10 best 0% interest credit cards: 0% intro APR period until 2024

They go by different names — 0 percent APR credit cards, zero-interest credit cards, introductory APR credit cards — but they all have the same purpose: a 0 percent intro APR is a temporary break from interest charges as you steadily pay off large credit card purchases or balance transfers. In the case of credit cards, the term interest rate is interchangeable with APR. Both refer to the interest rate that is applied to your credit card.

There are two different types of intro APR offers for credit cards. One is purchase intro APR, in which no interest is automatically applied to new purchases made on the card, and balance transfer intro APR, where no interest is applied to the balance transferred onto the card from another card. Both can come with different limitations on validity, so make sure to check the terms. A card can have one, both or neither of these types of introductory offers. 

Learn more: What is APR on a credit card?

How does credit card interest work?

Interest is essentially the cost of borrowing money. You won’t have to pay interest on your credit card purchases if you keep your balance paid off in full every month. If you still have a balance on your credit card past the grace period of a billing cycle, the balance will accrue interest. 

The amount of interest you’ll need to pay is based on your card’s annual percentage rate (APR). When you are approved for a credit card, the issuer sets both your credit limit and ongoing interest rate (your interest rate after your intro period ends). The ongoing interest rate is often variable, meaning it can change or be different for different people depending on several factors. The issuer considers your credit score, payment history, number of open credit accounts and other information about your personal credit use — so the higher your credit score and the lower your credit usage, the lower your interest rate.

Most ongoing APRs are variable, meaning that the interest rate can change based on the market rate. Entities like the Federal Reserve make decisions that affect a bank’s likelihood of raising or lowering credit card interest rates. 

Several other external factors also play a part in credit card APR, including government regulators and banks’ lending standards. Due to recent interest hikes by the Federal Reserve, you’ll see a general increase in rates across most cards. Even worse, a penalty APR could apply if you have a late payment more than 60 days overdue. Your APR for purchases may differ from your APR for balance transfers, but the lower the APR, the better.

The good news is that you can use a credit card's 0 APR offer to temporarily avoid interest charges during the introductory period before the regular or ongoing APR takes effect. A 0 percent intro offer may apply to new purchases, balance transfers or both. There are also credit union credit cards, which offer exceptionally low APRs for members.

How do 0% APR offers work?

When you open an account with a credit card issuer, they may offer you a 0 percent introductory (APR) period or no-interest financing on purchases made during that time frame. Credit card companies will often offer this type of interest-free intro for anywhere from 12 to up to 21 months.

While there are usually no upfront fees or penalties associated with this type of promotion, be aware that it won’t last forever. When your 0 percent intro APR offer ends, any remaining balance will start gaining interest at its regular rate — typically between 16 percent and 29 percent — plus any other applicable fees or charges (such as late payments).

If you’re planning for a large purchase better suited for a credit card instead of a loan, such as a small home renovation or vacation expense, a card with a 0 percent introductory APR offer allows you to pay it off over time without accruing interest. The current average interest rate on a credit card is quite high, hovering around 20 percent.

Consider the following example we plugged into Bankrate’s credit card payoff calculator. Our cardholder makes a $3,000 purchase and wants to pay it off in 12 months. With a zero-interest credit card, they only have to focus on settling the balance with $250 monthly payments. If they have a card with no intro APR, they immediately start accruing interest (a 17 percent APR, in this example), which increases their overall payments to $273 due to the $283 in additional interest they’ll end up owing.

Want to learn more? Read our full guide on the pros and cons of 0 percent APR credit cards.

Still unsure if a 0 percent APR credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

While you’re narrowing your choices down, it’s important to know how to evaluate the quality of each card’s features. Having a baseline idea of whether a certain feature is stronger or weaker than average will help you make a confident choice. Here are a few factors to look for when comparing 0 percent intro APR credit cards:

• 0 percent intro APR periods for balance transfer cards: Balance transfer cards are designed around their intro APR offers, so they provide the longest offers: typically, 18 to 21 months on both purchases and balance transfers. However, some of these cards have shorter intro APRs for purchases, so you may want to weigh this trade-off.
• 0 percent intro APR periods for rewards cards: No-annual-fee rewards cards are sometimes the best source for intro purchase APRs since they typically offer a 0 percent intro APR for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers. For some cards, the intro offer is as short as 12 months.
• Ongoing APR: Credit cards built around lengthy intro APR offers typically aren’t low-interest cards. You can expect a minimum APR around the current average interest rate after your intro APR ends, give or take a few percentage points. Currently, your lowest APR would likely be around 19 to 22 percent variable, but your maximum variable rate could be up to about 29 percent if you don’t have an excellent credit score.
• Annual fee: Many cards with lengthy 0 percent intro APR offers don’t charge annual fees, though they do charge a fee for transferring a balance. Similarly, premium credit cards with annual fees rarely offer intro APRs.
• Balance transfer fees: You can usually expect to owe a 3 percent to 5 percent fee if you transfer your balance (or a $5 to $10 minimum). Rewards cards with solid intro APR offers typically charge 3 percent, while zero-interest-oriented cards, like balance transfer cards, often charge the maximum 5 percent fee or a 3 percent intro balance transfer fee. Usually after 60 to 120 days, the 3 percent intro fee rises to 5 percent.
• Rewards and perks: Balance transfer cards and others designed around their 0 percent intro APR offers usually don’t provide rewards or noteworthy perks. However, many rewards cards generally offer a 0 percent intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. Several of these cards carry benefits like purchase protections, travel insurance and partner perks for rideshares or food delivery.
• Sign-up bonuses: It’s common to see welcome offers worth around $200 from no-annual-fee rewards cards (usually after a $500 to $1,000 spending requirement within the first three months). However, balance transfer cards typically don’t offer introductory bonus rewards. An issuer may add a limited-time cash bonus to their balance transfer cards on rare occasions, so you should pounce on these opportunities.

Though 0 percent intro APR offers are a great perk, this benefit has a time limit. When your 0 percent intro APR offer ends, the card’s regular, ongoing interest rate will apply to any future balance you carry month to month. For example, if your intro APR period is over and you still have a balance of $200 on your card, your next credit card statement will show that you owe $200 plus any additional interest you’ve gained. 

Whether you use it for purchases or balance transfers, even the best 0 percent intro APR credit card isn’t a quick fix. You’ll still need to hold up your end of the bargain by making regular monthly payments and erasing the debt before the intro offer expires to reap the full benefits. You can find your credit card’s ongoing APR in the fine print, so you know how much interest is charged after the intro period ends.

Learn more: Why your credit card's interest rate matters

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For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply