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Poor old plastic seems to be Public Enemy No.1 right now. Meanwhile, new challenger banks are fighting it out with the incumbent giants and everybody’s trying to stand out with the most garish and best looking credit cards. Cards with no numbers on them, cards that are portrait not landscape… It’s like being back at school, where your pencil case was a crucial part of your identity.
But for the ultimate in style, luxury and durability, surely it has to be metal. Aside from being a head-turner when you use it, chances are a metal credit card will come with generous rewards and travel perks.
It all comes at a cost though: you’ll need to pay an annual or monthly account fee, and that means weighing up just how badly you want to look the bee’s knees.
Sadly, right now, your options are pretty restricted when it comes to metal credit cards in the UK, but Revolut and others offer perk-laden prepaid cards that are as metal as horseshoes.
What are metal credit cards?
Metal credit cards are genuinely made of metal – typically stainless steel or another alloy. These cards tend to offer rewards and perks such as loyalty points or airport lounge access.
Is a metal credit card worth it?
Getting serious for a second, the physical make-up of your card shouldn’t be your main concern.
Like almost all credit cards, if you don’t carry a balance from month to month, you’ll avoid interest altogether, thanks to the interest-free grace period on purchases. But when you do carry a balance on a rewards card, what you pay in interest almost always outweighs any rewards you earn. If there’s a monthly/annual fee, you should try to put a value on the rewards and benefits that you’ll realistically use, to decide if it’s a smart choice.
Metal credit cards gained popularity because they look and feel luxurious. After all, once you put the metal card on the counter it tends to get noticed. However, metal cards are heavier than plastic and they can weigh down your wallet – especially if you have more than one. They could also, depending on the type of metal used, set off airport metal dectors when passing through security.
Where can I get a solid gold credit card?
Well, if you don’t mind shelling out £18,750 for one, then the Royal Mint has teamed up with Mastercard and the payments tech outfit Accomplish Financial to bring you the “Raris” card – an 18-carat golddebit card. It’s built on a World Elite account and comes with the perk/consolation of fee-free spending abroad. If the price tag on the Raris card puts you off, then you could still consider the not-gold-but-still-exceedingly-premium World Elite Mastercards from HSBC, Santander, Lloyds or Halifax.
How do you destroy a metal credit card?
If you need to destroy your metal card after you close the account, cutting it with tin snips or melting it could work, but could take more time than necessary or burn your house down.
Mailing it back to the bank is a safe option. If you’re getting a replacement card, some banks will send you a return envelope for your old card. If yours doesn’t, you could call it and ask how to return the card or dispose of it.
What is a charge card?
With a charge card, you won’t be able to carry an outstanding balance from month to month – you’ll need to pay off your spending each statement cycle, and in return won’t be charged interest (although there may be an account fee).
Bottom line
If a particular credit card isn’t a good fit for you, it doesn’t really matter if it’s metal or plastic. If none of the cards here look appealing to you, check out our comparisons and reviews of all UK rewards, frequent flyer and cashback credit cards to find an alternative.
Finder survey: Which of the following would impress you most?
There’s a variety of materials used in building metal cards, including brass, copper, stainless steel and even gold and palladium. Some cards are made from alloys, and the majority of metal credit cards are coated with plastic.
We think so, but it’s likely to depend on how the trailblazers fare. State-side, metal cards are more common, so there’s every chance we’ll follow suit.
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.
Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more.
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