Compare 0% APR credit cards
Check out the table to compare 0% APR credit card options. Select up to four cards to see how cards stack up side-by-side. By clicking "Show filters" you can also filter options that best fit your credit score and financial needs.
What is a 0% APR credit card?
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.
How to compare 0% APR credit cards
You have a few key features to examine when determining which 0% APR credit card is right for you.
- Type of 0% APR offer. This is the first order of business when comparing 0% APR credit cards. Credit cards may feature 0% APR for purchases or for balance transfers, and some even feature both. Depending on your financial needs, this is the first way to narrow down your card options.
- Intro period length. After choosing the kind of intro APR you need, you’ll want to look at the period length next. It directly determines how long you have to pay off your consolidated debts or your new purchases, interest-free. If you need have a lot of debt to clear or purchases to make, you may want a longer intro period length to give yourself plenty of time for repayments.
- Revert APR. After your intro period ends, your card will return to a typical APR. If you plan on carrying a balance in the future, you’ll want a card with a low revert APR.
- Balance transfer fees. Most balance transfer cards charge a fee for performing a balance transfer. This fee can range from 2% to 5% of the transferred amount on average, which can get expensive depending on how much you need to transfer.
- Rewards. Rewards can give a 0% APR card some utility and value long after the intro period ends.
- Annual fee. If a 0% APR credit card features an annual fee, make sure it offers enough value to make that annual fee worth it after your intro period ends. For example, travel perks or rewards can help make up for the cost of the card. Otherwise, continuing to pay that annual fee is probably not worth it.
How much can I save on interest with a 0% APR card?
Here’s an example of how much in interest you might expect to save on a purchase using a 0% purchase intro APR card. In this example, there are three credit cards with three different interest rates, each making the same $2,500 purchase. Assuming you take a full 15 months to pay off your purchase — the length of card A’s intro APR period — here’s how much you’d have to pay each month and how much interest you’d accrue on each.
Credit Card A | Credit Card B | Credit Card C | |
---|---|---|---|
Purchase balance | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
Purchase APR | 0% | 14.99% | 22.99% |
Repayment period | 15 months | 15 months | 15 months |
Monthly payment | $167 | $184 | $193 |
Interest Paid | $0 | $257 | $401 |
As you can see, you’d end up paying at least an additional $257 in interest on Card B and a whopping $401 in interest on Card C if you needed the full 15-months to pay off your purchase.
Which banks offer 0% APR cards?
Here’s a quick look at which banks offer some form of 0% APR offer on their cards and the maximum intro period length it offers.
Bank | Number of Balance Transfer cards | Number of 0% Purchase cards | Maximum length |
---|---|---|---|
American Express | 0 | 12 | 15 months |
Wells Fargo | 8 | 9 | 18 months |
Bank of America | 12 | 17 | 18 months |
Capital One | 0 | 7 | 15 months |
US Bank | 6 | 6 | 20 months |
Citi | 5 | 5 | 18 months |
HSBC | 3 | 4 | 18 months |
Chase | 0 | 6 | 15 months |
TD Bank | 3 | 1 | 15 months |
Discover | 3 | 7 | 14 months |
Tips for using a 0% intro APR card
It pays to do a little math to ensure you can make the necessary payments to pay off your balance before the end of your intro period. Here are some quick tips for using a 0% intro APR card effectively.
Generally, the longer your intro period, the better. Give yourself plenty of time to pay off your balance and you won’t get caught flat-footed if you need to allocate those repayment funds to a more pressing matter in a given month.
If it looks like you won’t be able to pay your balance before the end of your intro period, look at your revert APR and calculate how much interest is going to start building. If the interest looks severe, it can pay to bump up your typical payments to quickly finish off your balance.
If you miss one of your monthly payments, your provider may revoke your 0% intro APR period. In this case, your balance would start accruing interest immediately. To make sure you don’t miss a payment, set up your account for autopay for the amount you want to pay each month.
0% APR is not deferred interest
You’ve probably seen 0% deferred interest offers with many store credit cards. This may sound the same as a 0% intro APR period, but it’s not. With deferred interest, you must pay off your full balance before the promotional period ends.
If you have any unpaid balance after that, you’ll pay interest accrued from the day you made the purchase. This is not the case with a 0% intro APR card as you’ll start to accrue interest only on your unpaid balance.
What to do when a 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.
- 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.
What happens if I don’t repay my balance?
Regardless of the type of interest-free credit card you choose, you still need to make repayments by the statement due date each month. If you fail to maintain these regular repayments, some of the repercussions you could face include:
- Interest charges. If you don’t pay your balance in full by the statement due date, interest will be applied to the remaining debt.
- Late payment fees. If you don’t make a payment by the statement due date, a late payment fee may be applied. This can be $10 to $30 on a standard credit card, or more on a charge card.
- Overlimit fees. A fee of between $10 and $30 can apply if you don’t repay your credit card balance and go over your available credit limit.
- Cancelled promotional interest rates. If you don’t pay the balance, the interest-free promotion may no longer apply. This penalty varies depending on the card, so make sure you check the terms of your offer.
- Bad credit. Failing to make repayments could have a negative impact on your credit history – especially if your account goes into default.
If you’re struggling to make a repayment by the due date on your statement, contact your credit card provider as soon as possible. Customer service staff will assess your situation and discuss repayment options based on your individual circumstances.
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.
If you think you’ll carry a balance for a long time, consider a low-interest rate credit card.
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Ask an Expert
Hi Toni!
Thanks for contacting finder – the leading comparison website & general information service built to give you advice in your buying decision needs.
Yes, you can cancel the card and transfer to a cheaper one after a promotional period. However, you may have to contact your bank how to go about this before your promotional period ends to make sure there is no balance left on the card.
Please note that we’re a product comparison website and we hold no affiliation with any company we feature on our site. We provide general information on products to assist you in your buying decision process hence we cannot recommend product / service that is rightfully fit for you.
Hope this helps!
Best regards,
Nikki