Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Capital One UK vs Virgin Money
Capital One UK
Virgin Money
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | Capital One UKReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Virgin MoneyReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 34.9% | 27.9%Lower |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.75% | 0%Lower |
| Rewards type | None | Cashback |
| Balance transfer intro period | 18 months | 21 monthsHigher |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% | 2.95%Lower |
| Perks | Free CreditWise credit score and report, Up to 56 days interest free on new spends, Section 75 protection on spends between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000, Up to 2 credit limit increases a year, Free QuickCheck eligibility check with no impact to credit score, Round the clock fraud security | Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases, Money transfer option, Virgin Money Cashback offers in the credit card app, 24/7 in app chat support with Redi, Virgin Money Rewards and Virgin Red offers |
| Annual fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Credit needed | Poor | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Virgin Money scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.0.
- APR is lower at Virgin Money: 27.9% vs 34.9%.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Virgin Money: 0% vs 2.75%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Virgin Money: 2.95% vs 3%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Virgin Money: 21 months vs 18 months.
- Perks: only Capital One UK offers Free CreditWise credit score and report, Up to 56 days interest free on new spends, Section 75 protection on spends between GBP 100 and GBP 30,000.
- Perks: only Virgin Money offers Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases, Money transfer option.
- Support channels: only Capital One UK offers Chat.
Our verdict on each
Capital One UK
Capital One UK suits UK applicants with poor credit who want a card with a long balance transfer runway and no annual fee. Borrowing is the weak point: the card charges an APR of 34.9%, and the promotional window of 18 months is where the value sits.
Virgin Money
Virgin Money suits UK households wanting everyday spending, travel money and card clearing under a single roof. It wins on running costs: the current account charges £0 a month and converts currency for 0%, while the credit card side is the weak point at 27.9% representative APR.
Score breakdown
| Area | Capital One UK | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8Annual fee of £0 helps, but a conversion fee of 2.75% and a balance transfer fee of 3% weigh against it. | 9.4HigherHolding costs nothing: £0 a month and 0% to convert, while borrowing on the credit card runs at 27.9%. |
| Offer | 9.5HigherFree credit score and report, an eligibility check that leaves the score untouched, statutory purchase protection and 18 months of balance transfers. | 9.4 |
| Trust | 8.9 | Not confirmed |
Licences and countries
| Country | Capital One UK | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Available in 1 country for both.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Capital One UK | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Credit and debit cards | 474 of 1594 | 199 of 1594 |
| Balance transfer cards | 19 of 32 | 5 of 32 |
Spending 1,000 abroad
Capital One UK
27.5
2.75% of 1,000
Virgin Money
0
0% of 1,000
Virgin Money comes out 27.5 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Moving a 3,000 balance
Capital One UK
90
3% of 3,000
Virgin Money
88.5
2.95% of 3,000
Virgin Money comes out 1.5 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Sources behind this comparison
Capital One UK
- capitalone.co.uk: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Virgin Money
- uk.virginmoney.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Capital One UK | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | Not confirmed |
| Features | Not confirmed | Travel |
| Legal entity | Capital One (Europe) plc | Nationwide Building Society (trading as Virgin Money) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1996 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Capital One UK | Virgin Money | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| APR | 34.9%highest quarter | 27.9%highest quarter | 11.635% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.75%highest quarter | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 18 monthsabove the median | 21 monthshighest quarter | 12 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 3%at the median | 2.95%below the median | 3% |
Median across 486 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Capital One UK
Pros
- Annual fee of £0, ranking 1 of 312 cards on that measure.
- A balance transfer fee of 3% paired with a 18 month promotional period gives a long runway on old card debt.
- A free credit score and report, an eligibility check that leaves the credit score untouched, and statutory purchase protection on qualifying spends.
Cons
- An APR of 34.9% sits well above the site median of 15.5%, so a carried balance is expensive.
- Rewards type is none, so everyday spending earns nothing back.
- A currency conversion fee of 2.75% on foreign spending compares with a site median of 1%.
Virgin Money
Pros
- Keeping the current account costs £0 a month, so there is no standing charge to offset against the balance.
- The account's card converts currency for 0%, against a conversion fee of 0.1% at Wise.
- Help is reachable on phone, email and help centre, which includes a phone line as well as email and a help centre.
Cons
- Anything carried or bought on the credit card outside an interest free period costs 27.9% representative APR, well above the 15.5% APR most cards in this comparison sit at.
- A fee of 2.95% applies to a balance transfer, so the interest free offer is not a straight move between lenders.
- Account queries run on phone, email and help centre, while the round the clock in-app chat with Redi listed under Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases and Money transfer option belongs to the credit card, not the current account.
Who each suits
Capital One UK
Who it suits
- UK applicants with poor credit who want a mainstream card rather than a premium one.
- Anyone clearing an old card balance and valuing a 18 month window to do it.
- People who want a credit score and report kept free alongside the card.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for anyone spending abroad often, since its card conversion fee is 0% against 2.75% here.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if a secured card route suits better, with an annual fee of $0 and no promotional period to lean on.
- bunq, whose personal plans carry an annual fee of €0, for euro account holders rather than UK credit applicants.
Virgin Money
Who it suits
- Households that spend or travel abroad: the account's card converts currency for 0% where Wise lists 0.1%.
- Readers clearing old card balances, who can move them onto 21 months of interest free balance transfers for a fee of 2.95% instead of a secured card such as Varo Believe Secured Credit Card.
- Customers who want a building society behind the brand: Nationwide Building Society (trading as Virgin Money) holds a Prudential Regulation Authority licence in the United Kingdom, 106078, and help runs on phone, email and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a euro account rather than a UK one: bunq's monthly fee is €0, and Virgin Money's operation sits in the United Kingdom.
- Readers who will not carry a balance at 27.9% representative APR or pay 2.95% to move one, who would do better on a secured card such as Varo Believe Secured Credit Card.
Current offers
Capital One UK
Current offer
First period offer
0% interest on balance transfers for up to 18 months and on purchases for up to 3 months: 0% for up to 18 months on balance transfers; 0% for up to 3 months on purchases
Balance Transfer card; up to 3% transfer fee (maximum 3%); up to GBP 8,000 starting credit limit; representative example assumes a GBP 1,200 credit limit with 34.94% p.a. variable interest on purchases giving 34.9% APR representative variable
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Capital One UK | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Capital One UK
Is there an annual fee to hold the card?+
No annual fee is charged on the credit card, so keeping it open costs nothing in fees. The value sits elsewhere: a balance transfer fee of 3% and a promotional period of 18 months. Rewards type is none, so nothing comes back on everyday spending.
What rate do I pay if I carry a balance?+
The card's standard rate is an APR of 34.9%, well above the site median of 15.5%. That rate applies to new purchases and to any balance left after the promotional period ends, so carrying a balance is the expensive way to use it. Clearing the full amount each month avoids the interest.
Virgin Money
What does the Virgin Money current account cost each month?+
The monthly fee is £0, so holding the account and using its card adds nothing to regular outgoings. That sits alongside 0% to convert currency on the account's card, the second figure most readers check. The account ranks 1 of 422 brands on the monthly fee measure on this site.
Does the card cost anything when I spend in another currency?+
The currency conversion charge on the account's card is 0%, and that is the figure that decides whether spending abroad is cheap to run. Wise lists a conversion fee of 0.1%, and most cards here convert at a percentage, so the gap matters for regular travellers. Virgin Money ranks 1 of 258 brands on this measure.
Other options to compare
Capital One UK
Virgin Money