Best 0% APR credit cards

Best overall zero-interest card

Step Black Card

4.3

★★★★★

Finder score

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The Step Black card has zero interest, no credit check, no overdraft fees, up to 8% cashback rewards, early direct deposit, access to Visa Signature events and up to $1 million in FDIC insurance coverage. The Step Black card is a secured card backed by the free Step deposit account. Your credit limit is based on what you have in the deposit account. Each month, your Step deposit account covers your outstanding balance on your Step Black card, so there are no interest charges. The Step Black card costs $4.99 per month, but you can get that fee waived with direct deposit of at least $500 per month.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 8% cash back
Annual fee	See terms
Minimum credit score	New / limited credit

• Why we like it

  The Step Black card has zero interest, no credit check, no overdraft fees, up to 8% cashback rewards, early direct deposit, access to Visa Signature events and up to $1 million in FDIC insurance coverage. The Step Black card is a secured card backed by the free Step deposit account. Your credit limit is based on what you have in the deposit account. Each month, your Step deposit account covers your outstanding balance on your Step Black card, so there are no interest charges. The Step Black card costs $4.99 per month, but you can get that fee waived with direct deposit of at least $500 per month.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Zero interest charges
  • No overdraft fees
  • Up to 8% in cashback rewards
  • No hard credit check
  • Up to $1 million in FDIC insurance

  Cons

  • $4.99 monthly fee (waivable with direct deposit)

• More details

  Annual fee	See terms
  Purchase APR	N/A
  Balance transfer APR	N/A
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	Up to 8% cash back

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 8% cash back
Annual fee	See terms
Minimum credit score	New / limited credit

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Chime® Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card

4.8

★★★★★

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Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.
To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
*Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.

Chime is a fintech company that offers banking through its partners, The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A. The Chime Credit Builder card is a secured credit card with no credit check, no annual fees and zero interest. To get the card, you need the Chime checking account and move money from that account to the Chime Credit Builder card to set your spending limit. Additionally, you must make qualifying direct deposits of at least $200 into the Chime checking account to qualify for the card, but the account is free to open and maintain.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	300

• Why we like it

  Chime is a fintech company that offers banking through its partners, The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A. The Chime Credit Builder card is a secured credit card with no credit check, no annual fees and zero interest. To get the card, you need the Chime checking account and move money from that account to the Chime Credit Builder card to set your spending limit. Additionally, you must make qualifying direct deposits of at least $200 into the Chime checking account to qualify for the card, but the account is free to open and maintain.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Zero interest
  • No hard credit check
  • No annual fees

  Cons

  • Requires Chime checking and direct deposit

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	N/A
  Balance transfer APR	N/A
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	None

Partner terms and conditions

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.
To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
*Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	300

Go to site See terms and conditions

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.
To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
*Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.

Fizz debit card

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The Fizz card is a secured card that works like a debit card. It has no interest charges, monthly fees or overdraft fees, and there's no credit check. Your outstanding balance is automatically repaid, so you don't carry a balance over month-to-month that can be charged interest. The Fizz card also features cashback rewards suited for students, with daily rates of up to 25% cash back and flash rates that can reach 100% cash back.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 100% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	580

• Why we like it

  The Fizz card is a secured card that works like a debit card. It has no interest charges, monthly fees or overdraft fees, and there's no credit check. Your outstanding balance is automatically repaid, so you don't carry a balance over month-to-month that can be charged interest. The Fizz card also features cashback rewards suited for students, with daily rates of up to 25% cash back and flash rates that can reach 100% cash back.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Zero interest charges
  • No monthly fees
  • No hard credit check
  • Cashback reward offers

  Cons

  • Requires bank account with at least $150 balance

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Balance transfer APR	N/A
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	Up to 100% cash back

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 100% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	580

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Varo Believe Secured Credit Card

4.8

★★★★★

Finder score

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The Visa Varo Believe card is designed to help you build a better credit score without the worry of debt. It doesn't charge any interest, and there's no hard credit check or minimum security deposit. Similar to the Fizz and Step cards, the Varo Believe card is backed by a deposit account: The Varo Believe Secured Account. Set your spending limit and enjoy no interest or monthly fees. However, the card doesn't have a rewards program.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	300

• Why we like it

  The Visa Varo Believe card is designed to help you build a better credit score without the worry of debt. It doesn't charge any interest, and there's no hard credit check or minimum security deposit. Similar to the Fizz and Step cards, the Varo Believe card is backed by a deposit account: The Varo Believe Secured Account. Set your spending limit and enjoy no interest or monthly fees. However, the card doesn't have a rewards program.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No monthly fees or APR
  • No hard credit check
  • No minimum deposit required

  Cons

  • No rewards program
  • Requires Varo bank account

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	N/A
  Balance transfer APR	N/A
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	None

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	300

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Cleo Credit Builder card

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The Cleo Credit Builder card is a secured card with zero interest. The security deposit can be as low as $1, there's no hard credit check and Cleo reports to all three major credit bureaus. You can enable Carefree Credit Building, where your deposit repays your balance at the end of each month. To get the card, you need the Credit Builder membership for $14.99 per month. The membership comes with a ton of perks, including the Cleo AI that can help you budget and roast your spending habits, cash advances, cashback rewards and more. But there's no way to waive the $14.99 monthly fee.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 7% cash back
Annual fee	$179.88
Minimum credit score	300

• Why we like it

  The Cleo Credit Builder card is a secured card with zero interest. The security deposit can be as low as $1, there's no hard credit check and Cleo reports to all three major credit bureaus. You can enable Carefree Credit Building, where your deposit repays your balance at the end of each month. To get the card, you need the Credit Builder membership for $14.99 per month. The membership comes with a ton of perks, including the Cleo AI that can help you budget and roast your spending habits, cash advances, cashback rewards and more. But there's no way to waive the $14.99 monthly fee.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Zero interest
  • No hard credit check
  • Cash advances and AI budget bot
  • Cashback rewards
  • Low $1 minimum deposit

  Cons

  • Unavoidable $14.99 monthly fee

• More details

  Annual fee	$179.88
  Balance transfer APR	N/A
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	Up to 7% cash back

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 7% cash back
Annual fee	$179.88
Minimum credit score	300

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Current Credit Building Card

4.6

★★★★★

Finder score

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Current is a fintech company with banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Cross River Bank. The Current Build card is a secured charge card with zero interest, no annual fees and no hard credit check. It starts with a free Current account, which the Build card is attached to. The Build card's spending limit is based on what you deposit. The only fee to worry about is a 3% late fee.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 7% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	New / limited credit

• Why we like it

  Current is a fintech company with banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Cross River Bank. The Current Build card is a secured charge card with zero interest, no annual fees and no hard credit check. It starts with a free Current account, which the Build card is attached to. The Build card's spending limit is based on what you deposit. The only fee to worry about is a 3% late fee.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Zero interest
  • No annual fees
  • No hard credit check

  Cons

  • 3% late fee
  • Requires Current account

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% APR - Purchases are made using your Current Account balance
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	Up to 7% cash back

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	Up to 7% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	New / limited credit

Go to site Read review

Best overall for longest 0% intro APR

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

4.8

★★★★★

Finder score

Terms apply, see rates & fees

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card scooped the slot for best overall 0% intro APR credit card thanks to its additional benefits. Offering a 0% intro period of 21 months on purchases and balance transfers, it's one of the longest zero-interest periods you can find. US Bank also offers identity theft protection powered by Norton LifeLock, cell phone protection, and there's no annual fee.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

• Why we like it

  The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card scooped the slot for best overall 0% intro APR credit card thanks to its additional benefits. Offering a 0% intro period of 21 months on purchases and balance transfers, it's one of the longest zero-interest periods you can find. US Bank also offers identity theft protection powered by Norton LifeLock, cell phone protection, and there's no annual fee.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • 0% APR for 21 months on purchases and balance transfers
  • Cell phone protection
  • ID theft protection
  • No annual fees

  Cons

  • Must transfer balance within 60 days to get 0% balance transfer APR offer
  • No welcome offers
  • 3% foreign transaction fee

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 21 billing cycles (then 18.74% to 29.74% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 18 billing cycles (then 19.74% to 29.74% variable)
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	None

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

Terms apply, see rates & fees

Wells Fargo Reflect Card

The Wells Fargo Reflect Card offers one of the longest 0% intro periods for both purchases and balance transfers. If you meet the card's APR extension requirements, you'll get 0% APR for 21 months on purchases and on balance transfers. The card's cell phone protection and roadside assistance simply affirm this card's value.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	800

• Why we like it

  The Wells Fargo Reflect Card offers one of the longest 0% intro periods for both purchases and balance transfers. If you meet the card's APR extension requirements, you'll get 0% APR for 21 months on purchases and on balance transfers. The card's cell phone protection and roadside assistance simply affirm this card's value.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • 21-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
  • No annual fee
  • No penalty APR
  • Cell phone protection and roadside assistance

  Cons

  • No rewards program

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 21 months (then 18.24%, 24.74% or 29.99% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 18.24%, 24.74% or 29.99% variable)
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	None

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	800

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

4.6

★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Terms apply, see rates & fees Read review

With a higher-than-average rewards rate on groceries, gas and online retail, this card is 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.

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 3% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

• Why we like it

  With a higher-than-average rewards rate on groceries, gas and online retail, this card is 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.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • 15 months 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (19.24% to 29.99% variable APR after the intro period)
  • Up to 3% cash back on select categories
  • Welcome offer

  Cons

  • Caps on cashback earnings
  • 2.7% foreign transaction fee

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.24% to 29.99% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.24% to 29.99% variable) Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  Welcome Offer	Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
  Rewards	Up to 3% cash back

Partner terms and conditions

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.

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 3% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

Go to site Terms apply, see rates & fees Read review

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7

★★★★★

Finder score

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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns big rewards in 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 and balance transfers for 15 months is the cherry on top.

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

• Why we like it

  The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns big rewards in 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 and balance transfers for 15 months is the cherry on top.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
  • Unlimited 1.5% cash back
  • 3% to 5% cash back on select purchases
  • Cashback match offer

  Cons

  • 3% foreign transaction fee

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable) $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days
  Welcome Offer	Earn unlimited matched cash back. At the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned. There is no limit to how much you can earn.
  Estimated welcome offer value	$300 based on Finder's valuation
  Rewards	Up to 5% cash back

Partner terms and conditions

The information about Chase Freedom Unlimited® has been collected independently by Finder and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

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Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.7

★★★★★

Finder score

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This card 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. It offers the same 15 months of 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers 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. However, the 5% cash back is only up to $1,500 each quarter you active.

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

• Why we like it

  This card 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. It offers the same 15 months of 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers 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. However, the 5% cash back is only up to $1,500 each quarter you active.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases
  • and balance transfers
  • Up to 5% cash back in select rotating categories
  • Welcome offer

  Cons

  • Need to activate your cashback categories
  • Must wait for new categories to be launched
  • 3% foreign transaction fee

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable) $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days
  Welcome Offer	$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months
  Estimated welcome offer value	$200 based on Finder's valuation
  Rewards	Up to 5% cash back

Partner terms and conditions

The information about Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Finder and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

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Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

4.6

★★★★★

Finder score

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If you want to squeeze the most out of your 0% intro balance transfer APR period, try the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. You'll get 12 months of 0% APR on purchases and a long 0% APR for 21 months on balance transfers. Plus, it offers free access to your FICO credit score.

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

• Why we like it

  If you want to squeeze the most out of your 0% intro balance transfer APR period, try the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. You'll get 12 months of 0% APR on purchases and a long 0% APR for 21 months on balance transfers. Plus, it offers free access to your FICO credit score.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • 21-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers
  • 12-month 0% purchase APR
  • Free FICO score credit monitoring

  Cons

  • No rewards
  • No welcome offers

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 12 months (then 18.24% to 28.99% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 21 months (then 18.24% to 28.99% variable) Balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
  Welcome Offer	N/A
  Rewards	None

Welcome Offer	n/a
Rewards	None
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

Read review

How to choose a zero-interest credit card

When choosing a 0% APR credit card, first determine whether you need an intro APR on balance transfers or purchases or never want to be charged interest. From there, consider a few financial factors to pick the best card for you.

• Secured or unsecured? Unsecured credit cards, or traditional cards, don’t require a security deposit but tend to be harder to qualify for than secured credit cards. Secured credit cards can either be backed by an account or a cash deposit, but they typically have lower credit limits than traditional credit cards.
• 0% intro period length. The longer you can go without worrying about interest charges, the better. You’ll find intro lengths ranging from 6 to 20 months.
• Purchase or balance transfer. 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. What you need ultimately determines what cards are available for you.
• 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. This is also important if you can’t pay off your balance transfer before the intro period ends, as your remaining debt builds interest based on this revert rate.
• Long-term goals. 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.
• Credit score requirements. The best credit cards usually require the best credit scores. If your credit score isn’t great, consider secured cards with lenient credit score requirements or skip the hard credit check completely.

Bottom line

Between purchase and balance transfer intro offers, you can choose from dozens of 0% intro APR credit cards. If none of our top picks suit your needs, compare other credit cards for more options.

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 must make at least the minimum monthly payment to avoid late fees, and missing a payment can also mean losing your promotional interest rate.

What is the downside of a balance transfer?

Even if a credit card offers a 0% APR period for balance transfers, most credit card issuers charge a balance transfer fee, typically around 3% to 5% of the amount you’re transferring. And if you’re going with a credit card for its 0% balance transfer intro period, be sure you can pay down the balance within the intro period or you’ll start being charged interest on the outstanding balance.

Are 0% APR credit cards always available?

No. Cards with 0% APR offers tend to be limited-time offers.