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Barclaycard offers a suite of credit cards, whether you are looking for purchases, balance transfers, no-fee travel or rewards. Barclaycard's free eligibility checker can be used to find your odds of being accepted without leaving a harmful mark on your credit history.

Always make sure you can afford repayments.

Best Barclaycard for Overseas Travel: Barclaycard Rewards Credit Card

The Barclaycard Rewards Credit Card review is their best card for using overseas. The standout feature is that there aren't foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad. In addition, cardholders earn 0.25% cashback on purchases made with the card. While the rewards rate is quite weak compared to the best UK rewards credit cards, it is better than nothing - and unusual for a card to both pay rewards and not charge FX fees.

Representative example: Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.9% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee, the representative APR is 28.9% variable.

Pros

• 0.25% cashback on all your spend

• No fees on non-sterling purchases abroad

• Free text and email alerts plus mobile app

• No annual fee

• Eligibility Checker

Cons

• Higher cash interest rate

Best Barclaycard for Credit Building: Forward Card

Suitable as a first credit card for those with limited credit history, the Barclaycard Forward has a higher-than-average interest rate of 33.9% variable APR on purchases. A nice perk is the free text and email alerts that can help with account management, so you don't miss a payment or exceed your credit limit (which would harm your credit score). Note that the Barclaycard Forward is targeted at those with limited credit history, or with a credit history that isn't great.

One potential problem with this card is the very low minimum starting credit limit. You might not be affected as you might get a higher starting credit limit, but it could be an issue for some people. If you're worried about this or have bad credit, you might want to consider the Vanquis Credit Card instead.

Representative example: Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 33.9% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee, the representative APR is 33.9% variable.

Pros

• Free text and email alerts plus mobile app

• No annual fee

• Eligibility Checker

• Initial credit limits between £50 and £1,200

Cons

• Higher-than-average interest rate

• Potentially very low starting credit limit (from £50)

Best Barclaycard for Purchases: Platinum Purchases Card

The Barclaycard Platinum Purchase Card charges no interest on new spending and on balance transfers for managing existing debt for an introductory period. Main features include a market-leading 0% promotional period of up to 24 months on purchases and up to 21 months on balance transfers. These terms are accompanied by a 2.95% fee on balance transfers made within the first 60 days of account opening. This makes the Platinum card one of the most competitive options for both spreading the cost of new spending and consolidating existing debt.

Representative example: Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee, the representative APR is 24.9% variable.

Pros

• Free text and email alerts plus mobile app

• Contactless payments up to £100

• No annual fee

• Eligibility Checker

Cons

• May receive a shorter no-interest period

Summary of Barclaycard Credit Cards

Here is a quick recap of some of our favourite Barclaycard credit cards.

Note: Offers vary by card type and may change frequently; the 'long' balance transfer variant currently offers 36 months, while the dedicated purchase variant offers up to 24 months as of February 2026.

Barclaycard eligibility

Before you apply, you can check to see how likely you are to be accepted by completing Barclaycard's eligibility checker. Before that, however, to apply for your first credit card you need to:

• Be over 18

• Be earning over £3,000 a year

• Be in employment

• Have not been made bankrupt in the last six years – including having an Individual Voluntary Arrangement or Debt Relief Order

• Have less than one outstanding County Court Judgement (CCJ’s) in the last six years

• Have proof of address if you’ve moved house recently

• Have not recently missed a bill payment.