Best Credit Cards with No Annual Fee and Low Interest

One of the best credit cards with no annual fee and 0% APR is the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card; this card offers an introductory APR of 0% for 18 billing cycles on both purchases and balance transfers. The card’s regular APR is 18.74% - 28.74% (V).

Another great option is Chase Freedom Unlimited® because it offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on new purchases as well as on balance transfers. The regular APR is 19.24% - 27.99% (V). This credit card also rewards cardholders with 1.5 - 5% cash back, depending on the type of purchase.

The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is also a good choice as it comes with one of the longest intro APRs on the market; 0% for up to 21 months from account opening for purchases and qualyfying balance transfers. After the intro APR period expires, the card’s regular APR is 17.24% - 29.24% Variable.

Here are some of the best credit cards with no annual fee and 0% APR:

Yes, there are several elite credit cards with no annual fee, the best of which is the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. This card requires a minimum of good credit for approval and offers perks such as 1.25 - 5 miles per $1 spent on purchases and an initial bonus of 20,000 miles for spending $500 in the first 3 months of account opening.

Here are some of the best elite credit cards with no annual fee:

The Capital One VentureOne is an elite $0 annual fee credit card due to its ample rewards. It gives 20,000 miles for spending $500 in the first 3 months. Plus, you get 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 1.25 miles per $1 on all other purchases. Capital One VentureOne comes with intro APRs of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. Its regular APR is 19.24% - 29.24% (V) and the balance transfer fee is 3%. Good credit is required.

The Citi Double Cash Card is an elite $0 annual fee credit card because it gives one of the highest cash back rates on the market for all purchases: 2% cash back when you pay at least the minimum due on time. And there’s a 0% for 18 months intro APR for balance transfers. There is a 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer. This card’s regular APR is 18.24% - 28.24% (V). Good credit is required.

The U.S. Bank Platinum is elite because of its very long 0% intro APR period. You get a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. The card’s regular APR is 18.74% - 28.74% (V). Transfers must be requested in the first 60 days to get the 0% rate, and there’s a 3% (min $5) transfer fee. You also get free cell phone protection. Good credit is required.

The Amex EveryDay card is elite because of its 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Amex EveryDay’s regular APR is 17.24% - 28.24% (V). You can earn 2 points per $1 spent on travel booked through amextravel.com and at supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year), and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Using your card 20 times in a month earns you 20% more points. There’s also a welcome bonus of 10,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months. Good credit is required.

The Ink Cash is an elite $0 annual fee card because it has a lot of bonus categories. You get 1 - 5% cash back, depending on the type of purchase. You can also get an initial bonus of $900 for spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. There’s a 12 months intro APR on purchases. This card’s regular APR is 17.49% - 23.49% (V). You get employee cards at no cost. Good credit is required.

At the end of the day, elite and no annual fee are not always synonymous when it comes to credit cards. Cards with annual fees tend to offer more rewards and benefits. Generally, the higher the annual fee, the more rewards you get. Some of the most elite credit cards with fees include the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

The best credit card with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee is the X1 Credit Card. It offers ongoing rewards of 2 points per $1 spent on all purchases (which becomes 3 points per $1 when you spend $1,000 per month) on purchases. This card requires excellent credit for approval, and its points are worth 1 cent each.

Best Credit Cards with No Annual Fees and No Foreign Transaction Fees

The cards listed above require good credit or excellent credit for approval. If you are new to credit, you should consider getting the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card. This card is available to people with limited credit history, and it has a $0 annual fee and a 0% foreign fee. Plus, it offers 1 - 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases.

A handful of good no-interest credit cards for good credit are the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, the American Express Cash Magnet® Card, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card credit card, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card. They all offer longer-than-average 0% APR periods on purchases and balance transfers, none of them have annual fees, and all are available to people with good credit or better.

Best No Interest Credit Cards for Good Credit:

Amex Cash Magnet Card: intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. 18.24% - 29.24% (V) regular APR. 3% (min $5) balance transfer fee. Best perks: $200 for spending $2,000 in 6 months and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. $0 annual fee. All information about the American Express Cash Magnet® Card has been collected independently by WalletHub. The American Express Cash Magnet® Card is no longer available to new applicants through WalletHub, but may be available on the American Express website.

Capital One SavorOne: intro APRs of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. 19.24% - 29.24% (V) regular APR. 3% balance transfer fee. Best perks: $200 for spending $500 in the first 3 months; and unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases, along with 1% back on all other purchases (except for 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 10% back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats). $0 annual fee.

Wells Fargo Reflect: intro APRs of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on purchases, 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, with a balance transfer fee of 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5). 17.24% - 29.24% Variable regular APR. Best perk: Cell Phone Protection up to $600. $0 annual fee.

Chase Freedom Unlimited: intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. 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). 19.24% - 27.99% (V) regular APR. Best perks: . 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases. $0 annual fee.

In the end, which card you pick should depend on what you’re planning to use the card for. Some credit cards with longer 0% interest periods don’t come with ongoing rewards, so choose wisely.

If you’re only planning to make a big purchase with your no-interest card, go for the longer intro period. Pick a card with good ongoing rewards if you want to use the card for everyday purchases, in addition to saving on interest. And if you’re looking for a balance transfer card, pick the one with the lowest transfer fee and longest 0% APR period on balance transfers.

Whichever route you take, make sure to pay off the balance before the intro period ends. It’s better to not pay interest at all, if you can help it.

The best low interest credit card for first-timers is the BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students because it offers an introductory APR of 0% for 21 months on purchases and 0% for 21 months on balance transfers. The card’s regular APR is 16.24% - 26.24% (V). The regular APR will apply to any remaining balance and all new transactions after the intro rates expire. The BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students also has a $0 annual fee and reports account information to the major credit bureaus, giving first-timers the chance to build their credit history.

If you’re not a student, a low interest credit card worth considering is the First Hawaiian Bank Heritage Credit Card. There are no 0% APR offers, but it does come with an introductory rate of 2.99% for 8 months on new purchases and 2.99% for 8 months on balance transfers, followed by a regular APR ranging from 18% (V). The First Hawaiian Bank Heritage Credit Card also reports account information monthly to the major credit bureaus and comes with a $0 annual fee.

Best Low Interest Credit Cards for First-Timers

As a newcomer to credit, understand that it will be difficult to get approved for a card with a low ongoing APR. However, you won’t have to worry about the interest rate as long as you pay your balance in full and on time every month. Interest charges will not apply in that case.

If you need help deciding on the right card to start with, check out our editors' picks for the best credit cards for first-timers. Our editors’ picks for the best low interest and 0% APR credit cards will provide you with even more choices.

Yes, there are some low interest balance transfer credit cards for life. However, getting a low balance transfer interest rate permanently or for the life of a transferred balance often means sacrificing in other areas. The best low interest balance transfer credit cards for life are the Simmons Bank Visa® credit card, the M&T Visa Credit Card, and the Saratoga's Community FCU VISA® Platinum Credit Card.

Some cards include both a low introductory APR on balance transfers and a low ongoing APR once the introductory rate expires. Others simply let the cardholder keep the same rate on balance transfers until the transferred balance is paid off.

Low interest balance transfer credit cards for life:

Introductory balance transfer APR of 6.99% for Until the balance is paid off. 11.99% regular APR. Balance transfer fee: $0.

Introductory balance transfer APR of 0% for 9 months. 9.99% regular APR. Balance transfer fee: $0.

Introductory APR of 0% for 12 months on balance transfers. 14.5% - 22.5% (V) regular APR. Balance transfer fee: 3% (min $10).

Introductory APR of 0% for 12 months on balance transfers. 13.99% - 20.99% (V) regular APR. Balance transfer fee: $0.

Introductory APR of 0% for 12 months on balance transfers. 16.5% - 24.5% (V) regular APR. Balance transfer fee: 3% (min $10).

Exactly how low of an ongoing APR you’ll get on your balance transfer credit card depends on your creditworthiness (credit score, payment history and more). Many cards express interest rates as a range, and the better your overall credit profile is, the better chance you’ll have of securing a low rate. Some cards only have a single regular APR for all cardholders, though.

In addition, the low interest on your balance transfer credit card may not always be for life. If your interest rate is variable, it will fluctuate along with changes in the economy. Also, how you use your card can make an impact. Late or missed payments, and payments less than the minimum amount due, can cancel your low interest rate and replace it with a higher APR. Finally, under the Credit CARD Act of 2009, an issuer can raise your interest rate, but they must provide advance notice.

The longest 0% APR credit card is the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card. This card offers an introductory purchase APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening and 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers - subject to a fee of 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5). The card’s regular APR is 17.24% - 29.24% 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 taking into 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. Most of them don’t offer any kind of rewards, but they’re meant for financing rather than regular spending.

You can also adopt the island approach. That way, you can use a different rewards card for purchases, which you’ll pay in full each month.

What you should know about 0% APR store cards:

It’s important to note that some store cards may offer 0% interest for longer than 21 months, but they use deferred interest. This means there’s no interest if you pay off the item in full by the end of the promotion period. So, you should only get such a card if you’re planning on paying down your balance in full before the interest-free period ends. But if you miss only one payment due date, then interest will be applied to your entire original purchase amount, as if it had been there from the start.

The JCPenney Credit Card is one example, offering 18 months of deferred interest. But those cards are best avoided, due to the potentially high interest rate.