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*The information about the Barclaycard Ring® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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Editor’s note: this offer is no longer available as of May 17, 2019.
The Barclaycard Ring Mastercard recently updated its balance transfer offer, making it an unattractive choice compared to other balance transfer cards in the market.
This card advertises a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable 14.24% APR will apply. However, you will be charged $5 or 2% of the transferred balance. On the other hand, if you make a balance transfer beyond 45 days of opening an account, you won’t have to pay a balance transfer fee, but your APR will be a variable 14.24%. What this boils down to is that you are either going to be paying a balance transfer fee, or you will be charged the regular APR on your balance transfer. It’s a lose-lose situation, and you would be better off with a card that has a stronger introductory balance transfer offer.
As a balance transfer card, the Barclaycard Ring Mastercard falls short compared to the competition. The card is able to redeem some of its value as a low-interest card, but there are plenty of better options on the market for consumers looking to decrease their debt payments.
It’s one stab at a reward effort is its Giveback program, which was designed to share some card profits with cardholders. Unlike traditional rewards programs, there are no guaranteed rewards, and Barclay’s says it may discontinue the program at any time. You may also designate any Giveback rewards to charity.
We do like that this card preaches transparency and that cardholders are both alerted to upcoming changes and are offered an opportunity to vote on certain card features.
The Barclaycard Ring Mastercard touts itself as a “community-minded” credit card and has a dedicated website featuring tips and tools for money management as well as a place to start a discussion or submit an idea. The card also has a profit-sharing feature that gives an opportunity to either get a statement credit, donate your earnings to charity, or a combination of both. Keep in mind that, according to the fine print, any payouts are at the discretion of Barclay’s and it’s not a guarantee that any payouts will actually occur.
With a lackluster balance transfer offer, this card is best suited for consumers with good to excellent credit scores that are looking for a long-term low-interest credit card.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
