Top ethical credit cards

As more of us look to do our part to help protect the environment and society, an increasing number of people are turning to ethical banking. Many are also looking for an ethical credit card, so here’s what you need to know.

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Finder Score	Purchases	Balance transfers	Annual/monthly fees	Representative APR	Key benefit	Representative example
5.8Standard The Co-operative Bank 3 Year Fixed Rate Credit Card Existing Customers Only	5.8Standard	8.9% for months	8.9% for months (0% fee)	£0	18.2% APR (variable)	Representative example: Representative 18.2% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 18.2% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6.6Standard The Co-operative Bank Members' Credit Card Existing Customers Only	6.6Standard	18.2%	18.2%	£0	18.2% APR (variable)	1p earned for every £2 spent in The Co-operative Food stores (excluding in-store concessions) and 1p earned for every £3.33 spent anywhere else. Cashback will be added to your share of the Group profits and this will be paid to you twice a year.	Representative example: Representative 18.2% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 18.2% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.6Great The Co-operative Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card Existing Customers Only	8.6Great	0% for 4 months	0% for 24 months (3% fee)	£0	20.6% APR (variable)	Representative example: Representative 20.6% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 20.6% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.9Great Nationwide Building Society Member Credit Card (Purchase and BT Offer) Existing Customers Only	7.9Great	0% for 15 months	0% for 15 months (2.99% fee)	£0	24.9% APR (variable)	Representative example: Representative 24.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 24.9% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6.2Standard Nationwide Building Society Member Credit Card (Balance Transfer Offer) Existing Customers Only	6.2Standard	0% for 3 months	0% for 30 months (2.99% fee)	£0	24.9% APR (variable)	Representative example: Representative 24.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 24.9% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6.8Standard Tymit Credit Card	6.8Standard	29.9%	N/A	£0	29.9% APR (variable)	Representative Example: 29.9% (variable) based on a borrowing of £1200 over 12 months with no annual fee.	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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How we picked these

Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

What is ethical banking?

Ethical banking is a way of managing your finances without supporting environmentally damaging activities and industries.

When you save using a bank, banks will invest your money in various industries to make more money. Sometimes banks will invest into industries which harm our planet including the oil, tobacco and weaponry industries.

Ethical banks, on the other hand, invest your money in socially and morally positive ways. For example, some of the ethical practices employed by banks could include supporting charity work, reducing fossil fuel emissions and investing in renewable energy to help tackle climate change.

How can credit cards be ethical?

Though the credit cards themseleves may not appear ethical, the card provider might be. Ethical providers may refuse to invest in industries or commodities that could be causing harm to society or the planet, instead they help to fund projects which support local communities or the environment.

However, while many ethical banks are focused on green initiatives, other ethical banks are primarily focused on transparency and top-notch customer service. So an ethical credit card could also be one with no hidden fees and fairer charges for the consumer.

How to find an ethical credit card

To find an ethical credit card, you’ll need to shop around and look for a provider that is working to have a positive impact on the environment or society.

Many ethical banks will clearly state on their website what they invest in, which should help guide your decision. However, the Good Shopping Guide also lists which banks and building societies are involved in ethical practices. Each provider is scored based on factors such as environmental issues, animal welfare, responsible lending and investment plus ethical accreditation.

Keep in mind that not all of these providers will offer credit cards, but many will, so it’s a good place to start.

Our top picks for ethical and sustainable credit cards

Looking for a ethical purchase card? Or maybe an ethical balance transfer card? Below we have selected cards from ethical banks and rated which ones are the best based on the card type.

Best carbon neutral card

Finder's pick

Nationwide Building Society Member Credit Card (Purchase and BT Offer)

Finder Rating: 4.4/5

★★★★★

Read review

15 months

0% interest on balance transfers

15 months

0% interest on purchases

24.9%

Representative APR

0%

Foreign transaction charge

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Since 2020, Nationwide has been carbon neutral for their operational greenhouse gas emissions making it one of the few carbon neutral banks in the UK. The 'All Rounder' card has 0% purchase and balance transfer for 15 months with low revert rates once the intro period has ended. However, it's only available to existing customers.

• 0% purchase for 15 months
• 0% balance transfer for 15 months
• Carbon neutral provider

• Available to existing customers only
• Balance transfer fee applies
• Late payment fess may apply

Minimum income	5000
Availability	Available to existing customers
Foreign usage charge (EU)	0%
Cash advance fee	24.9%

Representative example: Representative 24.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 24.9% p.a. (variable).

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Best for tracking carbon footprint

Finder's pick

TSB Classic Credit Card Mastercard

Finder Rating: 4.3/5

★★★★★

Read review

12 months

0% interest on balance transfers

19 months

0% interest on purchases

30.9%

Representative APR

£0

Account fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

TSB is a partner of the Cogo app, which lets you track your spending's carbon footprint. Cogo uses open-banking to track your spending and you can download it via the Apple store or Google play. This card has 5 months 0% purchase and balance intro periods with low revert rates.

• Low interest rates
• 19 month 0% purchase period
• 12 month 0% balance transfer period
• Available to new customers

• No interest-free days on purchases
• Longer 0% intro periods on the market

Availability	Available to new customers
Foreign usage charge (EU)	2.95%
Cash advance fee	30.95%

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).

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Best ethical purchase card

Finder's pick

NatWest Purchase and Balance Transfer Card

Finder Rating: 3.7/5

★★★★★

Read review

21 months

0% interest on balance transfers

23 months

0% interest on purchases

24.9%

Representative APR

£0

Account fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

This versatile all-rounder from NatWest 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 purchases costs low. NatWest are green lenders meaning that they don't lend to industries which may cause harm to society or the environment. NatWest are also Cogo partners which lets you track your spending's carbon footprint.

• Almost 2 years to spread the cost of purchases
• No annual fee
• Available to new customers
• Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with NatWest
• Almost 2 years of 0% interest to focus on reducing existing card debt

• Minimum annual income requirement of £10000
• Don't forget that balance transfer fee! If cutting the interest on existing card debt is your main reason for considering this card, check out no-fee deals first

Minimum income	10000
Availability	Available to new customers
Foreign usage charge (EU)	2.75%
Cash advance fee	26.9%

Representative example: Representative 24.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 24.9% p.a. (variable).

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Our top picks for ethical and sustainable providers

To give you a helping hand, we’ve outlined 4 of the top ethical credit cards below:

Tymit

Tymit works slightly differently to traditional credit cards as it lets you spread the cost of your card purchases over a number of instalments. Purchases that are not paid off in full at the end of the month can be split into 3, 6, 12, 24 or 36 equal instalments, which can be managed via the app. Through doing this, Tymit says customers can say goodbye to the “minimum payment trap, confusing interest charges and hidden fees” that often apply to standard credit cards.

You’ll still pay interest on the purchase you put into instalments, but it’ll be easier to keep your debt under control. You also won’t be charged any foreign currency transaction fees when you use your card abroad. Read more in our review.

The Co-operative Bank

The Co-operative Bank offers 3 different credit cards. These include a balance transfer credit card, a 3-year fixed rate credit card offering a low rate of interest on both balance transfers and purchases for three years, plus a Members’ credit card that offers cashback.

The Co-operative Bank states that it is committed to ensuring its fees and charges are fair to its customers. It also seeks to support charities and organisations involved in the Social Enterprise sector, small businesses and organisations whose activities promote a healthy environment and businesses that promote animal welfare.

Note, however, that as of 2017, The Co-operative Group no longer holds a stake in the Co-operative Bank.

Nationwide

Nationwide is one of the UK’s established building societies. It is not listed on the stock market, which means it is not accountable to shareholders. Instead, it is accountable to its members (those who bank with it) who have a say in how it is run.

Nationwide’s credit card does not charge an annual fee and there are no fees for making purchases abroad either. Customers can choose between a balance transfer offer or an “all-rounder” offer that offers 0% on both purchases and balance transfers.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the most ethical UK bank?

  There’s no single answer to this question. Ultimately, it will depend on what’s most important to you. When comparing ethical banks, have a look at what organisations and businesses they support and what their green initiatives are to see which bank has similar values to your own.

• Why is it important for credit card companies to be ethical?

  Many people are becoming more aware of where their money is being invested and are keen to see that it is making a positive social impact. As demand for ethical banking and ethical credit cards grows, more banks and card providers will want to get in on the action and prove that they are also doing their bit to protect the planet.

• What makes a credit card ethical?

  Typically its not the card that is ethical, its the bank or provider. One way in which makes a bank ethical is how it invests. Ethical banks don’t invest into industries that cause harm to society or the planet. They instead invest in sustainble industries such as green energy, or they invest into the local community.

Written by

Rachel Wait

Writer

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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

Co-written by

Izzy Thomas

Senior associate publisher

Izzy Thomas is a senior associate publisher at Finder specialising in credit-based products including credit cards, business loans and personal loans. Izzy has a Masters in Publishing and a Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management. See full bio

Izzy's expertise

Izzy has written 18 Finder guides across topics including:

• Business and consumer finance
• Loans & credit cards
• Building credit