Compare 0% APR Credit Cards

Getting a 0% APR credit card can be a good way to temporarily stop paying interest on your purchases or balance transfers — sometimes both.

Best credit cards with 0% intro APR

We compared these 0% APR credit cards based on a few factors, including balance transfer and annual fees, rewards programs, points or cash back earned per dollar, welcome offers, and other factors consumers might consider when looking for the best interest-free credit cards. Cards with standout performance in one or several of these areas were chosen as our top pick in a category.

Best for everyday card with long intro APR on purchases
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850) Apply now on American Express's secure site Rates & fees

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670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 20%
Cash back

$100
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a well-rounded everyday spending card that makes up for its lack of raw earning power with a strong intro APR on purchases.

• Cash back. Earn 3% back at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending each year, reverting to 1% after. Also earn 2% back at US gas stations and department stores. Earn 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 $1,000 in your first 6 months of account opening. Also earn 20% back on Amazon.com purchases, up to $200 total within your first 6 months.

• 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.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	N/A
Welcome offer	20% at Amazon.com up to $200 back in the first 6 months, plus $100 after spending $1,000 in the same timeframe
Rewards	20% at Amazon.com up to $200 back in the first 6 months, 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores, 3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% after that and on all other purchases

Best 5% cashback credit card
Chase Freedom Flex℠

Finder Rating: 4.7 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850) Apply now on Chase's secure site Rates & fees

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670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 5%
Cash back

$200
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is one of the best 5% cashback cards with a long 0% intro APR period on purchases. But even though the card no longer offers a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers, it makes up for it with generous rewards.

• Intro APR period. Get 15 months of 0% intro APR period on purchases. A variable APR of 14.99% to 23.74% applies thereafter.
• 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 3% back. All other purchases earn 1% back.
• Signup bonus Earn a $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Plus earn 5% back at grocery stores on up to $12,000 during your first year when you open your account.

• Foreign transaction fees. Every purchase made abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 3% of the amount.

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
Welcome offer	$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores on up to $12,000 in the first year
Rewards	5% back in rotating categories up to $1,500 combined each activated quarter (then 1%), 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases

Best value for point transfers
Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Finder Rating: 4.7 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850) Apply now on Chase's secure site Rates & fees

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670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 5%
Cash back

$200
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is no longer just your average 1.5% cashback card. 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.

• 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 and 5% cash back on groceries on up to $12,000 during your first year (then 1.5%). 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
Welcome offer	$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores on up to $12,000 in the first year
Rewards	5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 5% on Lyft, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases

Best for longest 0% intro APR for balance transfers
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (740-850) Apply now on Citi's secure site

740
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

If you want to squeeze the most out of your 0% intro balance transfer APR period, try the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. Though the intro APR on purchases isn't nearly as impressive, it's still solid.

• Intro balance transfer APR. Get 0% intro APR period on balance transfers for 18 months following your account opening, and 14.74% to 24.74% variable after that.
• Intro APR period on purchases. You also get 18 months intro APR period on purchases. After that, a variable APR of 14.74% to 24.74% 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 14.74% to 24.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)
Welcome offer	N/A
Rewards	N/A

Best 0% APR cashback rewards card
American Express Cash Magnet® Card

Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (680-850) Apply now on American Express's secure site Rates & fees

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680
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 1.5%
Cash back

$150
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

If you want rewards along with an attractive intro APR, try the American Express Cash Magnet® Card. On top of getting an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, you'll receive a solid 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

• Intro APR period. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening, then 13.99% to 23.99% variable.
• Cash back. Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• Signup bonus Earn $150 as statement credit after you make $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card opening.

• Foreign transaction fees. There's a 2.7% fee for any transaction you make abroad or online with foreign merchants.
• Balance transfer limitations. To get the intro APR period, request your balance transfers within the first when you open your account.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	N/A
Welcome offer	$150 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards	1.5% cash back on all purchases

Best for simple 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

Finder Rating: 4.8 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (740-850) Read review Rates & fees

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740
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card comes with an excellent 0% intro APR for 20 months on both balance transfers and purchases, then 13.99% to 23.99% variable.

• Intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 20 months, then 13.99% to 23.99% variable.
• No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee for the life of the card.
• No penalty APR. If you miss a payment, US Bank won't impose a penalty APR.

• 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 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 20 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Welcome offer	N/A
Rewards	N/A

Best 0% APR travel credit card
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card

Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 3x
Points

20,000
Points welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card offers an excellent accelerated rewards rate on flights, hotels, homestays, car rentals and other categories. You'll also like the strong welcome offer and solid intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.

• 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
Rewards	3x points on dining, gas, transit, travel and streaming and 1x points on all other purchases

Best 0% APR card with no balance transfer fee
SunTrust Prime Rewards

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 1%
Cash back

$100
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The SunTrust Prime Rewards is a worthy alternative to 0% balance transfer intro APR cards that have been disappearing from the market as of late. On the downside, it doesn't have a 0% intro APR. However, its promotional rate is very low, and you'll get this rate for a very long time. The card is also one of the few that still offer promotional balance transfer fees.

• Intro APR. Get a 4.75% intro APR for the first 36 months after account opening on balances transferred within the first 36 months. After that, your APR reverts to 12.74% to 22.74% variable.
• Intro balance transfer fee. Within the first 60 days of account opening, pay $0 fees on balance transfers. After this, the fee is $10 or 3% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater.
• Rewards and signup bonus. Earn 1% cash back on all qualifying purchases. Earn a $100 statement credit after you make $500 in qualifying purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• No 0% intro APR. A 4.75% variable intro APR is very low, but you can find other cards with 0% intro APRs.
• So-so rewards. A 1% rewards rate is standard, but nothing special.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	12.74% to 22.74% variable
Balance transfer APR	4.75% intro for the first 36 months (then 12.74% to 22.74% variable)
Welcome offer	$100 after spending $500 in the first 3 months
Rewards	1% cash back on all purchases

Best cashback 0% APR card for purchases and balance transfers
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card

Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-739) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 1.5%
Cash back

$150
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card is one of the few no-annual-fee 1.5% cashback products that still offer intro APRs on both purchases and balance transfers. Many competitors now offer promotional interest rates on only one balance type.

• Intro APR period. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening, then 13.99% to 25.99% 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 13.99% to 25.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 25.99% variable)
Welcome offer	$150 after spending $500 in the first 3 months
Rewards	1.5% cash back on all purchases

Summary of best credit cards for rewards

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Why it’s the best for everyday card with long intro APR on purchases. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express combines the reward categories of the higher-tier Blue Cash Preferred with a $0 annual fee and strong intro purchase APR. This makes it a great all rounder and a strong pick for families.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Why it’s the best 5% cashback pick. Put simply, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ dominates when it comes to reward opportunities, offering not just a strong rate on quarterly categories, but solid flat-rate categories as well.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Why it’s our pick for best point transfer value. Like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, the Freedom Unlimited gained several new accelerated categories. This helps you earn a strong average rate all year round, which you can transfer to a Sapphire card for more value.

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Why it’s best for long 0% intro APR for balance transfers. While it doesn’t sport the longest intro offer at the moment, Citi’s reliable history and the simplicity of the card’s rates and fees make the Diamond Preferred a reliable pick.

American Express Cash Magnet® Card

Why it’s best for 0% APR cash back. The American Express Cash Magnet® Card keeps things simple by offering a flat 1.5% cash back alongside an intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers.

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

Why it’s best for longest 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is the reigning champ when it comes to intro APR length at an impressive 20 months.

Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card

Why it’s our pick for best 0% APR travel card. The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card offers a generous array of reward categories, including rarities such as streaming services, at a more than respectable earning rate.

SunTrust Prime Rewards

Why it’s our pick for best 0% APR card with no balance transfer fee. Balance transfer cards are a rarity as of late and a $0 balance transfer fee is even rarer. The SunTrust Prime Rewards is one of the few on the market to sport no balance transfer fee.

Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card

Why it’s our pick for cashback with purchase and balance transfer APR. With balance transfer offers disappearing from many cards, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card is one of the few to maintain the offer purchases and balance transfers, while also offering cash back.

Compare 0% intro APR cards

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Name	Product	Purchase APR	Balance transfer APR	Annual fee	Filter values
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express		0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	N/A	$0		This everyday cashback card is ideal for Black Friday and holiday shopping with 20% back at Amazon.com up to $200 back in the first 6 months. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Freedom Flex℠		0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)	14.99% to 23.74% variable	$0		Get up to 5% cashback in rotating and newly added everyday categories. The refreshed Freedom Flex card has lots of earning potential.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card		0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)	$0		An impressive 18 months intro APR on balance transfers and purchases, as well as no annual fee make this one of the top 0% APR cards available.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Freedom Unlimited®		0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)	14.99% to 23.74% variable	$0		This solid 1.5% cashback card gets even better with the addition of up to 5% back in categories like travel, drug stores and dining.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi® Double Cash Card		13.99% to 23.99% variable	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	$0		Earn up to 2% on every purchase with no annual fee. This is the highest flat-rate cashback card on the market.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express Cash Magnet® Card		0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	N/A	$0		With 1.5% back on everything and a 15 months intro APR on purchases, this no-annual-fee rewards card makes it simple to earn more rewards. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express		0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	N/A	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)		Perfect for families: Get up to 6% on everyday purchases and a welcome offer worth $300. This heavy-hitter rewards card has uncontested value. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
TD Cash Credit Card		0% intro for the first 6 months (then 12.99%, 17.99% or 22.99% variable)	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 12.99%, 17.99% or 22.99% variable)	$0		3% on dining and 2% on groceries make this a valuable card for food purchases. Use it while traveling, too, with no foreign transaction fees. Available in: CT, DC, DE, FL, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA, VT	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com		See issuer's website	See issuer's website	See terms		Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Assent Platinum 0% Intro Rate Mastercard® Secured Credit Card		0% intro for the first 6 months (then 12.99% variable)	N/A	$49		A rare secured card with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, followed by 12.99% variable.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi Rewards+℠ Card		0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)	$0		Earn rewards and enjoy a long intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Amalgamated Bank of Chicago Platinum Rewards Mastercard®		0% intro for the first 12 months (then 12.9% to 22.9% variable)	12.9% to 22.9% variable	$0		Earn 5x points in rotating categories and $150 after spending $1,200 in the first 90 days	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How does 0% APR work?

A 0% APR credit card offers no interest on certain balances for a period of time. This can apply to purchases, balance transfers or both. Of course, the 0% intro APR doesn’t last forever: After it expires, your remaining balance will accrue interest at a higher, standard APR.

If you make a large purchase, or if you move credit card debt to a card with 0% APR, you can pay off your balance without interest. The 0% APR period isn’t unlimited; It often lasts between 6 and 21 months, depending on the card.

Once you start using the intro APR period, make sure to make at least the minimum payment by the due date. Otherwise, some card providers may cancel your 0% intro APR period and impose a penalty APR. The good news is once the intro APR period expires, you won’t be charged interest retroactively to the balance you have paid off. But any unpaid balance will start to accrue interest.

Types of 0% APR credit cards and when you should use them

When you evaluate a 0% APR card, check if the special interest rate applies to purchases, balance transfers or both.

How to compare 0% APR cards

Before you pull the trigger and apply for a 0% APR credit card, here’s what to keep in mind:

How much can I save on interest with a 0% APR card?

Many people don’t realize how much money they spend on credit card interest. The following table shows the interest you can save on a $2,500 balance with a 0% APR product.

Interest-free credit card offers by provider

Amazon 0% intro APR offers

Amazon offers 0% deferred interest on its store cards and 0% special financing on its business credit cards.

The deferred interest on the Amazon store cards is a strong feature where you can defer interest on select purchases. But you must pay your full balance before the deferred interest period is up and the revert interest rates are often way higher than the average credit card interest rates.

American Express 0% intro APR offers

At the time of this writing, Amex has removed balance transfer intro APRs from its in-house cards, though a few cards still have purchase intro APRs. Depending on the card you choose, the intro period can be 12 months or 15 months.

After the intro period expires, any unpaid balances will start to accrue a variable interest rate depending on your creditworthiness.

Wells Fargo 0% intro APR offers

There are several Wells Fargo 0% balance transfer cards to choose from. Depending on the card, you can get an intro APR period between 12 and 18 months, shorter for the student credit card. Most of these cards also offer 0% intro APR period on purchases with the same length.

Once the intro period ends, your rate reverts to a variable APR. Of course, the revert rate depends on the card you choose and your creditworthiness among other factors.

Bank of America 0% intro APR offers

Similar to other large card providers, Bank of America offers 0% intro APR balance transfer cards. The intro APR period length varies between cards, but it’s either 12 or 15 months. The same APR intro period length often applies to purchases as well.

The revert rate, once the intro APR period expires, varies depending on your creditworthiness.

Capital One 0% intro APR offers

You’ll find fewer Capital One cards with 0% APR for purchases compared to other card providers. Despite that, you find solid 15-month 0% intro APR periods.

Your revert rates depend mostly on your creditworthiness, so expect a variable APR to apply after the intro period expires.

Interest-free credit card offers by period

As mentioned before, all 0% intro APR periods last for a limited time. The length of the intro APR period has nothing to do with your creditworthiness and it only depends on the card. Different APR intro period lengths can serve different purposes, however, and are generally offered by a specific type of card.

6-month 0% APR credit card

This is the shortest intro APR period you’ll find in a credit card. Typically, student credit cards or cards for building credit offer six months of a promotional, interest-free period. However, some student cards offer longer intro APR periods, so make sure to compare your options if this is a perk you need.

12-month 0% APR credit card

This is a slightly more common intro APR length than six months for personal credit cards. But it’s most common for business credit cards. Cashback credit cards or rewards credit cards are typically the ones that offer this intro APR length. Because of that, you’ll need a good to excellent credit score to get approval for this type of card.

15-month 0% APR credit card

This is by far the most common 0% intro APR period you’ll find in a credit card. Cashback credit cards and other rewards credit cards — excluding travel rewards credit cards — are the ones that offer this feature.

18-month 0% APR credit card

There are a few cards with 18 months of no interest. Citi’s best low-interest cards periodically fall to this tier, though they sometimes also bounce to the 21-month tier for balance transfers.

20- to 21-month 0% APR credit card

These are some of the longest intro-APR periods on the market. Cards with these promotions may not offer rewards on your purchases, but they can be ideal if your only goal is to pay off debt.

Citi periodically offers 21-month intro APR promotions for balance transfers, but sometimes reduces these to 18 months. At the time of this writing, U.S. Bank offers a great alternative at the 20-month mark.

Are there no-interest credit cards for 24 months?

You may find cards offering 0% interest for 24 months, but these are often store cards with deferred interest rates. If you’re looking for a standard credit card, you’ll have to settle for up to 21 months of an interest-free period.

What do I do when my 0% intro period ends?

If you still have a balance on your card and your intro APR will expire soon, you have a few options. For more information, read about what happens when an intro APR period ends.

• Try to pay off the balance as soon as possible. If you tighten the belt for a while, you might be able to accomplish this before your balance starts accumulating interest.
• Let your balance start accruing interest at the normal rate. If your balance isn’t too high, you might not mind your intro APR expiring before you’ve paid off your debt. Consider making a solid plan to pay off your balance so you don’t pay too much interest.
• Make a balance transfer. You may be able to get a 0% intro APR balance transfer card, which could help you pay off your balance with lower interest. If you do this, however, consider whether you’re making progress toward paying off your debt — or if you’re just shuffling it around.
  Card providers are unlikely to approve you for a balance transfer card if your credit utilization ratio is very high. They’ll be wary of taking you on as a customer if they think you’re drowning in debt.
• Take out a personal loan. If you don’t want to deal with another card but you want a lower interest rate on your balance, consider a personal loan. You could get an APR that’s substantially better than your credit card’s normal APR.

Bottom line

Getting a 0% APR credit card can be a smart move for certain purchases, and it can be helpful if you need a lower interest rate on existing debt. However, be careful with it — your card provider is hoping you won’t pay off your balance by the time your 0% intro APR ends.

To avoid this, know precisely what you’ll use your card for. Then make a plan to pay off your debt before your 0% intro APR expires.

If you think you’ll carry a balance for a long time, consider a low-interest rate credit card.

Frequently asked questions

• 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.

• 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.
  After you get your 0% APR card, your credit score might go down if you miss payments or accumulate a high balance. However, these issues apply to cards of all types, not just 0% APR cards.

• 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.