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Official APR examples

All credit cards

Money Team
Updated 14 September 2023

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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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
American Express (Amex) British Airways If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable), your representative APR will be 30.7% APR (variable).
British Airways Premium If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable) with a £250 annual fee, your representative APR will be 112.5% APR (variable).
Nectar If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable) with a £25 annual fee, your representative APR will be 36.3% APR (variable).
Platinum Cashback 

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable) with a £25 annual fee, your representative APR will be 36.3% APR (variable).
Platinum Cashback Everyday If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable), your representative APR will be 30.7% APR (variable).
Preferred Rewards Gold

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable) with a £160 annual fee, your representative APR will be 75.2% APR (variable).
Rewards

If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 30.7% (variable), your representative APR will be 30.7% APR (variable).
Asda Money Credit Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 25.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 25.9% 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).
Reward / Avios If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 28.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 28.9% APR (variable).
Reward / Avios Plus If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 28.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 78.9% APR (variable).
Capital One 0% Purchase 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).
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 23.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 23.9% APR (variable).
John Lewis Partnership Card If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 27.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 27.9% APR (variable).
Lloyds Bank Dual Transfer and Purchase If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 23.95% (variable) your representative APR will be 23.9% APR (variable).
MBNA Dual Transfer and Purchase If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 22.93% (variable), your representative APR will be 22.9% APR (variable)
M&S Bank M&S Credit Card / Shopper Plus  If you spend £1,200 at an annual interest rate of 23.9% (variable), your representative APR will be 23.9% 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).
RBS 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).
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).
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). 
Ulster Bank No fee 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).
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 25.9% (variable) your representative APR will be 25.9% 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).

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