Best 0% APR Credit Cards

A 0% APR is not good for your credit when you abuse the interest-free period by overspending, because it will eventually lead to expensive finance charges, high credit utilization and missed payments. Plus, every time you apply for a new 0% APR credit card, it will hurt your credit score temporarily.

On the other hand, a 0% intro APR can be good for your credit if you use the lack of interest charges to reduce either the amount of debt that you owe or the total cost of financing important big-ticket purchases.

You can estimate the effect that getting a new 0% APR credit card and reducing your debt will have on your credit score by using WalletHub’s free credit score simulator. Signing up for a free WalletHub account will also help you keep tabs on your credit score, with daily updates.

Your decision to get a low APR credit card with an annual fee vs. a high APR card with no annual fees largely depends on how you use your card. 

If you pay off your balances on a monthly basis, you don't get charged any interest, therefore there's little to no reason to pay an annual fee. A credit card with a relatively high APR and no annual fees would be ideal here.

If you tend to carry a balance, you should aim to minimize interest expenses by using a low-interest credit card. You may have to pay an annual fee in exchange for the low rate but may save more in interest expense during the year than the cost of the annual fee.

Credit card companies generally make money off of fees and interest. So it’s understandably confusing that they would sacrifice the interest part of the equation, if only for a limited time, especially since most 0% cards don’t charge annual fees. But there are three main reasons why banks and credit unions offer 0% APR credit cards:

1. To entice new customers. Zero percent intro rates are eye-catching, and banks can market their other products to new cardholders in order to make money.
2. To encourage more spending. Credit card companies make money from so-called interchange fees every time you make a purchase. And the more debt you rack up, the less likely you are to repay your full balance within the 0% term.
3. To make money from interest. This might seem a bit counterintuitive, but issuers know that many people will carry a balance for longer than their 0% intro rate is available. And that’s when they hit you with a high regular APR. The current average is 17.86%. In other words, credit cards with no interest whatsoever don’t actually exist.

These reasons also help to explain why credit cards don’t have permanent 0% rates. And the fact that issuers offer 0% APRs to make money, not just out of the goodness of their hearts, is why you should always be on the lookout for hidden costs and deals that seem too good to be true.

“If consumers actually routinely borrowed at 0% without paying any fees or interest, it would be difficult for credit card companies to earn a profit on these deals,” said Michael Simkovic, an associate professor at the Seton Hall University School of Law who studies the credit regulations. “Customers just really have to read the fine print, compare the total cost of borrowing the amount they need for the time they need it (including interest and fees) and be very, very careful.”

The longest 0% APR credit card is the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card as it offers an introductory purchase APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening. That rate is coupled with a balance transfer intro APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers – subject to a balance transfer fee: 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5). Once the introductory periods are over, remaining balances are subject to a regular APR of 16.74% - 28.74% Variable. Given its $0 annual fee, the Wells Fargo Reflect card makes for a great option both for financing larger purchases and transferring pre-existing debt. There are several other options with long 0% intro APRs that are worth your consideration.

Here are the longest 0% APR credit cards:

These cards benefit from $0 annual fees and require good credit or better (a credit score of 700+) for good odds of approval. None of these cards offer rewards, but they’re meant for financing rather than regular spending. You can always adopt the island approach and use a different rewards card for purchases you’ll pay in full each month. All of these cards also require good or excellent credit.

It’s important to note that some store cards may offer 0% interest for longer than 21 months, but they use deferred interest. That is, you earn interest on your balance during the 0% period but don’t have to pay that interest if and only if you bring your balance to $0 before the 0% period ends. The JCPenney Credit Card is one example, offering 18 - 24 months of deferred interest. But those cards are best avoided, because not paying your balance in full by the end of the intro period allows for a high APR to retroactively apply to your entire original purchase amount – as if the low intro rate never existed.

The best way to use a 0% APR credit card is with a clear plan. Interest-free credit cards aren’t always available. So, you can’t just assume that you’ll be able to transfer whatever balance remains at the end of your new card’s 0% intro term to yet another 0% credit card. And exposing much of a balance to a card’s regular interest rate is a costly proposition. The average 0% credit card has a 18% regular APR, according to WalletHub’s latest Credit Card Landscape Report.

Here’s the best way to use a 0% APR credit card:

The first thing to keep in mind is that using a 0% card correctly starts with calculating how long it will take you to repay your debt (without interest). This will tell you how long of a 0% intro period you’ll need and how important each card’s regular APR will be.

The second step is to check your latest credit score, which you can do for free on WalletHub. This will tell you which, if any, zero-interest credit card you can qualify for.

Next, you’ll need to compare whatever eligible offers remain. In doing so, consider all of the various account terms that could affect your overall financing costs. That includes the length of the 0% period, the annual fee, the regular APR and if you’re trying to reduce the cost of existing debt, the balance-transfer fee. And WalletHub’s Credit Card Payoff and Balance Transfer calculators are perfect for the task.

After you find the best 0% APR card for your needs, submit an application and, hopefully, get approved, your focus should shift to making on-time monthly payments and reaching debt freedom as quickly as possible. And the best way to accomplish those goals is to set up automatic monthly payments for your budgeted amount.

Many people assume credit cards with 0% APRs are always around. But they’re actually just limited-time offers. They tend to be plentiful when the economy is strong and scarce when credit card companies believe the risk of nonpayment is too high.

That’s why it’s best to act as if another 0% card will not be available to bail you out. It’s also why you should consider a 0% card’s regular APR if there’s a chance you won’t be debt-free by the end of the intro period. You never really know when the economic tides or issuer policies will shift, after all. And a lot of 0% credit card users learned a costly lesson about not planning for the worst during the Great Recession.

It’s also worth noting that even when 0% APR credit cards are available, their terms still fluctuate over time. For example, the average 0% credit card offer had a 7.29-month intro period at the end of 2010. And that grew to 10.27 months in Q3 2013, before dipping to 9.85 months at the end of 2016. So getting the best 0% credit card deal is part good timing and part opportunism.

Yes, there are some 0% APR credit cards for 21 months. One of the best is the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card that offers an intro APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers. The Wells Fargo Reflect’s regular APR is 16.74% - 28.74% Variable. There’s also a balance transfer fee of 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5).

It’s worth noting that credit cards offering a 0% intro APR for 21 months aren’t that common. However, there are several good 0% APR credit cards on the market to choose from.

Some of the Best 0% APR Credit Cards

The Wells Fargo Reflect card offers an intro APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on both new purchases and balance transfers. The card’s regular APR is 16.74% - 28.74% Variable. There is also a balance transfer fee: 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5).

The Citi Diamond Preferred card offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months on new purchases and 0% for 21 months on balance transfers. The card’s regular APR is 16.74% - 27.49% (V). There is also a 5% (min $5) balance transfer fee.

The BankAmericard credit card offers an intro APR of 0% for 21 billing cycles for purchases, as well as balance transfers made in the first 60 days of account opening. After the card’s intro APR period ends, the regular APR is 15.74% - 25.74% Variable. There is also a 3% (min $10) balance transfer fee.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited card offers an intro APR of 0% for 15 months on both new purchases and balance transfers. The card’s regular APR is 17.99% - 26.74% (V). There is also a balance transfer fee: either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days (5%, min $5 after). This card also offers 1.5 - 5% cash back, depending on the type of purchase.

Ultimately, you can check out our editors’ latest picks for the best 0% APR credit cards and see which one suits your needs.