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Finder Score – Credit Card Methodology

Helping you compare credit card offers.

What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score ranks credit card offers based on their competitiveness.

We evaluate all of the credit cards available in our database and give them a score out of 10. The higher the score, the more competitive the current offer.

We've factored in and weighted the features that would be important for a typical user of that type of card.

Finder rating

Why did we come up with the Finder Score?

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To make comparing easy

Comparing credit cards is hard work. We thought that there should be an easier, more objective and faster way to make sense of all costs and features.

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Because rates and fees aren't everything

To find the best credit card you need to consider the costs as well as the perks and the value you'll get in return. The Finder Score can help you do that.

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Because we want to help

Finder is editorially independent. The Finder Score is designed to help you make an informed decision and get better value for money.

A 'Finder Score' is Finder's unique way of evaluating the range of financial and telecommunications products available in Australia to help consumers make the best choice for them. A product's 'Finder Score' is a unique score out of 10 that reflects the merit of that product in a given category. This means a single product can have multiple Finder Scores depending on the product category within which it is being assessed. A credit card that receives a high score in the Frequent Flyer category, for example, is unlikely to receive a high score in the Low Rate Cards category - as these products are aimed at different consumers.

Finder uses a sophisticated data-led methodology, derived from Finder's awards program, which compares thousands of products across numerous features every month to determine a product's Finder Score. This process first involves applying a selection criteria designed by Finder's experts to ensure only the products relevant to a particular category are compared. Secondly, products are scored out of 10 for each of a number of feature and cost metrics based on Finder's dynamic scoring system. Final scores are a weighted sum of all feature and cost metric scores. The final scores are then converted into a Finder Score from 0 to 10, awarding 10 to the highest scoring product.

When data points are categorical, products are given a fixed score out of 10. When data points are numeric, they receive a percentile rank which corresponds to a score out of 10. Final scores are a sum of all the feature and cost metric scores. The final score is transformed into a Finder Score out of 10 by taking the ratio of a product's final score to the highest final score in a given category.

A Finder Score allows a consumer to quickly view the merits of a product for their needs. Rather than scanning and filtering numerous data points, a Finder Score allows a consumer to see a single evaluation of a product for a particular purpose and make an informed financial decision.

Credit Cards

A Finder Score for Credit cards were calculated for 10 categories, with each category corresponding to a particular consumer need. Features and cost metric scores were then weighted in the following way for each of the categories.

Score Eligibility

Products are included in the categories if they are currently available in the market and meet the following criteria:

  • Balance Transfer: Has a valid balance transfer revert rate
  • Travel: Has a valid purchase interest rate
  • Frequent Flyer: Has a valid purchase interest rate and accrues points on the Qantas Frequent Flyer, or Velocity Frequent Flyer, or Star Alliance frequent flyer programs.
  • Low Rate: Has an ongoing purchase rate between 0% p.a. and 15% p.a.
  • No Annual Fee: Has an ongoing purchase rate greater than 0% p.a. and an ongoing $0 annual fee
  • Rewards: Has a valid purchase interest rate and a valid rewards program
  • No Annual Fee Rewards: Has a valid purchase interest rate, ongoing $0 annual fee and valid rewards program
  • Business Rewards: Is a valid business card, has a valid purchase interest rate and a valid rewards program
  • Business Frequent Flyer: Is a valid business card, has a valid purchase interest rate and accrues points on the Qantas Frequent Flyer, Velocity Frequent Flyer, Star Alliance, Qantas Business Rewards, or ANZ Business Rewards program.
  • Business Low Interest: Is a valid business card and has a purchase interest rate between 0% p.a. and 15% p.a.

Why you can trust the Finder Scores

73,000+

data points assessed

250+

credit cards rated

100+

hours of research

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