Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Capital One UK vs Ocean Finance Card
Capital One UK
Ocean Finance Card
Higher score in this comparison
Where Capital One UK and Ocean Finance Card differ
| Compare | Capital One UKReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Ocean Finance CardReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 34.9%Lower | 39.9% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 18 monthsHigher | 6 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% | 2.9%Lower |
| Perks | Free CreditWise credit score and report, Up to 56 days interest free on new spends, Section 75 protection on spends between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000, Up to 2 credit limit increases a year, Free QuickCheck eligibility check with no impact to credit score, Round the clock fraud security | Credit limit of GBP 200 to GBP 8,000, Section 75 protection on purchases between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000, Mobile app to make payments and check balance, Free email and text alerts, Card usable online before the physical card arrives, Eligibility check does not affect credit score, No Apple Pay |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.75% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Annual fee (£0), Rewards type (None), Credit needed (Poor), Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Ocean Finance Card scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Founded is lower at Ocean Finance Card: 1991 vs 1996.
- APR is lower at Capital One UK: 34.9% vs 39.9%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Ocean Finance Card: 2.9% vs 3%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Capital One UK: 18 months vs 6 months.
- Perks: only Capital One UK offers Free CreditWise credit score and report, Up to 56 days interest free on new spends, Section 75 protection on spends between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000.
- Perks: only Ocean Finance Card offers Credit limit of GBP 200 to GBP 8,000, Section 75 protection on purchases between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000, Mobile app to make payments and check balance.
Our verdict on each
Capital One UK
Capital One UK suits UK shoppers building a score or clearing a balance, offering a balance transfer intro of 18 and credit tools with no fee to hold. The representative APR of 34.9% makes it a card to clear rather than revolve.
Ocean Finance Card
Ocean Finance Card suits applicants with poor credit who want a UK credit card with no annual fee, £0, and a balance transfer option. Borrowing is the expensive part, with 39.9% charged on revolving balances, so the card only pays off if you clear balances or keep them off the card.
Score breakdown
| Area | Capital One UK | Ocean Finance Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Annual fee £0 and a 3% balance transfer fee keep costs low, against 34.9% interest and 2.75% abroad. | 9.0HigherThere is no annual fee, £0, and a balance transfer fee of 2.9%, so cost sits in the interest on revolving balances. |
| Offer | 9.5HigherBalance transfer intro of 18, free credit score tools, and no rewards (none). | 9.3A transfer window of 6 with a 2.9% fee is the only offer, and rewards on spending are none. |
| Trust | 9.0 | 9.3Higher |
Pick Capital One UK if, pick Ocean Finance Card if
Pick Capital One UK if apr and balance transfer intro period matter most.
Pick Ocean Finance Card if cost, trust, and balance transfer fee matter most.
Moving a 3,000 balance
Capital One UK
90
3% of 3,000
Ocean Finance Card
87
2.9% of 3,000
Ocean Finance Card comes out 3 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Cost in a real example
A year with 1,000 spent abroad
Capital One UK
£0
1 × £0
Ocean Finance Card
£0
1 × £0
Both come to the same total.
Excludes currency conversion fee (not stated by Ocean Finance Card). Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
How they place
| Ranking | Capital One UK | Ocean Finance Card |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 153 of 1020 | 132 of 1020 |
| Balance transfer cards | 10 of 35 | 6 of 35 |
| Bad credit and credit builder cards | 10 of 23 | 8 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Capital One UK | Ocean Finance Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Legal entity | Capital One (Europe) plc | Intelligent Lending Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1996 | 1991Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centre | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Capital One UK | Ocean Finance Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| APR | 34.9%highest quarter | 39.9%highest quarter | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 18 monthsabove the median | 6 monthslowest quarter | 15 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 3%at the median | 2.9%below the median | 3% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Capital One UK
Pros
- Aimed at poor credit, so applicants turned down elsewhere can still apply.
- Support runs on chat, phone and email, so help is easy to reach by phone, chat, email or a help centre.
- Credit building tools come as standard: a free credit score and report, an eligibility check that leaves the credit score untouched, and round the clock fraud security.
Cons
- Representative APR of 34.9% sits above the site average of 20.97%, so an unpaid balance costs quickly.
- Foreign purchases are charged 2.75% in currency conversion, above the site average of 1%.
- The rewards type is listed as none, so nothing comes back on everyday spending.
Ocean Finance Card
Pros
- The card is built for applicants with poor credit, and the eligibility check does not affect your credit score.
- Purchase protection covers spending inside a range set out in Credit limit of GBP 200 to GBP 8,000, Section 75 protection on purchases between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000 and Mobile app to make payments and check balance, so a supplier that fails to deliver has a claim route.
- Support runs on chat, phone and email, and the mobile app covers payments and balance checks.
Cons
- 39.9% sits above the 34.9% upper end of bad credit cards, so carrying a balance is expensive.
- Rewards on spending are none, so nothing comes back on everyday purchases.
Who each suits
Capital One UK
Who it suits
- UK applicants with poor credit who want a mainstream card rather than a secured one.
- Balances being cleared, where the 18 transfer window and 3% fee on the balance transfer card keep the move contained.
- Cardholders who pay in full and would rather build a score than chase rewards.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for frequent foreign spend, where Wise charges 0% on currency conversion against 2.75% on this card.
- Not for anyone after a deposit backed card, since Varo Believe Secured Credit Card has an annual fee of $0 on a secured basis.
- Not for shoppers who want a rewards earn on everyday buying, as the rewards type here is none and Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) offers the same credit building route.
Ocean Finance Card
Who it suits
- Applicants with poor credit who want a limit without paying an annual fee.
- Borrowers moving a balance who can cover the 2.9% transfer fee and clear it inside the intro period.
- People who put an eligibility check that leaves their credit score alone, and the purchase protection in Credit limit of GBP 200 to GBP 8,000, Section 75 protection on purchases between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000 and Mobile app to make payments and check balance, above cash back.
Who should look elsewhere
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card fits day to day spending from money already in an account, with a borrowing rate of 15% instead of revolving card interest.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) suits customers shopping in the US who want a secured line, with an annual fee of $0.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card suits savers who prefer a secured card, with an annual fee of $0.
Current offers
Capital One UK
Current offer
First period offer
0% interest on balance transfers for up to 18 months and on purchases for up to 3 months: 0% for up to 18 months on balance transfers; 0% for up to 3 months on purchases
Balance Transfer card; up to 3% transfer fee (maximum 3%); up to GBP 8,000 starting credit limit; representative example assumes a GBP 1,200 credit limit with 34.94% p.a. variable interest on purchases giving 34.9% APR representative variable
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Ocean Finance Card
Current offer
First period offer
0% for 6 months on balance transfers and purchases on the Ocean Credit Card: 0% for 6 months, 2.9% balance transfer fee
Representative 39.9% APR (variable) after the offer, purchase rate 39.94% APR (variable), credit subject to status
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Capital One UK | Ocean Finance Card |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Capital One UK
Is there an annual fee on the Capital One UK credit card?+
There is no annual fee. The card is sold on a no annual fee model, so the annual fee is £0 and the only real cost is interest. That interest is the part to watch, at a representative APR of 34.9%, because the card is aimed at poor credit and some applicants will revolve.
What rate applies if I do not clear the balance?+
The representative APR is 34.9%, above the site average of 20.97%. New purchases sit inside the interest free window the card offers, so the rate matters most once that window runs out or a transferred balance is still unpaid.
Ocean Finance Card
What does it cost to hold the Ocean Finance Card?+
The annual fee is £0, so holding the card costs nothing to run. A balance transfer carries a fee of 2.9%, and anything left on the credit card balance is charged at 39.9% until it is paid.
What rate does the Ocean Finance Card charge?+
The rate is 39.9%, high against the bad credit card group, where the upper quartile sits at 34.9%. Interest only applies to balances you do not clear, so the card costs nothing extra if you pay in full each month.
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Capital One UK
Ocean Finance Card