Credit Card | Intro Offer | Regular APR | Standout Features |
---|---|---|---|
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card Overall Winner; Longest 0% Intro Rates |
0% APR for 20 months on purchases and balance transfers | 14.49% to 24.49% | Cell phone protection |
Chase Slate Best for Fair Credit |
0% APR for 15 months on purchases and transfers | 14.99% to 23.74% | No balance transfer fee for a limited time |
BankAmericard for Students Best for Students |
0% for 15 billing cycles for purchases and transfers | 12.99% to 22.99% | Credit education resources for students |
U.S. Bank Business Platinum Best for Business |
0% Introductory APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers | 11.99% to 20.99% | Low ongoing APR |
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa Best for Simple Cash Back |
0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | 14.49% to 24.99% | 1.5% cash back on all purchases |
SunTrust Cash Rewards Best for Regular APR |
0% Introductory APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers | 11.24% to 21.24% | Standard APR starts at 11.24% |
Capital One SavorOne Best for Dining Rewards |
0% Intro APR on purchases for 15 months | 15.49%, 21.49%, or 25.49% | 3% cash back on dining and entertainment |
Discover it Cash Back Best for Bonus Cash Back |
0% APR on purchases and transfers for 12 mos | 11.99% to 22.99% | Automatic match for all cash back earned in first year |
Chase Freedom Unlimited Best for Travel |
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases | 14.99% to 23.74% | 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase |
Editorial Picks for the Best 0% APR Credit Cards
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
Overall Winner; Longest 0% Intro Rates
The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card is the overall winner by offering the longest 0% introductory rates and added benefits, like cell phone protection. While the card has limited value after the promotion, cardholders have 20 months of 0% APR financing to pay off account balances without incurring regular interest charges .
Chase Slate
Best for Fair Credit
The Chase Slate includes 15 months of 0% APR promotions on balance transfers and purchases, which is one of the top offers for people with fair credit. Balance transfers made within the first 60 days can avoid the 3% balance transfer fee that most cards charge.
BankAmericard for Students
Best for Students
The best 0% APR promotion for students is the BankAmericard for Students with 15 months of no interest. When the promotion expires, students can receive a standard interest rate as low as 12.99%.
U.S. Bank Business Platinum
Best for Business
Business owners who need extra time to pay off debt or new purchases should apply for the U.S. Bank Business Platinum. It has no annual fee and offers a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa
Best for Simple Cash Back
The best 0% APR card for simple cash back is the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa with its unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. New cardholders can earn a $150 bonus and 1.8% cash back on eligible digital wallet purchases for the first year.
SunTrust Cash Rewards
Best for Regular APR
The best regular APR from 0% APR cards comes from the SunTrust Cash Rewards Card. Customers with excellent credit can receive an APR starting at just 11.24%.
Capital One SavorOne
Best for Dining Rewards
The Capital One SavorOne offers the best dining rewards for 0% APR cards with an unlimited 3% cash back on dining. You’ll also earn a $200 cash back after spending $500 within three months.
Discover it Cash Back
Best for Bonus Cash Back
The Discover it Cash Back is our choice for the best bonus cash back because you earn up to 5% on rotating quarterly categories. Plus, all of the cash back you earn is doubled at the end of the first year, meaning that you can earn up to 10% cash back with this card.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Best for Travel
The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase and (through March 2022) 5% on Lyft rides. The cash back can also be redeemed to book flights, hotels, and more through the Chase website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a 0% APR Credit Card?
A 0% APR credit card offers a promotional interest rate on balance transfers, purchases, or both for a set length of time. Purchases and balance transfers are not charged interest during the promo. However, balance transfers often incur a fee of 3% to 5% of the balance transferred. When the promotion expires, your interest rate reverts back to the standard APR.
Does a 0% APR Hurt Your Credit Score?
The credit bureaus do not know the interest rate your balances are being charged. When taking advantage of a 0% APR offer through a new credit card, your credit score is primarily affected in two ways. First, by opening a new account you’ll have a new credit inquiry and the average age of your accounts may be reduced. More importantly, if the balance transfer amount is close to the credit limit, your utilization ratio may go up, which could reduce your credit score.
How Should I Use a 0% APR Credit Card?
When using a 0% APR credit card, it pays to look at the fine print. These details can make the difference between a good deal and a bad one. Pay close attention to these areas:
- Interest charged on purchases while paying off a balance transfer
- How payments are applied–are purchases or promotional offers paid first
- Length of your promotional APR offer
- Whether the offer be revoked if a payment is missed or the balance goes over the credit limit
- The fees (and minimum fee) for balance transfers
- How soon balance transfers must be completed after the opening account
- Whether all purchases count towards APR promotion or only for a limited time
What Happens When My 0% APR Credit Card Offer Ends?
When your promotional interest expires, any unpaid balance is now charged the standard interest rate for balance transfers and purchases going forward. Unlike some retailer cards, you will not owe interest accrued during the promotional period.
Methodology
We analyzed the details of over 300 credit cards to find the best purchase and balance transfer promotional offers. Data points on rewards, annual fees, interest rates, benefits, and more were assigned scores so that we could rank them against each other. The credit cards above are our choices for the best 0% APR credit cards for a variety of customer profiles. We continuously monitor bank websites for changes to card details to ensure that our rankings provide the most value for our readers.
MEET OUR CREDIT CARDS EXPERT
Ben Woolsey is Investopedia’s Senior Editor for Credit Cards. He has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including marketing for banking and financial institutions such as Associates First Capital and Bank One. Prior to Investopedia, he managed credit card content for CreditCards.com and Bankrate.com.