The life of a modern person is difficult to imagine without loans. Only a few manage to plan their budget in such a way that it is enough to cover all needs, including unplanned ones. It is not always convenient to issue a loan or an installment plan for a large purchase, and in order to make it easier for a person to make a decision, banks have organized the issuance of credit cards, which have a number of advantages compared to standard credit products.
In this article, we will find out what types of credit cards are, what to look for in order not to make mistakes when choosing, and also rank bank loan products with the most favorable conditions.
Content
According to studies, every second working person has bank loan cards. Due to the fact that they have gained such popularity, we will try to understand the variety of their types in order not to spend extra money. According to the promises of banks, all their products have the best conditions, which often does not coincide with reality. Before you issue plastic, you need to carefully study its differences from a standard consumer loan. The differences are as follows:
Due to the fact that the bank is interested in the client repaying the debt as soon as possible, it sets a high annual percentage (20-30% or more). The best option would be to pay off the debt during the grace period. In case of delay in the next payment, the bank charges large fines, and therefore, it is recommended to monitor the debt on the card.
When applying for a credit card, it is mandatory to sign a loan agreement / agreement, which should be carefully read. Particular attention should be paid to the points that are written in small print. As a rule, they contain the most unfavorable conditions for the client. According to the recommendations of experts, you need to evaluate the duration of the grace period (the longer it is, the better, the average values are 60-120 days), the price of service per year (you should not be fooled by offers that attract customers with promises of free service for the first year - as a rule, the bank will not leave itself at a loss, and other terms of the contract may be unfavorable for a private person).
You also need to assess your credit limit. Its value depends on your needs, for a higher value, additional checks of the user's solvency may be required. According to the advice of bankers, it is not recommended to overestimate this parameter if it is not necessary, since a large amount inclines to spend it, and no one needs extra debts.
The interest rate is also subject to assessment. The lower it is, the better for a potential client.Even if you plan to repay all the debt during the grace period, it is worth evaluating this parameter in order to avoid unforeseen unpleasant situations.
Availability of cashback. Cashback cards allow you to receive a small amount of money back when you buy goods in certain stores. Before you draw up a contract, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the list of stores that support this service. You should not consider cashback as an essential selection criterion, since the system is set up in such a way that the stores providing it do not incur losses, and therefore, goods can be sold at inflated prices to cover the margin.
The status of the card affects the number of additional services that the client receives. As a rule, the higher it is, the more expensive the annual maintenance of plastic is. The most common categories are: Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum.
Requirements for the recipient of a credit card - these include restrictions on age, income, requests for documents confirming the solvency of a person.
It is also worth evaluating the availability of additional services. This criterion is optional, but is a nice addition to the card. These features include: online service, the ability to order a card with home delivery, bonus programs, the availability of a mobile application, etc.
When choosing which company’s credit card is better to buy, it is necessary to evaluate all the selection criteria in the aggregate, since the cost of providing services to a client is formed based on several parameters, and a banking institution will never carry out its activities at a loss for itself.It is not recommended to apply to organizations that give a loan to everyone without refusal, including people with a bad credit history, since such institutions most often work according to “gray schemes”, and in the event of force majeure and the impossibility of making the next payment, they do not quite apply legal methods of debt repayment. At the same time, interest rates and the cost of annual maintenance of such credit cards are much higher than the average price range.
In the banking services market, this category includes a small number of credit cards, due to the fact that such rates are not the most profitable for banks.
The review begins with a card from a well-known Russian bank, which has a number of advantages over competitors: a low interest rate - from 11.6%, a high maximum limit - 1,000,000, free annual maintenance. A credit card with a cashback function (1.5% on all purchases) allows you not only to spend money, but also to earn it. You will have to pay for the opportunity to receive a refund of part of the amount spent - the service is connected at the bank office during registration, and costs 590 rubles a year. The grace period is 110 days.
If the user spends 5,000 rubles or more per month, a commission of 5.5% will have to be paid for cash withdrawals over 50,000. When cashing out funds up to 50,000 rubles per month, the withdrawal is free of charge. It should be borne in mind that when withdrawing cash from ATMs of other banks, you will have to pay a commission of 1%.Bank customers are given the opportunity to use a mobile application that allows you to control not only the costs of all transactions, but also make payments without using a credit card - using the NFC function. Here you can pay for all the necessary goods and services.
One of the most popular credit cards. According to the issuer, this is its best loan product. You can order a credit card online without leaving your home. Registration is carried out according to the passport with instant decision making. After filling out an online application, a credit card is delivered to the place of demand the next day. To obtain approval, it is not required to attract guarantors or provide a certificate of income. The first year of service is free. The maximum limit is 700,000 rubles.
Compared to other similar products, this card has a number of advantages: the use of money without paying interest for up to 12 months (when buying household appliances, clothing, building materials, and other consumer goods). Using Platinum, you can repay other loans, while the period of using money without interest is 120 days. For all other purchases, the grace period does not exceed 55 calendar days.
You can replenish your account at any bank, and there are also no difficulties with withdrawing cash without interest - you can do this at any ATM.If the client does not use the card, the fee for its maintenance is not charged. With constant use, a fixed amount is charged - 590 rubles per year. For convenience, users can download a mobile application in which all types of card transactions are available, and they can also get advice around the clock in a profile chat. When paying with a credit card in some stores, a cashback of up to 30% is credited for the purchase, which can later be written off.
As the name of the product implies, for 100 days after the purchase, the client does not pay interest on the use of funds. This is true not only for purchases, but also for cash withdrawals for other purposes. The amount of cash withdrawal per month is limited - up to 50,000 rubles. When withdrawing a larger amount, you will need to pay a commission. The interest rate is determined in each case individually, its minimum value is 11.99%. The average price of annual maintenance costs 590 rubles.
The maximum limit that can be issued for a loan is 500,000 rubles. After submitting an online application, a credit card is brought to your home the next day. The courier will bring her in a mask, ensuring a safe distance, which is important during the coronavirus pandemic. To apply for plastic, just fill out the form on the website, and attach a copy of your passport to it.
There are three tariff plans to choose from - Classic, Gold, Platinum. They differ from each other in the cost of service, the amount of commission for cash withdrawal, credit limit and other characteristics.
The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development is little known in the credit services market, however, the credit card is well known to the population due to the fact that it offers a large number of advantages to its owner. The cash limit is 700,000 rubles, for each user it is calculated individually. The grace period is 120 calendar days, during this period you do not need to pay interest for the use of funds. After the grace period expires, the interest rate is 17%, which is not expensive compared to offers from other banks.
In addition to the main features, the client can also withdraw cash up to 50,000 without paying commission fees and interest. If a user makes purchases with a card in the amount of 15,000 rubles per month or more, the annual service is free of charge. The user will learn about the price of the next payment from an SMS message that arrives in advance. When buying any goods, 3% of the cost is returned to the card in the form of cashback.For the convenience of using a credit card, you can download and install a mobile application on your smartphone, with the help of which card transactions are tracked and managed.
The bank's website has detailed instructions on how to order a card. In order to receive plastic in your hands, you must leave an online application on the website or in the mobile application. After the required fields are filled in, you can immediately see the proposed amount limit. For those who have an account in the "Gosuslugi", registration will take much less time. 15 minutes after submitting the application, the user will know what decision has been made on it. If it is positive, a bank employee will contact him, who will agree on all the related nuances, as well as agree on the place and time of plastic delivery. Delivery is free of charge to a place convenient for the client. If desired, the card can be picked up at any branch of the bank. If home delivery is chosen, the courier will bring it and deliver it in a way that is safe in terms of the epidemiological situation.
As the name implies, the grace period for this product is 110 days. During this period, you do not need to pay any commission to the bank, not only for the use of funds spent on paying for goods and services, but also for withdrawing cash from an ATM. Unlike competitors' products, this credit card does not limit the amount of cash withdrawal without commission.
The minimum interest rate is 19%, the maximum is 29%. This value is determined by the bank on an individual basis. The cost of annual service when paying by card in the amount of 8,000 per month or more is free of charge, otherwise the bank charges a fee of 150 rubles per month. The credit limit is 600,000, the amount is determined depending on the solvency of the client. The bank offers a novelty in card service - you can connect the SMS notification service. It will cost 60 rubles per month (when receiving information from a mobile application, informing the client is free of charge).
Replenishment of a credit card can be done through ATMs of partner banks for free, when depositing funds through a bank branch, a commission of up to 100 rubles may be charged.
The following conditions are offered for the product: interest-free period - 120 days, interest rate starts from 15%, maintenance is free of charge, cash is withdrawn without charging a commission. The main advantage of this plastic is its free maintenance and release into circulation. The bank requires the first purchase to be made within 90 days after the card is issued to the user, otherwise it may be cancelled.
All transactions made using this account are credited with cashback. For the convenience of users, you can choose the appropriate type depending on your needs.There are 4 categories to choose from: “Home and Repair” (the maximum amount of cashback is 1,000 per month, 5% of all transactions are returned), “Autocard” (only 10%, of which 5% is for paying fines, using taxi services and others, and 5% for the purchase of spare parts and car repairs, the limit is 1,000 per month), "Entertainment" (visiting public places - restaurants, cafes, etc., as well as payments made in catering establishments), " All inclusive" (maximum - 2,000, cashback up to 2%). When making payments in other categories, cashback is not credited.
At the end of the grace period, the amount of the debt must be repaid in full, equalizing the debit and credit. The disadvantages of the product include paid cash withdrawals - a commission of 4.9% of the amount + 300 rubles is charged. Until October 31, 2022, there is a promotion according to which no commission is charged for cash withdrawals within 30 days after the card is issued. Cash withdrawal limit per day - 150,000, per month - 1,000,000.
The interest rate is set individually depending on the solvency of the client, and varies from 15% to 28%.
The card offers a high percentage for the use of funds - from 20.9%. In order to receive plastic, the borrower must be at least 22 years old, be a resident of the Russian Federation, live and work in one of the major cities (the list of which is published on the website of the institution).The minimum amount of income must be 30,000 rubles per month or more. To apply, you need to come to any bank branch, write an application, present a passport and a document confirming your monthly income (not required if you have a loan agreement with Citi Bank, or when using a salary card of this institution), as well as one of the documents of your choice (extract from the account in the Pension Fund, documents for the car, passport).
Special conditions are offered for new customers - for the first 90 days, the cashback is 10% (at the same time, its total amount should not exceed 1,000 rubles per month). In addition, cashback earned during the month is credited with an additional reward of up to 20% if goods or services worth 10,000 rubles or more were purchased during this period.
The bank sets the credit limit independently on an individual basis, for new customers it cannot exceed 300,000 rubles. Subsequently, the limit may increase to 3,000,000. The grace period is 50 calendar days. Annual maintenance for the first 365 days is free.
Compared to competitors' products, the conditions for this credit card are not the most favorable: the grace period is 50 calendar days, the limit on the amount is 600,000 rubles (under standard conditions - 300,000 rubles). The interest rate ranges from 23.9 to 25.9%. Annual service, SMS-notification of all operations performed is free of charge.
Among the features, one can also single out the accrual of “Thank you” bonuses (when paying for goods or services from partner organizations), they can pay up to 30% of the purchase price. Cash withdrawals are made with a commission, the minimum percentage is 3, the maximum is 4, while the commission must be at least 390 rubles per transaction. You can withdraw no more than 150,000 rubles per day. All information about transactions performed is reflected in Internet banking or in a mobile application. If the client has delayed the next payment, the bank charges a penalty of up to 36%.
You can apply for plastic by filling out a special form through Sberbank online, and registration will take no more than 1 minute. If a potential client is served by this bank (has a salary or debit card, and periodically uses them), he can receive automatic approval for issuing a credit card. After the application is made, within a short period of time, the user receives an SMS message with information about the status of the application, and, if approved, you can pick up the plastic at the nearest bank branch. Home delivery is not available.
Cardholders are offered a range of perks, including discounts at stores such as Lamoda, Hotels.com, Gett Premium, and more.No commission is charged for using the mobile application and Internet banking.
This product is a payment card that allows overdraft. For card purchases, bonus points of up to 5% are awarded for the following categories: catering, buying clothes and shoes, using the services of beauty salons, as well as children's entertainment centers. Cashback up to 1% is credited for paying for goods and services in other categories. Bonus points are awarded only for purchases made at the expense of credit funds, when using your own funds - there will be no cashback.
Plastic supports the one-touch payment function using smartphones, smart watches, etc. The product participates in the bank's "Purchase by installments" promotion - depending on the purchase amount, the payment deferral period ranges from 2 to 12 months.
To apply for a credit card in the amount of up to 350,000 rubles, it is enough to present a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, if the limit is exceeded, you will need to provide one of the following documents: a certificate in the form 2-NDFL, an account statement in the issuing bank, for individual entrepreneurs - a tax declaration. The card is issued in the presence of the client in any branch of the bank within a few minutes.To receive a credit card, the following conditions must be met: work experience of at least 3 months at the last place of work, permanent residence in the territory of the Russian Federation; it is also required to provide 3 phone numbers to the banking institution (one - from the place of permanent work, 2 - for contact with the client).
For those users who periodically travel abroad, you need to know that they must notify the bank 1 calendar day in advance, otherwise account transactions may be blocked. There is no fee for withdrawing cash abroad. The annual service is free of charge. The grace period is 55 days. Interest rate - 29.9%.
When choosing a credit card, you need to carefully study the conditions offered by banks. Many of them in promotions focus on certain advantages, while keeping silent about significant disadvantages.
It is worth remembering that the bank, when issuing a credit card, expects to make a profit, so no matter what the client is promised, he will in any case bear the costs, whether it be payments for annual maintenance, interest on late payments, or commission for cash withdrawals. When applying for a credit card, and thinking about whether to buy another product on credit, it is worth remembering the popular saying “We borrow other people's money, but give our own”.
We hope that our article will help you make the right choice!