Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Capital One UK vs Sainsbury's
Capital One UK
Higher score in this comparison
Sainsbury's
Capital One UK vs Sainsbury's: the differences
| Compare | Capital One UKReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Sainsbury'sReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 34.9% | 20.95%Lower |
| Rewards type | None | Points |
| Balance transfer intro period | 18 months | 34 monthsHigher |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% | 2.88% to 3.88%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 | Nectar points |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.75% | Not confirmed |
| Rewards rate | Not confirmed | 2 points per GBP1 at Sainsbury's, 1 point per GBP5 elsewhere |
| Credit needed | Poor | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Annual fee (£0), Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- APR is lower at Sainsbury's: 20.95% vs 34.9%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Sainsbury's: 2.88% to 3.88% vs 3%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Sainsbury's: 34 months vs 18 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 Sainsbury's offers Nectar points.
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.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's is a points credit card for shoppers who already spend with the supermarket and want no annual charge, paying 20.95% on borrowing. The balance transfer offer, with a fee of 2.88% to 3.88% across a 34 intro period, is the reason to look past the everyday card when old balances need clearing.
Score breakdown
| Area | Capital One UK | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Annual fee £0 and a 3% balance transfer fee keep costs low, against 34.9% interest and 2.75% abroad. | 9.2HigherAnnual fee of £0 helps, but 20.95% interest and a 2.88% to 3.88% transfer fee keep costs mid-range. |
| Offer | 9.5HigherBalance transfer intro of 18, free credit score tools, and no rewards (none). | 9.0Points as the points reward plus a 34 balance transfer window cover everyday spend and old debt. |
| Trust | 9.0 | 9.0 |
Which one suits you
Pick Capital One UK if offer matter most.
Pick Sainsbury's if cost, apr, balance transfer intro period, and balance transfer fee matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Capital One UK | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 153 of 1020 | 171 of 1020 |
| Balance transfer cards | 10 of 35 | 13 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Capital One UK | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Not confirmed | Rewards |
| Legal entity | Capital One (Europe) plc | Sainsbury's Bank plc |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1996 | 1996 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Capital One UK | Sainsbury's | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| APR | 34.9%highest quarter | 20.95%above the median | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 18 monthsabove the median | 34 monthshighest quarter | 15 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 3%at the median | 2.88% to 3.88%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.
Sainsbury's
Pros
- Spending in the supermarket earns the stronger rate set out in 2 points per GBP1 at Sainsbury's, 1 point per GBP5 elsewhere, so card spend in a single place is worth more.
- Clearing an old balance is possible: the transfer window runs 34 and the charge for moving the balance is 2.88% to 3.88%.
- The card is issued by Sainsbury's Bank plc, trading since 1996, rather than by a newer entrant.
Cons
- Borrowing is not cheap: 20.95% applies to anything carried from one statement to the next, so the card only pays when balances are cleared.
- The balance transfer is a paid deal rather than a free one, with 2.88% to 3.88% for the balance moved and 20.95% charged outside the 34 window.
- The reward is points tied to a single supermarket chain, and the thinner part of 2 points per GBP1 at Sainsbury's, 1 point per GBP5 elsewhere covers everything else.
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.
Sainsbury's
Who it suits
- Shoppers who put most of their card spend through the supermarket and already collect Nectar points.
- Borrowers clearing a balance on another card who can use the 34 window and pay the 2.88% to 3.88% fee.
- People who pay their statement in full each month and want a credit card carrying an annual fee of £0.
Who should look elsewhere
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, where everyday spending comes straight from the account balance instead of accruing 20.95% on a credit card.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card or Chime Card, which also charge an annual fee and suit anyone focused on secured credit building rather than points at 2 points per GBP1 at Sainsbury's, 1 point per GBP5 elsewhere.
- Anyone who spends little in the supermarket, since the thinner rate in 2 points per GBP1 at Sainsbury's, 1 point per GBP5 elsewhere then covers most of the card use.
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
Country by country
| Country | Capital One UK | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Sainsbury's
What does it cost to keep the card open?+
The annual fee is £0 on the main card, so there is no charge for holding it year on year. That applies to the card as issued; the balance transfer deal is the only other fee the terms set out, at 2.88% to 3.88% for the balance moved. Borrowing, not holding, is what costs money here.
What rate is charged if I carry a balance?+
Purchases that are not cleared each month are charged at 20.95%. That rate is the card's real cost, and it applies whatever the rewards are doing, so the card suits someone who pays in full each statement rather than revolving a balance month to month.
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Related by the facts
Capital One UK
Sainsbury's