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Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the bank’s website for the most current information.
Author: Barry Bridges | bbridges@bankrate.com
Bankrate helps you choose (and use) the right 0% intro APR card
Why do 0% intro APR offers matter? Because credit card interest rates matter. As of January 2nd 2020, Bankrate estimates the three-month trend for variable credit card interest rates at 17.35%. Although rates have been on a general downward trend the past several months, interest charges can still cost a considerable amount of money.
Fortunately, a credit card with a 0% intro APR offer on purchases, balance transfers or both can help you temporarily avoid high interest charges well into the year 2021.
Below you’ll find more information about limited-time zero-interest offers and how to use them for making a large purchase or transferring a balance. You can keep reading or skip down to the profiles of our top introductory zero-interest APR credit cards.
Compare Bankrate’s top 0% intro APR credit cards
*For any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
A closer look at our top zero APR credit cards
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Why it’s the best 0% APR period and unlimited cash back:
This card currently offers a 15-month introductory period for both balance transfers and new purchases (then 15.49% – 25.49% variable APR thereafter). Plus, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases and a $150 bonus after spending $500 within the first 3 months of account opening. If you’re looking for a simple way to earn cash back while you save on interest with an introductory APR offer, you’ve found the right card.
What’s its long-term value?
The rewards structure on this card is simple and straightforward. Let’s say you spend $1,200 on your Quicksilver each month. At the end of each year, you’ll have racked up over $200 in cash back rewards.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
Discover it® Cash Back
Why it’s the best 0% intro APR card with rotating cash back:
You’ll get a 14-month 0% APR introductory period for purchases and balance transfers before the a variable APR between 13.49% and 24.49% takes effect (with 3% intro balance transfer fee; up to 5% on future balance transfers, see terms*), and Discover matches all of the cash you’ve earned at the end of your first year. The Discover it® Cash Back is a rotating category cash back card that gets you 5% cash back in different areas each quarter, like gas stations and grocery stores, and an unlimited 1% cash back on everything else. You do have to enroll in the new categories each month and 5% cash back is reduced to 1% after you spend $1,500 each quarter.
What’s its long-term value?
The intro APR offer isn’t as long as other top cards in this category, but the long-term value you can get from the Discover it® Cash Back makes the shorter offer period worth it for some consumers. It’s ideal for the shopper who can time his or her purchases according to the card’s rotating schedule and remember to activate each quarter.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card
Why it’s the best 0% intro APR card for earning flexible rewards:
The Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card has a 0% intro APR offer for 15 billing cycles on purchases and for balance transfers made in your first 60 days of owning the card (15.49% – 25.49% variable thereafter). If you plan to transfer a balance, be mindful of the balance transfer fee (either $10 or 3% of the amount being transferred, whichever is greater). However, it’s the cash back rewards program that makes this card stand out among zero-interest APR cards.
What’s its long-term value?
You get six options for your choice rewards category — travel, gas, online shopping, dining, drug stores or home improvement/furnishings. The choice category earns 3% cash back each quarter on up to $2,500 in combined purchases along with the 2% grocery store and wholesale club category. For other purchases, you earn unlimited 1% cash back. This card can help you earn a considerable amount of cash back rewards across a wide range of purchases.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
Discover it® Balance Transfer
Why it’s the best 0% intro APR card for overall balance transfer value:
Few cards can match the intro offer for balance transfers: 0% APR for 18 months, then 13.49% – 24.49% variable (3% intro balance transfer fee; up to 5% fee on future balance transfers, see terms*). Fewer still combine that kind of balance transfer offer with a rewards program that earns 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories up to $1,500 each quarter after activation and 1% back on everything else. However, we don’t recommend the Discover it Balance Transfer for paying off a big purchase. The introductory 0% APR period for purchases is just 6 months, after which variable APR goes to the regular 13.49% – 24.49%.
What’s its long-term value?
Much like the Discover it Cash Back, the rewards program holds the key to this card’s long-term value. The potential earnings in bonus categories make the Discover it Balance Transfer well worth considering for a long engagement after the intro APR period ends. The card also features Discover’s Cashback Match™, a dollar-for-dollar match of the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
Citi Simplicity® Card
Why it’s the best 0% intro APR card for long balance transfers:
The Citi Simplicity Card is a very useful option for transferring or consolidating debt. With a 0% APR period of 21 months on balance transfers (16.24% – 26.24% variable thereafter), you can save thousands of dollars by paying off debt without interest. This card also does not charge a late fee, although you don’t want to make it a habit to pay late because of the impact on your credit score.
What’s its long-term value?
If you’re looking for a credit card to use far beyond the intro APR period has ended, this is not the right card for you. However, this is one of the best cards on the market for balance transfers and paying down debt — which can help you boost your credit score if you’re sitting in the “good” range but want to apply for cards in the future that require “excellent” credit.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Why it’s the most versatile 0% intro APR card:
The 15-month introductory period for both balance transfers and new purchases (16.49% – 25.24% variable APR thereafter) is solid. Plus, you’ll earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases. The potential as an intro APR card and a cash back card make the Chase Freedom Unlimited truly stand out.
What’s its long-term value?
While a number of cash back cards have higher rewards rates, 1.5% unlimited is still respectable. You’ll want to use this as a supplemental card (preferably with one of Chase’s Sapphire options) after the intro offer ends.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
BankAmericard® credit card
Why it’s the best 0% intro APR card for simple debt solutions:
This card’s introductory offer is 18 billing cycles at 0% for both balance transfers (made in the first 60 days) and purchases. Regular APR after the intro offer is 14.49% – 24.49% variable. Despite the lack of a rewards program or sign-up bonus, its short-term value gets a boost from no annual fee and a low balance transfer fee of 3% ($10 minimum). The BankAmericard credit card might not be flashy, but it can get the job done if you need to pay off transferred debt or a big purchase.
What’s its long-term value?
With no rewards program, the long-term value of this card takes a hit. The monthly FICO Score for free is a nice benefit but not at all uncommon for cards of this caliber. The card’s overall value and utility will diminish after you’ve completed the payoff of a purchase or balance transfer.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Why it’s the best 0% APR card for family shoppers
The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express offers zero interest on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (then 14.49%-25.49% variable). In addition to the zero-interest offers, the card earns 3% back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year (1% after that), unlimited 2% back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores and 1% on everything else. For families that spend a lot on items such as groceries, gas and clothing, this card’s rewards program could be a cash cow for cash back.
What’s its long-term value?
While the intro APR offer with this card is solid, the real value lies in the rewards program. Spending $6,000 per year in the U.S. supermarkets category alone punches your ticket for $180 in cash back, and the cash back earnings in the other categories are unlimited.
Read our full review and find out how to apply.
What is a 0% intro credit card? A useful financial tool
Cash is king, but sometimes even a king can be less than convenient.
Instead of stopping by the bank beforehand to withdraw an envelope of large bills, a typical consumer would probably find it a lot easier to go straight to the appliance store and put that new washer and dryer on a credit card. The convenience of making a large purchase on credit could come at a price, however.
With the average credit card APR (annual percentage rate) above 17%, the potential for steep interest charges comes into play. If you don’t pay your balance in full before the next billing period, interest on your new washer and dryer could put you through the wringer. Fortunately, a 0% intro APR credit card might provide a solution for large purchases and big balances alike:
Zero-interest APR for purchases
If you have a large purchase planned, getting a credit card with a zero-interest APR offer ahead of time can truly pay off. Putting your big-ticket item on the 0% intro APR credit card instead of your regular card means a chance to avoid paying interest for the length of the intro period. The choice between 0% interest and the average 18% interest should be an easy one.
Learn more with Bankrate: Should you use a credit card for large purchases?
Zero-interest APR for balance transfers
If you don’t pay your monthly credit card balance down to zero, the unpaid portion is subject to interest charges, or APR. One remedy for the escalating cost of unpaid balances involves moving that debt to a credit card that offers 0% intro APR on balance transfers. By paying off the balance you’ve transferred to the new card before the introductory zero-percent rate ends, you can save money that would otherwise go to paying high interest charges.
Learn more with Bankrate: Try out the Credit Card Balance Transfer Calculator.
Purchase or balance transfer? Get the right card for the job
Most of the cards we’ve chosen offer an introductory 0% APR rate on both purchases and balance transfers, for the same period of time. If you’re only interested in transferring a balance, you can check out our list of Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards.
Also, don’t forget that some balance transfer cards work with more than just credit card debt. In addition to credit card balances, you might be able to transfer debt from personal loans, student loans and other types of credit accounts.
How to use them: Zero-percent intro cards in action
You could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars with the help of a 0% intro APR card, whether it’s for a big purchase or transferred debt from one or more credit accounts. Here we show you how the process might work.
Financing large purchases
A consumer named Carol recently emailed me for advice on how to pay for an upcoming medical procedure that would cost $8,000. Using some basic math and Bankrate’s Credit Card Payoff Calculator, I was able to simulate what would happen if Carol got a credit card with a 12-month zero percent introductory offer to pay for her medical bills.
If she pays off the balance in full before the end of that 12-month promotional period, Carol wouldn’t owe any additional money in interest. However, if she were to put $8,000 on a regular card with a typical APR of 18% and pay off the balance in 12 months, she would face $801 in interest charges:
Compare 0% intro purchase APR to regular rate
| Balance |
APR |
Term |
Interest paid |
Average monthly payment |
| $8,000 |
0% |
12 months |
$0 |
$667 |
| $8,000 |
18% |
12 months |
$801 |
$733 |
P.S. Carol wound up getting a 0% APR card with a 12-month intro offer and plans to pay off her medical bills on schedule to avoid interest.
Transferring debt
Similarly, let’s say you transfer $5,000 worth of credit card debt to a 0% APR card with a 12-month balance transfer offer. Rather than being charged a typical 18-percent APR, you’ll simply pay a balance transfer fee (typically 3% – 5% of each transfer) and avoid interest if you pay off that balance before the offer expires:
Compare 0% intro APR balance transfer offer to regular rate
| Balance |
APR |
Term |
Interest paid |
Balance transfer fee |
Average monthly payment |
| $5,000 |
0% |
12 months |
$0 |
3%=$150 |
$417 |
| $5,000 |
18% |
12 months |
$500 |
N/A |
$458 |
How to choose the right zero interest credit card
Which type of credit card you should get depends on your long-term goals for the card.
- To pay for a large purchase: The longer the 0% intro offer on purchases, the better. It will give you more time to take advantage of the zero-interest window as you gradually make the payments.
- To transfer a balance or consolidate debt: Pay attention to the length of the balance transfer offer (the longer, the better) and the balance transfer fee.
- To get long-term value out of the card. Do you want to be able to earn rewards long after the zero-interest intro offer ends? Look for a card that offers a generous rewards program for cash back or travel.
Sometimes, though, a 0% intro APR credit card might not be the best option. If you want to make a purchase you know you won’t be able to pay off within the offer period, it might be better to look at your personal loan options. Personal loans charge a much lower interest rate than credit cards, so even if you have to pay some money in interest, you’ll still be saving.
How much can you save with a 0% intro APR offer?
Take a look at a comparison of some of our top zero interest cards:
|
0% APR offer period for new purchases |
Regular APR |
How much you could save on interest |
| BankAmericard® credit card |
18 billing cycles |
14.49% – 24.49% (Variable) |
$614 |
| Capital One Quicksilver |
15 months |
15.49% – 25.49% (Variable) |
$540 |
| Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card |
15 billing cycles |
15.49% – 25.49% (Variable) |
$534 |
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express |
15 months |
14.49% – 25.49% (Variable) |
$534 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
15 months |
16.49% – 25.24% (Variable) |
$529 |
| Discover it® Cash Back |
14 months |
13.49% – 24.49% (Variable) |
$479 |
| Citi Simplicity |
12 months |
16.24% – 26.24% (Variable) |
$443 |
| Discover it® Balance Transfer |
6 months |
13.49% – 24.49% Variable |
$217 |
**Savings calculated using the top of the variable APR range and a $3,000 balance.
What to do when the zero-interest period ends
Should you cancel the card after the purchase or transfer is paid off? Once a zero-interest APR credit card has served its initial purpose, you might assume you don’t need it anymore. Don’t be too quick to act on that assumption.
Canceling a credit card could have a negative effect on your credit score. The reason involves credit utilization, the relationship between two numbers: how much available credit you have vs. how much of that credit you’re using. A canceled credit card lowers the first number, which means you’ll use more of the credit left available to you.
Why is higher credit utilization potentially a problem? It could give lenders the impression that you’re having financial difficulties and make it seem like you’re more of a credit risk.
If you’ve used a 0 interest card for a credit card balance transfer, you should also think carefully before canceling the original card — yes, the one that got you into debt in the first place. Even with a card that doesn’t get much use, putting it in a drawer while leaving the account open could keep your credit score from taking the hit from a cancellation. Also, longstanding accounts generally look good on your credit score.
A 0% APR card can affect your credit in a number of ways, depending on how you use the card. If you’re using your card to consolidate debt, it can actually help boost your credit score over time. A large factor in determining your credit score is your credit utilization ratio. By consolidating and paying down credit card balances, you’re lowering that ratio.
Furthermore, if you use a zero APR credit card to pay off a large purchase over time, you can boost your credit score just by showing lenders that you can consistently make on-time payments.
What determines the APR on a credit card?
A number of factors play a part in credit card APR, including government regulators and banks’ lending standards. Rather than diving into a complicated analysis of the federal funds rate, the prime rate and the constant push and pull of various economic forces, try to focus on the one factor that you can directly influence: your credit score.
Generally, having a higher credit score means you can qualify for lower APR not only on credit cards but also on personal loans, auto loans, mortgages and other forms of credit. A solid track record of diligently paying what you owe tells potential lenders that they face less risk if they decide to do business with you.
With credit cards, different types of APR come into play. Some fluctuate with economic factors and others (such as penalty APR for making late payments) are set by credit card issuers. However, if you’re looking at one of the cards profiled on this page, you should pay particular attention to:
- 0% intro APR on purchases
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers
- Regular APR
The first two refer to offers for a temporary interest-free window on purchases or balance transfers, respectively. Regular APR, also known as go-to APR, represents the interest you would pay on any remaining balance after the intro period ends.
The whole point of a zero-interest offer is to avoid paying regular APR. To achieve that goal, you would need to pay off your large purchase (or balance transfer, as the case may be) before the offer expires.
How Bankrate evaluates zero-interest cards
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to credit cards, so it’s important that you factor in all the variables of your unique situation to find the best card for you. To help you achieve your goals, we focus on specific areas when scoring 0% intro APR credit cards:
Length of the introductory offer
Generally, for zero-interest cards, the longer the period without APR, the better. A longer intro period means more time for you to pay for a big purchase or pay off a transferred balance, whichever the case may be, without facing high APR charges.
Regular variable APR
Regular variable APR, or standard APR, refers to the interest rate you incur on a credit card’s outstanding balance after the introductory zero-interest period ends. While you shouldn’t carry a balance on your card, choosing a card with a low APR can help ease the burden if you find yourself in a situation where you must.
Long-term value
“Should you keep this card after it has served the initial purpose?” That’s a key question we ask when evaluating a zero-interest card. Several cards on this list have rewards programs and other features that can make them worth keeping even after you’ve paid for a big purchase or paid off transferred debt.
Senior Editor Barry Bridges has been writing about credit cards, personal loans, mortgages and other personal finance products since 2017. Before joining Bankrate, he was an award-winning newspaper journalist in his native North Carolina. Send your questions about credit cards (and fantasy baseball) to bbridges@bankrate.com.
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