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Barclaycard review

Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Barclaycard suits people clearing an old balance who still want cashback, since the transfer offer runs for 36 and cashback applies at participating retailers. The cost side is heavy: interest of 24.9% and 2.99% on foreign spend put it near the wrong end of the field on price.

Key facts

Best for
Clearing a balance while still earning cashback
APR
24.9% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Currency conversion fee
2.99% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Rewards type
Cashback (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Rewards rate
Cashback at participating retailers (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Balance transfer intro period
36 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Balance transfer fee
3.15% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Perks
12 months Apple TV subscription on us, Barclaycard Entertainment tickets and event discounts, Purchase protection, Fraud protection 24/7, Free additional cardholder, 0% interest on purchases for 3 months, Up to 56 days interest-free on purchases (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Card kind
Credit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
Barclaycard International Payments Limited (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
Ireland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Features
Rewards
Official website
barclaycard.co.uk

Debit cards

Currency conversion fee
2.99% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free ATM withdrawals
£0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
Barclaycard International Payments Limited (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
Ireland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Features
Rewards

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaXLinkedInfacebook.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • The balance transfer offer runs for 36 for a fee of 3.15%, so an old balance has real time to clear.
  • Rewards are cashback, paid as Cashback at participating retailers, and 12 months Apple TV subscription on us, Barclaycard Entertainment tickets and event discounts and Purchase protection adds purchase and fraud protection on top.
  • Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, giving a phone line, chat and a help centre for routine problems.
  • Regulated in GB by the Financial Conduct Authority under licence 759676, and in IE under PSD_PI IE_CBI!C155145.

Cons

  • Interest of 24.9% is heavy for a card people may hold a balance on, and richer than several cheaper cards in the field.
  • Foreign purchases cost 2.99%, where Wise charges 0% and Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) charges 0%.
  • Cashback at participating retailers means much of the reward depends on where you shop, so spending elsewhere can earn nothing.
  • Cash is not bundled in: the free ATM allowance is £0, so withdrawals add a charge.
Barclaycard

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Who it suits

  • People clearing a balance from another card who want cashback in the meantime, given the 36 transfer window.
  • UK spenders who shop mainly at a few participating retailers and value purchase protection.
  • Card holders who want phone and chat support, since support runs on phone, chat and help centre.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Frequent travellers: Wise and Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) charge 0% and 0% on foreign spend, against 2.99% here.
  • People rebuilding credit history on the cheapest carry: Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges 0%.
  • Anyone who takes cash out regularly, because the free ATM allowance is £0.

Fees and FX

Cost is where this card gives ground, and it is what to weigh up front. Purchases run at 24.9%, and so does anything still owed once an introductory offer has run its course. Plenty of cards charge less, so a balance that rolls from statement to statement is where the cost concentrates. The counterweight is the transfer deal: bringing an old balance across costs 3.15%, and the card adds 2.99% on spending in another currency. Read the fee as the price of a set stretch at the promotional rate, and the standard rate as what waits when that stretch ends.

Foreign exchange costs

Spending abroad is the cost most likely to surprise you, because it repeats quietly on every tap. The charge is 2.99%, applied to foreign purchases, so a week of small daily spends builds up without ever looking like a big line on a statement. Cash sits in a different place, and the allowance to withdraw free of charge is £0. That means no fee-free withdrawals come bundled in, so anyone expecting to take notes out abroad should treat that as a cost rather than a given.

Everyday use

Everyday use of a credit card comes down to help and cash. Help is well covered: support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so a phone call, a chat window and a searchable help centre are all part of the service, and a blocked payment can be sorted without waiting on a letter. Cash is thinner. The free ATM allowance is £0, so taking money out is not part of the deal, and a habit of withdrawing regularly shows up as a separate cost.

Rewards and perks

Rewards here are cashback, and the rate is Cashback at participating retailers. That shape suits a household whose spending already sits with a small set of shops, because the reward follows money already being spent. It suits card users who spread spending across many small merchants less well, since purchases outside participating retailers may not earn anything. The rest of the offer is 12 months Apple TV subscription on us, Barclaycard Entertainment tickets and event discounts and Purchase protection, which lists purchase protection, fraud protection, a free additional cardholder, entertainment ticket and event discounts, an Apple TV subscription on us, and an interest-free period on purchases.

Rates and card terms

Two numbers decide what this card costs you. The standard interest rate is 24.9%, and it applies as soon as promotional deals end. The balance transfer offer runs for 36, which gives a long window for clearing what you brought over, provided the monthly payment is set high enough to make a real dent. The practical reading is simple: apply for the transfer period, treat the standard rate as the deadline, and treat the cashback as a bonus rather than the reason.

How Barclaycard compares

Where Barclaycard is available

Available
Ireland, United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Financial Conduct Authority (759676), checked September 26, 2026
Licence in Ireland
IE_CBI (PSD_PI IE_CBI!C155145), checked September 26, 2026, also valid in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What rate do I pay for borrowing on this card?+

Purchases, and anything still owed once a promotional offer ends, are charged at 24.9%. That is a high rate among the cards in this comparison, so the card suits people who clear balances quickly. If a balance rolls from statement to statement, this is the number that matters most.

How long is the balance transfer offer and what does it cost?+

The transfer offer runs for 36, and bringing a balance across costs 3.15%. That is a long window for a card of this kind, and enough time to clear a serious balance if the monthly payment is set high enough. After the window closes, borrowing sits at the standard rate.

What does spending abroad cost?+

Foreign purchases carry a charge of 2.99% on this card, applied each time you pay in another currency. On a trip with daily spending that builds up quietly rather than as a single lump. Cards aimed at travel, such as Wise, charge 0% for the same purchases.

Can I withdraw cash without a charge?+

The free ATM allowance on this card is £0, so fee-free withdrawals are not part of the deal. Anyone who takes money out regularly should treat a withdrawal as a cost rather than a convenience, and a travel card with a real allowance fits that habit better.

How does the cashback actually work?+

Rewards are cashback and the rate is Cashback at participating retailers, so money comes back on everyday purchases at shops that take part. Spending concentrated at a few retailers pays better than spending spread thinly across many small merchants, which may not qualify.

Who regulates the card, and where is the issuer based?+

In the UK the card is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under licence 759676. The issuing entity is Barclaycard International Payments Limited, headquartered in Ireland, and it is listed in IE under PSD_PI IE_CBI!C155145.

How do I get help with the account?+

Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so a phone line, a chat service and a help centre are all part of the service. A call suits a blocked payment or a disputed charge, while chat suits quick questions about the balance transfer offer and the cashback.

Is this a credit card or a debit card?+

It is a credit card, so 24.9% applies to borrowing rather than to everyday spending, and the balance transfer offer only makes sense in that context. Cash withdrawals sit outside the free deal, with a free ATM allowance of £0.

Sources

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Annual fee.

Barclaycard

Barclaycard

Clearing a balance while still earning cashback

9.0/10See alternatives