Nationwide Member Credit Card All Rounder – 2024 review
- Representative example:
- When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).
- 0% interest on balance transfers
- 15 months
- 0% interest on purchases
- 15 months
- Foreign transaction charge
- 0%
Our verdict
Nationwide's bid to stop its customers straying is a triple threat – offering 0% interest on purchases and transferred balances, plus fee-free spending overseas.Available to Nationwide members only (that's mortgage, current account or savings account holders), the All Rounder Offer is so-called because it comes with 0% interest deals on purchases and balance transfers, and offers commission-free non-sterling spending.
If your primary motivation is clearing existing card debt, then it's crucial to note that the 0% for 15 months only applies to balances transferred in the first 90 days from account opening. The good news is you can request the transfer during the application process. It's the same deal for purchases – so if you make a purchase at 91 days in, it's liable to incur interest.
The weakness of all-round cards is that if you only need a card for one purpose – say spreading the cost of a large upcoming expenditure – there's usually a better deal available on a more focused card. That's certainly true of the 0% interest deals on this card – you don't have to look too far to find longer 0% deals on balance transfers, purchases, or even both.
The card is perhaps more competitive as a travel credit card. Your non-sterling purchases will benefit from currency conversion at standard Visa exchange rates – most credit cards levy a 3% charge on top of this. What's more, some cards that offer fee-free spending overseas charge interest from the day of the transaction, but if you always clear your balance in full, with this card you'll be able to take advantage of your usual "up to 56 days" interest-free. Just remember that if a merchant overseas offers to bill you in sterling, you should decline – otherwise it'll be their fee structure that'll apply, and not your own.
Ultimately, this card is best suited to existing Nationwide customers who need a credit card for using abroad, and who also might benefit from spreading the cost of a big ticket item or need a bit of breathing room to clear existing card debt.
Pros
-
0% purchase for 15 months
-
0% balance transfer for 15 months
-
Carbon neutral provider
Cons
-
Available to existing customers only
-
Balance transfer fee applies
-
Late payment fess may apply
Details
Product Overview
| Issuer | Nationwide BS |
| Network | Visa |
| Representative APR | 24.9% |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Balance transfers | 0% for 15 months reverting to 24.9% |
| Balance transfer fee | 1.5% (min. £5) for 3 months reverting to 2.4% (min. £5) |
| Purchases | 0% for 15 months reverting to 24.9% |
| Purchases interest-free period | Up to 56 days |
| Cash advances | 24.9% |
| Minimum credit limit | £500 |
| Maximum credit limit | Subject to status |
| Additional cards available | 5 |
| Incentive | |
| Potential costs | 10Excellent |
| Doing its job | 8.8Great |
| Extras | 6.9Standard |
| Overall Finder Score | 9.4Excellent |
Fees and charges
| Minimum monthly payment | 1% or £25 (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 | 1.5% (min. £5) for 3 months reverting to 2.4% (min. £5) |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 0% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 0% |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% (min. £3) |
| Late payment fee | £0 |
| Duplicate statement fee | £0 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £0 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
Application Requirements
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Minimum income | £5,000 |
| Availability | Available to existing customers |
The Nationwide Member Credit Card All Rounder 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.
"We chose this card as we were planning a trip to Australia to see family, and this card doesn’t charge for overseas transactions.
We used the card for pretty much all our spending in Australia. It was particularly useful for tap-and-go on Sydney’s public transport – we used the trams, buses and ferries a lot and it would have been annoying and expensive to have paid a fee for each small transaction."
How does it compare?
Nationwide BS's card
Finder Score for credit cards
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.
Read the full methodologyOther popular matched 0% deals
Finder Score for credit cards
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.
Read the full methodologyApproval 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.
Repayment options
You can make manual repayments through Nationwide BS's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 055 66 11). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, or losing any promotional rates as a result (although there's no penalty fee for late payments to worry about, there are still plenty of other good reasons not to miss a payment). You could use a fixed-amount direct debit to ensure you've cleared your debt before the 0% period expires – simply divide your outstanding balance by 15 to see what you'll need to pay each month (this assumes you don't use the card for additional spending).
You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.
Choose from the following direct debit options for your monthly repayments:
| Minimum amount | |
|---|---|
| Fixed amount | |
| Fixed percentage | |
| Full amount |
How to apply
If you've compared cards and want to apply, you can simply log in to your Internet banking and complete the secure online application form. Because a lot of it can be auto-filled by the folks at Nationwide, it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to let Nationwide know before using the Member Credit Card abroad?
No. Along with most other card issuers, Nationwide now manages without a heads-up. However, it does advise that you let it know your current mobile number, so that it can contact you while you're away. This can be updated in your online banking or in the app.
How much does it cost to withdraw cash abroad using the Member Credit Card?
You won't be charged a currency conversion fee by Nationwide, but you will be charged a cash advance fee of 2.5% (min. £3) of the amount you withdraw, plus Nationwide will start charging this part of your balance interest straightaway (your usual "up to 56.000000000000000000000000000000 days" interest-free won't apply). Finally, the ATM provider might add its own charge. If the ATM offers to convert your currency for you, it's probably best to decline, since you know this card has preferential currency conversion terms, while the local bank might not. So all in all, withdrawing cash on this card (and on almost all credit cards – at home or abroad) is normally best avoided.
What will my credit limit be on the Nationwide Member Credit Card?
Nationwide sets your credit limit when you apply for the card. It's based on factors like your credit score, and your regular income and outgoings. You can apply for an increase every six months through your online banking or in the app. As you'd expect, any increases are at Nationwide's discretion, but you'll stand a better chance if you've used the card responsibly over the previous six months (stayed within your existing limit and made all repayments on time).
Can I still get the Nationwide Member Credit Card All Rounder Offer 0% deal if I recently had a Nationwide credit card?
If you've held a Nationwide credit card within the last year, then unfortunately not.
