Compare our best Mastercard credit cards

A Mastercard credit card is a payment card that uses the Mastercard network to process transactions. While Mastercard facilitates the transaction process, it doesn't issue the credit card itself. As a cardholder, you’ll typically have little direct interaction with Mastercard.

Your card is issued by a bank or financial institution, which is also responsible for sending you your monthly statements, collecting payments, applying fees and interest, and addressing any queries you have.

Mastercard’s role is limited to processing transactions between the retailer you’re purchasing from and your card issuer. For this, Mastercard typically charges the retailer a fee based on a percentage of the purchase amount.

Mastercard works with a number of banks and credit card providers, including those listed below:

• Santander

• NatWest

• Capital One

• Post Office 

• TSB

• Virgin Money

• Aqua

There are three network providers in the UK: Mastercard, Visa and American Express. You can find out which network your credit card uses by checking the logo on the bottom right corner of your Mastercard, Visa and partner-branded Amex credit card, or across the top for American Express credit cards.

An eligibility checker matches you with the credit cards you're likely to get based on your finances. If you're looking for a Mastercard card, it'll match you with the cards you have the best chance of being accepted for.

It uses a “soft search” credit check, so your credit score will not be affected. This is why it's a good idea for most people to use an eligibility checker. You only apply for the cards you can get, so you’ll significantly reduce the chance of a rejected application.