- American Express
- Barclaycard
- Capital One
- Halifax
- HSBC
- M&S Bank
- Nationwide Building Society
- NatWest
- Santander
- Tesco Bank
- Virgin Money
American Express
American Express operates the largest integrated payments platform in the world, both issuing cards and operating a credit card network. Amex’s customers include consumers, small businesses, mid-sized companies and global corporations. In the UK it offers some of the most competitive credit cards for cashback and rewards.
Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of the Barclays banking group, is the UK’s largest credit card provider. It offers a broad range of cards for consumers and businesses, but particularly competitive deals on balance transfers and rewards.
Capital One
A relatively new bank founded in the US in 1994, Capital One Financial Corporation started as a bank focused on credit card issuance. Since then, it has grown to be a major banking presence in the US. It offered its first credit card in the UK in 1996 and since then has grown to become one of the top 10 providers. It offers a range of card deals including its popular Classic credit card, which is aimed at borrowers with a less-than-perfect credit history and score.
Halifax
The Halifax credit card brand is part of the Lloyds Banking Group and is a major issuer of credit cards in the UK. Lloyds also owns the MBNA credit card brand.
Halifax and Lloyds have a relatively large high street presence offering a range of banking services to consumers and small businesses. Halifax offers credit cards for balance transfer, purchase deals, rewards and cashback cards and also offers a competitive card for overseas travel and a card with a permanent low interest rate.
HSBC
HSBC is one of the world’s largest banks offering banking services across the globe. It offers a broad range of credit cards ranging from student deals to those for small businesses and start-ups. It has consistently offered competitive deals on balance transfers, with deals at 0% interest on borrowing for more than two years.
M&S Bank
M&S Bank launched in 2012 following on from Marks and Spencer Financial Services, which was set up in the 1980s. It is a joint venture between the high street retailer and HSBC. But M&S has a banking licence in its own right. It offers a balance transfer card or a purchase card. Loyal customers may be attracted by the rewards scheme on offer to all cardholders, who can earn M&S reward points when they spend.
Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide is the UK’s largest mutual financial company. It offers current accounts, loans, mortgages and credit cards to millions of customers. Nationwide offers one credit card and you have to be a Nationwide member to be eligible. Members include current account, mortgage or savings customers. One of the biggest perks of the card is the fee-free overseas card spending feature, making it a popular choice for holidaymakers.
NatWest
NatWest is one of the largest high street banks in the UK and has a strong presence in the credit card market, issuing a broad range of products regularly featuring in best buys for balance transfer deals, purchase cards, rewards cards and low-fee cards for spending overseas.
Santander
Spanish-owned Santander started operating in the UK in 2004 when it bought Abbey National bank. It is now among the largest banking brands in the country and has a large share of the credit card market. It offers competitive balance transfer deals with long 0% interest offer periods, as well as generous rewards and cashback cards.
Tesco Bank
Tesco Bank was originally set up as a joint venture between the supermarket giant and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), but today it is entirely owned by Tesco, which has its own banking licence.
Tesco Bank offers credit cards, loans, general insurance and savings accounts. Its credit cards are frequently in the best buy tables due to their link up with the highly popular Tesco loyalty card – the Clubcard. All Tesco Bank credit card holders can collect Clubcard points each time they use their card.
Virgin Money
Founded in the 1990s, Virgin Money has grown to become a major challenger to the big four banks. Its purchase of part of collapsed Northern Rock bank in 2012 and the subsequent takeover of Virgin by CYBG (which owns the Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank brands) means the banking group is now in the top 10 by market share.
Virgin offers balance transfer, money transfer and purchase deal cards as well as a Virgin Atlantic credit card, where cardholders can earn points on card spend towards flights with the airline.