This site is here to help you find the best UK credit card company for you.

Quick glossary...

APR - Anual Percentage Rate. This is the cost of the credit that you use on the card, on an annual basis. A yearly rate of interest that includes fees and costs paid to acquire the credit. Lenders are required by law, in accordance with the Consumer Credit Act 1974, to disclose the APR. The rate is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the credit, so borrowers can compare their credit.

Balance transfer -- Whereby you clear the balance of another credit/store card using the card in question, thus transferring the debt to this card. It is the process of moving an unpaid credit card debt from one issuer to another. Card issuers sometimes offer introductory rates to encourage balance transfers coming in and balance-transfer fees to discourage them from going out.

Cash-advance -- A charge by a financial institution for using credit cards to obtain cash, eg from a cash machine. This fee can be stated in terms of a flat per-transaction fee or a percentage of the amount of the cash advance. The card issuer may limit the amount that can be charged to a specific dollar amount. The cost of a cash advance is also higher because there generally is no grace period. Interest accrues from the moment the money is withdrawn.

Credit Limit - This is the maximum amount that the card issuer will allow your balance to reach.

Minimum payment-- The minimum amount a cardholder can pay to keep the account from going into default. Some card issuers will set a high minimum if they are uncertain of the cardholder's ability to pay. Most card issuers require a minimum payment of two percent of the outstanding balance.

Periodic rate -- The interest rate described in relation to a specific amount of time. The monthly periodic rate, for example, is the cost of credit per month; the daily periodic rate is the cost of credit per day.

Pre-approved-- A credit card offer with "pre-approved" only means that a potential customer has passed a preliminary credit-information screening. A credit card company can spurn the customers it invited with "pre-approved" junk mail if it doesn't like the applicant's credit rating.

Introductory rate -- The below-market interest rate offered to entice customers to switch credit cards or lenders.

Variable interest rate -- Percentage that a borrower pays for the use of money, and which moves up or down periodically based on changes in other interest rates.