Top 10 Best Credit Cards in Kenya for 2024 [From Reputable Banks]

There’s no single credit card that is the best option for each family, purchase, or budget. Factors such as your credit history and how much you spend affect your choice of a credit card.

Nevertheless, if you’re looking for one that can fit various situations, here are our recommendations for the best credit cards in Kenya.

What are the Best Credit Cards in Kenya for New Users?

Below are the top credit cards in Kenya from reputable banks:

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KCB Platinum Visa Card
Standard Chartered Platinum Card
I&M Visa Infinite Credit Cards
Barclays Signature Visa Card
Stanbic Bank Gold Credit Card
CBA Platinum Credit Card
NIC Credit Cards
Gold Visa Card by Cooperative Bank
Equity Gold Credit Card
Visa Classic Credit Card by National Bank of Kenya

1. KCB Platinum Visa Card

The first on the list is Platinum Visa Card. It’s available to both KCB and Non-KCB customers. It applies to both employed individuals and Sole Proprietors.

Just like any other service-based product, credit cards have their pros and cons. So, what do you get from accessing the classic card?

Here’s a highlight of the advantages and disadvantages of the KCB Platinum Visa Card.

Benefits of KCB Platinum Visa Card

Exclusive membership – Automatic membership to the Visa Business Club
Flexible repayment that ranges between 10% to 100% of the outstanding balance
45-day interest-free period on your card
Exclusive discounts at 200+ KCB merchants when you pay using the platinum card
Earn Simba points redeemable for airtime, money, and other unique offers
Secure and safe transactions through KCB’s 3D security features

Drawbacks of KCB Platinum Visa Card

Expensive annual fee of Kshs. 4,000
High monthly interest of 3.5%
High Cash advance interest of 6% of the amount accessed
High late payment interest of 5% of the outstanding balance
High turnover requirement of KSh. 300,000

2. Standard Chartered Platinum Card

As the name suggests, Standard Chartered Visa Credit Card is a range of credit cards to enhance your lifestyle.

The Standard Chartered Platinum is a credit card offered by one of the top banks in Kenya and worldwide- Standard Chartered bank.

It’s always advisable to find more convincing reasons for choosing a specific product. The most crucial factor of all there is to consider is the advantages and disadvantages of the product in question. Standard Chartered Platinum Card is no exception.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this credit card?

Benefits of Standard Chartered Platinum Credit Card

3600 reward programs with no entry forms
Low monthly income requirement of Kshs.50,000
50 interest-free days
A 5% cashback every time you use the card to pay for meals and fuel bills
Mandatory Credit life insurance of up to 80 cents per Kshs.1,000 of your card balance

Drawbacks of Standard Chartered Platinum Credit Card

High annual fee
A lot of deductible fees
High supplementary card yearly fee

3. I&M Visa Infinite Credit Cards

I&M Bank partnering with Visa, launched its I&M Visa Infinite Card for Kenyan Premium clients.

The card was developed to meet its customer needs and complement I&M Bank’s effort to increase customer focus, mobility, and innovation.

The Infinite Credit Card offers you unparalleled services and privilege locally and abroad as follows:

Benefits of I&M Visa Infinite Credit Cards

Free unlimited airport lounge access
Emergency assistance in case you lose your card
Comprehensive travel insurance
Shopping incentives
Secure through SafeCard App that allows you to block and unblock your card in case of a threat

Drawbacks of I&M Visa Infinite Credit Cards

Expensive joining fee of KES 5,000
Supplementary joining fee of KES 5,000
Extra Annual fee of KES 7,500
The annual fee is KES 7,500

4. Barclays Signature Visa Card

It’s designed to serve the high-achieving customers who are the crème de la crème within the country. Due to its demand and good perks, it is considered among the best credit cards in Kenya.

Some of its benefits include a concierge available 24 hours a day which helps customers book restaurants on their behalf guaranteeing reservations and unlocking great dining experiences.

Additionally, the concierge helps customers to suggest and book concerts and entertainment around the world.

Benefits of Barclays Signature Visa Card

You can book a restaurant of your convenience
No joining fees
VIP lounge access in over 900 countries
You can refer to book concerts, theater productions, and other entertainment forms.
One-year purchase protection

Drawbacks of Barclays Signature Visa Card

These are general cons and hence applicable to any credit card. They include:
High annual fee of KES 8,000
High net salary requirement of KES 500,000

5. Stanbic Bank Gold Credit Card

Stanbic Bank is a reputable bank in Kenya. The bank has over 30 branches across major towns and cities in Kenya and has extended its services to other countries within the continent.

Their Gold Credit Card is regarded as one of the best credit cards in Kenya as it has a 55-day credit period. Proof of residence, income, and identification are some of the requirements for this credit card.

You also need to have an account with CFC Stanbic Bank to be eligible for this credit card as well as earn a minimum salary of KES 150,000. It has its share of advantages and disadvantages as follows;

Benefits of Stanbic Gold Credit Card

Instant access to credit
Waived joining fee
Supplementary cards at zero extra costs
Free card replacement for the old and damaged card
Protection against fraud if you misplace your card
No joining fee and can withdraw through the ATM
Exceptional facilities such as Airport lounges, Emirates airlines, and many more
3D secure verification protection for safe online shopping

Disadvantages of Stanbic Gold Credit Card

High annual fee of KSh 4,000
An increased minimum monthly payment of 3.3%
Additional transactional fee at 2%

6. CBA Platinum Credit Card

The Commercial Bank of Africa offers the CBA Platinum Credit Card. The bank has a wide network across East Africa. It’s ATM’s spread across major cities and towns within the region.

The Credit Card allows you to be a part of CBA’s ‘invite-only’ experiences and events from sports, fashion, art, to fine dining.

You need certified copies of bank statements for the past six months, copy f utility bill, PIN certificate copy, among others to acquire the credit card.

Benefits of CBA Platinum Credit Card

Complimentary membership to the Elite Priority Pass Programs
Short-term protection plan against theft, loss, and damage
No joining fees
Zero fees for the first five supplementary cards
Spectacular deals for international travelers

Drawbacks of CBA Platinum Credit Card

To purchase this card, you’ll be required to part with KSh 400,000, which is way higher for an average Kenyan.
High annual fee of KES 7,000
Increased interest of 5% on the amount above KES 2500
A high monthly interest rate of about 3.5%

7. NIC Credit Cards

The NIC bank provides two credit cards: The NIC Gold Credit Card and NIC Freedom Credit Card. Both cards are a modern and convenient financial tool that facilitates convenience and ease in daily transactions.

You can get the Visa Gold Credit and the NIC Freedom Credit Card if you have a minimum monthly net income of KES 50,000.

Credit cards are considered among the best credit cards in Kenya since they’re suitable for people who need to make substantial financial transactions within a given month and people who need easy and convenient settlement for their daily transactions, respectively.

Benefits of NIC Gold Credit Card

Preferential services
High credit card limit of between KES 200,000 and KES 1,000,000
Up to KES 400,000 free travel accident insurance
5% cashback every time you make fuel payments
Access 23m establishments in over 150 countries
Benefits of the NIC Freedom Card
Flexible, easy to use, and secure
Allows you to set the card limit to as low as Kes 20,000
Helps you control your monthly expenses
Maintains your lifestyle to a particular standard

Drawbacks of the NIC Credit Cards

A card replacement fee of Kes 500
KRA Pin for sole proprietors and Business that may attract additional fees for application
License’s requirement which may be expensive to acquire

8. Gold Visa Card by Cooperative Bank

Cooperative Bank’s Gold Visa Credit card is one of the top 10 credit cards in Kenya. It’s an enhanced premium credit card. It’s targeted at the savvy, upwardly mobile individual.

It comes with a higher spending limit. It also provides excellent flexibility to its customers and helps them stretch their expanses to certain limits.

Benefits of Cooperative Bank’s Gold Visa Card

50-day interest-free days
No joining fees
Legal and legal referral while traveling abroad
Free monthly email statements
Special discounts with specific hotels, hospitals, and airlines
An extra 15% discount for Gold Visa cardholders in over 55 000 hotels worldwide
Usable in over a 24million places
Applicable for online modes of payment settlements
Withdraw up to KES 50,0000 monthly from the ATMs

Drawbacks of Gold Visa Card

KRA pin requirement, which means extra charges for its application

9. Equity Gold Credit Card

Due to its high spending limit and exclusive packages, Equity Gold Credit Card is considered among the top 10 best credit cards in Kenya. It has a chip and Pin card that enhances your security whenever you are carrying out a transaction.

The chip stores your details and the pin verify the transaction instead of singing a sales slip. The Equity Gold Credit Card is acceptable worldwide in all VISA branded outlets.

It has no additional fee deducted upon purchase of goods and services bought in supermarkets, hospitals, gas stations, hotels among other outlets.

You can also use the card to withdraw from ATMs. Equity bank is offered and is designed so that middle-income earners can get the credit they want.

Benefits of the Equity Gold Credit Card

Zero transaction fee when paying for goods and services at merchant stores
Allows you to withdraw money from the ATMs
You receive all your transaction details via an SMS
It comes in handy during emergencies
Secure when making big purchases
The flexibility of repaying the total amount owed
Occasional discounts from select outlets
Works with a Revolving credit for an interest-free period of 45 days

Drawbacks of the Equity Gold Credit Card

Your credit limit decreases if you take longer to repay any outstanding amount
Most exclusive packages are for high-income earners only
Unaffordable life insurance

10. Visa Classic Credit Card by National Bank of Kenya

National Bank offers three Credit Cards: Visa Classic Card, Visa Gold Card, and Visa Platinum Card. Among the three cards, The Gold card is designed for people who travel to many counties.

The Platinum card, on the other hand, is for industrialists with substantial amounts of money, and Visa Classic Card is for people who don’t need vast amounts of money.

The latter is most suable for people who need to use their credit cards for monthly expenses such as fuel, bills, and shopping.

Benefits of the Visa Classic Credit Card

No need of opening a National Bank Account
No extra charges for making any payments using the card
Low salary requirement of KES 20,000

Drawbacks of the Visa Classic Credit Card

If you’re a business owner, you need to have a minimum turnover of Kes 150,000, which is relatively high for an average earner.
High interest of 3.5% on the total amount due
High 5%ninterest on cash withdrawn
High annual fees of KES 2500

Conclusion

We’re in an era where credit cards have been a necessity. Using one or multiple of the best credit cards in Kenya will allow you to enjoy a handful of perks, as discussed in this article. Ensure you go through each of the credit cards for effective usage.