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credit card APR examples

Official APR examples

All credit cards

Eesha Mohindra
Eesha Mohindra | Edited by Martin Lewis
Updated 8 September 2022

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.

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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

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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
118 118 Money Guaranteed rate If you spend £500 at an annual interest rate of 34% (variable), your representative APR will be 34% APR (variable).
Amazon Classic If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.94% (variable), your representative APR will be 29.9% APR (variable).
Platinum If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.94% (variable), your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
American Express (Amex) British Airways If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26% (variable), your representative APR will be 26% APR (variable).
British Airways Premium If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26% (variable) with a £250 annual fee, your representative APR will be 103.7% APR (variable).
Nectar If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 25.7% (variable) with a £25 annual fee, your representative APR will be 31.3% APR (variable).
Platinum Cashback 

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 25.7% (variable) with a £25 annual fee, your representative APR will be 31.3% APR (variable).
Platinum Cashback Everyday If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26% (variable), your representative APR will be 26% APR (variable).
Preferred Rewards Gold

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26% (variable) with a £140 annual fee, your representative APR will be 61.8% APR (variable).
Rewards

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 26% (variable), your representative APR will be 26% APR (variable).
Aqua Aqua / Aqua Advance

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.95% (variable), your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).
Classic

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.75% (variable), your representative APR will be 29.7% APR (variable).
Barclaycard  Barclaycard Platinum If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable).
Forward If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 33.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 33.9% APR (variable).
Rewards / Avios If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 23.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 23.9% APR (variable).
Capital One Balance Transfer / Classic / Classic Complete If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 34.94% (variable), your representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable).
Platinum If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.84% (variable), your representative APR will be 29.8% APR (variable).
Chrome Chrome 24.7% If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 24.7% (variable), your representative APR will be 24.7% APR (variable).
Chrome 29.3% If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.3% (variable), your representative APR will be 29.3% APR (variable).
Chrome balance transfer If you spend £1,000 at an annual interest rate of 29.3% (variable), your representative APR will be 29.3% 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 Balance Transfer If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.93% (variable) your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
Clarity Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 19.93% (variable) your representative APR will be 19.9% APR (variable).
HSBC Balance Transfer / No fee Balance Transfer If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.9% (variable) your representative APR would be 21.9% APR (variable).
Purchase Plus If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable).
Lloyds Bank 0% Purchase and Balance Transfer Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.94% (variable) your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
MBNA Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.93% (variable), your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable)
Money Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.93% (variable), your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable)
Dual Transfer and Purchase If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.93% (variable), your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable)
M&S Bank M&S Credit Card / Shopper Plus  If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
Reward Plus If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 19.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 19.9% APR (variable).
Nationwide  Select Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 15.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 15.9% APR (variable).
NatWest  Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
NatWest Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 9.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 9.9% APR (variable).
Ocean Ocean Finance Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 39.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 39.9% 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).
Classic Dual Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 29.94% (variable), your representative APR will be 29.9% APR (variable).
Travel 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).
RBS Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
Sainsbury's Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card / Dual If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable).
Nectar If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 20.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 20.9% APR (variable).
Santander Everyday Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable). 
All in One Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 18.9% (variable) with an annual £36 fee, your representative APR will be 24.7% APR (variable).
Tesco Bank Foundation Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 27.5% (variable) your representative APR will be 27.5% APR (variable).
Money Transfer Credit Card / All round If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 20.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 20.9% APR (variable). 
Balance Transfer Credit Card / Purchases Credit Card 
 If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 21.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 21.9% APR (variable). 
Ulster Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 19.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 19.9% APR (variable).
Vanquis Bank Balance Transfer  If you spend £1,000 at an annual interest rate of 33.5% (variable), your representative APR will be 33.5% APR (variable).
Classic Credit Card If you spend £1,000 at an annual interest rate of 39.94% (variable) your representative APR will be 39.9% APR (variable).
Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable).
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable) with a £160 annual fee, your representative APR will be 63.9% APR (variable). 
All Round Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable). 
Balance / Money Transfer Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 22.9% 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).
Travel Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable).
Zopa 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).

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