FEATURES SUMMARY

• Annual fee: $79
• Purchase rate: 14.24% p.a.
• Cash Advance rate: 21.49% p.a.
• Balance Transfer rate: 0% p.a. for first 6 months
• Interest-free days: Up to 55 days

• Extras:
  • Apply online
  • Rewards
  • Design your own card
  • Visa Entertainment
  • Phone/Internet banking

There are two features of the ANZ Balance Visa which make it an affordable and worthwhile card – the rewards program and the low interest rate.

Purchases made on your ANZ Balance Visa will incur an interest rate of just 14.24% p.a.*, and when it comes time to make your repayment, you’ll be rewarded with one rewards point for every dollar you repay. This includes both fees and interest paid on your account. It receives the title of #3 in the Editor’s Choice – Balance Transfer category with just 0% p.a. for the first 6 months on all balances transferred.

Points can be redeemed for a number of rewards, such as gift vouchers, shopping vouchers and even cash back. All rewards are available in values of $100, $50 and $20, with cash back rewards credited straight back into your account and the total reward amount being deducted from your credit card’s balance.

There is, however, one downside to this rewards system which is that you need to spend quite a significant amount of money in order to be able to redeem your points. For example, the lowest redemption amount is 4,000 points (which gets you a $20 voucher) and the highest being 22,000 points, which gets you a $100 Caltex voucher. This can be counteracted by the fact that points earned on repayments includes purchases, fees, interest, cash advances and repayments on balances transferred*.

When divided weekly this just over $420 a week, but this would have to be a regular expenditure which, if you are not careful, could result in some huge bills. So spending $22,000 just to get a $100 voucher? Not really the greatest rewards deal out there, but is more realistic with the points earn rate that’s on offer.

With an annual fee of $79 you are paying a bit more than most low interest credit cards but if you are looking for an affordable monthly interest rate with rewards then it is relatively cheap.

Especially seeing as these two features work in tandem as the main draw cards of the Balance Visa; rewards points for repayments act as an incentive to pay back the lower interest on your credit card bill, faster.

See all our top credit card picks in the Editor’s Choice category

FEATURES SUMMARY

• Annual Fee: $89
• Purchase rate: 15.74% p.a.
• Cash Advance rate: 21.24% p.a.
• Balance Transfer rate: 3.99% p.a. first 6 months
• Interest-free days: Up to 55 days
• Extras:
  • Apply online
  • Phone/internet banking

• • St George Instant Benefits
  • Minimum credit limit $8,000
  • Personal concierge service
  • Complimentary travel insurance
  • Purchase protection insurance
  • Transit accident insurance
  • Extended warranty insurance

While at the higher end of the scale, this card outshines a lot of other credit cards due to the fact that it comes with all the usual benefits of a platinum card all the while maintaining a low interest rate.

These standard platinum credit card benefits include purchase protection, international travel, transit accident and extended warranty insurance, so you’re covered for pretty much anything you might use your card for.

But on top of that you’ll also get access to St George’s Instant Benefits program. This program tops a lot of other rewards programs as its rewards are instant in a wide variety of retailers throughout Australia so you don’t have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars just to get a voucher once a year.

Usually with platinum cards you’re stung with higher fees to compensate for all the benefits you receive, but this is not the case with this credit card. With a low purchase rate of 15.74% p.a.*, up to 55 days interest free* and 3.99% p.a. on balance transfers for the first 6 months*, the savings available are surprisingly good.

At $89 its annual fee is one of the best around for a platinum card, and is only $10 more expensive than that of the ANZ Balance Visa which has only a rewards program to make it comparable to the St George Platinum credit card.

The range of benefits and affordability of this platinum credit card means that so many more people have access to a high end credit card with great benefits, without being stung by huge fees and credit card rates. For these reasons and it’s many features, it receives the #2 spot in the Editor’s Choice – Platinum Credit Cards category.

See all our top credit card picks in the Editor’s Choice category

FEATURES SUMMARY

• Annual fee: $55
• Purchase rate: 12.49% p.a.
• Cash Advance rate: 21.24% p.a.
• Balance Transfer rate: 2.99% p.a.first 6 months
• Interest-free days: Up to 55

• Extras:
  • Apply online
  • Fraud Protection
  • Phone/internet banking
  • St George Instant Benefits

The St George Vertigo MasterCard is one of The Credit Card Guide’s most highly recommended credit cards as it takes out top 3 spots in five different categories, including 2nd place in the Editor’s Choice category – Overall.

Another card with a low 12.49% p.a.* on purchases, the St George Vertigo MasterCard is cracking the whip on some of the other big name banks. It does however have a cash advance rate of 21.24% p.a.*, but that can be avoided if it’s a real issue.

It comes with up to 55 days interest free* on purchases and a balance transfer rate of just 2.99%* p.a. for the first 6 months. The annual fee of $55 is fairly average for this kind of card so is not really a deciding factor.

While this low interest credit card would be beneficial for pretty much everyone, it would be most beneficial for those in NSW and South Australia as there are more branches and ATM’s (including Bank SA’s which are owned by St George), so you’d be less likely to be stuck using another bank’s ATM.

This card also has a bucket load of rewards benefits available for cardholders thanks to the St George Instant Benefits program. Unlike other banks’ rewards programs, you don’t have to accumulate points in order to reap the benefits of using your card. Instead you are rewarded instantly with instant discounts and other benefits from a huge range of retail, lifestyle, entertainment and travel partners.

For a limited time, new St.George Vertigo MasterCard applications come with a low purchase rate of 12.49% p.a. The current cash advance rate is 21.24% p.a. variable. The balance transfer rate remains at 2.99% p.a. for the first 6 months.

The current cash advance rate is 21.24% p.a. variable

See all our top credit card picks in the Editor’s Choice category