0 apr credit cards for fair credit

As with all other types of credit cards, zero-interest credit cards let you make purchases on credit, which you can then repay by making at least minimum monthly payments. When you carry forward balances from one billing cycle to the next with a regular card, the outstanding amount accrues interest. However, with a card that comes with a 0% APR offer on purchases, you get to pay no interest for a predetermined time. Once this period ends, you need to start paying interest toward any outstanding promotional balance.

More about 0-APR Credit Cards

MoneyGeek’s Take: Top 11 0% APR Credit Cards

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

• 0% APR on balance transfers

• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers

Our experts have selected the best no-interest credit cards after accounting for all their pros and cons. For example, if a card comes with an extended promotional period, we inform you about it at the start.

Some of the best 0% APR cards come with promotional periods of 15 months or more. Several such cards let you earn rewards or cash back. The top alternatives tend to come with no annual fees as well. As long as you pay off your balance before the end of the promotional period, you pay no interest. You might consider using such a card to make an expensive purchase that you plan to pay off within a stipulated time frame.

The Best Credit Cards for 0% APR at a Glance

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HOW WE RANK CREDIT CARDS FOR 0% INTRO APR

Our experts analyze 57 data points they collect from issuer websites, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau and details provided by our partners to make sure we give you the most accurate information possible. They subject all new and existing cards from this segment to our unique ranking methodology that takes multiple parameters into account to arrive at the best of the lot.

• APR: 3%
• Annual Fee: 5%
• Cash Back Rate: 5%
• Miles Rate per $: 5%
• Points Rate per $: 5%
• Balance Transfer Offer: 25%
• Balance Transfer Duration: 25%
• Balance Transfer Fee: 5%
• Balance Transfer APR: 5%

Quick Tips for Comparing Zero Interest Credit Card Offers

You need to consider different factors before applying for a 0% interest credit card.

• Applicable categories: Determine if you need a 0% APR card for purchases, balance transfers or both. Depending on the card you get, the APR offer might apply to just one of the two.
• Introductory offer period: Introductory APR offer periods with consumer credit cards typically vary from 12 to 20 months. The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has a unique offer with a 0% intro APR for 18 months, which you may extend by up to 3 months by making on-time minimum payments.
• APR after the intro period: No matter whether you get a 0% APR card for purchases or balance transfers, you need to start paying interest toward any outstanding amount that remains at the end of the promotional period. This aspect requires your particular attention if you plan to carry forward balances from one month to the next in the future.>>MORE: APR vs. APY
• Balance transfer fee: If you plan to use a card’s 0% APR offer on balance transfers, find out how much you’ll need to pay as balance transfer fees in advance. With the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card, you need to pay either $5 or 3% of the transferred amount (whichever is greater) on transfers you carry out within 60 days of account opening. Then, it changes to $5 or 5% of the transferred amount.
• Annual fees: None of the 0% interest credit cards we’ve selected come with annual fees.
• Rewards/cash back rate: While some 0% APR cards let you earn cash back, others offer reward points that you may redeem in different ways. In both cases, you may find alternatives that offer higher earn rates on category-based spending. For instance, the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express offers 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 in purchases per year; 2% cash back on gas purchases at U.S. gas stations, and at select department stores in the U.S.; and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Added perks: Since the 0% APR cards that MoneyGeek has selected come with no annual fees, they generally don’t offer premium benefits. However, some include valuable benefits, like no foreign transaction fees, fraud protection, basic insurance coverage and travel assistance services.

MoneyGeek’s Quick Guide to Understanding 0% APR Credit Cards

A 0% APR credit card is one that charges no interest on purchases, balance transfers or both for a predetermined time frame. More often than not, you need good to excellent credit to qualify. Low-interest credit cards, unlike 0% APR cards, come with low APRs that stay in place for as long as your account remains active. Some cards from both categories come with no preset spending limits. This means that your credit line fluctuates based on your purchase, payment and credit histories.

What’s the Difference Between a 0% Credit Card and a Low-Interest Card?

When you get a credit card with a 0% APR offer, you get to pay no interest for a given number of months, typically ranging from 12 to 20. Once the introductory period ends, any outstanding balance starts accruing interest. Depending on the card you get, the 0% APR offer might apply either on new purchases or balance transfers or even on both. You’ll find out the APR that will apply after the intro period once you get approved for your card, and it essentially depends on your creditworthiness.

The low APR of a low-interest credit card stays in effect as long as your account remains active. However, credit card interest rates are typically variable, which means it is subject to change based on federal prime interest rates. Even if your card’s low APR changes because of fluctuations in prime rates, you can still expect it to be toward the lower end of the spectrum.

With low-interest credit cards, the APR that applies to purchases might not be the same as the APR that applies to balance transfers. In addition, the APR on cash advances is typically high no matter which card you get.

MONEYGEEK QUICK TIP

If you take advantage of a 0% balance transfer offer, you must still pay off all of your purchases each month to avoid interest on those transactions. — Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com

How Do 0% APR Credit Cards Work?

0% APR cards work in the same basic manner as regular credit cards do, wherein you are required to make at least minimum monthly payments toward the amount you borrow. In addition, they charge no interest for a stipulated time frame. However, there’s more:

• Eligibility: Qualifying for the best 0% APR credit cards requires that you have good or excellent credit. If you don’t, you might consider applying after you’ve taken steps to build your credit.
• Not all transactions are covered: The interest-free period may only apply to purchases or balance transfers depending on your 0% promo offer. Make sure you understand the details of your offer before charging anything to your card. Cash advances start accruing interest from the day of the transaction, and these never come with interest-free days.
• Limits might apply: This might be the case with 0% balance transfer APR offers. For example, you might not be able to transfer more than a fixed percentage of your new card’s available credit limit.
• Outstanding balances will accrue interest: Once the promo period ends, any outstanding balance will start accruing interest. You get to know the APR that will apply well in advance.
• Your card provider might cancel the offer: It’s important that you keep making at least your minimum monthly payments on time. If you don't, your card provider might cancel the intro APR offer before it expires. A late or returned payment might also result in a penalty APR that is notably higher than your regular APR.

How to Take Advantage of Zero-Interest Credit Cards

A 0% APR card can help you avoid or minimize how much you pay in interest charges. If you have no outstanding balance at the end of the promo period, you pay no interest at all. Once the promo period ends, any outstanding balance starts accruing interest at the card’s regular APR. That is why you should try to pay off as much of the balance as possible before the intro 0% APR offer ends.

Consider the example below to see how much a balance transfer can save.

• How Much You Will Pay With Your Current Credit Card

  How Much You Will Pay When You Transfer Your Balance

• Current outstanding balance: $10,000
  Regular APR: 19.49%
  Monthly payment: $500
  Time required to pay off the balance: 25 months
  Total amount to pay: $12,190.16

  Balance transfer amount: $10,000
  Balance transfer fee: 3%
  Intro APR: 0% for 18 months
  Regular APR: 19.49%
  Monthly payment: $500
  Time required to pay off the balance: 20 months
  Total amount to pay: $10,339.00

  Total savings: $1,851.16

Are 0% APR Credit Cards Worth It?

A 0% APR credit card can be worth it if you have a clear goal in mind. When appropriately used for a predetermined time, this type of card can provide the help you need to make a large purchase or to avoid paying interest on existing credit card debt. However, you need to determine if the benefits outweigh the possible drawbacks at the very onset.

Benefits

• The large purchase factor. If you plan to make a large purchase on credit and know that you will be able to repay the amount within a given time frame, a card with a 0% APR offer on purchases might work well for you. As long as you repay the amount during the promotional period, you’ll pay no interest.
• Balance transfers. If you have high-interest credit card debt, you may consider transferring it to a card that has a 0% APR offer on balance transfers. This way, you get a predetermined period to repay the amount without it accruing any interest. Since all your repayments go toward the principal and not interest, you get the opportunity to repay your debt faster.

Risks

• The 0% APR is not permanent. Depending on the card you get, the 0% APR offer might last for 12 to 20 months. Then, the regular APR kicks in and applies to any outstanding balance. The regular APR depends on your creditworthiness and does not have to be low. This requires being careful about carrying forward balances when the promo period ends.
• Balance transfer fees. It is common for cards with 0% APR offers on balance transfers to charge balance transfer fees. This is usually 3% or 5% of the transferred amount (minimum fees of $5 to $10 may apply).
• Penalty APR may apply. You might have to say goodbye to the 0% APR if you make a late or returned payment. In such a scenario, a high penalty APR might apply.

Expert Advice For Finding the Right Card

We’ve asked academic and financial experts a few questions, the answers to which can help you determine if you should consider getting a card that comes with a time-bound 0% APR offer.

1. Could making a large purchase on a 0% APR card affect one’s credit score?
2. Could you benefit from a 0% APR offer on balance transfers even if you don’t plan to pay off the entire balance during the promo period?
3. Might it be worth transferring high-interest credit card debt to a 0% balance transfer APR card and then transferring the outstanding balance at the end of the promo period to another 0% balance transfer APR card?

Haibo (Stephen) Yao

Assistant Professor of Insurance & Risk Management at the University of Central Arkansas

Malcolm Robinson

Professor of Economics at Thomas More University

Chris Tamm

Associate Professor of Finance, Director - Institute for Financial Planning & Analysis at Illinois State University

Kathryn Morrison

Instructor at the School of Health & Consumer Sciences at South Dakota State University

Frank G. Cabano

Assistant Professor, Marketing and Management at The University of Texas at El Paso

Dr. Mary Sasmaz

Assistant Professor at Baldwin Wallace University

Alex Young

Assistant Professor of Accounting, Taxation and Legal Studies in Business at Hofstra University

Masud Chand

Professor at Wichita State University

Lawrence Chui

Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of St. Thomas, Opus College of Business

Robert Warren

Instructor at The University of North Dakota

Dr. Steven Kozlowski

Assistant Professor in the Finance Department at Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business

Mauricio Rodriguez

Professor at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University

Richard M. Proctor

Associate Professor of Finance at University of Siena

Dr. Chandan Kumar Jha

Assistant Professor of Finance, Madden School of Business, Le Moyne College

Tom Hall

Associate Professor & Associate Director of the Center for Public History at Christopher Newport University

George Langelett

Professor at Ness School of Management and Economics, South Dakota State University

Dr. Corey Cole

Assistant Professor of Finance at Eastern New Mexico University

Robert H. Scott III, Ph.D

Professor in the Department of Economics, Finance and Real Estate at Monmouth University

Paul (Ted) Klontz, PhD

Associate Professor of Practice of Financial Psychology and Behavioral Finance at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business and Co-Founder and Director of the Financial Psychology Institute®

May Jiang

CPA, CFP®, Founder of Beyond Profit and Wealth Consulting

Lambrianos Nikiforidis, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Marketing at SUNY Oneonta

Priya Raghubir

Professor of Marketing at New York University Stern School of Business

Danny Chung

Program Manager at California State University, San Bernardino

John Lopez

Senior Professor of Practice at C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston

Amanda S. King

Professor of Economics at Georgia Southern University

Mitchell Franklin

Associate Professor of Accounting at the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne College

Mahmoud Haddad

Professor of Finance at The University of Tennessee at Martin

S. Abraham Ravid

Sy Syms Professor of Finance, Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University

FAQs About 0% APR Credit Cards

In this section, we provide answers to other commonly asked questions about 0% APR credit cards.

What are the best 0% interest credit cards? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The best 0% interest credit cards are ones that offer extended promotional periods and give you the ability to earn rewards or cash back. The top cards from this category come with no annual fees as well.

Are 0% interest credit cards good?

Zero-interest credit cards are good for avoiding paying interest during a predetermined period. The 0% APR might apply to new purchases, balance transfers or both. These cards are good, provided you do not keep any outstanding balance when the promo period ends.

How to get 0% interest on an existing credit card?

Some card issuers provide 0% balance transfer offers to existing customers through targeted mailings or online offers. Contact your card's customer service to see if you are eligible. If you have good standing with your card provider and excellent credit, you may also consider negotiating for a lower rate.

Does a 0% interest credit card affect your credit score?

A 0% interest credit card has the potential to affect your credit score just like any other credit card. For instance, if you end up using much of the credit that’s made available to you, it may have an adverse effect on your credit utilization ratio, which, in turn, might affect your credit score.

What is the minimum payment on a 0% interest credit card?

Credit card providers calculate minimum payments on 0% APR cards in the same way that they do for regular cards. In most cases, you need to pay the higher of either a flat fee or a fixed percentage of the total outstanding balance.

Does 0% APR mean no interest on a credit card?

While APRs and interest rates are not the same when it comes to mortgages and auto loans, the credit card interest is closely related to APR. So, yes, 0% APR means no interest on a credit card — although only for a predetermined period.

Should I transfer my credit card balance to 0% interest?

You may use a balance transfer card to pay off existing high-interest credit card debt. Doing so is ideal when you’re sure about paying off the entire amount before the end of the promo period because a card’s regular APR kicks in then. You might also have to pay balance transfer fees, which could be up to 5% of the transferred amount.

How do I transfer credit card debt to a 0% interest card?

Start by selecting a card that comes with a 0% APR offer on balance transfers. If you have the option of providing details of the card from which you wish to transfer a balance during the application process, do so. Alternatively, speak with a customer service representative of your card provider. Once initiated, a balance transfer usually goes through in five to seven days, although it might take up to 21 days with some card providers.

Why do credit cards offer 0% APR?

The main aim of credit card companies that run 0% APR offers is to attract new customers. Besides, while you pay no interest for a given time, they still make money because of you. For instance, every time you make a purchase, the merchant in question needs to pay an interchange fee. If you plan to get a 0% APR card for a balance transfer, you might need to pay a balance transfer fee. In addition, the regular APR comes into play as soon as the promotional period ends.

How can I extend a 0% APR credit card?

Most banks will not extend the duration of your 0% APR offer. If you need more time to pay off your balance, your best option is to apply for a balance transfer card to receive a new 0% APR offer. Pick a new bank when applying because some banks will not allow you to do a balance transfer between two cards at the same bank.

Now that you know how 0% APR cards work on new purchases and balance transfers, determine if getting one might work well for you. If you think it might, make sure you compare your alternatives across aspects such as promotional periods, fees and rewards.

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