What's the difference between a debit and credit card?

Debit cards are used to pay for goods in shops and to withdraw money at cash machines. The money is automatically taken from your current account when you spend it, so you must have enough money in your account or an agreed overdraft to cover the transaction. Some of our debit cards are now contactless, which means you don’t need to enter your PIN if the purchase is for less than £30. .

A credit card, such as Barclaycard, isn't linked to your current account and is a credit facility that enables you to buy things immediately, up to a  pre-arranged limit, and pay for them at a later date. The cost of the purchase is added to your credit card account and you get a statement every month.

You then have a choice of paying off the bill in full by a set date with no interest or paying at least a minimum amount and spreading the repayments over a period of time. You’ll have to pay interest on the balance if you do this, therefore, the quicker you pay off your balance, the less interest you’ll pay.