See if the Co-operative Bank's carefully-designed range of credit cards for balance transfers, purchases and rewards is right for you. Rates starting from 8.9% to 20.6%.
The Co-op Bank started out in 1872 as an offshoot of the world’s first co-operative, which was established in Rochdale, Lancashire. In 2009, the bank merged with the Britannia Building Society. The Co-op Bank operates on a set of ethical principles, and won’t invest in companies which operate in markets that it deems unethical.
It’s credit cards are issued on the Visa network, which means they can be used at more than 30 million merchants and ATMs worldwide.
Co-op credit cards
Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
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.
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.
What types of credit cards does The Co-op Bank offer?
0% balance transfer cards.
If you have existing credit card debt, that needn’t stop you from switching. In fact, if you’re being charged interest on the outstanding debt, you might want to look at a 0% on balance transfers credit card, which allows users to transfer a balance to a new card, and enjoy an interest rate of 0% on it for a specified period. Aim to clear the balance before the 0% period expires, otherwise a significantly higher rate will kick in. Learn more about 0% balance transfer cards
All-round low-rate cards.
“All-round” or “balanced” credit cards are built for a variety of purposes, rather than just one. If you have multiple reasons for seeking out a new card – perhaps wanting to transfer an existing credit card debt but also expecting to make purchases on the new card, then an “all-rounder” could be the card for you. Normally these cards come with a 0% period on both balance transfers and purchases, after which both will revert to a higher rate. Learn more about low rate cards
Rewards credit cards
Depending on the particular card, with a rewards card you’ll be able to earn loyalty points, cashback or air miles while you spend. Before you apply for a rewards card, check out the earn rate (rewards per pound spent) and weigh it up against any fees plus interest that you’re going to be charged to see if it’s worthwhile. The Co-operative Bank’s rewards card lets you earn cashback each time you use the card. When you shop at Co-op stores, you’ll benefit from cashback at an even higher rate, so if that’s where you do your weekly shop, and you’re registered as a Co-operative member, this card is certainly worth a closer look. Learn more about rewards cards
What benefits can I expect from a Co-op Bank credit card?
It’s accepted widely. Co-op Bank credit cards are welcome at over 30 million shops, restaurants, garages and other outlets in most countries throughout the world – wherever you see the Visa symbol.
Customer services phoneline staffed seven days a week. You can contact Co-op Bank to carry out a range of transactions or make changes to the details on your credit card account between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Additional card holders. You can nominate an additional card holder using your usual online account-handling system, provided they are over 18 years old and a UK resident. For rewards cards, this is a real plus, as you’ll earn rewards not just on your own spending, but on theirs too.
Fraud text alerts. A text-only phone number will send an SMS to your mobile if the card issuer notices any activity on your card which it thinks might be suspicious.
Applying for a Co-op Bank credit card
It’s quick, easy and secure to apply for a Co-op Bank credit card online, and the process takes about 15 minutes.
Eligibility requirements
To qualify for a Co-op Bank credit card, you need to be:
Aged 18 or over.
A UK resident.
Earning a minimum of £10,000 a year before deductions.
An existing customer having held a Co-operative Bank or smile current account for at least 7 months (Cashminder, Student and Pathfinder accounts are not eligible).
Without any county court judgements (CCJs), not have entered into any Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) or Trust Deeds nor been declared bankrupt within the last 6 years.
Not in arrears or have not missed more than two payments on any credit agreement in the last six months.
Employed full-time, part-time, self-employed or retired.
You should ensure that you can meet the monthly repayments, as missed payments incur a charge and could have severe consequences on your ability to obtain future credit.
Why might your application not be approved?
If you meet the broad criteria outlined above, but have a history of bad debt or no credit history, you could be rejected. Also, if you have been made the subject of a CCJ you may not be accepted, and you are unlikely to be given a card if you have ever declared bankruptcy.
Co-op Bank customer reviews
The Co-operative Bank has received poor reviews from customers, according to review platform Trustpilot. It currently has a “Great” rating of 3.9 out of 5, based on over 5,538 reviews (updated 4 September 2023). Some customers reported issues with using their cards, including accounts being locked.
Overview of The Co-operative Bank credit cards
Representative APR
From 8.9% to 20.6%
0% balance transfer offer
Up to 24 months
0% purchases offer
Up to 4 months
0% money transfer offer
No money transfer offer available
Cashback with brand
Up to 0.5%
Cashback elsewhere
Up to 0.3%
Cash advance
From 27.9%
Introductory bonus offer
No introductory bonus offers available
Frequently asked questions about Co-op credit cards
If you’re travelling to countries outside the EU or Turkey and plan to use your card, call the Co-op’s helpline on 0345 600 6000 (call charges) before you travel. This will help reduce the number of security checks on your card.
You can reject a credit limit increase or opt out of future increases by contacting the helpline.
You only start paying interest on purchases if the full balance isn’t paid off by your due date, which is 25 days after your monthly statement is issued.
You can do this using a variety of methods. You can through online banking, the mobile app, by phone or in a branch. To pay your bill via online banking, log into your account and select the account you want to use to pay your bill. Then, select ‘move money’ before following the on screen instructions to enter your payment details. To pay your bill via the app, log in and select view account. Then, select ‘make a payment or transfer’ and then ‘make a payment to my credit card’. Once you’ve done this, simply enter the payment details. You can reach The Co-operative Bank by phone on +44(0)3457212212.
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.
Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio
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Chris has written 587 Finder guides across topics including:
Get all the details on how we rate the credit cards we review. We look at costs, fees, features and how well a card performs compared to the rest of the market.
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Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
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