Compare Nectar credit cards

What is Nectar?

Nectar is a loyalty scheme owned by Sainsbury’s. You can collect and spend points at Sainsbury’s, and additionally with a range of shops and services like Argos, eBay and Eurostar. Each point is worth 0.5p when redeemed at Sainsbury’s, but occasionally you’ll come across promotions that allow you to redeem your points at a better rate – sometimes even to “double up”.

How to compare cards that offer Nectar points

There are currently two card issuers offering reward credit cards that let you earn Nectar points while you spend: Sainsbury’s Bank (on the Mastercard network) and American Express. Here are some of the key factors to consider when comparing the cards they offer.

• Earn rate. How many Nectar points you receive per £1 spent. Each card may have more than one earn rate – typically you can expect one earn rate for money you spend with Sainsbury’s, and another earn rate for money you spend elsewhere.
• Introductory offers. You’ll often be able to bag a few thousand Nectar points just for opening the account. Additionally you may be able to earn points at a better rate for a promotional period, or on, say, your first five shops.
• Annual fee. Rewards/loyalty bonuses are often offset by an annual fee. It may be worth taking the hit on an annual fee if you’re likely to earn an even greater sum in rewards – time to get the calculator out! Multiply the amount you’d expect to earn in rewards each month by 12, and compare it against the annual fee.
• Interest rates. Credit cards typically have a standard rate for purchases, but other rates are likely to apply for other types of credit, such as a cash advance (withdrawing cash from the account) or a balance transfer (bringing debt across from your previous credit card). Additionally, some credit cards come with a better rate initially, that later reverts to the standard rate.
• Other fees. These may include fees for things like non-sterling transactions when you’re abroad, balance transfers, cash advances or late payments.
• Other perks. This could be anything from travel insurance to a discount at the in-store cafe.

There shouldn’t be any difference between where you can spend or earn your points between these issuers, but the earn rates on the cards may differ. You should also keep sight of any sign-up bonuses, or annual fees.

How do Nectar points work?

By carrying your Nectar card when you shop at Sainsbury’s, you can earn points while you spend. Do the same with a Nectar credit card, and you could boost the rate at which you earn points, and tap into some great account-opening offers, too. The points you earn with your credit card are on top of the points you earn when you swipe your regular old Nectar card. For example, with an American Express Nectar Credit Card, you’ll get two points for every £1 spent in addition to your usual Nectar points.

But it can be difficult to know whether loyalty credit cards are worthwhile, and it’s easy to get hooked on collecting points – leading to unnecessary or frivolous spending. With different cards earning you points at different rates, and with points being worth different amounts at different retailers, you could be forgiven for getting confused. This guide will take you through how to decide whether a Nectar credit card is right for you, and how to compare the cards available to find the right one for your circumstances.

Exchanging Nectar points for Avios points

Nectar points can be exchanged for Avios air miles, thanks to a partnership between Sainsbury’s and British Airways back in 2021. This means you can use your Avios air miles towards purchases at Sainsbury’s and any points you collect from Sainsbury’s can be exchanged for money off of your flights (as long as you have enough).

You can exchange 400 Nectar points for 250 Avios, which gives them a value of around 0.6p per Avios. And if you were to swap 300 Avios, you would get 400 Nectar points valued at 1.3p.

Pros and cons of Nectar credit cards

Alternatives to Nectar credit cards

You may decide that the extra points you can get with a Nectar credit card aren’t worth it – if so, you can still get the general free Nectar card available from Nectar.com, the Nectar app or from Sainsbury’s supermarket. The card offers you 500 points per £2.50, and you will still be able to get the deals from other participating Nectar partners.

There are also lots of other supermarket loyalty schemes out there, with credit cards to match – for example, Tesco, Asda and M&S.

You may also wish to consider the option of a cashback credit card as another way to make your money go further.

Frequently asked questions

• Can you share your Nectar card?

  Yes. Believe it or not, up to 99 cardholders can use the same account. Just remember there’s only ever one person responsible for the account, however.

• How do I find out about Nectar promotions?

  As well as watching for promotions in-store, keep your eye on your emails – Nectar will usually contact you about the latest deals. You can also download the smartphone app where you’ll be able to keep an eye on your balance and opt in to personalised offers and promotions.

• Are Nectar points worth it?

  They can be, but depending on the card it can take a while to save up your points. Be careful not to fall into the trap of spending just to earn points – whatever you’re buying, check to see if you can get the same thing cheaper elsewhere.