Santander All In One Credit Card: Jack of All Trades?
Santander All In One Credit Card: Jack of All Trades?
Good for
- Making purchases abroad (no fx fees)
- Earning rewards (Santander Boosts)
- Actively managing rewards to find extra value
Bad for
- Those who don't want to pay a monthly fee
- Anyone who wants an interest grace period for cash transactions
The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.
The Santander All In One Credit Card is what it says on the tin—there aren't many cards offering cashback rewards, no fx fees and 0% on balance transfers (for 15 months) and purchases (for up to 15 months) all in one card. But is the £3 monthly fee worth it?
Santander All In One Credit Card Review
Santander’s All In One credit card is interesting because it combines cashback, 0% on purchases and balance transfers and no FX fees all in one card—it's unusual to find one card offering all of these features in the UK market. But you will pay £3 a month to get this card. What else does it offer?
Santander Boosts
Santander has done away with their Retailer Offers (which provided for short-lived discounts at some popular retailers), but they've replaced these with Santander Boosts, which include rewards like cashback, vouchers, prize draws and other offers personalised for you.
Sign up for Santander Boosts through the Mobile Banking app or in Online Banking, then you’ll be able to choose the offers you like and earn rewards with your favourite retailers:
- Earn cashback when you shop online at a wide range of retailers
- Receive vouchers and coupons for discounts on a variety of products and services
- Get offers personalised to your individual interests and hobbies
- Enjoy free gifts and enter prize draws
Read more here.
Using the All In One Abroad
Cardholders can use this card when globe hopping since there are no non-sterling fees for transactions made abroad. This makes the card a solid travel card. But keep in mind that, like most credit cards, cash withdrawals will cost extra. Expect to pay 3% (£3 minimum) for each cash withdrawal plus interest will start accruing immediately at a higher interest rate, starting at 29.9% APR.
Monthly Fee: Is It Worth It?
It's possible that the £3 monthly fee can significantly eat into rewards and balance transfer savings, depending on how you'll use the card.
For example, a card charging no balance transfer fee for 0% balance transfers for 15 months surely looks fantastic, but a balance transfer can become expensive on this card, if that's all you need it for. For example, when you factor in the £3 monthly card fee you’ll pay over 15 months, your costs to execute a £1,000 balance transfer can jump from 0% up to, essentially, 4.5% (15 months times £3/month = £45. £45/£1,000 = an extra 4.5% cost). Keep this in mind when deciding if this is the best balance transfer for you.
| £1,000 Balance Transfer over 15 months | Standard Fees | Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Balance Transfer Fee | 0% one-time charge | £0 |
| Monthly Fee | £3 per month, over 15 months | £45 |
| Total Fees | £45 (4.5% of the balance transfer) |
If you primarily like the card for the balance transfer function, then consider Santander's free Everyday card—it's got no monthly fee and a 12-month balance transfer offer with no transfer fee.
But if you're attracted to the Santander Boosts rewards and the no foreign transaction fees to use while on holiday, this still could be the card for you.
Bottom Line: The Santander All In One Credit Card is a 0% purchase and balance transfer card that offers interesting rewards through their Santander Boosts program, and it doesn't charge an extra fee for purchases made abroad.
Santander All In One Credit Card Features
| Santander All In One Credit Card Features | |
|---|---|
| Transaction Fees |
|
| Earning Santander Boosts Rewards | Earn cashback and vouchers on eligible purchases |
| 0% on Balance Transfers | For 15 months (no initial balance transfer fee) |
| 0% on Purchases | For up to 15 months |
| Annual Fee | £36 (£3 monthly fee) |
| APR (variable) |
|
Balance Transfers
0% balance transfers can potentially save those with existing credit card debt a significant amount in interest charges. As long as you make your monthly payments on time, stay within your limit and pay off the debt within your 0% APR intro period, you will pay no interest charges along the way.
For example, a consumer making £50 monthly payments on a balance of £1,200 on a card that charges 21.9% will save almost £400 in interest payments by switching to an appropriate-length balance transfer card. Not only that, but they will be debt free 8 months sooner by using the balance transfer card (because all payments go towards balance reduction, not interest charges).
Let’s imagine a scenario where you transfer a £1,000 debt onto a new Santander All In One card, and you decide to pay down the debt over 15 months (paying £67 per month of the balance). The additional £3 monthly card fee adds up to £45 over 15 months, which is equivalent to 4.5% of your initial debt. Now the costs to execute your balance transfer have risen from 0% to 4.5% (reflecting the monthly fee).
But you are better off switching this debt to the Santander All In One card (paying £45 in monthly fees) than leaving it on your previous 21.9% interest-charging card—on which you pay nearly £180 in interest over the months if you made equivalent £67 monthly payments, plus you'll be debt free sooner.
FAQs
The credit limit on the Santander All In One Credit Card starts from £500, but may be higher.
No, the Santander All In One Credit Card does not have a money transfer feature.
Santander All In One Compared to Other Credit Cards
To better understand the value of the Santander All In One Credit Card you need to see it relative to other available options. We’ve compared this card to other cash back and rewards cards so you can decide which will create more value for you.
Santander All In One vs Lloyds Bank Platinum Longest Balance Transfer Card
The Lloyds Bank Platinum Balance Transfer card is generally a competitive balance transfer option, although the market is constantly moving so be sure to check prices for the latest offers. It may charge a higher intro balance transfer fee than Santander, but there is no ongoing monthly card charge. If you are looking for a simple balance-transfer card, then the Lloyds card can potentially save you money on your balance transfer in the long run.
Quick Takeaway: Those looking for one credit card that can handle a balance transfer and pay rewards on future purchases can get both features on the Santander All In One card. If your current needs strictly relate to a balance transfer, the Lloyds Platinum balance transfer card may offer more long-term value since it doesn't charge a monthly fee.
Santander All In One vs Platinum Cashback Everyday Card by American Express
The Platinum Cashback Everyday card by Amex is one of our favourite cashback cards for everyday spending. Cardholders either earn 0.5% or 1% cashback, depending on how much you spend, plus a welcome bonus of 5% cashback during the first three months (limited to £100 cashback in this welcome period)—all for no annual fee. The Everyday card does charge for foreign transactions, though.
Quick Takeaway: The Platinum Cashback Everyday card offers more earning potential for spend over £5,000 a year, at which point the cashback rate jumps to 1%. Anyone who will frequently use their card overseas may find more value in the All In One card, as it does not charge a fee for non-Sterling transactions while abroad.
Santander All In One vs Halifax Clarity Credit Card
The Halifax Clarity Credit Card charges no fees on non-sterling cash withdrawals or transactions, making it an ideal travel card. The only aspect of the card to be aware of is that, like most credit cards, interest on cash ATM withdrawals starts accruing immediately (but the interest rate is lower at 23.9% variable APR on cash withdrawals. By getting online and paying back your cash withdrawals ASAP (even while you're still abroad), you can mitigate this potential cost.
Quick Takeaway: The Clarity sports a lower cash and purchases interest rate than the Santander card and, like the Santander card, also doesn't charge any fees on non-sterling transactions or cash withdrawals.