Consumer Finance Awards 2025: Credit Card of the Issuer of the Year
Commonwealth Bank has been named Money's Credit Card Issuer of the Year as part of the 2025 Consumer Finance Awards.
- Find out how we chose the winners
- Order your copy of the July awards issue
- Check out more from the 2025 Consumer Finance Awards
Funny thing about credit cards. Recent years have seen a decline in the number of cards held by Australians - from a peak of almost 17 million in 2018 to around 12 million today.
Despite the drop in numbers, research by Finder reveals that almost one in three (29%) Australians says they rely on credit cards to manage their money.
This dependence is slightly skewed towards women, with 33% of women leaning on credit cards compared with 25% of their male counterparts.
While two in five (40%) cardholders applied for their credit card to have a source of emergency funding, 29% say they are chasing reward points, and 17% want a card to make a big purchase.
Clearly, credit cards still have a key role to play. It can be as simple as using our cards to book a table at the local restaurant or scoring a few freebies through reward points.
Whatever the case, the standard rule is to look for a card that suits your style of card use and repayment.
And Commonwealth Bank, which has won this category three times in a row, makes it easy to find the card that suits your needs.
With a six-strong line-up of credit cards, the Commonwealth Bank has something for everyone - including low-rate and low-fee cards, plus an option for those who don't want to pay card interest - ever.
The CommBank Neo Card has a purchase rate of 0%. Instead of paying interest, cardholders pay a monthly card fee ranging from $15 to $25 depending on the card's credit limit. As an extra plus for travellers the card comes with zero international transaction fees.
What if rewards are your main game?
CommBank has three credit cards that deliver rewards. The monthly card fee and rewards vary depending on the card's credit limit, although the interest-free days (44) and purchase rate (20.99%) are the same across all three options.
All three reward-based cards are linked to CommBank awards, although only the bank's Smart Awards credit card and Ultimate Awards credit card are linked to Qantas Frequent Flyer rewards.
What's interesting is that CommBank's Low Rate card (10.99% to 15.99% per annum) as well as its Low Fee card ($0 to $3 monthly) both offer cashback rewards - could be ideal if savings on airfares are not your main motivator.
Earn $75 each month when you spend $500 or more per month for the first six months on a new Low Rate credit card. Or earn $40 each month when you spend $500 or more per month for the first six months on a new Low Fee credit card.
If you're confused about which card is best suited to your needs, the Commonwealth Bank website features an online card selector. Answer up to four questions and it reveals the card that may suit your needs.
Why they won
A suite of credit cards offering everything from zero interest to extensive rewards.
Top product
CommBank Neo card - what's not to love about a credit card that charges zero interest?
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