AIB Options 1 Credit Card review
- Representative example:
- When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 17.44% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 18.9% APR (variable).
- Earn rate
- 1p per £1 spent
- Intro cashback
- Up to £25
- Account fee
- £0
Our verdict
Earn cashback on your day-to-day spending and enjoy interest-free days on your purchases with this AIB (formerly First Trust Bank) offer.If you're looking for a new credit card to make your spending go a little further, cashback deals such as this can be a smart choice. That's provided you don't expect to carry a balance from month to month and can therefore take advantage of the card's 56 days of 0% interest on your purchases each billing cycle. If you do expect to carry a balance month to month, then with this card you'd likely pay more in interest than you'd earn in cashback.
It's also worth noting the high minimum spend you'll need to meet in order to qualify for cashback.
AIB cards are issued on the Visa or Mastercard networks (you can decide which you'd rather), meaning they're accepted pretty much everywhere that takes plastic. For most of us, either network is perfectly fine, but you can read up on some of the differences between the biggest card networks.
Pros
- Earn cashback on day-to-day spending
- Up to £25 introductory bonus cashback
- No annual fee
Cons
- Applicants with low credit scores are unlikely to be eligible
- Only available to existing customers
Details
Product overview
| Issuer | AIB (NI) |
| Network | Visa |
| Representative APR | 18.9% APR (variable) |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Loyalty scheme | Cashback |
| Cashback details | 0.5% after £5000 of yearly spend. Minimum of 12 transactions per year required. Maximum of £250 cashback paid per year. Cashback paid Anniversary into Card Account. For initial £5K a £25 cashback is paid, plus an additional £1 for every further £200 spent. |
| Additional Rewards Info | Option 2 is also available & customers can switch between the options even if the outstanding balance is not cleared in full each month. |
| Purchases | 17.44% |
| Purchases interest-free period (days) | 56 |
| Balance transfers | 17.44% |
| Potential costs | 3.5 ★★★★★ |
| Doing its job | 3.0 ★★★★★ |
| Extras | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
| Overall Finder score | 3.5 ★★★★★ |
Fees and charges
| Minimum monthly payment | 3% 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 | 1.5% |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 2.75% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 2.75% |
| Cash advance fee | 1.5% (min. £3) |
| Late payment fee | £12 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £12 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
Application requirements
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Availability | Available to existing customers |
How does it compare?
AIB (NI)'s card
Other popular cashback deals
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 AIB (NI)'s app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 382265). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) or losing any promotional rates 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 have compared cards and want to apply, you'll need to call AIB (or request a callback). A credit check will be performed based on the information you have given and you will normally receive a quick decision. Once approved, you should receive your new AIB credit card within 3–5 working days.
Frequently asked questions
What credit limit will I get with the AIB Options 1 Credit Card?
If AIB (NI) offers you this deal, it will specify a personalised credit limit based on AIB (NI)'s assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on this card is £500, and AIB (NI) does not specify a maximum. Once you've had the card for a while and shown AIB (NI) you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.
Can I withdraw cash using the AIB Options 1 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 AIB Options 1 Credit Card is 1.5% (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 £3.75.
The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 18.9% (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 AIB Options 1 Credit Card abroad?
Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.75% charge. For example, if you spend 200 euros (£171.59), it'll cost you around £4.72 in fees.
What is the minimum payment on the AIB Options 1 Credit Card?
Each month, you must pay at least 3% of your balance at that point or £5.00 – whichever of the 2 figures is greater. So if you had, say, £150.00 outstanding, you'd pay £5.00, and if you had £666.67 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.
Finder credit card scores
Our experts score cashback credit cards to determine their value against similar products on the market. We look at a number of important factors, like welcome bonuses, introductory and ongoing earn-rates, any limits or restrictions to earning cashback, 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.
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