1. MoneySavingExpert.com
  2. Borrowing
  3. Credit Cards
Skip to content of guide

In this guide

MSE weekly email

FREE weekly MoneySaving email 

For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today – it’s spam-free!

FAQs Privacy Past Emails Unsubscribe

Official APR examples

All credit cards

Money Team
Updated 16 July 2024

There are regulations governing how APRs must be displayed, and below we have included credit card companies' official examples of how their interest rates work (see loan APR examples).


Of course, these should be of no practical use for anyone following most of our techniques properly. Being a savvy MoneySaver usually means NEVER paying the APR, and instead taking advantage of special 0% rates, or paying the card off in full every month.

Skip to content of guide

In this guide

See the following guides for all the current best-buy credit cards... 

Balance Transfers | 0% Money Transfers | 0% Credit Cards For Spending | 0% Balance Transfers & Spending | Credit Card Rewards | Airline Credit Cards | Cards For Rebuilding Credit | Travel Credit Cards

APR examples by company

MSE weekly email

FREE weekly MoneySaving email

For all the latest guides, deals and loopholes simply sign up today – it's spam-free!

FAQs Privacy Past Emails Unsubscribe

What does 'representative' rate mean?

Where credit cards use a 'representative APR', this means 51% of successful applicants must be given the stated rate. With credit cards, the rate for purchases (as opposed to balance transfers or cash withdrawals) is used as the main rate to advertise the card.

So if that is described as 21.9% representative APR, then 51% of people accepted have to get an interest rate of 21.9%, but the other 49% could get a different rate (usually higher). Of course, some people will be rejected outright.

Credit card companies' representative APR examples

PROVIDER CREDIT CARD REPRESENTATIVE APR
American Express (Amex) British Airways If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable), your representative APR will be 31% APR (variable).
British Airways Premium If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable) with a £250 annual fee, your representative APR will be 139.9% APR (variable).
Nectar If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable) with a £25 annual fee, your representative APR will be 37.8% APR (variable).
Platinum Cashback 

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable) with a £25 annual fee, your representative APR will be 36.7% APR (variable).
Platinum Cashback Everyday If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable), your representative APR will be 31% APR (variable).
Preferred Rewards Gold

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable) with a £160 annual fee, your representative APR will be 88.8% APR (variable).
Rewards

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 31% (variable), your representative APR will be 31% APR (variable).
Asda Money Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 27.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 27.9% APR (variable).
Select Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).
Barclaycard  Barclaycard Platinum If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable).
Barclaycard Rewards If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 28.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 28.9% APR (variable).
Barclaycard Forward If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 33.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 33.9% APR (variable).
Reward / Avios If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 29.9% APR (variable).
Reward / Avios Plus If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 80.1% APR (variable).
Capital One 0% Purchase If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 37.94% (variable), your representative APR will be 37.9% APR (variable).
Balance Transfer Card - poorer credit scorers If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.94% (variable) your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).
Fluid Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.94% (variable) your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).
Halifax Clarity Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 23.94% (variable) your representative APR will be 23.9% APR (variable).
HSBC Purchase Plus If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable).
John Lewis Partnership Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 39.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 39.9% APR (variable).
Lloyds Bank Dual Transfer and Purchase / Balance Transfer Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable).
MBNA Dual Transfer and Purchase If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.93% (variable), your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable)
M&S Bank M&S Credit Card / Shopper Plus / Purchase Plus If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable).
NatWest  Balance Transfer Credit Card / Purchase & Balance Transfer Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable).
Post Office Classic Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.94% (variable), your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).
Sainsbury's Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 23.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 23.9% APR (variable).
Everyday 3-3 Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 29.9% APR (variable).
Nectar If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable).
Santander Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 23.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 23.9% APR (variable).
Tesco Bank Foundation Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 29.9% APR (variable).
Money Transfer Credit Card / All round If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable). 
Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 26.9% APR (variable).
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26.9% (variable) with a £160 annual fee, your representative APR will be 69.7% APR (variable). 
Balance / Money Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 26.9% APR (variable).
Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 24.9% APR (variable). 
Balance Transfer Credit Card - poorer credit scorers If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 29.9% APR (variable).
Zopa Balance Transfer Credit Card - poorer credit scorers If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).

MSE weekly email

FREE weekly MoneySaving email

For all the latest guides, deals and loopholes simply sign up today – it's spam-free!

FAQs Privacy Past Emails Unsubscribe
Share this guide

Spotted out of date info/broken links? Email: brokenlink@moneysavingexpert.com

MSE tools & calculators

Clever ways to calculate your finances 

Credit Card Eligibility

See which cards are likely to accept you

Tool

Loans Eligibility

See which loans you've the best chance of getting

Tool

MSE App

Get MSE on your Apple or Android phone

Tool

Broadband Unbundled

Compare broadband deals & save

Tool

Mortgage best buys

Compares thousands of mortgages

Tool

Mortgage Calculator

Eight calcs for all your mortgage sums

Tool
Tools and calculators

What the * means above
If a link has an * by it, that means it is an affiliated link and therefore it helps MoneySavingExpert stay free to use, as it is tracked to us. If you go through it, it can sometimes result in a payment or benefit to the site. It's worth noting this means the third party used may be named on any credit agreements.

You shouldn’t notice any difference and the link will never negatively impact the product. Plus the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by these links. We aim to look at all available products. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the top deal, it is still included in exactly the same way, just with a non-paying link. For more details, read How this site is financed.

MoneySavingExpert.com Limited is an appointed representative of MONY Group Financial Limited. MONY Group Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 303190). The registered office address of both MONY Group PLC and MONY Group Financial Limited (registered in England No. 3157344) is MONY Group House, St. David's Park, Ewloe, Chester, CH5 3UZ.