What is the highest credit card interest rate?

The highest credit card interest rate in recent memory was 79.9% on a card offered by First Premier Bank in 2010 but that offer’s not available anymore. The current highest credit card interest rate is 36% on the First PREMIER® Bank Mastercard Credit Card.

The next highest credit card interest rate seems to be 35.99%, charged by the Total Visa® Card and the Milestone® Mastercard®. These rates are very high when you consider that the average interest rate is only around 22.39%.

Some of the Highest Credit Card Interest Rates on the Market

APR: 36%

One-time fee: $55 - $95

Monthly fee: $0 - $8 1st yr, $6.25 - $10.4 after

Annual fee: $0

Credit requirement: None

APR: 35.99%

One-time fee: $95

Monthly fee: None 1st year, $8.25 after

Annual fee: $75 1st yr, $48 after

Credit requirement: None

APR: 35.9%

One-time fee: $0

Monthly fee: $0 1st yr, $12.50 after

Annual fee: $175 1st yr; $49 after

Credit requirement: None

APR: 35.9%

One-time fee: $0

Monthly fee: $0 1st yr, $12.50 after

Annual fee: $175 1st yr; $49 after

Credit requirement: None

As you can see, the highest credit card interest rates are typically found on cards for people with bad credit. The better your credit is, the better your chance of getting a lower interest rate. Legally, there actually is no highest credit card interest rate that’s possible. Credit card companies are allowed to charge any interest rate. But they must clearly state what that rate is in the card’s terms and conditions.

Companies that would like to charge outrageous interest rates are limited by what people are actually willing to pay. You should always make sure you know a card’s interest rate before applying. Otherwise, it may come as a nasty surprise.

How to Avoid High Credit Card Interest Charges

It’s worth remembering that, no matter how high or low your interest rate is, it will never affect you unless you carry a balance between months. If you always pay off your bill in full, you’ll never pay any interest unless you take out a cash advance. So, if you don’t spend beyond your means, interest rates shouldn’t be a huge consideration when you’re picking a credit card.

But if you’re not confident about your ability to pay in full, you should prioritize low interest rates in your search. Many cards will even offer you 0% interest for a number of months to start. While there are a few interest-free credit cards for bad credit, you’ll usually need at least good credit to get one of the best 0% intro APR credit cards.

I remember seeing a 30% APR on a credit card somewhere.

You most likely will never have to face it, but I know First PREMIER® Bank Credit Card can have some nasty APR's, like 36%. But if you get approved with that interest rate, much better to just cancel, and find something less expensive.