3.9
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.
Not specified
39.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).
Capital One Classic Credit Card
3.4
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.
Not specified
34.9%
Representative example: Assuming a credit limit of £1,200 and an interest rate on purchases of 34.94% p.a. variable, you will receive a 34.9% APR representative variable.

Zopa Credit Card Visa
4.3
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,200.
£10000
34.9%
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).
Barclaycard Forward Credit Card
3.8
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £50, max. limit £1,200.
£3000
33.9%
Rate discounts: 3% interest rate reduction if you make all your repayments on time for the first year, and a further drop of up to 2% more if you continue to do so in the second year.
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).
TSB Classic Credit Card Mastercard
4.3
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £500, max. limit not specified.
Not specified
30.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.9% APR (variable).
Cashplus Credit Card Mastercard
3.7
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £100, max. limit £3,000.
£15000
39.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).
Capital One Luma Mastercard
3.7
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.
Not specified
35.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 35.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 35.9% APR (variable).
Onmo Credit Card
3.3
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit not specified.
Not specified
34.9%
Representative example: Assumed credit limit £1,200. Interest rate 34.9% p.a. (variable). Representative 34.9% APR (variable).
Bip Credit Card Mastercard
4.0
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,200.
Not specified
29.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).
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AIB Student Credit Card
4.0
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £300, max. limit not specified.
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12.9%
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 12.2% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 12.9% APR (variable).
HSBC Classic Credit Card
4.0
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £250, max. limit not specified.
£6800
29.9%
Discounts and exclusive offers for dining experiences, leisure activities and shopping available through HSBC Home and Away.
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).
Post Office Classic Card
4.2
★★★★★
£0
Min. limit £200, max. limit £8,000.
Not specified
34.9%
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).
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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 Think Money Limited's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0344 481 2812). 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

If you've compared cards and want to apply, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, you can use thinkmoney's "QuickCheck" service to find out if you're likely to get approved. You'll need to provide your address details for the last three years, and you'll generally receive a response within one minute.

Customer reviews

thinkmoney has a score of 3.5 out of 5 on review site Trustpilot, an “average” rating based on over 6,400 reviews (updated April 2024). Users had some positive comments about the app and application process, but some have had issues with customer services. The app is rated 2 stars on both Google Play and the App Store (updated April 2024).

Frequently asked questions

What credit limit will I get with the thinkmoney credit card?

If Think Money Limited offers you this deal, it will specify a personalised credit limit based on Think Money Limited's assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on the card is £200, while the maximum is £1,500. Once you've had the card for a while and shown Think Money Limited you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.

Can I withdraw cash using the thinkmoney 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 thinkmoney credit card is 3% (min. £3). For example, if you withdraw £50, you'll incur a fee of £3.00. Withdraw £250 and you'll incur a fee of £7.50.

The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 39.94% (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 56 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).

How much does it cost to use the thinkmoney credit card abroad?

Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.75% charge. For example, if you spend 200 euros (£166.99), it'll cost you around £4.59 in fees.

Can I transfer money from the thinkmoney 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 Think Money Limited's app. This part of your card balance will incur interest of 39.94%. The fee for a money transfer is 3% (min. £3).

Finder credit card scores

★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor

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.

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.
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