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| Best for... | Brand | Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Balance transfers | TSB | 38 months at 0% |
| No-fee balance transfers | Barclaycard | 14 months at 0% |
| 0% purchases | M&S Bank | 25 months at 0% |
| Cashback | American Express | Up to £125 initial cashback then 0.5% |
| Rewards | American Express | 20,000 welcome points then 1 per £ |
| Rewards (non-Amex) | Yonder | 10,000 welcome points then 5 per £ |
| Spending overseas | Lloyds Bank | 0% forex fees and 0.25% cashback |
| Frequent flyers | American Express | 5,000 welcome points then 1 per £ |
| Frequent flyers (non-Avios) | Virgin Money | 3,000 welcome points then 0.75 per £ |
| Bad credit | Tesco Bank | Credit limits from £200 |
Our experts evaluated the full UK card market and boiled it down to this shortlist. Click on individual deals above to see why we think they're top, plus runners up by category.



















"Credit cards come in fairly distinct categories – like rewards cards or 0% purchase cards – so Step one is understanding what type you need. Step two: use an eligibility checker (or perhaps a couple) on a comparison site, to see which cards you’re actually eligible eligible for. This step is important, because once you’ve settled on a card and you formally apply for it (Step three), you’ll be “hard” credit checked, which means a small impact on your credit score."
Founded in 2006, Finder has been comparing credit cards for more than 15 years. Here’s an overview of the criteria we use to pick our top credit cards:
Finally, we check whole-market rates, fees and terms every single day to make sure the features on our credit card tables are accurate. Read more about our ratings methodology for credit cards.
We asked credit card users to rate their card issuer and tell us whether they’d recommend it to a friend. Our independent survey of more than 750 card customers was carried out in January 2025.
| Card issuer | About | Would recommend | Range and review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monzo | Monzo is this year’s winner. Its “Flex” credit card functions like a buy now pay later service – perhaps not surprising given the brand’s popularity with younger adults. | 93% | Read review |
| first direct | first direct is HSBC’s digital-only little sister, offering a boutique (AKA “small”) range of credit cards. | 90% | Read review |
| M&S Bank | M&S Bank was highly commended in 2023. Its cards are provided in partnership with HSBC. | 90% | Read review |
| Yonder | This year was the first time we heard from Yonder customers. Yonder cards are all about local rewards (tailored to specific cities). | 87% | Read review |
| Tesco Bank | Highly commended last year, Tesco Bank, comes in 5th this year. | 87% | Read review |
| Lloyds Bank | Lloyds Bank offers balance transfer cards, all-rounders and more. | 87% | Read review |
| Zable | Lendable brand Zable is a straightforward card for people who don’t have excellent credit, offering a stripped-back fee structure. | 87% | Read review |
| Asda Money | Asada Money’s credit cards are aimed at people with limited/damaged credit, but have the sweetener of “Asda Pound” rewards. | 87% | Read review |
| Barclaycard | Barclaycard offers a wide range of cards and has a long history of providing market-leading deals including some of the longest balance transfer periods going. | 85% | Read review |
| NatWest | NatWest is a high-street staple offering credit cards for balance transfers, rewards and more. | 83% | Read review |
| American Express | Perks specialist American Express was our winner in 2023 and runner up in 2024. | 83% | Read review |
| John Lewis | John Lewis just has the one card, and as you might expect, it particularly rewards shopping at John Lewis or Waitrose. | 83% | Read review |
| Virgin Money | Virgin Money has a broad range of credit cards to suit different financial requirements and a variety of purposes. | 83% | Read review |
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Royal Bank of Scotland’s cards are very similar to those of its sister, NatWest. Both banks are part of NatWest Group. | 80% | Read review |
| HSBC | HSBC has a broad range of cards, including for students, for balance transfers and for earning rewards. | 80% | Read review |
| MBNA | Part of the Lloyds Banking Group, MBNA is a frequent table-topper when it comes to ultra-long 0% deals. | 80% | Read review |
| Halifax | Halifax is also part of Lloyds Banking Group and offers a wide range of cards including the holiday favoutite Clarity card (with no fees for transactions abroad). | 80% | Read review |
| Bank of Scotland | Another brand in the Lloyds Banking Group alongside Halifax and MBNA, Bank of Scotland offers a smaller range of cards than its siblings. | 80% | Read review |
| 118 118 Money | 118 118 Money (yes, the two running chaps with moustaches) offers one credit card, tailored to people with low or no credit. | 80% | Read review |
| Sainsbury’s Bank | Sainsbury’s Bank is our lowest-scoring supermarket brand this year. Its cards are all about 0% deals and Nectar points. | 77% | Read review |
| Santander | Santander’s range includes balance transfer cards, and deals with cashback on your spending. | 67% | Read review |
| Capital One | Capital One offers credit cards to help people improve a bad credit rating. | 63% | Read review |
| Vanquis Bank | Vanquis Bank’s credit cards are designed for those who want to build their credit profile. | 67% | Read review |
| Aqua | Bringing up the rear, Aqua offers credit cards designed to help people with a low credit score, or no credit history, to build up their credit records. | 53% | Read review |
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