DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union) review

The annual fee is $0, so there is nothing to pay to hold the card. Balance transfers carry a fee of 0% as well, and there is no other annual charge. That leaves the APR of 14.75% to 18% on a carried balance as the only regular cost.

The APR on this credit card is 14.75% to 18%, which makes borrowing the main thing to weigh against the rewards. A point per dollar spent does not come close to covering interest on a balance carried month to month, so paying the balance in full is what makes the card worthwhile.

The currency conversion fee is 0%, so spending outside the US carries no conversion charge. The same benefit is repeated in the card's perks, which makes DCU a straightforward choice for travel spending and for anyone paid in another currency.

Rewards are paid as points. The scheme earns a point per dollar spent, and the balance is redeemable for cash back, travel, gift cards and merchandise, so the same points work as spending money or as payment for a trip.

The credit union is supervised by the National Credit Union Administration in the US, and the legal entity behind the card is Digital Federal Credit Union. It has been operating since 1979, and the card is issued by that same credit union.

Support runs on phone, help centre and chat, so you can reach the credit union by phone, chat or the help centre. Questions about the APR of 14.75% to 18%, the balance transfer fee of 0% or points redemption can go through any of those routes.

Monthly FICO score access, $0 foreign currency transaction fee and Roadside Dispatch pay per use roadside assistance covers the rest: monthly access to your FICO score, roadside assistance paid per use, dining and merchandise discounts at Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando, fraud notifications with the option to freeze and unfreeze the card, and tap to pay.

It is a credit card, so balances accrue interest at 14.75% to 18% rather than being paid straight from a current account. With the annual fee at $0 and the conversion fee at 0%, the card pays off for members who clear the balance each month.

DCU sits at position 1 on annual fee and position 1 on currency conversion fee among the brands compared, and its cost score is 8.1 out of 8.1 overall. That is a strong showing for a card with no yearly charge.