Low fee credit cards

The table below displays a selection of credit cards with low fees from our online partners, sorted by our expert Star Ratings.

GM, Research
Editor-in-Chief
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  • Star Rating - lowest first
  • Star Rating - highest first
  • Purchase rate p.a. - lowest first
  • Purchase rate p.a. - highest first
  • Annual fee - lowest first
  • Annual fee - highest first
  • Interest free days - lowest first
  • Interest free days - highest first
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
13.99%
$55
55
dot
0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for 24 mths.
dot
2% BT fee applies.
Offer
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
13.74%
$59
55
dot
0.00% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for 26 mths. Rate reverts to 21.49% p.a. Balance transfer fee of 2% applies.
Offer
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 230686.
20.74%
$0
55
dot
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 230686.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 230686.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
0%
for 6 mths
then 18.99%
$0
55
Offer
Discount
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 230686.
20.74%
$0
55
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 230686.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 230686.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234527.
20.99%
$30
$0 in first year
55
Bonus
Discount
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234527.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234527.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
12.99%
$49
55
Offer
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
13.99%
$55
55
Bonus
Offer
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
13.99%
$55
55
Offer
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
12.99%
$59
55
Offer
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234945.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
13.74%
$59
55
Bonus
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
13.74%
$59
55
Offer
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
9.90%
$108
45
24hr approval available
Apply in full online
Fraud protection
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 233714.

Showing 10 of 78 results

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canstar-rating-icon Canstar Star Rating

Unsure of a term in the above table? View glossary

The initial results in the table above are sorted by Star Rating (High-Low) , then Annual fee (Low-High) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, which impact the results displayed in the table - filters can be applied or removed at any time.

promoted
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 291313.
Receive 50,000 Bonus Qantas Points
dot
Receive 50,000 bonus Qantas points
dot
Min spend $5k in first 3 months. Offer ends 1 July 2025
dot
T&Cs apply. New Amex Card Members only.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 291313. See Terms & Conditions.
Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 291313. See Terms & Conditions.

What are low fee credit cards?

Low fee credit cards charge low or no ongoing fees (either annual fees or monthly fees). However, they usually offer fewer features, such as rewards programs or complimentary insurance.

It’s also a good idea to compare the ongoing interest rates of low fee cards. It is only the ongoing fees that are low — not necessarily the interest rate.

Frequently Asked Questions about Low Fee Credit Cards

Credit cards come with a range of fees and charges. From annual fees to late payment fees to international transaction fees, the cost of having a credit card can quickly add up over time. For this reason, it could pay to compare the different types of credit cards on offer. You can use the table at the top of this page to compare different types of credit cards, changing the inputs to suit your requirements.

Explore further→ How much do credit card fees cost?

Potential pros of a low fee credit card

  • You could save money during the life of the credit card compared to credit cards with higher annual or monthly fees
  • May still come with useful features such as cashbacks

Potential cons of a low fee credit card

  • Potentially higher purchase interest rates than other types of cards
  • Minimal to no features such as rewards program or complimentary insurances
  • Potential requirements to meet to keep annual fees zero or low

Credit card affordability can depend on a few factors, including how you plan to use your credit card.

To keep costs down, a low fee or no annual fee credit card might be suitable to lower ongoing costs.

However, interest is another ongoing cost factor to consider and a low rate credit card might be more suitable if you do not pay off your balance in full each month.

When searching for a low fee credit card, there are a few factors that could be worth keeping in mind, including:

  • Purchase rate: A low purchase rate (or interest rate that is applied to regular purchases) will also help keep ongoing costs low, especially if you have trouble paying off your balance in full each month. A low fee credit card doesn’t mean it will have low rates too.
  • Annual fee: Some low fee credit cards may have a $0 annual fee period if requirements are met.
  • Credit limit: Low fee credit cards tend to have lower credit limits.
  • Interest-free period: Some credit card providers offer interest-free credit cards. The interest-free period is valid as long as you pay off your closing balance in full each month. A longer interest-free period may allow you more time to repay your purchases before interest charges add to your ongoing costs.
  • Features: In general, low fee credit cards tend to offer fewer features, but that varies from card to card.

Latest in credit cards

Canstar Credit Card Star Ratings and Awards

Looking for an award-winning credit card product or to switch providers or brands? Canstar rates products based on price and features in our Credit Card Star Ratings and Awards. Our expert Research team shares insights about which products offer 5-Star value and which providers offer outstanding value overall.

Canstar rates a range of financial products, covering banking, insurance and investment. We also reveal which providers have the most satisfied customers in our dedicated Customer Satisfaction Awards.

Credit Card Star Ratings and Awards

About the authors

Nina Rinella, Editor-in-Chief

Nina Rinella
As Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina heads up a team of talented journalists committed to helping empower consumers to take greater control of their finances. Nina has written countless articles about finance and has been interviewed on finance topics by media organisations including The Australian, Realestate.com.au, Domain, the Herald Sun and the Sydney Morning Herald. Previously Nina founded her own agency where she provided content and communications support to clients around Australia for 8 years. She also spent four years as the PR Manager for American Express Australia, and has worked at a Brisbane communications agency where she supported dozens of clients, including Sunsuper and Suncorp. When she’s not dreaming up ways to put a fresh spin on finance, she’s taking her own advice by trying to pay her house off as quickly as possible and raising two money-savvy kids. Nina has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature from the University of Queensland. She’s also an experienced presenter, and has hosted numerous events and YouTube series. You can follow her on LinkedIn and Canstar on Facebook. Meet the Canstar Editorial Team. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Nina as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.

Joshua Sale, GM, Research

Joshua Sale
Joshua Sale is responsible for developing the methodology and delivering Canstar’s flagship Star Ratings, as part of Canstar’s Research Team. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, he enjoys helping Australians find more suitable financial products by transforming complex calculations into a consumer-friendly Star Rating that explains the values and benefits of different financial products. As one of Canstar’s company spokespeople, Joshua is confident participating in print, radio and broadcast journalism interviews. He has participated in interviews with the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine, along with other leading media outlets, discussing topics such as home loan equity, banking incentive schemes, digital wallets and wider finance trends. You can follow Joshua on LinkedIn. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Joshua as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.

 


Important information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

Canstar may earn a fee from its Online Partners for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship or promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship or promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship/promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. If a product is sponsored or promoted, it’s an ad and it is clearly marked as such. An ad might appear in different places on our website, such as in comparison tables and articles. Ads may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The location of an ad doesn’t indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings. See How We Get Paid to find out more. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings or Awards.

The Credit Cards Star Ratings are updated daily based on product features at that date, except for the Overseas Travel profile which is updated annually. Current rates, product features and fees are displayed and may be different to what was rated. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. Depending on which card feature/use you are looking at, the results will be sorted as follows:

  • Low fee is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest Annual Fee, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Rewards is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest Annual Fee, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Frequent Flyer is sorted by Star Ratings, then highest airline points per dollar, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Balance Transfer is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest balance transfer rate, then lowest rate for the longest period, then lowest revert rate, then lowest upfront fee, and then alphabetically by brand. Please note that Balance Transfer Star Ratings are not for balance transfer suitability but are instead based on the Low Rate profile. 
  • All card types is sorted by highest Points per dollar spent, then lowest Annual fee, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Overseas Travel is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest currency conversion on purchases, then lowest annual fee.

 

You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Credit Cards Star Rating Methodology and our Travel Credit Card and Travel Debit Card Star Ratings Methodology. The Occasional Overseas Traveller rating is shown in the table. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products. 

The products and Star Ratings in the table might not match your exact inputs in the selector. Sometimes the methodology uses profiles with categories or bands (e.g. income, loan amount or monthly spend), but sometimes a single methodology, without any categories or bands, is applied. The results will show the products that most closely match your selection, based on our profiles. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. Canstar provides information about credit products. We’re not suggesting or recommending a particular credit product for you. If you decide to apply for a Credit Card, you will deal directly with the provider, not with Canstar. It’s important you check rates and product information directly with the provider. Consider the Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure.

Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances. We cannot and do not recommend that any particular product is suitable for you. 

We provide links to our Online Partners. These are brands that may pay Canstar a fee for referring you. Our tables default to display only our Online Partners’ products initially, you can adjust the Online Partner Filter to see all of the products available for comparison on Canstar’s website. We provide these links so that you can click through to the product provider’s website to get more information. The provision of these links does not constitute a recommendation by Canstar.

Before you elect to terminate or modify existing lending arrangements, it is recommended that you consider all associated fees and application costs, as well as the timing and impact these changes could have on your wider financial arrangements and personal circumstances.