Although it makes choosing instant decision credit cards a little trickier, you should be pleased to discover that no single credit card issuer has a monopoly on the market for offering instant decision credit cards to online applicants. Although it is a relatively new service, most of the major credit card issuers have jumped on the bandwagon and many institutions, such as supermarkets and online shopping sites, are also offering credit cards with instant decisions. The result is that the market-place has become more fiercely competitive than ever before and the person who stands to benefit from the wealth of introductory offers, low interest rates and loyalty reward schemes is the consumer. But what does an instant decision entail? How do you work out which is the best one for you?



Of course, it's not just banks and building societies that are offering instant decision credit cards; many supermarkets and even charities have seen the need for quick access for credit and are matching the offers made by the larger financial institutions. For example, the Amazon Credit Card makes the standard introductory offers on 0% interest on balance transfers and purchases for set periods of time. The loyalty rewards scheme gives you a 15 Amazon gift certificate for signing up and from there, you receive 1 point for every 1 spent on Amazon and a further 0.5 points for spending anywhere else. As with any other card, you also get online fraud protection and access to your online account. The card is operated by Halifax, so you receive all the security benefits that they apply to their other credit cards.

The decisions are made, using information from credit companies, such as Experian, Hyperion or Equifax. These companies hold details of your credit score and it is this that will determine whether or not you will be approved for instant decision credit cards. Your credit score is a numerical value that reflects your personal spending history. It covers details of your ability to manage credit and make repayments on time. Should your credit score be a positive one, you will be deemed to represent a lesser risk to a lender than if you have incurred penalties and fines through credit mismanagement. A positive credit score is likely to bring you the approval you are looking for.

Applying online for instant decision credit cards couldn't be simpler. You can either take advantage of the links and services offered by the online comparison sites or visit the website of your chosen credit card and fill in the application forms from there. You will be required to be a UK citizen and be over 18 years of age with a current account and a regular salary. The information is then sent to the credit card company, using secure, encrypted servers that can only be unscrambled by the issuers themselves.

The interest rate that comes into play after any introductory offer is often very competitive and loyalty reward schemes often include excellent travel and shopping discounts. So you can see that the perks offered by instant decision credit cards are almost as important as the speedy decision process itself.

While it can be possible to receive quick approval on credit, you should make sure that you can also benefit from the huge range of offers that are available. To this end, online comparison sites are incredibly useful tools in choosing instant decision credit cards. They display the pertinent information of each credit card in an easy-to-read form and that way you can ensure that you choose the card that is right for you; it is possible to almost tailor your credit card to suit your needs.