Last reviewed: 23 March 2026
I spent three months applying for and using seven different UK credit cards to find the best ones for different needs. Here’s what I learned — including a few surprises.
Why I Did This
I’d been coasting on the same basic debit card for years, watching other people collect Avios points, cashback, and sign-up bonuses while I got absolutely nothing in return for my spending. Last year I decided to actually do something about it. I wanted to maximise rewards on everyday spending, cut down on interest costs, and find a card that actually worked for me rather than the bank. So I applied for seven different cards, used each one as my primary card for a set period, and tracked exactly what I got back versus what it cost me. Here’s my honest assessment of each one.
The 7 Cards I Tested
1. Chase Debit Card — Best for Everyday Spending
The Chase current account with its 1% cashback is technically a debit card rather than a credit card, but I’ve included it because it’s legitimately one of the best deals going for everyday spending in the UK right now. There’s no annual fee, the app is excellent, and the cashback just lands in your account automatically. In three months of using it as my main spending card, I earned around £47 in cashback with zero effort. The downside: it’s a debit card, so you don’t get Section 75 protection on purchases over £100 the way you do with a credit card. But as a no-brainer daily spending card, nothing else comes close at zero cost.
2. American Express Gold — Best for Big Spenders
The Amex Gold gets a lot of hype and it’s mostly deserved — but only if you’re spending enough to justify the £140 annual fee after the first free year. The 4x points on restaurants and 2x on supermarkets are genuinely excellent, and the sign-up bonus (typically 20,000–30,000 Membership Rewards points) is worth roughly £100–£150 if you transfer to airline partners. I also got £120 in Deliveroo credit (12 x £10 monthly) which effectively offset most of the annual fee. The catch: Amex isn’t accepted everywhere, so you need a backup card. For anyone spending £1,500+ a month, this earns its keep. For lighter spenders, the fee will eat your rewards.
3. Barclaycard Avios Plus — Best for Travellers
If you fly British Airways or Iberia regularly, this card is hard to beat. The £20/month fee sounds steep, but you get a companion voucher after spending £10,000 in a year (potentially worth hundreds of pounds on a long-haul flight) and 1.5 Avios per £1 spent. I collected around 8,000 Avios over three months of use, which is roughly enough for a short-haul return flight in economy. The key thing to know: Avios are worth significantly more when you use them for upgrades or premium cabins. If you’re just going to redeem for cash, you’d be better off with a cashback card.
4. Halifax Clarity — Best for Abroad
This one’s boring but essential. Zero foreign transaction fees, no annual fee, and a low representative APR. I took it to three countries over the test period and paid exactly what the exchange rate said I should — no hidden charges, no surprises. The rewards programme is non-existent and the sign-up bonus is nothing. But if you travel more than a couple of times a year, the savings on foreign transaction fees (typically 2.99% with other cards) add up fast. I saved around £35 in fees on a two-week trip compared to what I’d have paid with a standard card. Keep this in your wallet specifically for overseas use.
5. Virgin Money All Round — Best Balance Transfer
I tested this one specifically for its balance transfer offer — up to 0% for 29 months at time of writing, with a 3% transfer fee. If you’re carrying expensive credit card debt elsewhere, the maths is pretty straightforward: a 3% one-off fee to avoid 20%+ APR for over two years is a very good trade. The card itself isn’t particularly rewarding for ongoing spending, and once the 0% period ends the rate jumps substantially. The verdict: use it specifically for the balance transfer, set a reminder to clear the balance before the 0% period ends, and don’t treat it as your main spending card.
6. Tesco Clubcard Plus — Best for Groceries
At §7.99/month, the Tesco Clubcard Plus credit card gives you 2x Clubcard points at Tesco and 1 point per £4 elsewhere. If you’re a loyal Tesco shopper spending £400+ per month in store, the doubled points and 10% discounts on two big shops per year can absolutely justify the fee. I did my supermarket shopping at Tesco for the test period and earned around 1,800 extra points compared to the free Clubcard, which converts to £18 in Tesco spend or up to £54 with Clubcard partners. For a Tesco-loyal family household, this is genuinely one of the better grocery rewards cards available.
7. Capital One Classic — Best for Building Credit
This card exists for one purpose: helping people build or rebuild their credit score. The credit limit is low, the APR is high (around 34.9% representative), and there are no rewards. But if you use it like a debit card — only spending what you can pay off in full each month — it costs nothing and steadily improves your credit profile. I monitored my credit score through the test period and saw a measurable improvement after three months of on-time payments. Don’t carry a balance on this one. The APR will hurt you. But as a credit-building tool used responsibly, it does exactly what it says on the tin. According to the FCA’s consumer credit guidance, responsible use of a credit card is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate creditworthiness to lenders.
My Rankings Table
| Card | Best For | Annual Fee | My Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Debit Card | Everyday cashback | Free | 9/10 |
| Amex Gold | Big spenders / dining | £140 (free Y1) | 8/10 |
| Barclaycard Avios Plus | Frequent flyers | £240/yr | 8/10 |
| Halifax Clarity | Travel / abroad | Free | 9/10 |
| Virgin Money All Round | Balance transfer | Free | 8/10 |
| Tesco Clubcard Plus | Tesco shoppers | £96/yr | 7/10 |
| Capital One Classic | Credit building | Free | 7/10 |
How to Choose the Right Card
The most common mistake people make is applying for the card with the biggest sign-up bonus without checking whether it fits their actual spending habits. Here’s a simple framework: if you pay your balance off every month (good credit discipline), focus on rewards. If you sometimes carry a balance, prioritise the lowest APR — interest charges will wipe out any rewards you earn. If you’re planning a big purchase, look for 0% purchase period cards. If you travel frequently, a no-foreign-fee card is essential. And if you’re new to credit or rebuilding after problems, start with a credit-builder card, use it responsibly for six months, then consider upgrading. For more detailed comparison tools and independent advice, MoneySavingExpert’s credit card comparison pages are an excellent resource. You can also find our own curated comparisons on the CardPickr credit cards page.
FAQ
Does applying for multiple credit cards hurt your credit score?
Each credit application creates a hard search on your credit file, which can temporarily reduce your score by a few points. Applying for several cards in a short period looks worse than spacing applications out. I’d recommend waiting at least three months between applications, and using eligibility checkers (which use soft searches) to see your chances before applying.
What’s the best credit card if I have bad credit?
If your credit history is poor or limited, you’ll likely be rejected by premium rewards cards. Start with a credit-builder card like the Capital One Classic or Vanquis Bank. Use it for small regular purchases, pay the balance in full each month, and after 6–12 months your profile should improve enough to qualify for better cards.
Is cashback or points better?
Cashback is simpler and always has a clear, predictable value. Points can be worth more — sometimes significantly more if you redeem smartly for flights or upgrades — but they require more effort to manage and can devalue if programmes change their terms. If you can’t be bothered tracking points, cashback is the safer choice. If you’re willing to do the work, points usually win for value.
Final Verdict
There’s no single best credit card — it depends entirely on how you spend and what you value. But after three months of testing seven different cards, I’ve landed on a two-card setup that works well for me: the Chase account for everyday cashback and the Halifax Clarity for travel. If your situation is different, use the framework above to pick what fits your needs. And whatever you do, don’t let rewards tempt you into spending more than you would otherwise or carrying a balance. The moment you start paying interest, rewards become worthless.