Guides and explainers
Airline and miles cards
Credit card fees and costs: how to compare what you pay
Credit card costs fall into a few clear buckets, and reading annual fees, transfer fees, currency charges and interest rates side by side shows which cards are genuinely cheap for the way you spend.
Airline and miles cards
Credit card rewards and perks: what to compare and why
Cash back, points, miles and travel benefits sit on the same cards, so comparing them means checking the earning rate, what it is limited to, and the perks that come with the account.
Business debit cards
Debit cards abroad: fees, cash and networks compared
Choosing a debit card for use abroad comes down to three things: the foreign exchange fee, the free cash withdrawal allowance and the network the card runs on.
Business debit cards
Debit cards: the company behind the card
The brand printed on a card tells you little, so compare the licensed company behind it, its home market, its age and its support routes before you choose where to keep your money.
Business debit cards
Debit cards for everyday use: how to compare them
Debit, prepaid and virtual cards behave differently at the till, at the cash machine and when something goes wrong, so compare them on card type, allowance, network and support rather than on the brand name alone.
Business debit cards
Debit card fees and costs: how to compare what you really pay
Debit card costs split into a monthly fee, a foreign currency fee and top-up charges, and comparing all three tells you which card is cheapest for you.
Business debit cards
Debit cards: regulation and registers
A register entry shows which supervisor stands behind a debit card issuer, and reading it beside the fee and currency rankings tells you whether an account is worth opening.
Business debit cards
Debit card safety and regulation: how to check before you apply
A step by step way to check who holds your money, which regulator licenses a card, what protection applies and how the fees line up before you choose.
Business debit cards
How to choose business debit cards
Business debit cards differ in what they charge to hold, what they cost to use abroad and who holds the money, so compare those lines before you apply.
Cashback cards
How to choose a cashback card
Compare cashback cards on fees, how the cashback is earned, deposit and fraud protection, and foreign exchange costs, so you can pick the card that suits your spending.
Credit cards
How to choose a credit card: costs, safety and how the account works
A fixed order for comparing card costs, borrowing rates, deposit protection, currency charges and day-to-day features, worked through with the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) and Wise.
Debit cards
How to choose a debit card
Choosing a debit card comes down to four things you can check on paper: what kind of card it is, what the account costs to hold, what spending abroad costs, and which company holds your money.
No foreign transaction fee cards
How to choose a no foreign transaction fee card
A card with no foreign transaction fee still costs money elsewhere, so compare the exchange charge, the holding fees and the regulatory standing in that order before you pick one.
Prepaid cards
How to Choose a Prepaid Card
A prepaid card is right for short trips, remittances and everyday spend, but the monthly charge, conversion cost, cash withdrawal allowance and the identity of the party holding your money are what separate a good pick from a poor one.
Rewards cards
How to choose rewards cards
Every card in this group pays in points, so compare the annual fee, the annual percentage rate, the foreign exchange fee and the licence before you count what you earn back.
Student cards
How to Choose a Student Card
Choosing a student card comes down to the fee for the exact account type, whether the card is a debit card, who it is aimed at and what it costs to spend in another currency.
Travel cards
How to choose travel cards: fees, currency costs and safety
Travel cards differ most in what they charge to hold the account, to spend abroad and to take money out, and this guide shows how to check each before you pick one.
Virtual cards
How to Choose a Virtual Card
Compare virtual cards on card kind, monthly and annual fees, currency and top-up costs, who holds the money, cashback and support, with four cards worked through criterion by criterion.