Which bank has the best credit card?

Choosing the best credit card can be a difficult task - especially when you have to compare and evaluate all the different features of each card such as APRs, interest rates on balance transfers and cashback rewards to name but a few!

So we've done the hard work for you and searched through all the details to find out how the most popular credit cards really stack up.

Let’s kick things off with AIB.

AIB

AIB offers a total of four different credit cards: the Click Visa card, the ‘be’ Visa or Mastercard, the Platinum Visa card and its Student Visa Card.

None of the cards charge an annual fee but Government stamp duty of €30 is charged each year to all cards.

All AIB's cards offer up to 56 days' interest-free credit and if you pay your balance in full and on time each month you can avoid paying any interest at all. Apart from the Student card, you can also add an additional cardholder for a family member over the age of 16 for free.   

Check out the rest of the features of each AIB card in the table below:

Key standout features:

• If you're a big spender, AIB’s Platinum card offers one of the best cashback reward schemes of all cards listed in this article
• The Click card has the lowest APR on the market
• The introductory interest rate of 3.83% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers is competitive

An Post Money

An Post Money has two credit cards. Its Classic Credit Card and its Flex Credit Card. Both are MasterCard. 

The Flex Credit Card has an interest rate of just 15.7% APR, which compares very favourably with other credit card options on the market.

With the Classic Credit Card, customers are charged a much higher rate of 22.9% APR. However since the Classic Credit Card has Ireland’s lowest balance transfer rate - 0% interest on credit card balance transfers for 12 months - it's a good option if you're transferring a balance. 

In a bid to become more environmentally friendly, An Post Money credit cards are now made of PLA biodegradable material.

The Flex Credit Card also comes with a nifty instalment plan feature, which allows you to transfer a credit card purchase of over €250 onto a separate lower interest rate of 8.6% APR and to pay it off in 12 equal monthly instalments. So a handy alternative to a personal loan in many cases.

With both cards you can add up to three additional cardholders at no extra cost. Each cardholder can have their own credit card and PIN.

An Post Money also has a great mobile app that allows you to get alerts for activities on your account and freeze and unfreeze your card instantly in case you think it's been lost or stolen. 

Avant Money

Avant Money, formerly Avantcard, is owned by Spanish banking giant Bankinter. 

Avant has two credit cards: the One card and the Reward+ card.

With both the Reward+ and One card you can get up to 56 days interest-free credit when you make purchases by paying off your bill in full and on time every month.

With the Reward+ card however, if you spend €500 within the first three months, you'll get a welcome credit of €100. Additionally, you can get a 25% refund (up to a max of €24 a month) on the interest you pay.

Its One card has fewer reward features, but comes with introductory discounted interest rates. 

Key standout features:

• New Avantages customer rewards programme, offering 100s of discounts and cashback offers from leading retailers
• Relatively low salary requirement of €13,500

Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland offers a total of four Mastercard credit cards: the Classic card, the Platinum card, the Aer credit card in conjunction with Aer Lingus, and its Student credit card.

There is a €7.99 monthly fee for the Aer credit card while the Platinum card has a yearly fee of €76.18. Government stamp duty of €30 a year also applies to all cards.

Similar to An Post's Flex Card, BOI's Classic and Aer cards also come with an instalment plan feature, which allows you to transfer a credit card purchase of over €250 onto a separate lower interest rate of 6.9% APR and to pay it off in either six, 12 or 24 equal monthly instalments. 

With all of the bank's cards (apart from the Student card) you can add up to three additional cardholders and still pay Government stamp duty only once.

As a Mastercard customer, you'll also get access to exclusive experiences, offers and benefits in Ireland or when exploring other destinations abroad with Mastercard Priceless Cities at www.priceless.com.

Check out the rest of the features of each Bank of Ireland card in the table below:

*Choice of 0% on purchases OR 0% on balance transfers

Key standout features:

• The perk of free travel insurance is a nice sweetener for students looking for a competitive credit card
• For those who spend big and love to travel, the Aer card has a host of unique benefits
• Instalment plan is a great alternative to a personal loan

PTSB

PTSB has just one credit card option and it does not currently cater to students.

However with PTSB you have the option to choose a monthly payment date for a time that suits you. You can also add a second card for a family member for free (once they're over 18).

Check out the rest of the features of the ICE card in the table below:

Key standout features:

• Choose a monthly payment date that suits you
• Competitive introductory rates     

Who wins?

If you're looking for the cheapest rate on the market then AIB's Click credit card wins hands down. However the Flex card from An Post Money is a close second and comes with an introductory discounted rate on purchases.

But if you're looking to transfer over a balance then An Post's Classic Credit Card is a good choice as it charges 0% interest for 12 months.

The point is that there's lots of choice out there at the moment. So if you're not happy with your current credit card provider, then switch! 

Compare and switch

Trying to find the right credit card to suit your needs can be time-consuming and confusing. The good news is you can easily compare and switch credit card providers right now on bonkers.ie. 

With our credit card comparison service, you can review interest rates, balance transfer options, and card features from Ireland’s main credit card providers. 

If you’re also looking for a new current account option, we recently wrote about which bank has the best value current account.  

Make sure you check out our banking and personal finance comparison page to discover how you can lower your other everyday banking costs.

Get in touch with us

If you have any questions about the credit cards discussed in this article, feel free to get in touch with us. You can comment below or contact us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.