If you’re in the market for a new credit card, you probably have stumbled across several offers for cards with introductory 0% annual percentage rates (APRs).
These offers can serve as a short-term financing option for new purchases or as a rescue raft if you need to transfer a balance from a high-rate card. But understand why these 0% APR offers exist: They’re carefully designed and marketed to lure you into a long-term relationship with a particular credit card company.
While the 0% marketing promotions can be intoxicating, money expert Clark Howard believes that introductory interest rate offers should not be the primary factor when you’re deciding on a new credit card.
“I’m always about the long term when it comes to my credit cards,” Clark says. “For me, it’s less about what the initial bundle is but what the card can offer me over time.”
With that in mind, Team Clark set out to find the best 0% APR offers on the market. We’ll also provide some comparative analysis on the top perks that each card offers. That way, you can pick a card that can support your short-term financial needs and serve as a long-term asset in your wallet.
If you landed here looking for information specifically on 0% APR balance transfers, we have more information on those in our Best Balance Transfer Cards roundup.
Table of Contents
- Best 0% APR Credit Cards
- Clark Howard’s Strategy for Credit Cards
- Methodology
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Best 0% Intro APR Credit Cards to Apply for Right Now
| Credit Card | 0% Purchase Period | 0% Balance Transfer Period | Top Perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card | 18 months | 18 months | Cell phone protection plan |
| Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card | 12 months | 21 months | Citi Entertainment perks included |
| Citi Simplicity® Card | 12 months | 21 months | No late fees or penalty rates |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash Card | 15 months | 15 months | Unlimited 2% cash back |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | 15 months | 15 months | Unlimited 1.5% cash back |
| Capital One Quicksilver Rewards Credit Card | 15 months | 15 months | Unlimited 1.5% cash back |
| Discover it® Cash Back | 15 months | 15 months | Cash back match for first year |
Team Clark spent hours reviewing the market for these cards and put them to the test using Clark’s guidelines. We considered factors including annual fees, welcome bonuses, length of introductory APR periods and rewards/bonus categories.
Often consumers seek out 0% APR credit cards to serve as a temporary tool for financial relief, so we decided to eliminate any card with an annual fee from consideration.
You can read more on our methodology for determining the best 0% Intro APR cards here.
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
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Annual Fee:
$0
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
18 billing cycles on purchases
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
18 billing cycles on balance transfers
Variable APR:
18.74% – 28.74%
Balance Transfer Fees:
Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
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The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers 0% Intro APR on purchases for 18 billing cycles on purchases. Afterwards, the Variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
Cell phone protection plan is included if you pay your wireless bill with the card. You also receive free access to your TransUnion credit score.
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
|
Annual Fee:
$0
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
12 months on Purchases
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers
Variable APR:
17.24% – 27.99%
Balance Transfer Fees:
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
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The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers 0% for 12 months on Purchases. Afterwards, the Variable APR will be 17.24% – 27.99%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
The 21-month introductory APR period on balance transfers is one of the best terms available.
Citi Simplicity® Card
|
Annual Fee:
$0
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
12 months on Purchases
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfer
Variable APR:
18.24% – 28.99%
Balance Transfer Fees:
Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min)
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The Citi Simplicity® Card offers 0% for 12 months on Purchases. Afterwards, the (Variable) APR will be 18.24% – 28.99%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
The 21-month term for balance transfers is one of the best available. The card advertises no late fees and no penalty rates for tardy payments.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
|
Annual Fee:
$0.00
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
15 months
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
15 months
Variable APR:
18.74%-28.74% based on your creditworthiness.
Balance Transfer Fees:
Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.
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The Wells Fargo Active Cash offers 0% intro on purchases for 15 months. Afterwards, the Variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
This card offers unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase. It also has a welcome bonus and offers cell phone protection if you pay your wireless bill with the card.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
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Annual Fee:
$0
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
15 months
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
15 months
Variable APR:
19.24% – 27.99%
Balance Transfer Fees:
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months. Afterwards, the Variable APR will be 19.24% – 27.99%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
In addition to the intro APR periods, you also can earn at least 1.5% cash back on every purchase with the opportunity to earn more via bonus categories. You’ll also get a welcome bonus opportunity.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
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Annual Fee:
$0
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
15 months
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
15 months
Variable APR:
19.24% – 29.24%
Balance Transfer Fees:
3%
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The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 0% intro on purchases for 15 months. Afterwards, the (Variable) APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
This card offers the opportunity to get unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and a welcome bonus in addition to the 15-month 0% APR period on purchases and balance transfers.
Discover it® Cash Back
|
Annual Fee:
$0.00
Intro 0% APR Period on New Purchases:
15 months from date of account opening
Intro 0% APR Period on Balance Transfers:
0% intro APR for 15 months from date of first transfer, for transfers under this offer that post to your account by February 10, 2023.
Variable APR:
14.99% to 25.99% based on your creditworthiness.
Balance Transfer Fees:
Intro fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer for transfers that post to your account by February 10, 2023 with the 0% intro APR balance transfer offer described above. After that, 5% of the amount of each transfer.
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The Discover it Cash Back card offers 0% intro on purchases for 15 months. Afterwards, the Variable APR will be 14.99% – 25.99%, based on creditworthiness. |
Why We Like It
This card is rated as one of our favorite cash back credit cards as well thanks to its unlimited dollar-for-dollar cash back match on your rewards earnings during the first year of card membership. You’ll also be able to capitalize on rotating 5% cash back categories. With 14 months for 0% APR on new purchases and balance transfers, it also is a worthy candidate in the 0% intro APR category.
Clark Howard’s Strategy for Credit Cards
Money expert Clark Howard believes it is important to have a credit card for the purpose of building and maintaining a solid credit history. That’s to prepare you for big life events like a home purchase or job application: things that require credit checks.
He also believes that focusing on credit card rewards — like those offered on some 0% APR credit cards — should be a consideration only for people who pay off their balances each month. After all, that promotional 0% period doesn’t last forever.
If you don’t plan to pay your bill in full each month, Clark says you should get a card with the lowest possible fixed interest rate — or not use credit cards at all.
Assuming you’re here because you are in search of the maximum benefits from your credit cards, Clark wants you to think about how you spend your money and how that might best be complemented by the rewards programs from the various cards.
Clark, for example, carries the Costco Anywhere Visa card in his wallet because he’s a frequent Costco shopper. He also likes the Citi Double Cash card because of the simplicity of the unlimited 2% cash back program.
Methodology for 0% APR Credit Cards
For the purposes of determining which cards are “best” in this category, we got input from Clark and sought for cards that best fit his credit card strategy.
Team Clark spent many hours reviewing the available 0% APR credit cards on the market, assessing them for several factors including:
- Annual fees (Clark recommends avoiding them)
- Welcome bonuses
- Length of Introductory APR periods
- Balance transfer introductory periods
- Additional fees (transaction or otherwise)
- Perks offered to cardholders
We did not factor in non-introductory APR as a part of the evaluation, because interest rates will vary based on your financial circumstances. Clark recommends never carrying a balance on credit cards, so the non-introductory interest rate shouldn’t matter for you anyway.
We also did not include offerings from local or regional banks and credit unions, because they’re not available to everyone. Often, local institutions will have some really good cards, so we recommend that you compare your local bank or credit union’s 0% APR introductory offer credit cards to the ones that made this list.
Frequently Asked Questions: 0% APR Credit Cards
Does a 0% APR offer mean that I won’t ever owe any interest on purchases made during that period?
Though 0% APR does lead you to assume “interest-free,” that’s not necessarily the case. If you purchase an item during your 0% APR period but fail to pay the balance in full before the introductory offer term ends, you’ll likely be charged interest on the balance you carry forward.
If you want to enjoy a true “interest-free” purchase with a 0% APR credit card, you should plan to pay the full balance while still in your 0% promotional period.
Will I owe retroactive interest on a purchase I made with a 0% card if I don’t pay it off before my promotional period ends?
In most cases, you will not owe retroactive interest on the balance of purchases you make with a credit card during a 0% APR period. However, it is possible. For example, this is a practice often carried out by store credit cards like The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card or the Lowe’s Advantage Card. It is best to check with your card provider to make sure you understand its policies.
Is it possible to extend the 0% APR period on my credit card?
Typically a 0% APR promotional rate has a set expiration date such as 6, 12 or 18 months. Those terms are usually pretty rigid. So in most cases, you’ll find that credit card providers are not willing to extend or change qualifying dates for your 0% APR period.
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