Compare 6-month interest-free credit cards

By taking advantage of a 0% intro APR offer, you could have six months or more to pay off purchases and balance transfers. If you have poor credit or are working on building your credit, a card with a six-month interest-free period might be worth considering. Those with higher credit scores may qualify for a card with a longer interest-free period, typically between 15-18 months.

Learn how this interest-free period works, if you can get even longer 0% intro APR offers, and get answers to the most common questions about applying for this type of credit card offer.

How do the 6-month interest-free period cards work?

The concept is simple. You save money on interest payments for a promotional six months. Once the six months pass, the revert interest rate will apply and will start accruing interest on balances you haven’t paid off. For this reason, it’s best to pay off your balance in full before the revert interest rate applies.

Types of credit card interest

• • APR on purchases.
    Charged on transactions which qualify as eligible purchases. This is usually everything you buy, excluding cash withdrawals and cash equivalent transactions.

• • APR on balance transfers.
    The interest rate charged on an outstanding amount that has been transferred to a new credit card.

• Cash advance APR.
  Charged on cash withdrawals and cash equivalent transactions, including ATM withdrawals and gambling transactions. Unlike the APR on purchases where you get a grace period, here you start accruing interest from the moment you make the transaction.

How will a credit card with 6 months interest-free benefit me?

If you have an outstanding balance on your credit card you’re having trouble paying off right away, a six-month interest-free card could help you. This is considered as a shorter term offer, which can allow you to manage your finances and repay any outstanding balances with no interest for six months. These cards are good for credit-building, but if you need more time to pay off your balances, consider a card with a longer interest-free period.

Are there cards with a longer interest-free period?

Yes. In fact, six months of no interest comes with credit-building cards, secured cards or student cards. Most regular 0% intro APR credit cards offer a longer intro period. For example, you could get a card with a 12-month 0% intro balance transfer APR period, or one with a 15-month 0% intro balance transfer APR period. Some specialized balance transfer cards offer intro APR period of 18 months or even 21 months. This can help you save money for a longer period of time.

What happens when the interest-free promotion has ended?

After the interest-free promotion has ended, any balance outstanding will be charged at the revert interest rate which is much higher — 16% is the average, but it can be as high as 28%. This can result in a large amount of debt if the outstanding amount is not repaid quickly.

Bottom line

If you’re looking to save money on interest payments, a 0% intro APR credit card can be an excellent choice. Six months of interest-free is considered relatively short, and it mostly comes with credit cards for poor credit. Most standard cards offer from 12 up to 20 months of interest-free period.

Take your time when looking for an interest-free card, and make sure to compare your credit card options to make the right choice.