Bank cards that update statements the fastest

CraigGuest

Hi all,

I've been getting into budgeting recently and I love my Amex Credit Card, and not for any of the usual reasons (e.g. cash back, rewards). It's because the card is extremely fast to update the statement after a transactions!

When I get home in the evening I can filter through the pending transactions and double check them against what I wrote in my budget for the day.

Unfortunately Amex isn't accepted everywhere (and understandably so) which got me to thinking, are there any bank cards (or other credit cards) in the Visa or Master Card class that update their statements as fast?

Can anybody offer there experience? It's probably not at the top of most peoples reasons for signing up with a bank account, but the speed from swipe-to-statement is really important to me.

Thanks for any help, this isn't something advertised on their site or easily searched for!

pmduk

Most of the time the speed a transaction is shown on your account has more to to do with the retailer than the financial institution.

YorkshireBoy

Santander credit cards are very quick to update in my experience. They won't update on your main recent transactions list, but the amount is reflected in your available balance and if you click the 'pending transactions' link the full retailer description and amount is displayed.

Caladan

As far as I know all banks will update your 'available balance' as soon as a transaction is authorised by them.

If it isn't authorised (which often happens with lower value transactions) it doesn't matter what bank you're with, because they wont know anything about it until the retailer asks for the money

zagfles

Barclaycard update the pending transactions just as Amex do, but they don't tell you what the transactions are. So you get the total amount pending but not who the retailer(s) are or how many transactions the total is made up of.

mwarby

Lloyds\halifax\bank of scotland all show pending transactions (itemised), which is useful.

I'd think if you had one of their basic accounts (for people with poor credit), you'd get an online card, which would means transactions should always get auth and so show up in pending. Online cards have the disadvantage that they don't work where there is no comms, eg on a train or plane.

CraigGuest

Thanks for the feedback all. It seems from the names mentioned here that I may have the only bank (HSBC) who do not have a good pending transactions system!

CC's: Santander, Barclaycard (without retailer name)
Banks: Llyods, Halifax, Bank of Scotland

I'll look in to the banks and see if they're worth switching too.

Thanks

a&akay

Another for Santander 123. Payments to my card from our Barclays bank account always show instantly and transfers between our 2 cards do too.

20aday

Santander also offer the Spendlytics app which shows transactions I've used my card for but have yet to reach the account.

Definitely a great way of keeping track of my 123 cash back purchases.

System

Debit card wise I'd recommend either any of the LBG or CYBG platforms.

LBG : Lloyds, Halifax, TSB or Bank of Scotland.
CYBG: Clydesdale or Yorkshire Banks.

They can all issue you an online debit card, on their standard current accounts, on request.