Nordea Tuohi Mastercard
Nordea markets the Tuohi Mastercard as that second card. This phrasing fairly reflects the card’s features: it is bare-bones and therefore not the best choice as a primary payment card. In this review, we consider who might still get value from the card despite its limited features.
The "Add-On" in Furniture and Appliance Stores
You can apply for the Tuohi card on Nordea’s website, but you most often see it promoted in furniture, appliance, or speciality stores. It is likely these retailers are paid a commission for recommending the card, which is why they offer Tuohi as one flexible way to pay. Among others, Isku, Vepsäläinen, Masku, Bikeworld, Unikulma, Euronics, Elega, and hundreds of other stores partner with Nordea.
For customers, the biggest immediate benefit is the option to pay in installments. That benefit costs money, so paying in instalments with Tuohi is not cheap. For merchants, Tuohi helps lift sales by enabling a new payment method.
Tuohi Card Features
Nearly Cost-Free When Used Properly
The Tuohi card has no opening fee and no monthly fee, but there is a 5-euro account management fee if there is a balance during the billing period. Because purchases typically come with about 30 days of interest-free time, the card is nearly cost-free as long as you pay the bill in full by the due date. On the other hand, the card is marketed specifically for instalments, meaning the user may not want to or be able to pay right away. In that case, the card is no longer cost-free.
Price Protection Insurance
The card’s biggest free perk is likely its price protection insurance. If you find a product paid with the card cheaper elsewhere within 30 days, Tryg Insurance pays the price difference. Thanks to price protection, you do not have to compare prices before buying; you can do it afterwards. It is not worth claiming for tiny differences, because the minimum compensation is 20 euros. The maximum is 500 euros per purchase and 2,000 euros per year.
There are other limitations to price protection as well. It does not apply to outlet deals, bundle offers, or purchases made in the same store when the Tuohi Mastercard was granted.
Google and Apple Pay Support
The card supports Google and Apple Pay, both secure ways to pay. You do not need the physical card; you can complete contactless payments with just your phone.
Credit
The core feature of the Tuohi Mastercard is interest-bearing credit. That is why it is promoted especially in furniture and appliance stores, where people typically make high-ticket purchases. Credit enables instalments but increases the total price of the product.
The interest on Tuohi Mastercard credit is the 3-month Euribor + 14 percentage points. Compared with other credit cards, the rate is reasonable, but using credit still significantly increases the total cost. So it is not worth using credit if you can comfortably pay for the purchase in full at once. In addition to interest, there are 5-euro account management and 3-euro paper invoice fees. This extra 8 euros raises the real annual percentage rate significantly, especially for small balances. The Tuohi card’s credit limit is 2,000-10,000 euros. You can check your open balance via Nordea’s online bank.
You can also receive the bill as an e-invoice, which saves the 3-euro fee.
Card Eligibility Requirements
The Tuohi card can be granted to anyone over 18 who has managed their finances well and has a regular income. There must be no payment defaults.
Who Is Tuohi For?
Given the card’s limited features, it is fair to ask whether it suits anyone. Most competing credit cards offer the same features, and often without account management and billing fees.
In our view, the Tuohi card suits someone who does not already have a credit card and cannot pay for an expensive purchase in one go. In that case, paying in instalments is the only option, and Tuohi’s interest-bearing credit is a workable solution. It is convenient because you can apply for the card in many stores during checkout.
Credit is not cheap, so it is wise to consider alternatives. Paying in a single instalment is preferable if your finances allow. If not, compare Tuohi’s costs with those of other instalment options.
Tuohi Mastercard is somewhat similar to the SweepBank Card.
Alternative Products
There are several credit-enabled payment cards on the market. Often, your own bank’s basic credit card carries a lower rate, making it a better choice than Tuohi.
Bank Norwegian Visa and Morrow Bank Mastercard are credit cards without billing surcharges. Their interest rates are slightly higher, but the real annual percentage rate may be lower for small balances.
Also read about cashback payment cards.
Experiences With Tuohi Mastercard
We did not apply for the Tuohi Mastercard ourselves because of its limited features. However, we looked into other users’ experiences.
Several customers had applied for a Tuohi card by accident in appliance stores. So it is essential to understand what Tuohi is if a salesperson offers it. You can easily cancel the card, so applying by mistake is not a significant issue.
When applied for in-store, the decision came quickly, and the physical card was mailed home. Because Nordea issues the card, you can view its details conveniently in Nordea’s online bank. Nordea is a respected card issuer, so we do not expect challenges on that front.
Our Verdict on Tuohi Mastercard
We rated the Tuohi Mastercard a 3-star card. The features are well implemented. Unfortunately, there are very few features and benefits.
In many situations, it is better to choose a more versatile credit card, which may ultimately also be cheaper.
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