Compare Credit Cards, Loans, Savings, Broadband & more...

At PocketRate we make it easy to compare credit cards with our simple online comparison tables. However, with so many different cards available you should narrow down your selection by first deciding on the type of card you need. Here are the main options available.

Types of credit card

• Compare 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards

  Take advantage of 0% interest rates and avoid hefty interest charges by transferring an existing credit card debt to a new card with a different provider. Pay off the full amount within the introductory period and avoid paying any more interest going forward.

• Compare 0% Purchase Credit Cards

  Looking to buy a big-ticket item? Spread the cost over time by paying 0% interest installments. Ensure you pay off the amount before the introductory period ends and you won’t pay any interest at all. Compare the introductory periods between cards and the APR rate that may be charged if you don't repay the whole amount off within the offer period.

• Compare Rewards Credit Cards

  Get points each time you spend using your credit card and redeem them for all kinds of rewards from shopping discounts to air miles and vouchers. Be careful of possible annual charges on these cards.

• Compare Cashback Credit Cards

  Get money off your credit bill each time you buy something using your cashback card. Look out for special offers that give you even more of a percentage cashback amount.

• Compare Credit Building Credit Cards

  Got poor credit history or no history at all? Start building up a good credit score to put yourself in a better position for borrowing money in the future. These cards usually attract higher interest rates, so you should aim to pay off your balance each month. Consider checking your current credit score and history and compare our credit score and credit report providers.

Guide to Credit Cards

Want to know how credit cards work? Read our useful guide on what a credit card is, how they work, how credit card companies decide on what credit limit you get and how best to compare credit cards. What is a credit card and how do they work?

Find out what APR is, what is included in the interest rate and what the Representative Example is that appears on the comparison table next to each credit card. What is credit card APR?

Not sure about getting a credit card? Read our Top 7 Reasons To Get a Credit Card. We summarize the practical benefits from not having to carry cash to how it can help you manage your money better.

Improve your credit score

Most financial providers will check your credit score and credit history as part of their approval process for assessing your suitability. It's important that you regularly monitor the information held by credit reference agencies and correct any errors in the data that may adversely affect your application.

You should actively work towards improving your credit score through a series of practical steps that, over time, will start to reflect positively in your credit history.

Read our guide on what your credit score is together with some tips on how to improve it. Follow these ideas and you will soon build up a better history of credit so that lenders will look more favourably when you apply for a loan, credit card or mortgage. Top 10 tips to improve your credit score

With so many providers offering multiple broadband packages, it can be really difficult to know which one is best for you. At PocketRate we make it easy to compare broadband with our simple comparison tables.

At a glance you can compare the average download speed offered by different broadband packages together with the set up cost, monthly price, contract length and various features included.

We have included separate tables for broadband and phone as well as broadband and TV.

If you've decided to stick with a specific broadband provider, you can compare all the packages available just from that company:

• Compare BT Broadband Deals
• Compare EE Broadband Deals
• Compare Plusnet Broadband Deals
• Compare Sky Broadband Deals
• Compare TalkTalk Broadband Deals
• Compare Virgin Media Broadband Deals

When comparing broadband you should think about the following factors:

Average broadband download speed

The higher the speed, the faster your broadband connection will be. If you’re going to stream movies, listen to music or have multiple devices in your home using the connection, then consider opting for a faster broadband connection.

If you just want to surf the web and get email, then just a standard broadband connection might be the way to go.

Contract Length

Once you've signed up to a broadband contract, you will have a cooling off period during which time you can cancel it without charge. However, after this period you may incur penalty fees if you wish to cancel before your contract ends. Therefore it's important to decide what length of contract you're happy with.

Broadband and TV Package

A number of providers also offer a TV package option. These packages include your broadband connection, phone line and digital TV. Many providers offer boxes that record, pause and rewind live TV. Look for the number of premium channels on offer as well as how many will be in High Definition (HD) format.

Setup cost

Some providers will charge you for either setting up your broadband connection, postage fees for sending out the equipment or both. Ensure you include these costs when budgeting for your first few months of your new broadband connection.

Monthly cost

This is the on-going amount you will be paying each month for having the broadband connection.

The PocketRate Loan comparison table makes it easy to search for a cheap unsecured personal loan. At a glance you can see which finance providers offer the lowest APR interest rates together with monthly repayment examples and specific benefits of each loan product.

UK Loan Providers

We cover the top UK providers of unsecured loans including:

• Sainsbury’s Bank - Wholly owned by Sainsbury's supermarket chain.
• M&S Bank - Originally launched by the UK retailer Marks & Spencer. It is now owned by HSBC bank.
• Clydesdale Bank - One of Scotland's largest banks part of CYBG plc.
• Yorkshire Bank - A division of Clydesdale bank operating in England and part of CYBG plc.
• Tesco Bank - Owned by supermarket retailer Tesco plc.
• Santander - Owned by Spanish company Santander Group. Originally it was a merger between Abbey National plc. and Bradford & Bingley. Alliance & Leicester later became part of the group.
• Nationwide Building Society - The largest building society in the world.
• ZOPA - Founding member of the Peer-to-Peer Finance Association. Has lent more than £3.45 billion to UK customers.
• HSBC - One of the world's largest banking companies.
• AA - Loans provided by Bank of Ireland (UK) plc.
• RBS - The Royal Bank of Scotland is 62.4% owned by UK Government investments. Operates other brands including NatWest, Coutts Bank and Lombard.
• NatWest - One of the largest banks in the UK. Owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• Post Office Money - Loans provided by Bank of Ireland (UK) plc.
• Lloyds Bank - The largest retail bank in Britain.
• Barclays Bank - Owned by Barclays Bank plc. and one of the largest retail banks in the United Kingdom.

Loan Features

When you compare loans you should also look at the various features offered for each loan such as:

• Instant Decision – Many providers are able to give you their decision soon after completing the online loan application form.
• Deferred Payments – The ability to delay your loan repayments for a month or two before your regular repayments start.
• Payment Holidays – Being able to miss one or two payments during the period of your loan when things get financially difficult for you.
• Making Extra Payments – Paying extra money so that you can repay your loan early without being charged any fees for doing so.

Applying For a Loan

Before applying for any loan you should consider checking your credit rating. Banks and other loan providers will usually conduct a credit rating check to ensure you are suitable for the loan you have applied for.

PocketRate enable you to compare credit score and credit report providers so that you can get regular updates on your current credit status.

Our savings account comparison tables highlight the best interest rates on offer from leading UK banks and building societies. You can compare features and benefits together with the minimum amount required to open an account.

Interest Rates

The most important factor when looking for a place to get the most out of your savings is the interest rate that is applied to your account. At the moment, rates are at historical lows and although this is positive for borrowing money such as a loan or mortgage, it means that savers are not seeing the kind of returns that would enable their nest egg to grow as they may have seen some years ago. All the more reason to shop around, compare savings accounts and find out which banks and building societies are offering the best interest rates.

Savings accounts offer two main interest rate options.

Variable interest rate savings accounts

The majority of savings accounts, including children's accounts, are based on variable rates of interest. This essentially means that the bank may adjust the rate up or down during the year. This often happens when the Bank of England changes its base rate after one of its monthly monetary policy meetings. The majority of banks will usually follow suit and change their interest rates accordingly.

When your interest rate changes, your savings account provider will inform you that a new rate now applies to your savings.

Generally speaking, variable rate savings accounts are usually more flexible in terms of withdrawing funds and depositing additional money. You will find that many of these accounts offer instant access to your funds and require little or no notice period to take money out. An account of this type usually requires a much smaller opening deposit amount that can be from as little as £1.

However, the downside is that variable interest rates are usually set lower than fixed interest rate account options.

Fixed interest rate savings accounts

A savings account with a fixed interest rate means that the rate does not change for a fixed period of time such as one or two years.

The advantages of fixed interest rate savings accounts are that you know in advance what return you will be getting on your money, regardless of any central bank rate changes. In addition, the rates offered on these accounts are usually much higher than regular variable rate options.

However, fixed rate accounts often require a higher opening deposit and some may stipulate that you have to make regular, minimum monthly payments to get the advertised rate.

Access to fixed rate accounts may also be more restrictive in terms of being able to withdraw funds and managing your money. Banks will often require you to give a notice period before you can take money out and may have special terms on depositing additional funds.

Cash ISAs

An Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a great way to save money and earn interest free from tax.

The UK government sets the amount you can invest in an ISA each tax year. Currently there is a maximum amount of £20,000.

A number of banks and building societies offer various cash ISA accounts including variable and fixed rate options. In addition to comparing ISA interest rates, it's important to check the notice period required for accessing your money and the limits on withdrawing your funds.

Help to Buy ISA

Help to Buy ISAs are backed by a government scheme set up to help the first time buyer save money for a mortgage deposit to purchase a property. The scheme provides a 25% bonus amount of up to £3,000 on your ISA savings.

The PocketRate breakdown cover matrix makes it simple to compare various levels of motoring assistance from the top UK breakdown providers.

Levels of cover

Most breakdown companies offer a basic roadside recovery price option where they will send a mechanical engineer to try and fix your car at the roadside. In circumstances where this is not possible, they will transport your vehicle to the nearest garage for repair.

An additional level of cover would be home assistance where a breakdown recovery van will attempt to fix your vehicle at your home, on your own driveway. This type of cover is not usually included in the basic roadside option and will often cost a little more.

Breakdown cover companies

The top 3 largest breakdown cover providers in the UK are:

• The AA - Originally known as the Automobile Association, the company is listed on the Stock Exchange and is the largest breakdown cover provider in the country.
• The RAC - Founded as the Royal Automobile Club, the RAC is the second largest breakdown provider. It is owned by private equity company, CVC Capital Partners and sovereign wealth fund, GIC Private Ltd.
• Green Flag - The UK's third largest breakdown recovery company is owned by insurance provider Direct Line. They fix around 80% of repairs at the roadside.

Comparison of breakdown cover

In addition to the top 3 companies, there are now are host of other firms offering good levels of cover with national coverage and often at much reduced rates. Therefore, if price is a major consideration, it's worth shopping around and seeing what these other providers offer.

When looking to compare breakdown cover options, you should first narrow down the level you require. For most people, a basic roadside cover option is all they need but you should at least consider adding home cover to give you peace of mind that your car can be fixed if it won't start first thing in the morning.