TymeBank review

The annual fee is ZAR 0, so there is nothing to pay for keeping the card open. The card also sits in the no annual fee model, which is where most cards in this comparison sit. Interest and the currency conversion fee still apply when you use it.

Interest on the card runs at 18%. That figure sits near the middle of what cards in this comparison charge, so the card is not a cheap way to carry debt. Clearing the balance inside the interest-free period is what keeps borrowing cost at nothing.

Rewards are points, and the headline rate is Double Smart Shopper points at Pick n Pay. So double points apply at Pick n Pay, which is where most card spending in South Africa happens. Points sit outside the cashback rewards that dominate this comparison.

Perks on the card include Smart Shopper points and 55 days interest free. That long interest-free window is longer than a typical statement cycle, which means everyday spending can clear before interest is charged. Anything left outstanding beyond the window is charged at 18%.

The currency conversion fee is 2%, charged on foreign transactions. That is at the higher end of the cards in this comparison, so holiday spending and online subscriptions billed overseas work out expensive. Local spending avoids the charge entirely.

Support runs on email only. There is no phone line listed, which is a real limit for anyone disputing a transaction or chasing a declined payment. Cardholders who want to argue a point or need a human quickly will have less to work with.

It is a credit card, and the rewards are points rather than cashback. The perks centre on supermarket spending, so it fits South African households whose weekly shop is their main card use. Borrowers who carry a balance are poorly served by 18% interest.

The card is issued by TymeBank Limited, which was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in South Africa. TymeBank is a South African digital bank, so the card and its points are aimed at that market rather than at UK or European customers.