Finder’s credit card experts spend nearly 200 hours each week evaluating 0% APR credit cards. We’ve listed the top 0% intro APR credit cards across nine categories based on several factors, including intro period length, balance transfer fees, rewards options, and similar features that can extend the value of an intro APR card past its promotional period. Finder’s experts provide unbiased, trustworthy evaluations of all 0% APR credit cards and providers, not just those we partner with on the site.
What are the best 0% intro APR credit cards?
Best for everyday card with long intro APR on purchases
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
3%
Cash back
$100
Welcome offer
With a higher-than-average rewards rate on groceries, gas and department stores, this is a card worth adding to your wallet for the rewards alone. However, it also comes with one of the longest interest-free periods on purchases available, letting you make purchases and pay them off interest free over 15 months. The higher earning Blue Cash Preferred, on the other hand, only offers a 12-month intro period.
- Cash back. Earn 3% back at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending each year, reverting to 1% after. Earn 2% back at US gas stations and department stores, and 1% back on all other purchases.
- Intro APR period. Get a 0% intro APR period on purchases for the first 15 months. After that, a variable 13.99% to 23.99% applies.
- Welcome offer. Earn $100 cash back when you spend $2,000 in your first 6 months of account opening. Plus earn 20% back on Amazon purchases on up to $150 total during that same time frame.
- Foreign transaction fees. Making purchases abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 2.7% of the amount of each transaction.
- Cash back restrictions. The groceries category for cash back doesn't apply to warehouse stores or superstores.
- No balance transfers. You can't make balance transfers with this card.
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
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|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
N/A
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|---|
| Welcome offer |
Up to $250: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $150 back, plus $100 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months
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| Estimated welcome offer value |
$200 based on Finder's valuation
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| Rewards |
3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%), 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores and 1% on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Best value for point transfers
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
5%
Cash back
$200
Welcome offer
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is no longer just your average 1.5% cashback card, as it also earns big rewards on several categories, including 5% back on travel booked through Chase and 3% back on drugstores and dining. Pair it with a Chase Sapphire card and even your base 1.5% cash back becomes either 1.87% or 2.25% for travel redemption. The intro 0% APR on purchases for 15 months is the cherry on top.
- Point transfer value. Pair this card with one of the Sapphire cards and you get either 25% or 50% higher redemption value for travel purchases at the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.
- Intro APR period. Get 0% intro APR period on purchases for the first 15 months. After that, a variable 14.99% to 23.74% applies.
- Cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Until March 2022, earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides. You'll earn 5% cash back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft through March 2022, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores and unlimited 1.5% back on all other purchases.
- Foreign transaction fees. Making purchases abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 3% of the amount of each transaction
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
|
|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
14.99% to 23.74% variable
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|---|
| Welcome offer |
$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores (not including Target® or Walmart®) on up to $12,000 in the first yeares) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
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| Estimated welcome offer value |
$800 based on Finder's valuation
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| Rewards |
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 5% on Lyft, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases
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Best 5% cashback credit card
Chase Freedom Flexâ„
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
5%
Cash back
$200
Welcome offer
Competitor cards offer 5% back on rotating categories only. The Freedom Flex, however, lets you earn back on rotating categories as well as a high cashback rate on the same categories recently added to the Chase Freedom Unlimited: 5% back on travel booked through Chase and 3% back on dining and drugstores. If offers the same 15 month intro APR on purchases as the Chase Freedom Unlimited, meaning you can choose the one that best suits your spending preferences — or both if you want to build the Chase Trifecta.
- Cash back. Earn 5% back on travel purchased via the Chase Ultimate Rewards, 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2022 and 5% back on up to $1,500 each quarter on rotating categories. After reaching the cap you earn 1% back. Purchases made at drugstores and restaurants, including takeout and delivery, earn 5% back. All other purchases earn 1% back.
- Intro APR period. Get 15 months of 0% intro APR period on purchases. A variable APR of 14.99% to 23.74% applies thereafter.
- Signup bonus Earn a $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months. You can also earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Foreign transaction fees. Every purchase made abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 3% of the amount.
- No intro APR period on balance transfers. There's no 0% intro APR period on balance transfers to help you pay off other credit card debt.
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
|
|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
14.99% to 23.74% variable
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|---|
| Welcome offer |
$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores (not including Target® or Walmart®) on up to $12,000 in the first year
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|---|
| Estimated welcome offer value |
$200 based on Finder's valuation
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| Rewards |
5% cash back on up to $1,500 combined in quarterly categories you activate, 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases
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Best for 0% intro APR for balance transfers
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
n/a
Rewards
n/a
Welcome offer
If you want to squeeze the most out of your 0% intro balance transfer APR period, try the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. It traditionally holds the title of longest intro period for balance transfers, though Citi dropped the intro offer from 21 months to 18 months. Nonetheless, 18 months is one of the longest on the market and while the intro APR on purchases isn't nearly as impressive, it's still a helpful tool to have in your financial arsenal. Citi's status as a trusted credit card provider also helps keep this card in the limelight.
- Intro balance transfer APR. Get 0% intro APR period on balance transfers for 18 months following your account opening, and 13.74% to 23.74% variable after that.
- Intro APR period on purchases. You also get 18 months intro APR period on purchases. After that, a variable APR of 13.74% to 23.74% applies.
- No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee for the card
- No rewards program. You won't earn any rewards with this card.
- Foreign transaction fees. You'll pay 3% fee of the amount of each transaction you make abroad or online with foreign merchants.
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.74% to 23.74% variable)
|
|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.74% to 23.74% variable)
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| Welcome offer |
N/A
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| Estimated welcome offer value |
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| Rewards |
N/A
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Best for 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
740
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
n/a
Rewards
n/a
Welcome offer
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers the longest 0% intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers on the market, dethroning the Citi Diamond Preferred. Combined with a low balance transfer fee, this is one of the best cards for consolidating debt or buying big-ticket items and paying them off for almost two years with no interest.
- Intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 20 months, then 14.49% to 24.49% variable. The closest competitor card offers 18 months of 0% intro APR period. Two months may not seem like much, but if you're paying off a larger balance, it could make a difference.
- No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee for the life of the card.
- No penalty APR. If you miss a payment, U.S. Bank won't impose a penalty APR. Other cards often impose a penalty APR of up to 32% and may cancel any 0% intro APR offers. That's one less thing to worry about with this card, however.
- No rewards program. You get a long intro APR period, but you don't get to earn any rewards.
- Foreign transaction fees. Transactions made abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 3% of the amount.
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 20 months (then 14.49% to 24.49% variable)
|
|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
0% intro for the first 20 months (then 14.49% to 24.49% variable)
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| Welcome offer |
N/A
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|---|
| Estimated welcome offer value |
|
|---|
| Rewards |
N/A
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|---|
Best 0% APR travel credit card
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
3x
Points
20,000
Points welcome offer
Travel credit cards almost never offer a 0% intro APR period, but the Wells Fargo Propel American Express card is the exception to the rule. With a 12 month interest-free period on purchases and balance transfers, and 3x points on travel and dining, this is one of the most financially flexible travel cards you can get your hands on. Use it to clear off existing debt before you travel, or fund your next travel trip, interest free.
- Intro APR period. Get 0% intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months following your account opening, and 14.49% to 24.99% variable after that.
- Reward points. Earn 3x points on eating out, ordering in, gas, rideshares, transit, flights, hotels, homestays, car rentals and popular streaming services. Earn 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Welcome offer. Earn 20,000 bonus points when you make $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of card membership.
- Balance transfer limitations. To use the intro APR period, request your balance transfer within the first 120 days when you open your account.
- Limited eligibility for bonus offers and intro APR. You aren't eligible to earn the signup bonus or use the 0% intro APR period if you had opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past 15 months.
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 14.49% to 24.99% variable)
|
|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 14.49% to 24.99% variable)
|
|---|
| Welcome offer |
20,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
|
|---|
| Estimated welcome offer value |
$200 based on Finder's valuation
|
|---|
| Rewards |
3x points on dining, gas, transit, travel and streaming and 1x points on all other purchases
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Best cashback 0% APR card for purchases and balance transfers
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
1.5%
Cash back
$150
Welcome offer
Through 2020, most card providers removed 0% balance transfer offers or completely removed the option to make balance transfers on their existing rewards cards. The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card is one of the last remaining cashback cards that offers a long 0% intro APR period on both purchases and balance transfers. This makes the card an excellent value long after you've exhausted the intro APR offer.
- Intro APR period. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening, then 14.49% to 24.99% variable.
- Cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- Signup bonus. Earn a $150 cash rewards bonus after you make $500 in purchases within the first 3 months after account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees. You will incur a 3% fee on every transaction converted to US dollars.
| Annual Fee |
$0
|
|---|
| Purchase APR |
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.49% to 24.99% variable)
|
|---|
| Balance transfer APR |
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.49% to 24.99% variable)
|
|---|
| Welcome offer |
$150 after spending $500 in the first 3 months
|
|---|
| Estimated welcome offer value |
|
|---|
| Rewards |
1.5% cash back on all purchases
|
|---|
What’s changed in 2021
For 2021, our existing choices from 2020 remained strong into this year. However, two new cards joined the list: both Chase Freedom cards. With their revamped rewards structure and a 0% intro APR period on purchases, they won their spots on our list, easily.
Compare 0% intro APR credit cards
Between purchase and balance transfer intro offers, there are dozens of 0% intro APR credit cards to choose from. If none of our top picks suit your needs, compare even more intro APR credit cards for more options.
The first order of business when choosing a 0% APR credit card is determining whether you need an intro APR on balance transfers, purchases, or both. From there, you’ll want to consider a few of your financial factors to pick out the best one for you.
- Look at your interest-saving needs. You have two primary choices for a 0% APR card — a balance transfer offer or an intro APR on purchases, and some credit cards feature both offers. Which you need will ultimately determine what cards are available for you to choose.
- Think about how long an intro period you need. Whether it’s for purchases or balance transfers, you’ll find intro lengths ranging from 6 months to 20 months. Cards are locked into their advertised intro periods, so the length you need is an important part of picking the best one.
- Review the card’s revert APR. If you plan on carrying a balance, pay attention to the card’s revert APR after the intro period is over. This is also important to consider if you can’t pay off your balance transfer before the intro period ends, as your remaining debt will build interest based on this revert rate.
- Think about your long-term plans for the card. If you want to use your card well past the intro APR period, look for a card with rewards or benefits that can bring you value after the intro period ends.
A 0% APR credit card offers an introductory period of time where you’ll pay no interest on certain financial activities. After this introductory period is over however, your card reverts to a standard APR and gains interest as usual. There are two main types of 0% APR offers.
A 0% purchase APR. This offer gives you a set amount of time to make new purchases and pay them off over time without accruing interest on those purchases. Cards with this feature typically offer periods ranging from 6 to 20 months. Any purchases remaining on the card after the end of the intro period will begin accruing interest at the card’s revert rate. A 0% balance transfer APR. A 0% balance transfer card offer lets you transfer your existing debts to the eligible card and pay off that debt interest free for a set period of time. Like a 0% purchase APR, most cards offer periods between 6 and 20 months and length. And if you fail to pay off your entire debt in time, the remaining balance will begin accruing interest at the card’s revert APR. Pros
- Save on interest. Both types of 0% APR credit cards let you save on interest you would otherwise accrue if you paid your balance off over time.
- Long intro periods. The average intro APR is 12 months and they can go up to 20 months max as of April 2021.
- Possible rewards. Some 0% intro APR credit cards offer rewards, which can extend the value you’ll find with these cards.
Cons
- Good credit required. Most 0% APR credit cards require at least a good credit score for qualification.
- Limited by credit limit. The maximum debt you can transfer is limited by your card’s credit limit.
- Revert APR risky. Remember that an unpaid balance will start accruing interest at the end of your intro period. If you weren’t able to pay down enough of your balance, you could end up in poor financial situation as the interest on your original balance climbs.
A 0% APR credit card is worth it whenever you want to pay off existing debt interest free or make large purchases and pay it off over time with no interest. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on whether you should pick one up.
You should get a 0% APR credit card if…
- You have existing debt that can fit on a balance transfer card.
- You want to make several large purchases but can’t immediately pay for it in full and don’t wish to accrue interest.
- You’re confident you can pay off your card before the end of the intro period.
You shouldn’t get a 0% APR credit card if…
- You have poor credit and can’t qualify for a card with good terms.
- Your debt is too large to fit onto a balance transfer card.
- You can’t pay off your balance before the end of the intro period.
- Do I still need to make payments during my 0% intro APR period? Yes. One of the biggest misconceptions about a 0% intro APR period is that you don’t have to make payments. You’ll need to make at least the minimum payment each month to avoid late fees and potentially losing your promotional interest rate.
- If I make a purchase during the 0% intro balance transfer period, what interest am I charged? You’ll be charged the card’s standard interest rate on purchases made on a balance transfer card. It’s best to pay off any transferred debts before you start spending on your balance transfer card to keep yourself from accidentally incurring interest on your card.
- Does getting a 0% APR credit card hurt my credit score? Getting a new credit card in general — not necessarily a 0% APR card — could lower your credit score by a few points. That’s because your provider will perform a hard pull on your credit report.
- Why is it important to check the balance transfer fee before making a transfer? This fee can add a significant cost you might not expect. The provider usually charges 3% to 5% of the transfer amount. So, if you’re transferring $5,000, you could pay a fee of $150 to $250.
- Are 0% APR credit cards always available? No. Providers occasionally add, remove or change 0% APR offers as they see fit. For example, many providers dropped 0% APR balance transfer offers from their cards during 2020.
How we rate our cards
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.
Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.
