The HSBC Credit Card is a very standard middle of the range card. HSBC says when you use this card you have ‘the freedom to buy what you want, when you want’ without paying ‘for features you don’t need’.

In reality this is just a smoke screen to cover up how basic this card really is.

With an interest rate  for purchases and p.a. for cash advances, there is no real competition for other cards that offer low interest rates, so this is quite obviously not the selling point of this credit card.

On the other hand, the balance transfer rate p.a. for the first 6 months. After those 6 months it takes a steep jump up.  , which along with (up to) 55 days interest free, is a plus. But in all honesty, the best thing that can be said about this card is that its  annual fee is at a great rate of just  $0. That’s right…$o.

This is the only real selling point of the credit card, and if you are looking for a low balance transfer then there are a number of other much cheaper options on the market.

With such run of the mill interest rates there’s just no reason why anyone would pick it over other low interest credit cards, or mid range cards that include a whole lot more features and benefits. With no rewards program, no insurance benefits and a minimum income requirement of $20,000, it makes you wonder if HSBC really wants anyone to apply for it at all.

Overall this is just a really average credit card that can’t compete to satisfy consumer’s needs in today’s credit card market.

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

As a mid range credit card, the Citibank Clear credit card offers up to 55 days interest free and a low interest rate on purchases, however this low rate is let down by the cash advance rate.

What is most bizarre though, is that the purchase interest rate is higher than that of the Citibank Clear Platinum card….a premium card with a lower interest rate that the basic card? Weird.

But back to the task at hand…

The cash advance rate on this credit card is also the default rate for balance transfers. So while the initial rate is great and all payments go towards paying off balance transfers first, the rate is only for 6 months. If you’re not vigilant with payments while the rate is in effect then the 6 months will most likely come and go before you know it.

The rewards program on this card is a definite advantage if you happen to do a lot of traveling. As Citibank is worldwide company, there are over 40,000 restaurants, shops, hotels and other services around the world in which you can get discounts and other benefits from.

All of this comes with an annual fee. Worth it? Maybe. But if you are willing to pay just a little bit more in annual fees then it could be worthwhile looking at the Citibank Clear Platinum card.

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

Like the Westpac 55 Day credit card, the Citibank Silver credit card doesn’t really seem to do anything to compete in today’s credit card market so is a bit of a dead end.

There are a variety of features which you would think would make it a valuable card; however they are all just too inconsistent. The annual fee of this Citibank Silver credit card is teamed with overall interest rates for purchases and for cash advances, and up to 55 days interest free.

There is a rewards program on this card which awards one point for every dollar spent using the Silver card and cash back offers, though it just doesn’t really seem worth it when the interest rate is more in line with that of a platinum credit card rather than one that is a step below a gold card.

As a premium card it’s credit limit of $7,500 is quite low. Especially when you consider the next step up is the Citibank Gold credit card which has a credit limit $60,000. It really just highlights how inconsistent the Citibank Silver credit card really is.

The introductory rate on balance transfers for this card is for the first 12 months, after which it increases.

Unfortunately for Citibank this card doesn’t quite cater to the needs of anyone who is looking for a credit card of any kind. Put simply there are just better options out there for every single aspect of this credit card.

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