If you have little or no credit history, the Barclaycard Forward Credit Card could make a smart first foray into the world of credit cards. It also offers access to Barclaycard Entertainment discounts on days and nights out.
Previously known as the Initial Card, the Forward card is credit card giant Barclaycard's "credit-building" option. In other words it's aimed at those who want to build or improve their credit history. In reality, all credit cards (if used responsibly) help you improve your credit, but "credit builders" are typically easier to get approved for and might come with features to support you on your journey to better credit. Barclaycard won't be expecting applicants with perfect credit and says that you can apply if you haven't been declared bankrupt in the past six years and don’t have more than one county court judgement (CCJ).
As with most credit-builder credit cards, there's no monthly/annual account fee to worry about, but the interest rate is relatively high, at 33.9%. You can expect a relatively small opening credit limit (limits are tailored to the applicant, and start from £50). You'll need to stay within this limit if you want to improve your credit score.
The big perk with this card is the introductory 3-month 0% interest period – so if you're about to shell-out for something expensive, it's not a bad way to spread the cost. If you're making use of this 0% intro period, just be aware of the fairly punishing standard interest rate that will kick in and apply to any outstanding balance once the introductory period expires.
A unique aspect of this particular card is a feature called "Price promise" – something you don’t see too often in the credit-building market. Price promise could allow you a 3% interest rate reduction if you make all your repayments on time in the first year. And if you keep on top of your repayments in the second year, you could receive a further 2% reduction.
Barclaycards now come with a few extra perks too, such as Barclaycard Entertainment (savings on tickets across more than 3,500 gigs, comedy nights and family days out each year) and Barclaycard Cashback Rewards (at an ever-changing range of participating retailers). Try not to let these perks lure you into spending money you otherwise wouldn't have though. If you don't pay off your balance in full each month, then you'll incur interest which will outweigh the perks.
Barclaycard also cheekily bills this as 'the perfect travel companion', but – spoiler alert – it's not. There's a 2.99% fee on non-sterling transactions.
Ultimately, if you're in the market for your first credit card or looking to rebuild your credit score, the Forward card is a great choice, as long as you use it responsibly. If you do opt for the Forward card, stick to your credit limit, set up a direct debit to clear your full balance every month, and don't use the card to withdraw cash.
As is now standard, you can check your eligibility for the Forward card before applying, without hurting your credit score. And using Finder's eligibility checking service, you can check your eligibility for a whole range of cards from different banks in one go.
If you have little or no credit history, the Barclaycard Forward Credit Card could make a smart first foray into the world of credit cards. It also offers access to Barclaycard Entertainment discounts on days and nights out.
Issuer | Barclaycard |
Network | Visa |
Representative APR | 33.9% |
Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
Balance transfers | 33.9% |
Balance transfer fee | 0% |
Purchases | 0% for 3 months reverting to 33.9% |
Purchases interest-free period | Up to 56 days |
Cash advances | 33.9% |
Minimum credit limit | £50 |
Maximum credit limit | Subject to status: £1,200 |
Additional cards available | 4 |
Incentive | Rate discounts: 3% interest rate reduction if you make all your repayments on time for the first year, and a further drop of up to 2% more if you continue to do so in the second year. |
Additional Rewards Info | Buy tickets for up to 3500 selected live events through Barclaycard entertainment and get 5% off tickets per year and exclusive pre-sale tickets on selected festivals with 10% off ticket prices. Save 10% on food and drink at all UK 02 Academy venues. |
Potential costs | 3.7 ★★★★★ |
Doing its job | 4.4 ★★★★★ |
Extras | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
Overall Finder Score | 3.8 ★★★★★ |
Minimum monthly payment | 1% or £5 (whichever is greater) or the total of any interest, default fees and charges plus 1% of the outstanding balance. |
Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
Balance transfer fee | 0% |
Foreign usage charge (EU) | 2.99% |
Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 2.99% |
Cash advance fee | 2.99% (min. £2.99) |
Late payment fee | £12 |
Replacement card fee | £0 |
Duplicate statement fee | £0 |
Exceeding limit fee | £0 |
Additional card fee | £0 |
Dormancy fee | £0 |
Minimum Age | 18 |
Minimum income | £3,000 |
Residency | UK resident for at least two years |
Availability | Available to new customers |
Additional Criteria | You must not have been declared bankrupt in the past six years and must not have have more than one County Court Judgement (CCJ) |
The Barclaycard Forward Credit Card is issued on the Visa network (used by a whopping 4.2 billion cards), so you'll be able to use it at more than 100 million merchant locations across more than 200 countries and territories.
Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
You can make manual repayments through Barclaycard's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 151 0900). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and damaging your credit score – making it harder and more expensive to borrow money in the future – and getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) as a result.
You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.
Minimum amount | Fixed amount | Fixed percentage | Full amount |
---|---|---|---|
"I’m originally from the US and came to the UK as a student. When I got this card, I didn’t have any credit history here. My boyfriend is with Barclays and we want to open a joint account so I wanted a card from Barclays, which is why I chose this one.It was easy to apply for the card, and then to increase my credit limit in the app but less easy to see the dates for the statement cut-off each month. I’ve had it a year and I’m ready to apply for other cards now and I’d like them to tell me about which ones I’m eligible for.
If there’s one thing you’d tell a friend who’s thinking of getting this, what would it be?
Be aware you might want to get more information about building your credit from other sources."
If you've compared cards and settled on the Barclaycard Forward Credit Card, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the information and documents you'll need to make the process as straightforward as possible.
If your application is successful, your shiny new Barclaycard could be with you in 5 working days.
If your application is approved, Barclaycard states your card can be with you in as little as five working days. If in doubt, you can check up on the status of your application.
Yes – outside of any promotional periods, your rate is variable, so if the Bank of England base rate goes up, Barclaycard's rates might go up too. However, if you use your card correctly for 12 months, Barclaycard states your rate could be reduced.
Yes. Hello pre-sale tickets!
Credit limits are tailored to the individual. That means Barclaycard will assess your situation and, if you get approved, offer you a particular credit limit. After a period of responsible card use, your limit can usually be reviewed.
Our experts score credit builder credit cards to determine their value against similar products on the market. We look at a number of important factors, like interest rates, credit limits, features to help you track your credit, plus the potential costs involved with running the card both in the short and longer term.
You can read more about our scoring criteria on our credit card methodology page.