Updated September 29, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
HSBC Classic Credit Card vs Qonto_AT
Qonto_AT
HSBC Classic Credit Card
Higher score in this comparison
Where HSBC Classic Credit Card and Qonto_AT differ
| Compare | HSBC Classic Credit CardReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Qonto_ATReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0 | €0 |
| APR | 29.9% | 17.5%Lower |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.99% | 2%Lower |
| Perks | Purchase protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for purchases of £100 to £30,000, Contactless payments, Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay from the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app, Offers and discounts via homeandaway.hsbc.com, Freeze and unfreeze the card and check the balance in the app or online banking, Credit limit of up to £1,000, may be increased automatically | Card insurance included (travel, business purchases, fraud), Deferred debit option on Plus and X Cards at no extra cost, Account remuneration 5% AER for 2 months then 1.5% (Smart and Premium plans), Apple Pay and Google Pay compatible, 24/7 support in France, 7 days a week elsewhere |
| Balance transfer intro period | 17 to 36 months | Not confirmed |
| Balance transfer fee | 3.09% to 3.49% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Rewards type (None), Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- HSBC Classic Credit Card scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.8.
- Founded is lower at HSBC Classic Credit Card: 1836 vs 2017.
- Qonto_AT is available in 7 more countries.
- APR is lower at Qonto_AT: 17.5% vs 29.9%.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Qonto_AT: 2% vs 2.99%.
- Perks: only HSBC Classic Credit Card offers Purchase protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for purchases of £100 to £30,000, Contactless payments, Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay from the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app.
- Perks: only Qonto_AT offers Card insurance included (travel, business purchases, fraud), Deferred debit option on Plus and X Cards at no extra cost, Account remuneration 5% AER for 2 months then 1.5% (Smart and Premium plans).
- Support channels: only Qonto_AT offers Email.
- Features: only Qonto_AT offers Virtual card.
Our verdict on each
HSBC Classic Credit Card
The HSBC Classic Credit Card suits anyone in the UK who wants a plain credit card with purchase protection under the Consumer Credit Act and no rewards to track. The annual fee is £0, while borrowing costs sit at an APR of 29.9%, the real cost to watch.
Qonto_AT
Qonto suits sole traders and small companies that want a euro account with a Mastercard card and an annual fee of €0. The account itself costs €9 a month and overdraft borrowing runs at 17.5%, so the card only pays off if you use it.
Score breakdown
| Area | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Cost rests on borrowing and foreign spend: an APR of 29.9% and a currency conversion fee of 2.99% outweigh a fee free holding cost. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 9.4 | 9.4 |
| Trust | 10.0Higher | 8.2 |
How they place
| Ranking | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT |
|---|---|---|
| Debit cards | 89 of 1336 | 9 of 1336 |
| Credit cards | 88 of 1020 | 7 of 1020 |
| Business debit cards | 21 of 201 | 2 of 201 |
| Travel cards | 54 of 443 | 7 of 443 |
| Business credit cards | 11 of 92 | 2 of 92 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT |
|---|---|---|
| France | Not confirmed | FR_ACPR PSD_PI FR_ACPR!68677 |
| United Kingdom | Financial Conduct Authority 765112 | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for HSBC Classic Credit Card: 1. Additional countries for Qonto_AT: 8.
Also worth a look
Nexo has apr at from 1.9%, against 29.9% for HSBC Classic Credit Card and 17.5% for Qonto_AT.
Nexo reviewWhere these facts come from
HSBC Classic Credit Card
- hsbc.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- about.hsbc.co.uk: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Qonto_AT
- qonto.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- euclid.eba.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Multi currency, Travel | Multi currency, Virtual card, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Legal entity | HSBC UK Bank plc | QONTO |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | France |
| Founded | 1836Lower | 2017 |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Help centre | Chat, Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Debit cards
| Fact | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | €9 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Card type | Debit | Debit |
| Card network | Visa | Mastercard |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | from 30 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 29.9%highest quarter | 17.5%below the median | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.99%highest quarter | 2%above the median | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 17 to 36 monthshighest quarter | Not confirmed | 15 |
| Balance transfer fee | 3.09% to 3.49%above the median | Not confirmed | 3 |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
HSBC Classic Credit Card
Pros
- The annual fee is £0, and the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges $0 with the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) at $0, so a yearly charge does not decide between them.
- Purchase protection under the Consumer Credit Act comes as standard, joined by contactless payments and the option to add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so phone, chat and a help centre are all available.
Cons
- The APR is 29.9% in the UK, well above the site median of 20.97%, so a carried balance is expensive.
- Currency conversion costs 2.99% on foreign purchases, while the Wise card charges 0%.
- The rewards type is none, so spending earns nothing back, and 49.5% of the cards on the site do pay cashback.
Qonto_AT
Pros
- Annual card fee of €0, and card insurance covers travel, business purchases and fraud.
- Multi-currency, virtual card and travel features come with the Mastercard.
- Deferred debit is available at no extra cost on Plus and X Cards.
Cons
- The account charge of €9 a month sits above the site median €0.
- Conversion at 2% is above the site median 1%.
- Spend earns nothing back, with a rewards type of none.
Who each suits
HSBC Classic Credit Card
Who it suits
- People who pay the balance in full each month and want no yearly charge: the card's audience is business, and 66.1% of the cards on the site share that aim.
- Anyone who wants purchase protection under the Consumer Credit Act and phone, chat and help centre support on the same card.
- Borrowers clearing an existing balance inside the interest free transfer window of 17 to 36.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for regular overseas spending: the Wise card charges a currency conversion fee of 0% against 2.99% here.
- Not a first credit card. 45.7% of the cards on the site serve applicants with poor credit, so the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), with an annual fee of $0, is the secured route to weigh.
- Not for reward hunters, since the rewards type is none. A cashback card serves better, and the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, with an annual fee of $0, is a secured comparison rather than a rewards one.
Qonto_AT
Who it suits
- A sole trader or small company paying staff and suppliers from the same euro account.
- Businesses spending across from 30 currencies that keep a balance in each.
- Teams wanting a virtual card for subscriptions next to a physical Mastercard.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after cashback on spend, since the rewards type here is none, so Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) is worth a look.
- Anyone without a company behind the account, as Qonto is built for business customers and Wise serves personal money.
- Anyone building a credit record first, for whom Varo Believe Secured Credit Card is the secured option.
Current offers
HSBC Classic Credit Card
Current offer
Bonus
Get £500 with an HSBC Premier Bank Account: GBP 500
New customers only. Subject to eligibility and T&Cs. Credit subject to status. The £500 welcome bonus offer can be withdrawn at any time.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Qonto_AT
Current offer
Free trial
1-month free trial on Qonto business account plans: 1 month free
Offered on the Basic, Smart and Premium business account plans; displayed prices are monthly equivalents billed annually
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | HSBC Classic Credit Card | Qonto_AT |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| France | No | Yes |
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Italy | No | Yes |
| Netherlands | No | Yes |
| Portugal | No | Yes |
| Spain | No | Yes |
8 of 9 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
HSBC Classic Credit Card
Does the HSBC Classic Credit Card charge an annual fee?+
No. The annual fee is £0, and the card is built around a no annual fee model, so holding it costs nothing to keep. The Varo Believe Secured Credit Card and the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) also charge no annual fee, at $0 and $0.
What rate do I pay if I carry a balance?+
The APR is 29.9%, against a site median of 20.97%, so interest on this card runs well above the typical figure on the site. That is the number to watch, because the card costs nothing to hold. Repaying the balance in full each statement means no interest is charged.
Qonto_AT
What does a Qonto business account cost each month?+
The account itself is billed at €9 a month, while the card carries an annual fee of €0. Overdraft borrowing is charged at 17.5%, and currency conversion on the card costs 2%. Card spend itself adds nothing, so the running cost depends on borrowing and on how often you pay in another currency.
Who supervises Qonto in France?+
Qonto is supervised in France by ACPR (Autorite de Controle Prudentiel et de Resolution), recorded as 16958. The French register lists the same authority as PSD_PI FR_ACPR!68677, and France is the headquarters country. Both entries point to the same French body, so the account sits under a single named supervisor.
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Qonto_AT
HSBC Classic Credit Card