Top pre-approved credit cards

Credit card pre-approval is a system that helps you identify which credit cards you are likely to be accepted for, without the need to submit a full application. It can save you from long-shot applications that will only waste your time, damage your credit score and leave you disappointed. However, success is not guaranteed by pre-approval. Full credit card approval requires more in-depth searches than pre-approval, so it is important to understand how the process works and what pitfalls you could come across. In this article you can find all of the key information, plus our regularly updated top picks for each major credit card category.

What are pre-approved credit cards?

Pre-approved credit cards are credit cards that come with the option of getting pre-approval before you apply. You can be pre-approved for a credit card through a third-party service or directly by the credit card provider. Pre-approval means the card provider will accept your application if you make one, subject to further checks. Pre-approved credit cards are not guaranteed to be accepted because the provider will still need to confirm that the information it has on you is correct, confirm your identity, and perform a hard credit check and fraud checks. This means that while pre-approval is a great way to check how likely your application is to be successful, it is not a final answer.

The main benefit of credit card pre-approval is that you can ensure you do not apply for cards that you are almost certain to be rejected for. Instead, you can apply with pre-approval, confident that you have a strong chance of being accepted and knowing what your credit limit and APR will be. The alternative – simply applying for the best credit card on the market – carries the risk of your application being rejected, your credit file showing that failed application, and your future borrowing prospects suffering. Submitting multiple credit applications in a short period of time suggests to lenders that you are struggling for money, which will make you a less attractive borrower.

Find out which pre-approved credit cards are best for you

Money to the Masses has partnered with Creditec* to help find the best credit card for you. By entering a few basic details, you will be able to see a tailored list of the best credit cards based on your individual circumstances. You can sort your results by the feature that interests you most, such as by card type, total fees or cashback offered. On top of this, the credit cards that have been pre-approved for you will be highlighted, meaning you can be more confident that you will be accepted if you apply. (Pre-approval does not guarantee acceptance and is still subject to additional lender checks). Your details will be used to conduct a soft credit search often referred to as an eligibility check, which means your credit score will not be affected. Click on this link to get started*.

The best pre-approved credit cards - September 2024

Card name	Card category	Representative APR	Annual fee	Best features
Natwest Purchase and Balance Transfer Credit Card	All-round	24.90%	£0	19 months interest-free for purchases and balance transfers (must be made within the first 3 months, 2.99% fee applies)
Barclaycard Platinum Purchase Credit Card - Check eligibility	0% purchase	24.90%	£0	The longest interest-free period (for those with good credit scores), up to 21 months
MBNA Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility	0% balance transfer	24.90%	£0	Up to 29 months interest-free for balance transfers (3.48% or 3.49% transfer fee)
Virgin Money Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility	Money transfer	26.90%	£0	12 months interest-free for money transfers (4% transfer fee)
Capital One Classic Credit Card - Check eligibility	Bad credit	34.90%	£0	Up to two credit increases a year
American Express Cashback Everyday Credit Card	Cashback	31.00%	£0	New cardmembers get 5% cashback on purchases (up to £125) for the first five months of Cardmembership. Cashback rate falls to 0.5% after the five months end, then rises to 1% once you spend £10,000. Minimum annual spend of £3,000 to qualify for cashback. Cashback credited to card balance after 12 months
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card	Rewards	88.80%	£195 (£0 in the first year)	20,000 membership rewards points when you spend £3,000 in your first three months. Plus 1 point for every £1 spent, 2 points per £1 for purchases made directly with an airline, 3 points per £1 for spending with American Express Travel
Barclaycard Rewards Credit Card - Check eligibility	Travelling abroad	28.90%	£0	0% foreign transaction fee, 0% cash withdrawal fee and 0.25% cashback on purchases
Lloyds Bank Premium Low Rate Credit Card - Check eligibility	Low APR	10.90%	£0	Long-term low interest rate

Best all-round pre-approved credit card

Natwest Purchase and Balance Transfer Credit Card

• Best for: Flexibility. Offers a decent 19 months for both purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be made within the first 3 months.
• Representative APR: 24.90% variable
• Interest-free period: 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers for 19 months (Balance transfers are subject to 2.99% fee)
• Annual fee: £0
• Why we like it: This card offers excellent flexibility and a long interest-free period on both purchases and balance transfers. There is no monthly fee, however, those wishing to transfer a balance will be required to pay the 2.99% balance transfer fee. You can read more on the Natwest site here.

For other best-buy all-round options, see our article 'Which are the best balance transfer and purchase credit cards?'.

Best 0% purchase pre-approved credit card

Barclaycard Platinum Purchase Credit Card - Check eligibility

• Best for: Balancing spreading the cost of large purchases with a balance transfer
• Representative APR: 24.90% APR after interest-free period
• Interest-free period: Up to 21 months (some successful applicants may get as few as 10 months) on purchases and 20 months for balance transfers (made within 60 days of account opening)
• Annual fee: £0
• Why we like it: Longest 0% purchase period, plus up to five months of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade for free. You can read more on the Barclaycard site here.

For other best-buy 0% purchase options, see our article 'Compare the best 0% purchase credit cards'

Best 0% balance transfer pre-approved credit card

 MBNA Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility

• Best for: Transferring existing credit or store card debt
• Representative APR: 24.90% variable
• Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.90% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.90% APR (variable)
• Interest-free period: Up to 29 months (some successful applicants may only get 14 months)
• Transfer fee: 3.48% or 3.49%
• Why we like it: This card offers a long interest-free period. You can read more on the MBNA website here. If you want a fee-free option, the Natwest Balance Transfer credit card is a good choice though with a shorter interest-free period of 13 months.

For other balance transfer options, see our article 'Best 0% balance transfer credit cards'

Best money-transfer pre-approved credit card

Virgin Money Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility

• Best for: Those looking for the longest guaranteed interest-free period with a reasonable fee and APR
• Representative APR: 26.9% variable
• Interest-free period: 12 months
• Transfer fee: 4.00%
• Why we like it: It's a good all-rounder, with the joint longest interest-free period currently available and 0% interest on balance transfers for 28 months. You can read more on the Virgin Money site here.

For more details on money transfer cards and alternative options, read our article 'A complete guide to the best money transfer credit cards'

Best pre-approved credit card for bad credit

 Capital One Classic Credit Card - Check eligibility

• Best for: People with poor or no credit
• Representative APR: 34.90% variable
• Starting credit limit: £200 to £1,500
• Eligibility: Check your eligibility before you apply without affecting your credit score.
• Perks: Collect Tesco Clubcard points, track spending through the mobile app, 3 years of free access to your credit report and score
• Why we like it: It offers the potential of two optional credit limit increases per year, if you demonstrate good management of the card. Read our full review: 'Capital One Classic credit card review'.

Read about the best options for those with bad credit in our article 'Compare credit cards for bad credit'.

Best pre-approved credit card for cashback

American Express Cashback Everyday Credit Card

• Best for: Fee-free cashback and perks
• Representative APR: 31.00% (variable)
• Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) per annum, your representative rate is 31.0% APR (variable)
• Cashback: 5% cashback on purchases (up to £125) for the first five months of cardmembership, if you have not held a personal American Express card within the previous 24 months. Cashback rate falls to 0.5% after the five months end, then rises to 1% once you spend £10,000. Minimum annual spend of £3,000 to qualify for cashback. Cashback credited to card balance after 12 months
• Rewards: Offers and discounts with selected travel and retail partners, as well as pre-release tickets to music, cinema and theatre through American Express Experiences
• Interest-free period: Maximum 56 days on purchases if you pay the full amount you owe on each statement date on time each month. No interest-free period on balance/money transfers or cash advances (subject to any interest-free promotional offer)
• Annual fee: £0
• Why we like it: American Express is known for its market-beating rewards schemes and this card does not disappoint, combining attractive cashback and rewards without the high annual fees attached to some of its other cards. If you are happy to switch cards after one year, check out the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card as the £195 fee is currently waived for the first year. You can read more on the Amex site here.

Read about the best cashback and reward credit card options in our article 'Which are the best cashback credit cards UK?'

Best pre-approved credit cards for rewards

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

• Best for: Earning rewards points on your spending
• Representative APR: 88.80% (variable)
• Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 31% (variable) per annum with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum, your representative rate is 88.8% APR (variable)
• Rewards offer: 20,000 membership rewards points when you spend £3,000 in your first three months.
• Rewards rate: 1 point for every £1 spent, 2 points per £1 for purchases made directly with an airline, 3 points per £1 for spending with American Express Travel
• Interest-free period: Maximum 56 days on purchases if you pay the full amount you owe on each statement date on time each month. No interest-free period on balance/money transfers or cash advances (subject to any interest-free promotional offer)
• Annual fee: £195 (£0 in the first year)
• Why we like it: Although it has a high APR and annual fee, this American Express card offers a great deal of flexibility as you can use the points with numerous air miles loyalty schemes, as well as with a wide range of retailers. You can read more on the Amex site here.

Find more of the best rewards credit cards on our 'Compare the best rewards credit cards in the UK' page.

Best pre-approved credit cards for travel

Barclaycard Rewards Credit Card - Check eligibility

• Best for: Earning as you spend abroad and in the UK
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%
• Cash withdrawal fee: 0%
• Representative APR: 28.90% variable
• Perks: Earn 0.25% cashback on everyday spending (excluding balance transfers, money transfers, cash withdrawals, buying currency or travellers’ cheques or gaming-related purchases). Get up to 5 months of free Apple subscriptions when you take out a new card (subscriptions include Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade)
• Why we like it: For those able to pay off the balance in full each month, this card allows you to earn cashback and enjoy rewards while also not charging foreign transaction fees. You can read more on the Barclaycard site here.

For a comprehensive review of travel credit cards, see our article 'Compare the best travel credit cards'

Best low-rate pre-approved credit cards

 Lloyds Bank Premium Low Rate Credit Card - Check eligibility

• Best for: Minimising charges if you can’t pay off the full balance each month
• Representative APR: 10.90% variable
• Balance transfers: 10.94% variable (5.00% fee)
• Purchases: 10.90% variable
• Annual fees: £0
• Why we like it: For those who choose not to switch between interest-free introductory offers, Lloyds Bank provides a consistently low APR for a long period, which allows you to budget more easily.

What you need to know about credit card pre-approval

Credit card pre-approval does not guarantee that your application will be approved, but it is as close as you can get without actually applying. Credit card providers can access enough information about your financial situation through a soft credit search to approve an application, but need a hard search and fraud checks to confirm that information is up to date and correct. A provider or third-party service can find your current address, salary and employment status from a soft search, all without leaving a mark on your credit file. This can then be matched up with the criteria for a specific card or range of cards. However, it is not guaranteed without an affordability test and hard credit check which is carried out as part of a full application.

Alternatively, a lender may already hold enough information on you to offer a pre-approved credit card if you have a pre-existing relationship from holding other products. The provider would then contact you to inform you that you have been pre-approved for a credit card, even if you have not shown any interest in applying for one. Even in this scenario, you would still need to complete a full application to get the card.

How to make the most of pre-approved credit cards

Pre-approved credit cards allow you to see what cards you are eligible for and likely to be accepted for without needing to apply. You can maximise the number of cards you can be pre-approved for by improving your credit score. Additionally, you could try to cut down your existing debt.

Your credit score is a great indication of how creditworthy you will appear to lenders based on the information in your credit file. The exact number that defines a good credit score or bad credit score can vary depending on which of the major credit reference agencies you check. You can use our independent reviews of the UK's main credit reference agencies Experian, Equifax and TransUnion to check with each. Checking and then improving your credit score should make a difference to how many credit card providers are willing to pre-approve you. We go through our top tips in our article 'How to improve your credit score quickly'.

Clearing your debt can be a bit more tricky, but is equally important. Credit card companies will only approve your application once they are convinced you have enough money coming in to pay off the debt you build up, including any cash you owe elsewhere. Focussing on cutting your total debt before you compare pre-approved credit cards can therefore boost your chances of being eligible for a range of top deals. If you are struggling to manage your debt, read our article ‘Where to get free debt advice’ to see a list of the best independent debt help organisations in the UK.

Including multiple providers in your pre-approval search is also very important. Thankfully, it is pretty straighforward. Just make sure to search through a third-party like our partner Creditec*, not just directly through providers.

Pros and cons of pre-approved credit cards

Here is a summary of the key advantages and disadvantages of pre-approved credit cards for you to consider:

Pros of pre-approved credit cards

• Find out how likely you are to get the card you want and protect your credit score - The best credit cards offer great benefits to help you earn rewards, get cashback, manage debt and access credit, but they do not accept everyone. Checking for pre-approval can temper your expectations and help you protect your credit score, as frequent failed applications will have a negative impact.
• Learn what you are eligible for - It is easy to apply for a credit card you have no chance of being accepted for because you are not eligible. This could be because you do not have sufficient income, the right residency status or a whole host of other reasons. A pre-approved credit card will warn you before you complete an unnecessary application, which could leave a mark on your credit file.
• Guaranteed interest rates - If you are pre-approved for a credit card, you will likely see a guaranteed interest rate figure. Of course, this is only guaranteed if your application is successful. Without pre-approval, you would be reliant on the representative APR (annual percentage rate) to compare the cost of cards. This is only the rate a provider expects to offer at least 51% of successful applicants, so not necessarily the rate you will get.
• Guaranteed credit limits - Some pre-approved credit cards will show a guaranteed credit limit. This is valuable because you would otherwise not know how high your limit would be until you had submitted a full application. You may see an illustrative credit limit, or a credit limit range advertised with a card, but knowing exactly how much you can spend up to is a big bonus.

Cons of pre-approved credit cards

• You are not guaranteed to get the card you are pre-approved for - Credit card pre-approval significantly cuts down the chances of you being rejected for a credit card, but it does not guarantee your application will be accepted. The provider will conduct further, more in-depth checks – such as ID and fraud checks – and a hard credit check during the full application process. You may also need to provide certain documents to prove your address or income. This is the point at which your application could fail, even if you have been pre-approved.
• Your credit file will need to be up to date to get accurate results - You could be rejected despite pre-approval if there are discrepancies between the information collected during the pre-approval process and what you submit in your full application. This is possible because the information held by a credit reference agency or credit card provider could be out of date. If you then put the up-to-date information into your application, it could flag as a discrepancy and trigger a rejection. To avoid this scenario, you could check your credit reports with the major credit reference agencies and make sure everything is correct. You can find out how to check your credit report for free in our article ‘The best way to check your credit score for free’.

Alternatives to pre-approved credit cards

Any potential downsides to pre-approved credit cards are not significant enough to push you towards applying without getting pre-approval, if it is an option. If you want a credit card, a pre-approved credit card is always going to be advantageous. However, a credit card is not always the best option, so here are the main alternatives you should consider.

Loans

A loan is an alternative to a credit card if you are looking to borrow money, especially if it is for a one-off big purchases or debt consolidation. Like a credit card, a loan involves borrowing a sum of money, then paying back what you owe with interest. A credit card is probably your best option if you want to borrow for everyday spending, earn rewards or consolidate credit card debt. However, a loan will suit purchases that cannot be made on a credit card or that require more money than your credit limit allows. We go into more detail in our article ‘Is it better to get a credit card or a personal loan?’. If you decide that a loan is the right option for you, make sure you know the difference between the two main types, secured and unsecured.

Debit cards

The cheapest way to pay for something is usually to not borrow any money at all. If you already have the cash, simply spending on your debit card could be a great option. There are also lots of benefits to using debit cards for everyday spending, including cashback, rewards and sign-up incentives. You can also avoid the possibility of getting yourself into problematic debt, being charged for cash withdrawals and having to pay interest. Even if you have to wait a little while before you can spend what you want as your savings build up, you may find that what you have put away grows faster than you expected if you pick one of the top savings accounts.

If you want to borrow through your debit card, you could consider adding an overdraft facility to your current account. This can be a good short-term option without having to go through the credit card application process, though not everyone will be approved for an overdraft and the additional monthly fees and charges can prove expensive. Check out our article 'Overdraft vs credit card: Which should you use, and when?' to learn more.

 

 

If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. But as you can clearly see this has in no way influenced this independent and balanced review of the product.