Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Kiwibank vs Sainsbury's
Kiwibank
Higher score in this comparison
Sainsbury's
What sets them apart
| Compare | KiwibankReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Sainsbury'sReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | NZ$0 | £0 |
| APR | 12.9%Lower | 20.95% |
| Rewards type | None | Points |
| Balance transfer intro period | 6 months | 34 monthsHigher |
| Balance transfer fee | 1%Lower | 2.88% to 3.88% |
| Perks | 55 days interest free on purchases | Nectar points |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
| Rewards rate | Not confirmed | 2 points per GBP1 at Sainsbury's, 1 point per GBP5 elsewhere |
Same on both: Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Kiwibank scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Founded is lower at Sainsbury's: 1996 vs 2001.
- APR is lower at Kiwibank: 12.9% vs 20.95%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Kiwibank: 1% vs 2.88% to 3.88%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Sainsbury's: 34 months vs 6 months.
- Perks: only Kiwibank offers 55 days interest free on purchases.
- Perks: only Sainsbury's offers Nectar points.
Our verdict on each
Kiwibank
Kiwibank suits New Zealand customers who already bank with the brand and want everyday spending and borrowing on one relationship. The credit card carries an annual fee of NZD 0 and an APR of 12.9%, so it only suits you if you clear balances rather than carry them.
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 | Kiwibank | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8Annual fee NZD 0 and monthly fee NZD 0 sit against a currency conversion fee of 2.5%. | 9.2HigherAnnual fee of £0 helps, but 20.95% interest and a 2.88% to 3.88% transfer fee keep costs mid-range. |
| Offer | 9.9Higher | 9.0Points as the points reward plus a 34 balance transfer window cover everyday spend and old debt. |
| Trust | 9.2Higher | 9.0 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Kiwibank | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Kiwibank: 1. Additional countries for Sainsbury's: 1.
Moving a 3,000 balance
Kiwibank
30
1% of 3,000
Sainsbury's
86.4 to 116.4
2.88% to 3.88% of 3,000
Kiwibank comes out 56.4 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.
Also worth a look
HSBC UK has balance transfer intro period at 17 to 36 months, against 6 months for Kiwibank and 34 months for Sainsbury's.
HSBC UK reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Kiwibank | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 130 of 1020 | 171 of 1020 |
| Balance transfer cards | 5 of 35 | 13 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Kiwibank | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Not confirmed | Rewards |
| Audience | Business | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Kiwibank Limited | Sainsbury's Bank plc |
| Headquarters | New Zealand | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2001 | 1996Lower |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, Chat, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Kiwibank | Sainsbury's | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 12.9%lowest quarter | 20.95%above the median | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.5%above the median | Not confirmed | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 6 monthslowest quarter | 34 monthshighest quarter | 15 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 1%lowest quarter | 2.88% to 3.88%below the median | 3% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Kiwibank
Pros
- The credit card has an annual fee of NZD 0 and the everyday Visa debit card has a monthly fee of NZD 0
- Purchases get an interest-free period of 55 days interest free on purchases, which suits clearing balances in full each cycle
- Help is offered on phone, email and chat, including phone, email, chat and a help centre
Cons
- The rewards type on the credit card is none, so everyday spending earns nothing back
- The currency conversion fee of 2.5% ranks 192 of 259 brands compared
- A balance transfer charges a fee of 1% and lasts 6, so the saving is short lived
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
Kiwibank
Who it suits
- Kiwibank account holders in New Zealand who want a Visa card for everyday spending with a monthly fee of NZD 0
- People planning a large purchase and paying it off inside the interest-free period of 55 days interest free on purchases
- Business users of a Visa debit card, since the card is aimed at a business audience
Who should look elsewhere
- Travellers who spend abroad often, since the currency conversion fee is 2.5%
- Shoppers who want cashback, since the rewards type is none
- Borrowers carrying a balance past the 6 intro period, who pay 12.9% and might prefer the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
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.
Country by country
| Country | Kiwibank | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Kiwibank
What does it cost to keep a Kiwibank card?+
The credit card has an annual fee of NZD 0 and the everyday Visa debit card has a monthly fee of NZD 0, so holding either costs nothing on its own. Borrowing on the credit card is what costs money, at an APR of 12.9% on any balance you carry.
What is the interest-free period on purchases?+
Purchases get an interest-free period of 55 days interest free on purchases, which is one of the longer runs on the market and suits people who clear the balance each cycle. Any unpaid amount after that period is charged at the standard rate of 12.9%.
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.
Other options to compare
Kiwibank
Sainsbury's