Amex Basic Charge Card.

WillPS

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Maskface said:

Thank you. That's really useful,. I can see I can't really use this the same way as my credit card and need to think carefully what I use it for.

To be honest, charge-cards are of limit value to the average "Joe Public", in my opinion.  As previously mentioned, you don't get S75 protection, and the limit is usually far higher than what the average person would ever need.  For business travellers where they tend to have high expenses (business-class flights and the like) they are extremely useful - and the company is often settling the bill.  But for most of us mere mortals, an ordinary credit card is far more suitable.  Builds up your credit history, S75 protection, cashback/points/rewards of some kind if you're lucky.  And you have the option of not repaying in full every month (strongly NOT recommended, but the option is there should you need it).

Charge cards also build credit history. Balances, late payments and defaults are reported in a similar manner. Amex also offer 2 charge cards which come with Membership Rewards (3 if you include Centurion), although they're quite niche products.

Marchitiello

WillPS said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Maskface said:

Thank you. That's really useful,. I can see I can't really use this the same way as my credit card and need to think carefully what I use it for.

To be honest, charge-cards are of limit value to the average "Joe Public", in my opinion.  As previously mentioned, you don't get S75 protection, and the limit is usually far higher than what the average person would ever need.  For business travellers where they tend to have high expenses (business-class flights and the like) they are extremely useful - and the company is often settling the bill.  But for most of us mere mortals, an ordinary credit card is far more suitable.  Builds up your credit history, S75 protection, cashback/points/rewards of some kind if you're lucky.  And you have the option of not repaying in full every month (strongly NOT recommended, but the option is there should you need it).

Charge cards also build credit history. Balances, late payments and defaults are reported in a similar manner. Amex also offer 2 charge cards which come with Membership Rewards (3 if you include Centurion), although they're quite niche products.

I was questioning this before remembering that the Personal Preferred Rewards Gold Card is now only a Credit Card (it used to be a Charge Card only, then they introduced a CC version, and now it is only CC), whilst the Business Version is only Charge Card.

it is also true that charge cards are not covered by S75 but also true that Amex Chargecard are covered by their own Purchase and Refund protection scheme (need to evaluate the details of each vs s75 to see when it is best applicable). The Platinum one also come with Travel Insurance and other perks.

Personally I have both Credit and Charge Cards from Amex and have made the most of it since 2002. It may not be applicable to all, and traditionally avid travellers or Business were they one making the most of the associated benefits,  but with the Nectar Partnership with Avios, the MR to Avios to Nectar transfers may be a great route to benefits from those points.

Sandtree

Marchitiello said:
need to evaluate the details of each vs s75 to see when it is best applicable

Its probably easiest to say they are notably different from each other and inevitably there will be some scenarios where one will be better than the other and visa versa. 

For example Purchase Protection covers theft of the item in the first 90 days which S75 doesn't but Refund protection is limited to 90 days and £300 per item whereas S75 is effectively 6 years and between £100 and £30,000 per item