FEATURES SUMMARY

• Annual fee: $79
• Purchase rate: 20.89% p.a.
• Cash Advance rate: 20.89% p.a.
• Balance Transfer rate: 1.9% p.a. first 12 months (20.89% p.a.)
• Interest-free days: Up to 55
• Extras:
  • Apply online

• • Cash Back
  • Fraudshield
  • Purchase protection
  • MasterCard Applause
  • Phone/Internet banking
  • Citibank World Privileges

In terms of rewards, the BP-Citibank MasterCard is a good simple credit card that offers cash back on a regular expense for anyone that drives a vehicle.

For the first $600 you spend in each statement period at BP, you’ll receive a 5% cash back rebate. All other purchases (up to $5,000) made using the BP-Citibank MasterCard will get a 0.5% cash back rebate.

As an added bonus, if you happen to rent an Avis rental car before November 4th 2009 and use your BP-Citibank credit card to pay for it, you’ll receive an extra 2% discount. You’ll receive all of these cash back rebates monthly as a direct credit to your account at the beginning of your next statement period.

These are all great benefits when looked at as a whole, but when it comes down to it, the card is let down by its interest rate. Cash advances and purchase interest rates on this cash back credit card are identical at 20.89% p.a. While this is pretty standard for a cash advance rate, this is really high for purchases. However if you can pay off your monthly balance in full you’ll be able take advantage of up to 55 days interest free and won’t be stung by these high interest rates.

The balance transfer offer on this rebate credit card is excellent value at just 1.9% p.a. for the first 12 months. Not a lot of cards offer such a long introductory period, especially when there are cash back rewards on offer so it is a worthwhile consideration.

Teamed with the high interest rate, this card’s annual fee of $79 leads you to expect maybe a few more benefits that you may get on other cards of this price. Nevertheless, used wisely, it can be quite a beneficial cash back credit card.

While fuel prices are not as expensive as they were in the last year or so they are still not cheap, so the benefits and discounts that this card offers are still great value for anyone that drives a car. Although to make the most of this card it would be wise to use the BP-Citibank MasterCard card purely for your fuel and use another low interest credit card for other purchases.

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

The Bankwest Lite Gold MasterCard is yet another one of Bankwest’s credit cards showing great potential in The Credit Card Guide’s credit card categories rankings.

At $89, this card’s annual fee is $30 higher than that of its standard counterpart; however this is ridiculously cheap for a gold card, and the extra cash pays for the additional ‘built in’ services you receive as a Gold cardholder.

These include up to 12 months extended warranty (on top of the manufacturer’s warranty)and purchase protection on purchases made with your Gold credit card. You’ll also be entitled to worldwide travel and accident insurance which is a great benefit for all you travel bugs out there. For a limited time, Bankwest is also offering just 1.99% for the first 12 months on all balance transfers.

As a Gold card, MasterCard Moments also applies to this credit card so you’ll have exclusive access to more luxurious benefits than most, including learning to fly a helicopter, beachfront-living getaways and international exploration holidays.

A noticeable difference in this gold card (compared to other gold credit cards) is that there is no rewards program. At Bankwest this is reserved for the More MasterCards. So if you are looking for rewards points and are willing to sacrifice the low interest rate then the More MasterCards would be more in line with your needs.

This is a credit card with a very low balance transfer (it came very close to being in the top 3 for the low balance transfer category) and interest rate on purchases, and seems as if it was created with the traveler in mind.

However if all you’re looking for is a low ongoing interest rate (no matter how big or small your balance is) then the Bankwest Lite Gold credit card is a good credit card option for you.

See our top picks in the Editor’s Choice category

FEATURES SUMMARY

• Annual fee: $59
• Purchase rate: 9.99% p.a.
• Cash Advance rate: 20.99% p.a.
• Balance Transfer rate: 1.99%p.a. first 12 months (20.99% p.a.)
• Interest-free days: Up to 55

• Extras:
  • Apply online
  • Phone/Internet banking
  • 3 free additional cardholders

According to Bankwest, their Lite MasterCard is the ‘lowest stress credit card’, and we’re inclined to believe them when they offer customers the very low interest rate of just 9.99% p.a.*

The only other cards to have a lower interest rate are ones with introductory offers that finish with a much higher rate after only a few months. Meanwhile, the Bankwest Lite MasterCard interest rate is ongoing.

The cash advance rate on this low rate credit card is significantly higher than the purchase rate, at 20.49% p.a.*, but is within the standard cash advance range so it’s not much of a downside.

In terms of balance transfers this card shines again with a super low rate of 1.99% p.a.that expires after a massive 12 months*, which is much longer than most balance transfer cards across the board.

With a $59 annual fee this is a reasonably priced credit card that also offers up to 55 days interest free on purchases*. Like the Aussie MasterCard, the features on Bankwest’s Lite MasterCard make it very appealing.

If you look at the card over all, it’s fair to say that if it’s used wisely, this credit card could be very valuable. Its ability to cater so well to such a wide range of financial needs has enabled to take out a top 3 placing in the Editors Choice category, and therefore comes very highly recommended.

See all our top picks in the Editor’s Choice Category