The best credit card deals

Ruth Jackson rounds up the best deals available now on credit cards, including the best balance-transfer deals, the best 0% purchase deals and the best life-of-balance cards.

The best 0% balance transfer deals

Barclaycard is offering the longest 0% interest rate for balance transfers on its Platinum card. It offers 0% on balance transfers for 20 months with a 3.2% balance transfer fee. That's a good deal, but the fee is quite high.

If you think you can repay your debt in 18 months, then you are better off going for eitherNatWest or Royal Bank of Scotland's Platinum card, both of which offer a deal of 0% on balance transfers for 18 months with a 2.8% transfer fee.

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With both cards, make sure you either clear your debt within the 0% period, or switch cards when the interest-free period is set to end - as the interest rates rise to 17.5%APR and 16.6%APR respectively.

The best 0% purchase deals

If you are looking for a credit card offering 0% interest on purchases, try Marks & Spencer. The Marks & Spencer credit card offers 0% interest on purchases for 15 months, then the rate rises to 15.9%.

The best life of balance cards

Barclaycard has the best life of balance card. It offers a rate of 7.9%APR on its Barclaycard Platinum Simplicity card. And there is no balance transfer fee. This rate applies to both purchases and balance transfers, so this is also the best low-rate credit card on offer.

Updated: 2 June 2011

Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.