Our award reveals the bank that deliver the best credit cards for Kiwi consumers.
This is the fourth year in a row that TSB has won our Bank of the Year Credit Cards Award.
Awarding TSB its top accolade, our research team noted that TSB continues to lead the market with its low-rate and rewards credit cards.
In addition, TSB earned great feedback in our consumer satisfaction survey, encompassing thousands of credit card users, across features including customer service, fees and online banking.
The Bank of the Year Credit Card Award recognises the institution that offers the best credit cards to Kiwi consumers across low rate, rewards and flight rewards, plus the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Bank of the Year Credit Cards Award: credit cards from the following providers were included in our award research: American Express, ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Finance Now, Gem, Kiwibank, SBS Bank, The Co-operative Bank, TSB and Westpac.
For the Bank of the Year Credit Cards Award, our expert research team uses a sophisticated rating methodology that rates cards for their value and features.
The methodology compares cards across characteristics including: fees, interest rates, number of interest free days and reward programs.
The award research also includes consumer satisfaction based on feedback from 3000+ credit card customers.
Our Bank of the Year Credit Cards Award is presented to the card provider that rates best across our Low Rate, Rewards and Flight Rewards Star Rating profiles, as well as delivering high levels of customer satisfaction.
11Credit card providers rated
3034Credit card customers surveyed
3Types of credit cards assessed
1Bank of the Year Credit Cards Award winnerOur awards reveal the credit cards and providers that deliver the best value for credit card users. Winners are listed alphabetically:
American Express issues five cards, and four of them are winners of Outstanding Value Awards in our flight rewards card profile, across all four annual spend limits:
Outstanding Value Flight Rewards Cards $12k & $24k Spends
• American Express Airpoints Card
Outstanding Value Flight Rewards Cards $60k Spend
• American Express Gold Rewards Card
• American Express Airpoints Platinum Card
Outstanding Value Flight Rewards Cards $120k Spend
• American Express Gold Rewards Card
ANZ's low rate card earns an Outstanding Value Award in our balance transfer profile:
Outstanding Value Balance Transfer Cards
• ANZ Low Rate Visa
ASB's Visa Platinum card earns Outstanding Value Awards in our rewards card profile across three annual spend limits:
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $24k Spend
• ASB Visa Platinum
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $60K Spend
• ASB Visa Platinum
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $120k Spend
• ASB Visa Platinum
BNZ's Advantage Visa Platinum card earns an Outstanding Value Award in our rewards card profile across our $60k annual spend:
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $60K Spend
• BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum
Kiwibank earns an Outstanding Value Award in our low rate profile:
Outstanding Value Low Rate Cards
• Kiwibank Zero Visa
SBS issues one card, its Visa Credit Card, which earns Outstanding Value Awards in our rewards card profile across two annual spend limits:
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $12k Spend
• SBS Visa
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $24k Spend
• SBS Visa
TSB issues two Mastercards, which earn Outstanding Value Awards across two card profiles, and two annual spend limits:
Outstanding Value Low Rate Cards
• TSB Low Rate Mastercard
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $24k Spend
• TSB Platinum Mastercard
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $60K Spend
• TSB Platinum Mastercard
Westpac issues seven Mastercards, and six of them are winners of Outstanding Value Awards, across all four of our card profiles, and one annual spend limit:
Outstanding Value Low Rate Cards
• Westpac Fee Free Mastercard
Outstanding Value Rewards Cards $120k Spend
• Westpac hotpoints World Mastercard
Outstanding Value Flight Rewards Cards $120k Spend
• Westpac Airpoints World Mastercard
Outstanding Value Balance Transfer Cards
• Westpac Airpoints Mastercard
• Westpac Fee Free Mastercard
• Westpac hotpoints Mastercard
• Westpac hotpoints Platinum Mastercard
Our Outstanding Value Credit Cards Awards recognise the credit cards that deliver the best value to consumers in New Zealand. The research encompasses cards across low rate, balance transfer, rewards and flight rewards categories and four different annual spend profiles, from $12,000 to $120,000.
Outstanding Value Credit Cards Awards: credit cards from the following providers were included in our award research: American Express, ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Finance Now, Gem, Kiwibank, SBS Bank, The Co-operative Bank, TSB and Westpac. Bank, TSB and Westpac.
For our Outstanding Value Credit Card Awards, our expert research team uses a sophisticated rating methodology to assess the cards that deliver the best value and features across three card profiles:
The rewards cards in our ratings are also evaluated over four annual spends, to highlight the best value rewards credit cards to meet all budgets:
11Credit card providers assessed29Credit cards rated3Card-user profiles highlighted8Credit card providers awardedBased on feedback from thousands of everyday Kiwis, our award rewards the credit card provider rated No.1 for customer satisfaction.
Pulling off a great double-header, American Express is the winner of both Canstar's 2026 Most Satisfied Customers Credit Card Awards, covering rewards and standard cards.
Most Satisfied Credit Cards Award
The results of our research revealed one clear winner: American Express, which scored highly across all our award ratings categories, and earned perfect ratings from its customers for Customer Service and its Rewards Program.
Most Satisfied Rewards Credit Cards Award
Fewer providers offer dedicated rewards cards, and five were rated in our survey: American Express, ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac.
Again, American Express was the clear favourite with Kiwis, earning great reviews for Customer Service and perfect ratings for Fees & Charges, Interest Rate, Rewards Program and Value for Money.
Canstar's Most Satisfied Customers Credit Cards Award is based entirely on feedback from Kiwi credit card users and rewards the card issuer that earns the best reviews from its customers.
For this year's award, we asked 3034 banking customers to rate their credit card providers.
Ten banks met the criteria for our award, listed here in alphabetical order: American Express, ASB, ANZ, BNZ, Gem Visa, Kiwibank, Q Mastercard, The Co-operative Bank, TSB, Westpac.
Most Satisfied Customers Credit Cards
When rating their choice of rewards credit cards, the consumers in our research cite Value for Money as the most important factor for delivering satisfaction.
Digital Banking and Customer Service are also key factors. Interestingly, Interest Rate is the least important driver of satisfaction, perhaps indicating that those in our survey use their cards wisely, pay off their monthly bills and rarely incur interest charges.
Key drivers of borrower satisfaction:
Most Satisfied Customers Rewards Credit Cards
The main drivers of satisfaction for rewards card users are slightly different to regular card users. Not surprisingly the rewards on offer are more of a concern, almost matching Value for Money and Customer Service.
And, again, Interest Rate is of little concern, although the higher fees associated with rewards cards are more of a concern.
Key drivers of borrower satisfaction:
3034Credit card customers surveyed10Card providers assessed
8Ratings categories2Award winners
Canstar's credit card awards reveal the card providers that deliver the best products, customer service and value for money to meet the credit card needs of everyday Kiwis across a range of spending profiles and card types.
Across our financial services awards, Canstar's expert research team reviews the overall value offered by providers. It considers metrics such as price and costs against features and functionality, using a unique research methodology for each award. The products or providers recognised as winners are those that offer the highest overall value propositions.
Canstar recognises financial institutions with annual awards for outstanding value across a wide range of product categories. These awards are given to the providers whose products are the strongest overall performers in our Star Ratings over the award period.
Canstar's Customer Satisfaction Awards are for providers, recognising institutions with the most satisfied customers overall. The awards are based on consumer surveys encompassing thousands of everyday Kiwis across the country.
Canstar compares hundreds of brands and products across multiple finance and household services categories, including banking, insurances and KiwiSaver, as well as energy, broadband and mobile.
Each of Canstar's Star Ratings and Awards uses a unique methodology – created by our expert research team – that analyses products based on price and features.
You can find out more about how Canstar's value-based rating system works here.
As Canstar's Group Manager, Research & Ratings, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology behind Canstar's diverse suite of Star Ratings and Awards and leads the teams that deliver them. With a background in economics and finance and a Master's in data science, Josh has spent the past ten years building ratings that help connect consumers with the right product for them.
Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their finances. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine.
You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on X and Facebook.
Bruce Pitchers is Canstar's NZ Editor. An experienced finance reporter, he has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and NZ, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. As a freelancer, he has worked for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman.
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.
