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Our methodology
Our method starts with one simple rule: partners are listed first in every ranking, then by score. Partner status decides that first group, so a partner card can sit above rivals with a higher score. Each ranking is built from three criteria, weighted according to the group of cards being compared. In the finance group, trust carries the heaviest influence at 40%, cost weighs 35% and the offer available counts for 25%. Because those weights differ, the cheapest option is not always the strongest one, and a generous reward structure cannot rescue weak protection. Every card we assess gets a full review covering fees, safety of funds and how the account works day to day, alongside a shorter profile for readers who want the essentials quickly. Scores rest on official brand pages, regulator registers and other cited sources, which means each figure can be traced back to the page that published it rather than taken on trust. The same criteria and the same balance apply to every option inside a group, so two cards always end up being compared on identical ground. Start with the group that matches what you are looking for, read the weighting that governs it, and let the ordering do the sorting for you.
This page explains how DebitCue scores and ranks cards.
What we cover
This site compares debit cards, credit cards.
What we score
Every card is scored on a scale of 1 to 10 on the criteria below. The overall score is the weighted average of these criteria.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Cost | 35% |
| Offer | 25% |
| Trust | 40% |
How rankings are ordered
Rankings apply the following priorities in order; a later priority only breaks a tie in the earlier ones:
- Cards with a paid offer serving the current view come before those without one.
- Within each of those groups, cards available in your country come first, followed by those marked unavailable.
- Within each availability group, cards marked as lacking a required licence come after the others.
- Where these priorities tie, affiliate network links come before our own referral or direct partner links.
- Among network offers, an offer explicitly listing your country comes before a broad default offer. Within each of those groups, known expected commission per click comes before unknown values, and higher expected commission comes first. Ties are broken by commission terms (lifetime, revenue share, then per sale or lead) and then higher payout. For referral or direct partner offers, only explicitly listing your country breaks the commercial tie; their payout is not used as expected commission per click.
- Only after all the earlier priorities tie do rated cards come before those marked "not rated yet", followed by higher overall score.
When no country is selected, eligible active offers serving at least one country qualify for the paid group, including offers limited to particular countries. We use the highest recorded expected commission per click across an offer's base value and country values. When a country is selected, its value is used where recorded, otherwise the offer's base value applies.
A card with a lower score can therefore appear above one with a higher score because of the earlier priorities. Featured cards and sponsor strips sit outside the ranking. A booked placement is labelled "Sponsored"; when none is booked, the featured card shows a partner picked by the commission it pays us, labelled "Featured".
Countries
Global rankings list every relevant card. When a card does not accept customers from your country, we mark it and point you to an alternative. Country pages list only cards available in that country.
Sources
Facts come from each card's own website and documents, public registers, affiliate network listings and other published sources, including independent reviews. Each fact on a page shows its source link and the date we checked it. When a card publishes no country list, its countries come from its affiliate programme listings, and the page says so. The editorial policy explains how facts are checked.
Keeping it current
Scores change when the facts behind them change. A ranking is published once at least five cards in it are scored, and a card gets a review page once enough of its key facts are confirmed. Spot a mistake? Write to [email protected].
This page is written by the DebitCue Editorial Team.