The Nationwide Select Credit Card has just got better. Is it now the best all-round credit card?
Nationwide has ramped up the 0% purchase offer available on its Select Credit Card.
The card now comes with 15 months of interest-free purchases (up from 12 months) as well as 26 months 0% on balance transfers (with a 2.4% transfer fee).
You also get 0.5% cashback on practically anything you buy, commission-free purchases abroad and access to Nationwide’s Simply Rewards scheme where you can find savings on restaurants, days out and shopping.
The combined 0% purchases and balance transfers as well as cashback and rewards makes the Nationwide Select an impressive all-rounder credit card.
So how does the new and improved Select card stack up against the competition?
How it compares
All-round credit cards serve more than one function. Commonly they will offer both interest-free purchases and balance transfers on one account.
Below are the top all-round cards available right now that offer 0% on purchases and 0% on balance transfers for at least 12 months, arranged by length of purchases.
|
Credit card |
0% purchase offer |
0% balance transfer offer |
Balance transfer fee |
Cost of £2,000 transfer |
APR |
|
15 months |
26 months |
2.40% |
£48 |
15.9% |
|
|
15 months |
15 months |
0.80% |
£16 |
17.9% |
|
|
15 months |
15 months |
0.90% |
£18 |
16.9% |
|
|
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum Balance Transfer and Purchase Credit Card |
15 months |
15 months |
0.90% |
£18 |
16.9% |
|
15 months |
15 months |
3% |
£60 |
16.9% |
|
|
14 months |
14 months |
2.90% |
£58 |
18.9% |
|
|
13 months |
13 months |
1% |
£20 |
17.9% |
|
|
13 months |
13 months |
3% |
£60 |
22.7% |
|
|
13 months |
13 months |
3% |
£60 |
50.8% |
|
|
13 months |
13 months |
3% |
£60 |
17.9% |
|
|
12 months |
15 months |
2.90% |
£58 |
16.9% |
*You need a FlexAccount to qualify for this card.
** Cards charge an annual fee
As you can see Nationwide's Select Credit Card is now the longest lasting all-round card. You get 15 months 0% on purchases like the other top deals, but also get a much better 26 months interest-free on balance transfers which is 11 months better than what the other cards can offer.
It's not far off other top deals in their respective categories either.
[SPOTLIGHT]Currently the best 0% balance transfer card is the Barclaycard 30-Month Platinum. It comes with a whopping two and a half years interest-free on balance transfers and charges a 2.9% transfer fee.
Meanwhile the best 0% purchase card around at the moment is the Halifax Purchase Card which comes with 17 months interest-free on purchases.
Using these two cards as benchmarks you can see the Nationwide Select Credit Card can really give you the best of both worlds. With 26 months interest-free on balance transfers the deal is only four months shy of a market-leading spot and now with 15 months interest-free it is also on par with all the other all-round deals and only two months below the market leader.
How to get the Select card
You can only apply for the best value all-round Select Credit Card if you have or open a Nationwide Flex current account.
Nationwide has three current accounts to choose from; the FlexAccount, FlexDirect and FlexPlus.
The FlexAccount is a simple fee-free account that comes with a three-month interest-free overdraft, the chance to get free European travel insurance and access to Nationwide's Flexclusives which are exclusive deals on things like mortgages and savings.
FlexDirect is also a fee-free account but you get a whole lot more. As well as Flexclusives you get 5% in-credit interest on balances up to £2,500 for 12 months and the chance to get a 12-month interest-free overdraft.
FlexPlus costs £10 a month but you get a bundle of insurance policies including worldwide multi-trip family travel insurance with winter sports, worldwide mobile phone insurance, UK and European breakdown cover, extended warranty on household electrical goods and identity theft assistance. Plus you also get 3% in-credit interest on balances up to £2,500, a three-month fee-free overdraft with a £100 fee-free limit after this period, and free cash withdrawals abroad.
Non-current account customers can get access to the Nationwide Purchase Visa that now also comes with 15 months interest free purchases or the Nationwide Visa which comes with three months interest free purchases and 26 months 0% balance transfers.
For more on existing customer deals read: Best buys that are only for banks and building societies' existing customers.
More on credit cards:
The best cashback credit cards
The best 0% purchase credit cards
The best 0% balance transfer credit cards
Top alternatives to Barclaycard balance transfer credit cards