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

Discover it Cash Back: Best for purchases

• What we love about Discover it Cash Back: On top of a generous intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers, this card has a solid rewards program that gives you the chance to earn a high cash back rate in rotating categories. That combined with Discover’s first-year cash back match welcome offer makes this card a great choice if you have big purchases coming up. 
• Who this card is good for: People who are open to a compromise between cash back earnings and the length of the introductory APR offers.
• Alternatives: The Discover it® Balance Transfer card is a better pick if you want to keep interest on your balance transfer at bay for a longer period. If you’re more interested in straightforward rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers 2 percent cash rewards on purchases year-round without having to enroll in rotating categories or worry about spending caps.

Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Discover It Cash Back card

Read our full Discover it Cash Back review or jump back to offer details.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Best for flat-rate cash rewards

• What we love about the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: The Active Cash card is one of the simplest and most versatile cards around, offering great short-term value thanks to a sign-up bonus and a decent intro APR offer on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. When it comes to long-term value, you can earn an unlimited 2 percent rewards on your purchases — one of the highest flat rates around.
• Who this card is good for: People who want an intro APR offer that covers both purchases and balance transfers, along with an easy way to earn unlimited cash rewards on purchases.
• Alternatives: The Citi® Double Cash Card also offers up to 2 percent cash back on all purchases (1 percent at purchase and 1 percent upon payment), plus a longer intro balance transfer APR offer than the Active Cash. However, there’s no intro APR offer for purchases. 

Learn more: Expert Aja McClanahan discusses if the Wells Fargo Active Cash is worth it

Read our full Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review or jump back to offer details.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment

• Why we love the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: While a lot of other cards offer rewards on dining, the Capital One SavorOne card also includes rare cash back on entertainment purchases across comprehensive categories — including 8 percent cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 3 percent on entertainment and popular streaming services.
• Who this card is good for: Devotees of food and fun who want to capitalize on generous cash rewards and a solid intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers.
• Alternatives: This no-annual-fee card has a lot to offer with its variety of high-rate rewards categories, but it carries a pretty high ongoing interest rate. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express delivers a similar intro APR offer plus cash back categories for fuel at U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. online retailers. However, this card’s Pay It Plan It alternative payment features may save you money on unexpected expenses after your intro APR ends.

Learn more: Why expert Ana Cvetkovic loves the Capital One SavorOne card

Read our full Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to offer details.

Citi Simplicity Card: Best for no late fee

• What we love about the Citi Simplicity Card: Like the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, this card’s promotional APR on balance transfers is one of the longest on the market, but the intro APR on purchases is shorter as well. The Citi Simplicity is also one of the most forgiving cards because it doesn’t charge late fees or assess a penalty APR if you make a late payment.
• Who this card is good for: Someone who wants as much time as possible to pay off past debt and wants a safety net in case they occasionally miss a payment.
• Alternatives: If you can pay off your debt in a short timeframe, you could get more value with a rewards card that comes with an intro APR offer. But if you need the full length of the Citi Simplicty’s balance transfer intro APR, the BankAmericard offers a matching intro APR on purchases as well.

Learn more: Citi Simplicity vs. Citi Diamond Preferred

Read our full Citi Simplicity Card review or jump back to offer details.

Wells Fargo Reflect Card: Best first intro APR card

• What we love about the Wells Fargo Reflect Card: It benefits you to make at least  your minimum payments on time every month with the Reflect. Doing so allows you to extend the initial APR offer into one of the longest intro APR offers on the market for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
• Who this card is good for: Anyone who wants the maximum amount of time to pay off an existing credit card balance or large purchase — especially if you could use an extra nudge to stay consistent.
• Alternatives: The BankAmericard® Credit Card offers the same maximum intro APR length for purchases and balance transfers, but with no stipulations to receive the full offer length. However, if you don’t need the extra time and want a card with longer-term value, consider choosing a rewards card with a solid 0 percent intro APR.

Learn more: Card expert Holly Johnson's take on if the Wells Fargo Reflect Card is worth it

Read our full Wells Fargo Reflect Card review or jump back to offer details.

U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card: Best for your cellphone bill

• Why we love U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card: This card provides a long intro APR offer on both purchases and balance transfers, plus handy credit card benefits like cellphone protection when you pay your bill with the card.
• Who this card is good for: Someone looking for more intro APR breathing room on both purchases and balance transfers than rewards cards typically provide, along with perks like cellphone insurance.
• Alternatives: Unless you’re loyal to U.S. Bank, the Wells Fargo Reflect can offer an even longer intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, and about the same cellphone protection, too. If neither card offers the level of long-term value you’d like, the Bank of America Unlimited Cash offers 1.5 percent flat cash back in addition to the same intro APR length on purchases and balance transfers as the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum.

Learn more: Card expert Sara Coleman shares if the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum is worth it

Read our U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card review or jump back to offer details.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Best for travel rewards

• What we love about the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card: You will earn 5X miles when you book hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.25X miles on all other purchases, allowing you to conveniently earn rewards on what you spend while on the road.
• Who this card is good for: Someone looking for a that earns run-of-the-mill rewards on travel expenses.
• Alternatives: If you want to earn maximum rewards but don’t want to be confined to travel categories, a rotating-category rewards card such as the Discover it Cash Back or a tiered-category rewards card such as the Capital One SavorOne Rewards are ideal options.

Citi Custom Cash Card: Best for rewards category variety

• What we love about the Citi Custom Cash Card: The automatic bonus category adjusts to your top eligible spending category each billing cycle from a pool of ten categories. This is an interesting, low-maintenance approach to bonus cash back that lets you earn high rewards without having to track bonus categories. Plus, you’ll be able to rack up these rewards while benefiting from the card’s intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.
• Who this card is good for: People who want to earn generous cash back in one eligible everyday category, like groceries, without having to enroll in bonus categories or plan a spending strategy.
• Alternatives: A flat-rate card, like the Wells Fargo Active Cash, would be an even simpler solution that wouldn’t limit your rewards to one category per month with a spending cap. But, if you like the Custom Cash card’s category variety, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers a similar intro APR and even more control over your rewards with bonus categories you can actively choose each billing cycle.

Learn more: Is the Citi Custom Cash worth it?

Read our full Citi Custom Cash Card review or jump back to offer details.

Discover it Balance Transfer: Best balance transfer card with rewards

• What we love about the Discover it Balance Transfer: You’ll be able to reap the benefits of a lengthy intro APR on balance transfers alongside earning Discover’s impressive rotating category rewards rate (when activated). This is a rare combination for balance transfer cards since they typically don’t offer much day-to-day value after their intro APR periods expire.
• Who this card is good for: Anyone paying down their card balance over time who wants more ongoing value than typical balance transfer cards provide.
• Alternatives: The Discover it Balance Transfer card’s intro APR on purchases is quite short, so the traditional Discover it Cash Back card may be a better fit if you don’t mind trading a slightly shorter balance transfer intro APR period for a much longer intro APR on purchases. On the flip side, the BankAmericard offers one of the longest intro APR periods available on both purchases and balance transfers, if you value extra time over rewards. 

Learn more: Card expert Erin Bendig's take on if the Discover it Balance Transfer card is worth it

Read our full Discover it Balance Transfer review or jump back to offer details.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for simplicity

• What we love about the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: The Quicksilver card packs a lot of value into one card. On top of the intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers, it offers a flat cash rewards rate on all purchases. You can set up automatic redemptions at a certain time or cash back amount for an even easier experience.
• This card is good for: People wanting a straightforward way to earn unlimited cash back while they enjoy a temporary break from interest with an introductory APR offer on purchases and balance transfers.
• Alternatives: For maximum value, cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® come with solid intro APR periods and the chance to earn a higher rate of bonus rewards in top spending areas. The Wells Fargo Active Cash and other top flat-rate cards also offer higher rewards rates.

Learn more: Why expert Nicole Dieker loves the Capital One Quicksilver

Read our full Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to offer details.

Citi Diamond Preferred Card: Best for balance transfers with excellent credit

• What we love about the Citi Diamond Preferred Card: The introductory APR on balance transfers is one of the longest currently on the market. Applying with an excellent credit score could also net you a relatively low ongoing APR compared to other balance transfer cards, plus money-saving rates for Citi Flex Loan and Citi Flex Pay offers.
• Who this card is good for: Anyone with excellent credit who values function over flash. This card’s main selling point is the length of the introductory balance transfer APR and Citi’s alternative payment plans for large purchases.
• Alternatives: The BankAmericard has a longer intro APR offer for purchases. This could be a better fit if your emergency fund can’t cover a repair or emergency purchase.

Learn more: Why expert Andy Shuman loves the Citi Diamond Preferred card

Read our full Citi Diamond Preferred Card review jump back to offer details.

BankAmericard credit card: Best for longest intro APR

• What we love about the BankAmericard credit card: On top of having one of the longest intro APR periods for purchases and balance transfers, another one of the BankAmericard’s benefits is its below-average ongoing APR. Depending on your creditworthiness, this could be a nice low-interest credit card to hold on to after the intro APR period ends.
• Who this card is good for: Someone who needs a long period of time to pay off debt or an emergency purchase.
• Alternatives: If you don’t need close to two years to pay your balance off, you might like a card with better long-term value. The Discover it Balance Transfer is a more versatile option that comes with an intro APR offer on balance transfers along with Discover’s flagship rotating rewards program (requires quarterly activation). This gives the card great short- and long-term value.

Learn more: Why expert Margaret Wack loves the BankAmericard

Read our full BankAmericard credit card review or jump back to offer details.

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best for cash back

• What we love about the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: The rewards program is truly best-in-class, offering an industry-leading 6 percent cash back on U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1 percent) along with other high-value bonus categories. What’s more, it’s one of the few premium rewards cards to offer an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.
• Who this card is good for: Families, commuters and cash back strategists who need a card that offers long-term value on everyday essentials after settling their old balance.
• Alternatives: Although the rewards program may not be as lucrative for supermarket shoppers, the Blue Cash Everyday card’s edge is its stellar 3 percent cash back rate on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in each rewards category, then 1 percent back). It also has longer intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers — all without an annual fee.

Learn more: Why expert Ted Rossman loves the Blue Cash Preferred Card

Read our full Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express review or jump back to offer details.

My GM Rewards Card: Best for GM purchases

• What we love about the My GM Rewards Card: Along with its terrific rewards rate on both GM and general purchases, this card offers a decent intro APR on new purchases based on creditworthiness. That means you can earn big rewards on an expense like a car repair and get some time to pay it off while avoiding interest.
• Who this card is good for: GM fans who want to minimize interest charges while financing large purchases and redeem points toward the cost of a new or used GM car or a monthly lease payment.
• Alternatives: If you’re looking for a card that will help you chip away at the cost of a large purchase but want more time and redemption flexibility than the GM Rewards Card offers, consider the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card. Along with its flat cash rewards rate, this card comes with a lengthy intro APR offer on new purchases. It’s one of the longest intro APR offers available on a rewards card. 

Learn more: How to buy a car with a credit card

Read our full My GM Rewards Card review or jump back to offer details.

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.

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). 

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.

Most ongoing APRs (the interest rate you’ll accrue after an introductory APR period is over) 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.

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 promotion 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 at the moment — 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 the additional interest they’ll end up owing.

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

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 17 to 20 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 APRs 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.

Generally, if you’re avoiding credit card interest, applying for one of the best 0 percent intro APR cards makes sense. Consider one of these cards if you find yourself in the following situations.

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.

• Calculate your total payment amount. If you’re using a 0 percent APR card to make a balance transfer, you’ll most likely have an added balance transfer fee to factor into the total you’ll need to pay back. Make sure you are fully aware of the total amount you’ll need to pay before your 0 percent APR period ends. To make this process easier, you can use our credit card payoff calculator to make a clear plan for paying the balance in full before interest charges kick in.
• Nail down your monthly payment. To ensure the total balance is paid before the intro period ends, calculate what you will have to pay each month to reach a balance of zero in that timeframe. You can use online tools like Bankrate’s minimum payment calculator to help you nail down a number. If you’re able, you should pay over the minimum amount needed to help you pay off the debt more quickly.
• Avoid adding extras to your debt total. Introductory 0 percent interest credit cards work well as an intentional debt management tool. If you can, avoid using your 0 percent APR card for anything outside of the designated costs you're trying to cover. For example, if you’re using the card to finance a large purchase, try keeping that card’s usage to only covering that purchase and immediately start strategizing on how to pay it off before the intro APR period ends. If you’re using a 0 percent APR card for a balance transfer, make paying down that total balance a priority before adding more charges.
• Don’t close the card after the intro APR period ends. Closing the card immediately after you've paid off the debt could undo some of the good work you've done with the zero-interest offer by reducing your available credit, lowering the average age of your credit accounts and affecting your credit mix. Together, these three factors account for 55 percent of your overall credit score. The easiest strategy is to keep the zero-interest card open and use it occasionally to keep the account active while continuing to pay off the balance on time.

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 charges from the 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.

What determines the APR on a credit card?

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.

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 begin to see a general increase in rates across most cards.

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.


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