Low Interest Credit Cards
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best low interest credit card for you.
Some people assume you should always get a credit card with a low interest rate. But getting a low regular APR usually means sacrificing in other areas, such as rewards or 0% intro APR rates. So it’s important to figure out which credit card terms will affect you the most and then focus on them.
To help you make an informed decision, WalletHub’s editors compared 1,000+ credit card offers to find the top low interest credit cards for different types of applicants.
Here are the best low interest credit cards:
- Low APR for Good Credit: USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
- Low APR for Bad Credit: Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card
- 0% Purchases: Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever
- 0% Balance Transfers: The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express
We also recommend checking out the best credit cards for 0% purchases or balance transfers, depending on your situation. That’s especially true if you plan to be debt-free by a certain time. Finally, you may want to consider a rewards credit card for everyday purchases that you can pay off by the due date each month. After all, a credit card’s interest rate doesn’t matter if it never comes into play. …
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- Credit lines available from $200 to $5,000! Super Low Fixed 9.99% interest rate on purchases - with no penalty rate!
- No minimum credit score requirements! We invite all credit types to apply! No processing or application fees!
- Helps strengthen your credit with responsible card use. Reports to three national bureaus
- Fast, easy application process. Choose your credit line and open your Personal Savings Deposit Account to secure your line.
- See additional Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card details
- See More Details & Reviews About TheGreen Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card
- No credit history or minimum credit score required for approval.
- Monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus to help build credit.
- Credit Line Secured by Your Fully-Refundable Deposit of $200 -- $2,000 Submitted with Application
- Nationwide Program though not yet available in NY, or WI
- *See Card Terms.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheFirst Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard® Secured Credit Card
- Better than Prepaid...Go with a Secured Card! Load One Time - Keep On Using
- Absolutely No Credit Check or Minimum Credit Score Required
- Automatic Reporting to All Three National Credit Bureaus
- 9.99% Low Fixed APR - Your Rate Won’t Go Up Even if You Are Late
- Activate Today with a $200 Minimum Deposit - Maximum $1,000. Increase Your Credit Limit up to $5,000 by Adding Additional Deposits Anytime
- See More Details & Reviews About TheApplied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card
- Best for members rebuilding or establishing credit
- It's not a debit or prepaid card
- Determine your own credit limit ($250 to $5,000) with an interest-earning CD
- USAA membership is available to active and former military and their eligible family members
- Retail and Travel Benefits: Collision damage waiver coverage pays for physical damage and theft to most rental vehicles.Identity theft resolutions services provides assistance should you become the victim of identity theft.Extended warranty extends your manufacturers or U.S. store brand warranties for up to one year.Travel accident insurance provides coverage for you and your family members when your card is used to purchase common carrier travel tickets.
- Security: Chip card technology has added security when used at a chip-enabled terminal and greater acceptance worldwide.You are not liable for unauthorized purchases. Get account balances and transaction history by sending a text message.Access your account on usaa.com or from a mobile device.
- Special Benefits for Military: Get 4% APR on all balances for up to 12 months during deployment or PCS. After 12 months, the regular APR of between 11.65% to 21.65% will apply. This rate will vary with the market based on the prime rate. Special 4% SCRA rate: When you have a balance on your account at the time you enter active military duty, get 4% APR on that existing balance until one year after you complete active duty.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheUSAA® Secured Card American Express® Card
- Earn 2X points per dollar spent on gas and dining
- Earn one point for every dollar spent on all purchases
- Get 2,500 bonus points with your first purchase
- USAA membership is available to active and former military and their eligible family members
- Special Benefits for Military: Deployment/PCS rate: Get 4% APR on all balances for up to 12 months during deployment or PCS. After 12 months, the regular APR of between 11.65% to 27.65% will apply. This rate will vary with the market based on the prime rate. Special 4% SCRA rate: When you have a balance on your account at the time you enter active military duty, get 4% APR on that existing balance until one year after you complete active duty.
- Security Benefits: Chip card technology has added security when used at a chip-enabled terminal and greater acceptance worldwide. Zero liability coverage for unauthorized transactions if your card is lost or stolen. Visa Auto Rental Collision Damage waiver insurance. Get account balances and transaction history by sending a text message.Access your account on usaa.com or from a mobile device.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheUSAA® Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card
- Earn 3X points per dollar spent on dining
- Earn 2X points per dollar spent on gas and groceries
- Earn 1X point for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- Get 2,500 bonus points with your first purchase
- USAA membership is available to active and former military and their eligible family members
- Special Benefits for Military: Deployment/PCS rate: Get 4% APR on all balances for up to 12 months during deployment or PCS. After 12 months, the regular APR of between 11.65% to 27.65% will apply. This rate will vary with the market based on the prime rate. Special 4% SCRA rate: When you have a balance on your account at the time you enter active military duty, get 4% APR on that existing balance until one year after you complete active duty.
- Security Benefits: Chip card technology has added security when used at a chip-enabled terminal and greater acceptance worldwide. Zero liability coverage for unauthorized transactions if your card is lost or stolen. Concierge services to assist with whatever you need, whenever you need it. Get account balances and transaction history by sending a text message.Access your account on usaa.com or from a mobile device.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheUSAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card
- Earn $150 statement credit after you spend $1,200 on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening
- Unlimited Points That Don’t Expire
- Earn Points on Every Purchase! It’s simple: $1 = 1 Point
- Select Your Rewards Your Way
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months; after that the variable APR will be 11.00% (V)
- No Annual Fee
- See More Details & Reviews About TheAmalgamated Bank of Chicago Union Strong Credit Card
- Enjoy our lowest rate card
- No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no penalty APR
- USAA membership is available to active and former military and their eligible family members
- Special Benefits for Military: Reduced Rate: Get 4% APR on all balances for up to 12 months during deployment or PCS. After 12 months, the regular APR of between 8.65% to 25.65% will apply. This rate will vary with the market based on the prime rate.Special 4% SCRA Rate: When you have a balance on your account at the time you enter active military duty, get 4% APR on that existing balance until one year after you complete active duty.
- Security Benefits: Chip card technology has added security when used at a chip-enabled terminal and greater acceptance worldwide. Zero liability coverage for unauthorized transactions if your card is lost or stolen. Collision damage waiver coverage pays for physical damage and theft to most rental vehicles. Get account balances and transaction history by sending a text message.Access your account on usaa.com or from a mobile device.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheUSAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
- Best for members rebuilding or establishing credit
- It's not a debit or prepaid card
- Determine your own credit limit ($250 to $5,000) with an interest-earning CD
- USAA membership is available to active and former military and their eligible family members
- Retail and Travel Benefits: Collision damage waiver coverage pays for physical damage and theft to most rental vehicles.Identity theft resolutions services provides assistance should you become the victim of identity theft.Extended warranty extends your manufacturers or U.S. store brand warranties for up to one year.Travel accident insurance provides coverage for you and your family members when your card is used to purchase common carrier travel tickets.
- Security: Chip card technology has added security when used at a chip-enabled terminal and greater acceptance worldwide.You are not liable for unauthorized purchases. Get account balances and transaction history by sending a text message.Access your account on usaa.com or from a mobile device.
- Special Benefits for Military: Get 4% APR on all balances for up to 12 months during deployment or PCS. After 12 months, the regular APR of between 11.65% to 21.65% will apply. This rate will vary with the market based on the prime rate. Special 4% SCRA rate: When you have a balance on your account at the time you enter active military duty, get 4% APR on that existing balance until one year after you complete active duty.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheUSAA® Secured Card Visa Platinum® Card
- Earn $100 statement credit when you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days.
- Earn 5 points per dollar spent on gas purchases, 3 points per dollar spent on supermarket purchases and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Ability to redeem points for a range of rich rewards, including merchandise, travel, gift cards or even Visa® prepaid cards right from PenFed Online Banking.
- 0% Promotional APR for 12 months on Balance Transfers made between May 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018.
- Complimentary 24/7 concierge service
- Easily add to your digital wallet
- See More Details & Reviews About ThePenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card
WalletHub's Best Low Interest Rate Credit Cards
The best low interest credit card is The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express because it offers low interest rates on multiple types of balances, giving new cardholders intro APRs of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. The Amex EveryDay Card also helps you avoid other finance charges, offering a balance transfer fee of $0 for the first 60 days to go along with a $0 annual fee.Amex EveryDay doesn’t have the lowest regular APR. But if you can get out of debt with a 0% APR and then pay your bill in full every month, that’s the best approach. There are some options with low regular rates, though.
WalletHub’s editors compared 1,000+ offers to find the best low interest credit cards for both groups. You can check out their favorites below.
2018’s Best Low Interest Credit Cards:
| Best For... | Card Name | Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Required | Editor’s Rating |
| Good Credit | USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card | Not Offered | 8.65% - 25.65% (V) | None | Good | 2.0 / 5 |
| Bad Credit | Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card | Not Offered | 9.99% | $49 | Limited History | 2.7 / 5 |
| College Students | BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students | 0% for 15 months | 14.74% - 24.74% (V) | None | Limited History | 4.4 / 5 |
| 0% Purchases | Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever | 0%* for 18 months | 15.74% - 25.74%* (V) | $0* | Good | 3.7 / 5 |
| 0% Balance Transfer | The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express | 0% for 15 months | 14.74% - 25.74% (V) | None | Good | 5.0 / 5 |
Whenever you carry a balance from month to month, make sure to do so with a purpose (and a credit card calculator). Have a good reason for getting into debt and a plan for repaying what you borrow.
For example, using a 0% credit card for a big-ticket purchase and paying off your balance before regular rates take effect is a great approach. Racking up expensive interest charges simply because you’re spending more than you can afford is not.
Finally, it’s important to note that the best low interest credit cards don’t necessarily have the absolute lowest APRs. Rather, they combine a very low APR with other attractive terms, such as no annual fee or lenient approval requirements.
To get a sense of how low these APRs really are, relative to the rest of the market, check out WalletHub’s latest Credit Card Landscape Report. You will find average credit card rates for the entire market as well as for people with excellent credit, good credit, etc.
Questions & Answers
Comparing Low Interest Credit Cards can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered....show moreshow less
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Can you negotiate a lower credit card interest rate? Reply
Hi! Yes! It is definitely worth calling and asking them. You may need to make more than one call until you get a person who has the authority to make that change, but it can't hurt to call and ask. I'd do a bit of research first to see what the interest ranges are that the credit card company operates in so that you know where you might fall. You could also send an email or letter to ask.
You also might want to see if there is a format or form provided online by your credit card company to request a lowered interest rate – that site will provide specific information to help you succeed in your request.
I feel as if it never hurts to ask for discounts and good deals. Many of us shy about doing this - I often am - but if you can get your courage up and try, you may be successful. Good luck to you!
What are the best low interest credit cards with airline miles? Reply
There are quite a few cards that give you miles. Cap One's Venture and Venture One, Discover it Miles, Citi AAdvantage Platinum to name just a few. As far as low interest rate, you can't really know what APR you're going to get before your get approved.
All of these cards have a range of interest rates, depending on your credit worthiness. If your score is awesome, you can go as low as 13.5%, maybe even lower. If not, you'll get a higher one.
What is the highest credit card interest rate? Reply
The highest credit card interest rate in recent memory was 79.9% on a card offered by First Premier Bank in 2010. That offer’s not available anymore, and the highest rate I could find now is 36% on the current First Premier Credit Card. The next highest credit card interest rate seems to be 29.99%, charged by the Total Visa Credit Card and the First Access Visa. These rates are very high when you consider that the average interest rate is only around 19%.
Legally, there actually is no highest possible credit card interest rate. Credit card companies are allowed to charge any interest rate as long as they clearly state what that rate is in the card’s terms and conditions. Of course, companies that would like to charge outrageous interest rates are limited by what people are actually willing to pay. And you should always make sure you know a card’s interest rate before applying.
Don’t forget, though, that no matter how high or low your interest rate is, it will never affect you unless you carry a balance on your card between months. If you always pay off your bill in full, you’ll never be subject to any interest. So if you don’t spend beyond your means, interest rates shouldn’t be a huge consideration when you’re picking which credit card to get.
On the other hand, if you’re not confident about your ability to pay off your credit card bills in full, you should definitely prioritize low interest rates in your search. Many cards will even offer you 0% interest for a number of months to start, which is great if you need to finance a big purchase that you can’t pay off right away.
How many times should you ask for a lower APR on your credit card? Reply
When asking for a lower APR on your credit card, persistence is key. Your request may not be granted after the first call. There’s no guarantee, but it certainly never hurts to call back later, and to ask to speak with a supervisor. However, you will need a legitimate reason in order to be successful. Before calling your card’s customer service number to make your request, there are certain steps you can take to maximize your chances of approval.
First of all, make sure that your payment history with your credit card company has been consistent for at least six months. This way, you can point to your history of being a good customer when speaking to the representative. Make sure you check your credit, as well – you can do that for free by signing up for a WalletHub account.
If you find that it is less than optimal and did not improve much since you opened your account, try to enhance your credit score before asking for a lower APR. An increase in your credit score will signal to your lender that you are more likely to repay what you owe, so they may be more willing to meet your requests.
Lastly, do your homework. Know your current credit card terms, and research and compare credit card terms and rates from numerous companies. This will give you more bargaining power when you make the call. If you do not succeed in lowering your APR, you could consider applying for a balance transfer card. A credit card with a 0 percent introductory APR offer for balance transfers is a great alternative to saving money on your debt repayment.
Hope this helps!
What is the best credit card company with low interest rates? Reply
Interest rates vary by card, and no issuer has a reputation for offering low rates across the board. So you should focus on finding the best deal, regardless of issuer.
After all, the biggest differences between credit card companies are in terms of customer service and product features. And while customer service is important, it should only be used as a tiebreaker between cards with equally attractive terms.
With that being said, here’s how the largest credit card issuers ranked in WalletHub’s latest Customer Satisfaction Report:
- Discover
- American Express
- Capital One
- Chase
- Bank of America
- Wells Fargo
- Citi
Featured Credit Cards
Ask the Experts
To get the low-down on low interest credit cards, we asked a panel of personal finance experts to share their thoughts on the following questions. Meet our panel and see what they had to say, below.
- Does the definition of a “low interest” credit card change over time?
- Does it ever make sense to get a credit card with a low regular APR? (vs. a 0% credit card or paying in full)
- Compared to loans, does any credit card really have a low interest rate?
- If rates are so low in general, why aren’t credit card interest rates lower?
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Amy J. N. Yurko
Assistant Professor of Accounting at Duquesne University
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Rachel C. Sykes
CFA, Assistant Professor, Framingham State University
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Alex Young
Assistant Professor at Hofstra University
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Fan Chen
Assistant Professor of Finance at Merrimack College
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Mark W. Hendrickson
Adjunct Professor at Grove City College
Read More
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† Approval Odds are WalletHub estimates intended to gauge your likelihood of approval for a particular product. Approval Odds are based on WalletHub data and are not provided or endorsed by the lender. Approval Odds are not meant to imply or guarantee that you will be approved by the lender or that credit will be extended.
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