Although Credit Card Forum is based in the United States, we receive visitors from across the globe seeking help and advice. One of the regions we receive a large number of visitors from is the United Kingdom. While the USA is still the charge card capital of the world (after all, we did invent them!), on the other side of the pond they are also a big hit.  On our message boards, we are frequently asked by these visitors questions such as “What are the best UK credit cards?”

Well for starters… different financial institutions offer different cards country by country… so it’s not like comparing apples to apples when looking for that perfect card. While Bank of America, Citi, American Express, and Chase are some of the most popular card issuers in the US, over in the UK you will notice the major players are different: Barclaycard, Halifax, MBNA, Virgin Money, and Bank of Scotland are a few of the big names there.  However one of the few brands you will find that is popular in both areas is Capital One.

But brands aren’t the only difference. The laws, regulations, and financial operations are different between the countries. Because spenders in the United Kingdom are less likely to carry a balance, cards there have a typical APR that is higher. However, that’s not to say there aren’t deals… If you compare UK credit cards thoroughly, you will find that the Barclaycard Goldfish card currently offers an excellent interest rate for purchases – 9.9% as of May 10th.  But if you are looking for the longest 0% balance transfer offer, right now the Virgin Money card is the best deal – 0% APR for 16 months.

Written May 2009