HSBC Gold Review (Currently Unavailable)
Review
Updated
If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
If you're looking to get out of credit card debt, there are no shortage of cards out there with 0% intro APR offers that allow you to hit the pause button on interest charges for a bit. The best cards offer you long interest-free periods and find ways to waive even more fees, which is exactly what the HSBC Gold Mastercard® did.
The HSBC Gold Mastercard® offered a lot of benefits over its competitors in the 0% intro APR intro offer space. There's no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no penalty APR, and you even get one free pass on a late fee per year. But in order to get the maximum benefit from this card, there were a few things you needed to know.
Great for: 0% intro APR
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Introductory APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for the first 18 months from Account opening. Balance Transfers must be posted within the first 60 days following Account opening to qualify.
Purchases: 0%, 18 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months
Regular APR
13.99% - 23.99%
Rewards
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer
N/A
This card may not have any rewards or bonuses, but it's intro purchase and balance transfer period is among the best.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR |
|
|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | 2% cash rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. |
Intro: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR |
|
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
25,000 points 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases | 1.5-3 points per dollar Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center. |
Intro: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) |
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
This credit card is a good fit for: Consumers in search of a lengthy 0% intro APR period they can use to pay down credit card debt or expensive purchases interest-free.
If you've been looking to make a big purchase and pay it off with what's essentially an interest-free loan, a card with a 0% intro apr offer might be right for you. And with this card, you'll get a full 18 months to pay off the balance without owing any interest.
You'll get the same 18 months to pay off any balance transfers. That's a very good offer compared to its competitors. In fact, there are only a few cards that have longer 0% intro APR periods on balance transfers. If you want to take advantage of this offer, you'll need to do it within the first 60 days after you open this card.
If you pay your bill late, you can get a late fee waiver once per calendar year. Be careful with this one though; paying your bill late can still cause your credit score to drop. And if you pay your bill more than 60 days late, your intro 0% APR period will end early and you'll begin being charged your normal interest rate.
This is another area in which this card outshines most of its competitors. There are no foreign transaction fees, so if you roam abroad frequently and are still working to pay down your debt, this will be an especially valuable card for you.
Some credit card companies will charge you a higher APR if you pay your bill late. HSBC won't do that. But keep in mind that there are many other credit card issuers that also don't charge penalty APRs. So while this is a handy perk, it's not necessarily uncommon.
Again, it's not unusual to find no annual fee 0% intro APR credit cards. But since this card is designed to help you pay down your debt, it is an important factor to highlight.
Read more: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
This card comes with a 4% ($10 min.) balance transfer fee. For example, if you're transferring over $10,000, you'll pay a fee of $400. That's a bit higher than some of its competitors where 3% is common, but in return, you do get a long interest-free period to pay off your debt.
This card isn't built for earning cash back or travel rewards. It's meant to pay down your credit card debt, and that's what it does well. Still, there are cards out there that do allow you to earn rewards while still taking advantage of a 0% intro APR.
In the grand scheme of 0% intro APR offers, the HSBC Gold Mastercard®'s intro period is relatively long. But it's not the longest. Other cards offer even longer stretches with no interest payments, so if you think you won't be able to pay off your debt within 18 months, see if a longer interest-free offer might work better for you.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
The HSBC Gold Mastercard® is meant for people with good to excellent credit. FICO defines this as having a credit score of 670 or above. There are many other factors that lenders take into account such as your income and other debt levels when deciding to approve you for a card, so even if your score falls within these ranges it doesn't necessarily mean you'll automatically qualify.
Read more: Best Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
If you're looking to pay off your existing credit card debt quickly and cheaply, or finance a large purchase, the HSBC Gold Mastercard® should be on your shortlist.
It's especially well-suited to travelers because it's one of the few credit cards that comes with no foreign transaction fees when you are abroad. It's also a good choice if you want the added security that you can pay late once per year and not be charged a late fee. But again, be careful with this one, because you don't want to be lulled into a false sense of security and feel it's OK to miss a payment.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
The credit limit for the HSBC Gold Mastercard® usually ranges from $1,000 to $10,000 or more. HSBC uses a variety of factors to determine your card's credit limit, including your income and credit history.
The HSBC Gold Mastercard® can be hard to get because of the application requirements. To be eligible to apply for this card, you first need to have a bank account with HSBC. In addition, some applicants have reported that they needed to provide additional documentation to HSBC during the credit card application process.
No, you can't get pre-approved for the HSBC Gold Mastercard®.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard and Visa.
