Money & Finance

Credit cards

Visa, Mastercard, premium, free — the card that fits your profile.

providers

American Express

The go-to for rewards: cashback, Membership Rewards and Avios

American Express leads on rewards in the UK — strong cashback cards, Membership Rewards points and premium travel perks like lounge access on Platinum.

Market-leading cashback and points (Avios, hotels)
Premium travel perks (lounges) on Platinum
Generous welcome bonuses
Strong purchase protection

Best for : Reward maximisers who pay their balance in full

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Barclaycard

A UK staple for 0% purchases and balance transfers

Barclaycard is one of the UK's biggest card issuers, with long 0% purchase and balance-transfer deals, plus a soft-search eligibility checker.

Long 0% purchase and balance-transfer deals
Soft-search eligibility checker
Well-rated app and fraud protection
Large, trusted UK issuer

Best for : Spreading a big purchase or clearing existing card debt at 0%

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Halifax Clarity

A long-time favourite travel card with no FX fees

The Halifax Clarity card is a UK travel classic: no foreign-transaction fees worldwide and no cash-withdrawal fees from Halifax, making it cheap to spend abroad.

No foreign-transaction fees worldwide
No Halifax cash-withdrawal fee
Great for holidays and overseas spending
Long-standing, trusted travel card

Best for : Frequent travellers who want to avoid currency markups

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Virgin Money

Long 0% deals and Virgin Points rewards

Virgin Money offers some of the UK's longest 0% balance-transfer and purchase cards, plus reward cards that earn Virgin Points across the Virgin Group.

Among the longest 0% deals in the UK
Virgin Points rewards across the group
Good app and account management
Options for both 0% and rewards

Best for : Long interest-free periods or collecting Virgin Points

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The guide

Understanding : credit cards

From free accounts to premium cards with travel perks, the choice is wide. Key criteria: foreign fees, included insurance, limits, loyalty or cashback programs.