With an annual fee ($0 for the first year) the Suncorp Standard credit card starts out looking pretty good, but how does it fare with the rest of its features?

Well, if you have a tendency to need cash from your credit card every now and then, then the Suncorp Standard credit card is a pretty handy option to have, with an  interest rate p.a. on cash advances.

Most banks try to discourage this kind of behavior on a credit card by hiking up the cash advance rate, however Suncorp has chosen not to. Just be warned, it’s not quite a low enough rate for it to become an affordable regularity.

You will just need to be very careful about purchases as you will incur interest charges as soon as you buy.

Purchases on this credit card incur an even lower interest rate p.a., which is fairly average considering there are no interest free days to fall back on if you can’t make your bill payments each month.

This means that this card is potentially more hassle than it is worth when there are other cheaper cards out there.

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

FEATURES SUMMARY

• Annual fee: Low annual fee
• Purchase rate: Low p.a. purchase rate
• Cash Advance rate: Low p.a. cash advance rate
• Balance Transfer rate: Low p.a. balance transfer rate
• Interest-free days: Up to 44

• Extras:
  • Phone/Internet banking
  • Free additional cardholders

As the name suggests, Bendigo’s Basic Black credit card keeps it simple, with its standout feature being that it offers a really great interest rate of just 11.24% p.a.

Sure, there are other cards that have lower rates than this, but like all Bendigo credit cards, the Basic Black credit card has the same ongoing low interest rate. right across the board.

So that’s all you’ll ever pay in interest for cash advances, purchases and even balance transfers. Seems pretty unbelievable, but it’s true. This in conjunction with its other features gives it the title of the top pick for the Editor’s Choice – Low Interest Credit Card.

This annual interest rate is at the expense of other features, but the good thing is that Bendigo is in no way trying to hide that fact. In fact that’s how they are advertising it. It’s called the ‘Bendigo Basic Black’ card for a reason – no extra features that you don’t need, just the basics.

With up to 44 days interest free, it is a little bit lower than most, however it is more than enough when you take into account the fact that unlike other banks, Bendigo only starts charging interest when you are issued with your statement.

The only other feature that needs mentioning is the annual fee which, while it hasn’t quite made it into the low annual fee category, it is borderline. And with all the money you’ll save with the great interest rate and interest free days on this card.

So if you’re not looking for any kind of rewards or benefits, this card covers all other bases. Bendigo has taken the time old saying that ‘less is more’ and has proven it without a doubt.

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

Thanks to its name, it’s fairly obvious that the main feature of the Bankwest Zero MasterCard is the $0 annual credit card fee. But wait, just like Transformers, there’s more to this ‘no annual fee’ credit card than meets the eye.

When you first look at the Bankwest Zero Mastercard as a whole it would be fair to say it sits in the middle of the range, but looking at individual features makes this card is very enticing.

With a $0 annual fee and the fact that even with a higher balance (at least a few thousand dollars) after the introductory interest rate has expired, you’ll pay less interest than a lot of other credit cards in the low annual fee category.

For the first 12 months, all balance transfers are subject to a very low interest rate, after which they increase. This is also the interest rate for purchases and cash advances which is probably one of the lowest cash advance rates around. Team this with an interest free period of up to 55 days and you’ve got yourself a bargain.

When you look at the bigger picture it’s not an exceptionally low ongoing interest rate (as there are others that are lower), but it is the lowest interest rate around on a card with no annual fee and it actually works out being one of the cheapest over a 12 month period.

But as usual it depends on your needs and spending habits. The low introductory interest rate means that you will end up spending less in interest than a lot of other cards on the market, and it includes a double-whammy of no annual fee.

So if you’re looking for a card that is cheap and doesn’t muck around with extra benefits and features then this is the best credit card for you. We think it’s a great low annual fee credit card, only just missing out on a top 3 placing.

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