1.8

★★★★★

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Representative example:: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 18.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 18.9% APR (variable).
Account fee: £0
Interest-free each billing period: Up to 56 days
Minimum credit limit: £250

Our verdict

Fintech startup Jaja has launched in the UK with its digital credit card, but is not currently accepting applications.

Jaja's journey has been a bit of a saga. For a long time, its card was in beta, and the bizarrely named new brand was making bold claims about shaking up the credit card market.

With a card boasting few fees, competitive interest rates on various types of transaction and a slick app experience, Jaja looked set to join the ranks of Monzo, Starling and Zopa, in disrupting the banking status quo.

Fast-forward a couple of years and Jaja is as enigmatic as ever. You can't currently apply for a Jaja card, but the company has taken over the Bank of Ireland's credit cards arm (including Post Office and AA cards opened prior to the acquisition), acquiring a large volume of unwitting new customers in the process.

It's difficult to see why you'd be desperate to get your hands on a Jaja credit card right now. Perks and rewards are a weak spot – with cashback offers only awarded to the first 5,000 people who signed up, and now gone. If you like to treat yourself with the extras that many cards offer nowadays, Jaja probably won't cut it for you.

You also can't register your card for Google Pay or Apple Pay, which is a bit of a shocker for a brand that seems to be targeting a younger demographic.

It also remains to be seen whether Jaja will actually deliver, and how it will look in six months from now. Like with most new fintech companies, the initial offer will probably (make that hopefully) evolve and change quite a lot.

Pros

Avoid currency conversion charges when spending abroad
No annual fee

Cons

A punishing fee of £0% on cash withdrawals (you should avoid using a credit card to withdraw cash in any case)
You may be offered an opening credit limit as low as £250

With new digital banking companies launching almost every month, managing your current account from an app is somewhat of a given by now. However, digital-only credit card companies are still comparatively rare. We take a look at what Jaja is planning to offer and whether it's worth keeping an eye on it.

Details

Product overview

Network	Visa
Annual/monthly fees	£0
Purchases	18.9% - 34.9%
Purchases interest-free period	Up to 56 days
Money transfers	13.9% - 29.9%
Cash advances	18.9%
Maximum credit limit	Subject to status: £20,000
Incentive

What are the application requirements for the Jaja Credit Card?

Minimum Age	18
Min income	Not specified
Residency	UK resident
Availability	Jaja is not accepting new applications at this time

What are the fees and charges for the Jaja Credit Card?

Annual/monthly fees	£0
Cash advance fee	£0
Late payment fee	£12

What is Jaja?

Founded by three Norwegian entrepreneurs, Jaja is a credit card “built for the digital world”. You do get a physical card, but it’s all about quickly applying online and then managing the card directly from the app.

What benefits can I get with a Jaja credit card?

A Visa card. Jaja credit cards are issued on the Visa network, which means they are accepted pretty much anywhere with 20 million locations worldwide.
A mobile app. You can manage your card online, get instant notifications when you use it and tag your spendings to make budgeting easier and smarter.
Fee-free spending abroad. Jaja won’t charge any fees if you use the card outside the UK.

How much does Jaja cost?

Jaja is advertised as a fee-free credit card, and looking at its specs, it looks like it’s (almost) true:

There’s no annual fee.
You won’t be charged for using the card abroad, nor for withdrawing cash. But do keep in mind that the interest-free period doesn’t apply to cash withdrawals, so it’s still a bad idea to use the card at ATMs.
There’s a £12 late payment fee.

Other key features will include an up-to-56-days-long interest-free period if you pay off your bill on time every month and an 18.9% APR (Average Percentage Rate). Depending on your personal situation, you can get between £250 and £20,000 of credit.

Applying for a Jaja credit card

Jaja is currently not accepting new applications, but if you’re an existing Post Office Money credit card customer, you can now register your card with Jaja via its website.

Once applications are open, Jaja says the online application process should only take a few minutes – you’ll only need to scan your passport or driving licence, and it will let you know instantly whether you’ve been accepted.

However, as with most credit cards, when you apply Jaja will be running a credit check and a refusal could impact your credit score.

Jaja customer reviews

Jaja has received mixed reviews from customers, according to customer review sites like TrustPilot. It currently has a TrustPilot rating of 3.6 out of 5, based on over 5,200 reviews (updated 12 April 2022). Many customers complained of issues since their existing Post Office Money accounts were moved over to Jaja, including poor customer service and communication, and incorrect payments.

The Jaja credit card app also has poor customer reviews (updated 12 April 2022), with a score of 2 out of 5 on the Apple Play store (based on over 65 reviews).

The verdict

On first impressions, Jaja looked set to join the likes of Zopa in modernising the humble credit card by adding the type of digital-focused features we’ve all come to expect from our bank accounts.

However, the proof is in the pudding. And while Jaja talked a big game, it then pivoted to simply buying customers off other banks – instead of earning them by marketing an innovative product. What’s more, many of these acquired customers have expressed confusion and discontent.

It remains to be seen if Jaja can deliver a viable, user-friendly service. Time will tell.

Frequently asked questions

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

Jaja credit card review 2024