Compare Credit Cards and Find the Right Credit Card for you

The secret to getting the most from a credit card is to get one that closely matches the way(s) you want to use it, to avoid paying more interest and charges than you need to.

For example, if you compare credit cards that have promotional offers and rewards for regular purchases, and then decide to also transfer some other debts onto the card, you would be able to do this; but you may get charged a large balance transfer fee and a higher interest rate as a result; this is because the card was set up to mainly support purchasing activities rather than debt repayment. There is a credit card available for just about every type of financial need, most issuers also offer credit card deals which combine several of the credit card types listed below into one card. Use this table to help you identify which types of cards match your needs:

Credit Card Type	Designed to be used for...
Balance transfer card	Consolidating debts from other credit cards and/or loans so they can be repaid at a lower interest rate.
Purchase card	Purchases in stores, overseas or online, has interest free components and other purchasing rewards and incentives.
Business card	Business expenses and activities, has features like year end summary statements, free additional cards for employees, rental car insurance, business hotel and dining discounts.
Cash back card	Getting a percentage (some as high as 10%) of what you spend back as cash, the more you spend the more cash you get back. You'll need to pay your balance off in full each month to avoid interest charges absorbing the cash you've earned.
Student/graduate card	Students who already have a bank account, has limited features usually offered by the Bank where your account is held.
Travel card	Frequent travellers to accumulate air miles or air points for free flights and/or travel related activities. Often includes free travel insurance covering lost or stolen luggage and/or flight delays, low or 0% overseas usage and exchange rate fees and international assistance programmes.
Rewards card	Earning points on what you spend, redeem for rewards such as merchandise, travel, accommodation, entertainment and gift cards.
Partner card	Donating a percentage of what you spend to a chosen charity or football club, or get discounts and benefits from travel agents, airlines and retailers to name a few.
Bad credit card	Cards offered to customers who have bad credit and/or county court judgements, usually very limited features and very high interest rates i.e. 40%.

If you identified several types above that suit your needs, most credit card companies combine one or more of these types of cards into one package, so one credit card can be used for several purposes. An example of a combination credit card might have:

a low balance transfer rate to consolidate debt,
interest free periods and rewards for purchases,
the ability to earn air miles for regular travel.

Car Loans Think about what type of additional services and features you may also need from a credit card, for example, do you want to be able to:

manage your credit card account free online to check your limit, statement and transactions
have customer service staff available to you 24/7 for lost or replacement cards and enquiries
choose your credit card statement dates
have free purchase protection and extended warranties
have an automatic online fraud protection guarantee
get lost or stolen cards replaced anywhere in the world.

When selecting which type of card will work best for you bear in mind that different types of credit cards attract differing interest rates and charges so some will cost more than others to use. For example, Balance transfer cards often have lower or even 0% promotional rates initially to encourage people to move their debt, whereas Rewards or Partner cards often have higher interest rates to cover the cost of providing additional services and benefits. If you just want a credit card for financial emergencies be aware that you may be charged annual, insurance and other fees regardless of whether you use the card or not.

Download the Credit Cards PDF Guide here - see our other free PDF guides here

Guide Contents

Thinking about credit cards?
How to manage credit card transfers and debt
Compare Credit Cards and find the right card for you
Understanding credit card charges
Shopping around for the best credit card deals
What to expect when you apply for a credit card
Credit card FAQ - eg. What Are 0% and Interest Free Credit Cards
Where can I go to get more credit card help?

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