Credit Card
Reviews
Honest opinions and scores on the best (and worst) credit cards in the UK. Used responsibly — paid off in full every month — the right card earns you real money on spending you're already doing.
Important. Only use a credit card if you can pay the balance in full each month. Interest charges will always outweigh any rewards earned. This is financial education, not financial advice — always read the full terms before applying. Some links are referral or friend links. Read our affiliate disclosure.
American Express
The best rewards cards in the UK — if you can use them
American Express is not universally accepted in the UK. Some merchants — including Subway, Home Bargains, and KFC — do not accept it. If you rely on one card for everything, pair your Amex with a fee-free Mastercard or Visa as a backup.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
The best all-round Amex card
The Amex Gold is the card I'd give a 10/10 — for the right person. The core perks — four free airport lounge passes per year and £120 in annual Deliveroo credit — are worth more than the annual fee if you use them. For frequent travellers or regular Deliveroo customers, this is a no-brainer.
The catch: it only makes financial sense if you actually use those benefits. If you don't fly often or don't use Deliveroo, the BA Amex (free) is the smarter choice. Higher earners who spend a lot and travel a few times a year will love this card.
British Airways American Express
The best free credit card in the UK
In my view, the British Airways Amex is the best free credit card available in the UK right now. You earn Avios on every purchase with no annual fee to justify first.
The sign-up bonus alone is typically worth hundreds of pounds in flight value if you use Avios well. No fee means no break-even threshold to clear. If you're going to have one Amex, this is the one.
Nectar American Express
Best for everyday spending that isn't travel
If you shop at Sainsbury's regularly and don't want to deal with travel points, the Nectar Amex is the best option for you. Nectar points are easy to understand and genuinely useful — off your shopping bill, at Argos, at Esso.
There is a £30 annual fee, but you'll cover that in a handful of shops. The welcome bonus on sign-up typically more than covers the first year's fee on its own.
Barclaycard Avios
A Visa alternative for Avios collectors — but I'd stay clear
If you want to earn Avios but can't get an Amex, the Barclaycard Avios exists as a Visa-based alternative. In practice, I'd stay clear. The earn rate is lower than the BA Amex, the welcome bonus is less generous, and the value proposition doesn't hold up.
If your only issue with the BA Amex is acceptance, get the BA Amex and use a backup card like Monzo Flex for the rare merchant that doesn't take it.
Beginner & Everyday Cards
Widely accepted Mastercard/Visa options — great for building credit or spending abroad
Monzo Flex
My favourite beginner credit card
If you're new to credit cards, Monzo Flex is where I'd start. It lives inside the Monzo app — you can see every transaction, set a repayment schedule, and freeze the card instantly from your phone.
The standout feature: 0% foreign transaction fees. Most credit cards charge 2–3% on purchases made abroad. Monzo Flex charges nothing. It's a Mastercard, so accepted essentially everywhere. No annual fee. Easy to get approved. Highly recommended.
Capital One Classic
A stepping stone for building your credit score
Capital One Classic is a solid, unremarkable card designed for people who want to build or rebuild their credit score. The acceptance criteria are more lenient than premium cards, which makes it accessible.
No rewards, no perks, and a high interest rate if you carry a balance. But used correctly — small purchases, paid off in full — it does its job. Think of it as a stepping stone, not a destination.
Aqua Classic
A last resort — only if you can't get anything else
I wouldn't personally recommend Aqua. The interest rate is extremely high, there are no rewards, and the credit limit starts very low. If you've been declined everywhere else and need a card to start building credit history, Aqua will accept you when others won't.
Use it strictly for one small automatic payment, paid off in full each month. Do not carry a balance. Upgrade as soon as you qualify for something better.
High Street Bank Cards
Your bank will offer you a card. Nine times out of ten, it's not worth it.
Why I usually skip high street bank credit cards
Barclays, HSBC, NatWest, Lloyds — they all offer credit cards, and they'll nudge you toward them when you open a current account. The problem is that high street bank cards are almost always worse on rewards, worse on fees, and worse on sign-up bonuses than the specialist options above. You're essentially paying convenience tax for staying inside one ecosystem.
The one exception worth knowing about:
Lloyds Bank Ultra Credit Card
The rare high street card that's actually competitive
The Lloyds Ultra stands out from its high street peers because it offers 1% cashback for the first year — which is genuinely competitive and beats most standard bank card offers. After year one the rate drops, so it's worth reassessing at renewal.
If you want to keep things simple and stay with your existing bank, the Lloyds Ultra is the one I'd point to. But if you're willing to use a specialist card, Monzo Flex or one of the Amex options will almost certainly serve you better in the long run.
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