Debit cards: what you need to know about them

How to choose the best debit card

When choosing a plastic card, pay attention to the debit card ranking, the bank's financial standing, and customer reviews. A high credit rating is proof of a financial institution's reliability. Furthermore, when choosing a debit card from Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, or another institution, it is important to consider other details as well.

The purpose of getting a debit card

To figure out which card to order, determine your goals before contacting the bank. There is no point in getting a payment tool if you do not need it. Some customers get cards to earn money, others for making transfers, and others for traveling. Because there are many goals, banks take customer needs into account and issue plastic cards for every taste. There are also tools that combine several functions — saving + earning bonuses for shopping in stores.

In other words, you need to choose a card based on your needs. A product that is right for one person may be useless for another.

Debit cards for travel and leisure

Banks offer many products, as well as service packages for each of them. If you plan to use your card abroad in stores, restaurants, or to withdraw cash, pay attention to the following details:

• currency conversion rate;
• fee for withdrawing cash from third-party ATMs;
• interest on the account balance;
• cashback;
• fees for cross-border payments.

Please note! Currency conversion abroad (from $/€ to rubles) differs from the rate set by the Central Bank. It is significantly higher.

• T-Bank, ALL Airlines debit card. Allows you to easily earn miles — up to 8% for car rentals and hotels and up to 4% for purchasing goods. Includes advantageous insurance options — active recreation, medical expense coverage, and baggage insurance.
• With the S7-Tinkoff card, you can also earn miles on purchases, exchanging them for flights with S7 Airlines and the oneworld alliance, and upgrade your service level to business class.
• Sberbank offers the classic and Gold Aeroflot cards. These plastic cards allow you to save on flights by exchanging accumulated miles for tickets.
• A decent product you can use during your vacation is the Raiffeisenbank #VseSrazu debit card. It offers 3.9% cashback on all purchases + 5.5% on the account balance.
•  World Without Borders is a product from Promsvyazbank. It allows you to vacation with maximum benefits and get cash back in various categories — hotel bookings, cruise payments, or ticket purchases. It includes 500 bonus miles, insurance for travelers going abroad, and up to 5% on the card balance.

Although the annual fee for some travel debit cards is not the lowest, this is not something to worry about. The cost is fully offset by the expanded package of services attached to the card.

Best cashback debit cards

The cashback option is what attracts users, which is why they want to get debit cards that help them save money. That is, cardholders can get a significant amount back from every purchase when paying in partner networks or other retail locations. This can be 5% or even more.

Among the best debit cards are:

• Tvoy Cashback from Promsvyazbank. A card with free annual maintenance offers up to 5% cashback on any category chosen by the cardholder + 1% on all other purchases.
• Home Credit Bank offers up to 15% cashback on medications at pharmacies + 10% at gas stations with the "Polza" debit card.
• VTB has set up to 10% cash back for transactions in the Auto and Restaurants categories with the Multicard.
• Opencard is the best debit card from Otkritie Bank. The card provides up to 11% cashback on favorite categories or 3% on all purchases.

When choosing a debit card based on cashback, pay attention to the number of partner locations. Partner programs offer the largest returns. If you get a card with cashback on all purchases, the percentage is small — from 1% to 3%.

Lucrative cards with interest on the balance

If you plan to use your plastic card as a savings account and earn money with it, choose a product that offers the highest interest rate on the balance. Pay attention to the cards offered by the following banks:

• Rocketbank — the "Uyutny Kosmos" product with up to 5.5% interest on the card balance.
• Loko-Bank offers from 6.0% to 7.0% per annum with the "Prostoy Dokhod" card.
• By getting a Tinkoff Black card from T-Bank, you can earn up to 6.0% annual interest.
• Renaissance Credit offers a decent rate on its Debit card — 7.5% on the balance.
• VTB offers a maximum rate of up to 10% per annum (Multicard).

Free debit cards

You can also order debit cards with no maintenance fees. One of them is the Visa Platinum from BCS Bank.

Please note! The package maintenance is free of charge if the total purchases made with the payment instrument exceed 35,000 RUB per month.

The Pyaterochka card from Pochta Bank also deserves attention. It is issued free of charge with just one visit to the bank. The product includes free opening and maintenance of a Savings Account plus 6% per annum on the card balance.

Asian-Pacific Bank has issued a profitable "Special Status" card for retirees. Cardholders not only enjoy free maintenance but also pay no commission on cash withdrawals up to 300,000 RUB.

Please note! These are not all types of debit cards available. There are products tailored specifically for retirees, gamers, youth, athletes, or book lovers. Additionally, the bank issues new cards, striving to meet the needs of all customers.

How to apply

It doesn't matter whether you choose a debit card from Rosbank, Sberbank, or UBRD, the application process is roughly the same across all banks. First, compare debit cards and choose a suitable option. Then follow a few steps:

• Click the "Apply for Card" button on our service.
• After being redirected to the official website of the chosen institution, fill out the application form.
• Check if the entered information is correct.
• Submit the application to the lender.
• Upon receiving a positive decision, pick up the card, activate it, and use it for your purposes.

Today, you can apply for debit cards online in just a few minutes. Many banks offer registration via Gosuslugi, which significantly simplifies the process. If you already have an account with the chosen bank, simply log in to your Personal Account and submit an application for a debit card with favorable maintenance terms.