Saturday, February 22, 2014

what is a low rate credit card


what is a low rate credit card

Compare low rate credit cards


Save money on balance transfers and retail purchases with MoneySupermarket's comparison of the best credit cards with low interest rates for the life of the card. These cards also come with great benefits including travel discounts, no balance transfer fees and contactless payment technology.

Featured low rate credit cards - Sorted by lowest APR

Apply for the cards below today or search all low rate credit cards
  • Provider/Product name
  • Representative APR (variable)
  • Rewards
  • Balance transfer
  • Foreign purchase fee
  • Your chance of approval

  1. Market leading

    Offers the lowest standard APR on purchases
    Great for
    Collecting double Nectar points on your Sainsbury's shopping. Ts&Cs apply
    Collecting one Nectar point for every £5 spent on your card elsewhere
    But be aware that
    There is no 0% period
    The APR you get is subject to status, so may vary

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 7.84% (variable) your representative APR will be 7.8% (variable).
  2. Great for
    Clubcard points on your spending. One point awarded for every £4 spent in each purchase transaction (£4 min). Must have available credit
    But be aware that
    The APR you get is subject to status, so may vary
    You cannot apply if you currently hold another Tesco Credit Card

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 7.8% (variable) your representative APR will be 7.8% (variable).
  3. Great for
    0% interest free for 6 months
    No balance transfer fees
    But be aware that
    You must have an excellent credit status

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 9.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 9.9% (variable).
  4. Great for
    0% interest free for 6 months
    No balance transfer fees
    But be aware that
    You must have an excellent credit status
    You cannot transfer a balance from another RBS Group card

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 9.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 9.9% (variable).
    • Provider/Product name Advance Credit Card

      TSB

    • Representative APR (variable) 11.9%APR
    • Rewards No rewards
    • Balance transfer 4.9% 12 months 3% fee
    • Foreign purchase fee 2.95% EU Countries 2.95% Worldwide
    • Your chance of approval
    • Go to site
      More details

    Exclusive

    You won't get this offer on any other comparison site
    Great for
    A low standard APR rate of 11.9%
    0% interest on purchases for the first 6 months
    Low 4.9% interest for the first 12 months of balance transfers
    But be aware that
    The APR you get is subject to status, so may vary
    You won't be able to transfer a balance that's already on a TSB card
    Product has no grace period and is designed for customers that do not pay balance in full

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 11.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 11.9% (variable).

  6. Exclusive

    You won’t get this offer on any other comparison site
    Great for
    No fee to transfer a balance
    No fee to use anywhere worldwide
    But be aware that
    Interest rates range from 12.9% - 21.9%

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 12.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 12.9% (variable).
    • Provider/Product name Everyday Card

      MBNA

    • Representative APR (variable) 13.9%APR
    • Rewards No rewards
    • Balance transfer 0% 18 months 1.5% fee
    • Foreign purchase fee 2.99% EU Countries 2.99% Worldwide
    • Your chance of approval
      Will you get this card?
      Start >>
    • Go to site
      More details
    Great for
    A low 13.9% p.a. variable on card purchases after promotional period
    Low balance transfer fee of 1.5%
    Transfer money to your current account
    But be aware that
    You cannot transfer a balance from another MBNA or Virgin card

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 13.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 13.9% (variable).
  8. Great for
    0% balance transfer handling fee
    Low rate of 6.9% p.a for the lifetime of your balance transfer
    But be aware that
    Promotional rates are only valid on balance transfers made within the first 60 days of account opening
    You cannot transfer a balance from another MBNA or Virgin card

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 16.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 16.9% (variable).
  9. Great for
    Low rate of 6.9% p.a for the lifetime of all purchases made within 90 days of account opening
    But be aware that
    Promotional rates are only valid on purchases made within the first 90 days of account opening
    The interest rate charged on purchases after the introductory period is 16.9%

    Representative Example:

    If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 16.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 16.9% (variable).
See more low interest cards
Promotion
With so many credit cards offering interest free periods on purchases and balance transfers, you could be forgiven for wondering why anyone would opt for a low rate credit card at all.
And although some of those 0% offers may seem too good to pass up – some don’t charge interest for two years – they’re not always the answer for everyone.
For instance, if you have a large balance to transfer and you are unlikely to have paid it off before the interest free period ends, you could get stung as the rate will leap to an annual percentage rate (APR) of around 18%.
And while you could always switch to another 0% credit card, you may not want to risk being rejected; which would not only leave you with a large balance and interest rate, but could potentially have a negative effect on your credit score and make it even more difficult to get access to credit in the future.
If this is the case then you may be better off applying for a low rate credit card, which has just one standard rate that is usually markedly lower than those offered on standard credit cards.

What types of low rate credit cards are available?

There are several types of low rate credit card currently on the market, so it’s essential that you pick the right one to suit your needs.
If you have a balance to transfer across from your old card, pick a card that comes with no balance transfer fee; if, on the other hand, you are a frequent traveller, then it could be worth applying for a card that offers discounts on travel and insurance.
You’ll also want to make sure you get the lowest interest rate possible. Representative APRs on low rate cards can be anything from around 6.9% to as much 16.9% (variable) which will really hit you in the pocket if you have a large balance to pay off.
And while some cards offer the low rate for the lifetime of the card, some will only offer it for a certain period of time, so be sure to check the terms and conditions fully before applying.

What are the advantages of using low rate credit cards?

The main advantage of a low rate credit card is that, as you’d expect, the annual interest rate is lower than those on standard credit cards and on 0% credit cards, once the interest-free period has ended.
Interest rates on low rate credit cards generally start at around the 7% mark, compared to around 18% on standard cards, and there are usually no annual fees that can also push up the APR.
This low rate usually lasts for the lifetime of the card, which means so no nasty rate rises. This makes low rate credit cards an ideal budgeting tool as you can work out exactly how long it will take you to pay off your debt with a fixed monthly payment.
And although they don’t come with any special offers as far as interest-free periods are concerned, it’s worth looking out for cards come that without a balance transfer fee, or offer rewards or discounts on other services, such as travel or insurance.

Why use MoneySupermarket to compare low rate cards?

With a number of low rate credit cards available – and the fact that the low rate may not always be as low as you’d expect – it makes sense to shop around for the card that best fits your needs. Comparing the best deals available can help you make savings overall.
And by using the MoneySupermarket’s comparison tools, you can instantly compare low rate credit cards or even take a look at some of the other options available such as low rate personal loans or other types of credit card. 
We're free, independent and compare all UK credit cards as well as offering exclusive deals you can't get anywhere else.
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