Introduction: Capital One® Quicksilver® vs. HSBC Platinum Credit Card vs. Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard® vs Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card
If you have been searching for a quality credit card that offers decent APR rates and low fees, it can be difficult to wade through all of the different options out there.
There are hundreds of different credit cards available, and chances are that you don’t take the time to read through the fine print of the dozens of junk mail promotional ads that make it to your mailbox each day.
In this Capital One Quicksilver review, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard review, Citi Thankyou Preferred Card review, and HSBC Platinum credit card review, we will look at the highest rated features of four of the top cards on the market.
We begin by looking at what makes the Capital One® Quicksilver®, HSBC Platinum Credit Card, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®, and Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card stand apart from other competitors. We then offer a simple comparative table of the main features of these four cards.
Finally, we will compare the top features of the Capital One® Quicksilver®, HSBC Platinum Credit Card, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®, and Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card, including:
- Intro APR offers
- Regular APR
- Rewards programs
- Credit card fees
- Other perks and bonuses
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What Makes the Capital One® Quicksilver®, HSBC Platinum Credit Card, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®, and Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card Stand Apart from the Rest?
When shopping around for the best credit card, it is always important to research the trustworthiness, responsibility, and honesty of the issuing bank. The Capital One Quicksilver rewards card is offered by Capital One Bank, the eighth largest bank holding company in the United States.
The Capital One Quicksilver rewards programs are some of the best on the market because this bank specializes in credit card services, with over 62% of its revenue coming from its credit card services.
Image Source: Credit Card Industry
Similarly, the HSBC Platinum credit card offers are some of the best in the credit card industry because HSBC is the fourth largest bank in the world. Due to its sheer size, global presence, and 531 billion dollars in total equity, the HSBC Platinum credit card offers quality rates and terms and conditions.
The Citi Thankyou® Preferred card is also one of the top cards in the industry as Citibank is one of the oldest continuously operated banks in the United States. Founded in 1812 as the Citi Bank of New York, Citibank has now grown to over 980 North American branches.
Lastly, the Barclaycard rewards program is considered to be one of the best in the business because this UK-based bank operates in over 50 countries and has close to 50 million clients.
Comparison Review List
The list below is sorted alphabetically:
- Capital One® Quicksilver®
- HSBC Platinum Credit Card
- Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®
- Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card
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High Level Comparison Table
Credit Card Names | Introductory | Regular | Annual |
| Capital One® Quicksilver® | 0% for 9 months on purchases and balance transfer | 13.24% – 23.24% | None |
| HSBC Platinum Credit Card | 0% for 15 months on balance transfers only | 19.99% | $149 AUD |
| Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard® | None offered | 25.24% | None |
| Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfer | 13.24% | None |
Table: The above list is sorted alphabetically
Intro APR Offers
One of the most important aspects of any credit card is finding a quality intro offer. The credit card industry is growing more competitive every day, and one of the strategies that issuing companies use to draw new customers is through advertising quality introductory offers.
Thousands of people find themselves trapped in credit card debt that is seemingly impossible to escape from. High APR cards that also come with harsh late fee penalties can make your credit card debt eternal. Of the cards we review here, the Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card offers the best intro offer at 0% APR on balance transfers and regular purchases for 15 months.
The Capital One Quicksilver rewards card also comes with a decent intro offer at 0% for 9 months while the HSBC Platinum credit card offers 0% APR for 15 months on balance transfers only. According to one Capital One Quicksilver review, “Cardholders will also enjoy the APR offer of 0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 9 months, and then the ongoing APR of 13.24%–23.24% Variable APR.”
Any of these three cards allows you to begin paying off your credit card debt in order to retake control of your financial livelihood.
Regular APR
For people who regularly maintain a high monthly balance on their credit card, finding a low APR is the most efficient way to save hundreds of dollars.
Furthermore, since many credit card issuing companies offer variable rate APRs depending on your credit score, you may also want to consider a card that comes with a fixed rate APR so that you can have a better idea of what APR you’ll be approved for.
Of the four cards we review here, the HSBC Platinum Credit Card and the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard® both come with a fixed APR. The HSBC Platinum Card offers the lower of the two fixed rates at 19.99% while the Barclaycard rewards card checks in at 25.24%. It is also important to mention that the HSBC Platinum credit card is available only in Australia, making it one of the best cards for people who live Down Under or who do frequent business in that part of the world.
Both the Capital One® Quicksilver® and the Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card come with variable APR rates. While the Capital One® Quicksilver® offers a competitive APR starting at just 13.24%, the Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card can stick you with an APR as high as 29.99%, which is one of the highest on the market, for penalty APR if you have a low credit score.
One Citi Thankyou Preferred card review states that one of the negative aspects of this card is that you need an excellent credit score to apply, and even then, you can still get stuck with a high APR despite having earned your decent credit score.
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Rewards Programs
Credit card rewards programs are important to everyone, especially if you are planning on looking for ways to make money from your purchases. While many rewards cards come with high annual fees, three of the cards reviewed here offer quality rewards programs without any sort of annual fee included.
The Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card offers 2x ThankYou® Points per dollar spent on purchases for dining at restaurants and entertainment and 1x ThankYou® Point for all other purchases. Furthermore, your points never expire, and there is no limit on how many points you can earn.
Similarly, the Capital One Quicksilver rewards program also comes with no annual fee. This quality rewards program comes with unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no limits or changing categories. Furthermore, you can also earn a $100 cash bonus after spending $500 during the first three months of owning the card.
The Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard® similarly offers double points on gas, utility, and grocery store purchases and regular points on all other purchases. Your points won’t expire as long as you maintain an active account. The HSBC Platinum credit card only offers 1 point for every dollar spent.
Complete Guide to the Fees
Of the four cards we review here, only the HSBC Platinum credit card comes with an annual fee. This fee, which is rather high at 149 Australian dollars, is fully refundable if you spend 6,000 Australian dollars per year in eligible purchases.
The Capital One® Quicksilver® card is the only card reviewed here that has no foreign transaction fee. For people who travel frequently, this card is the best option because you can use it for free anywhere in the world while also benefitting from $0 fraud liability if your card is ever stolen or lost.
Photo Courtesy of Barclays
Other Perks and Benefits
While finding cards with great APRs, low annual fees, and decent rewards programs is important, sometimes the little perks and benefits are what sway people to go one direction or another.
For people who are wanting a credit card to help them boost their credit score quickly, the Barclay Card Rewards Card offers helpful access to your credit score. According to one Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard review, the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®’s “free online access to FICO® Credit Score lets you keep an eye on your credit and get alerts when we learn that your score has changed.”
As a Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card customer, you will get access to Citi® Private Pass® which offers special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events annually, such as concerts, sporting events, dining, and movies.
Photo Courtesy of Capital One Corporation
The Capital One® Quicksilver® offers complimentary concierge service to help you with booking travel, dining reservations, locating hard-to-find items, and more. These perks can come in handy depending on your lifestyle and how you plan to use the card over the long run.
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Conclusion
Finding a quality credit card requires that you spend time researching the terms and conditions of each of the cards available to you. While no one likes to read through the fine print, this can save you hundreds of dollars or leave you with a quality rewards program.
In this Capital One Quicksilver review, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard review, Citi Thankyou Preferred Card review, and HSBC Platinum credit card review, we have done fine print research for you so that you can choose the best card for you own individual financial needs.
The best card for you will largely depend on how you plan to use the card, what your credit standing is, and where you will be using the card.
Whether you are looking for a low APR card, a card with little to no fees or a great rewards program that will offer you benefits for your spending, the Capital One® Quicksilver®, HSBC Platinum Credit Card, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard® or Citi Thankyou® Preferred Card are all great options.
*** During our research for this article, Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard® was still a part of Barclaycard’s offer. Barclayca
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