Best 0% Interest Credit Cards of January 2020

Best 0% APR Credit Cards

• Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
• Citi Simplicity® Card
• Discover it® Cash Back
• Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card
• Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• BankAmericard® credit card
• Citi® Double Cash Card
• Citi Rewards+℠ Card
• Chase Freedom®

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card (a NextAdvisor advertiser) has the best new balance transfer offer. It comes with a stellar 21-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers made in the first 4 months (then the rate is 15.24% - 25.24% (Variable))! There is a 5% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum), but the 21 months of no interest more than make up for it. Cardholders also receive a 12-month 0% intro APR on purchases (then the rate is 15.24% - 25.24% (Variable)), pay no annual fee and gain access to a number of added perks, like special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, like sporting events, concerts, dining experiences and more.

Citi Simplicity® Card

The Citi Simplicity® Card offers one of the best intro APR offers on the market with a whopping 21-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers (then the rate is 16.24% - 26.24% (Variable))! All transfers come with a 5% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) and must be completed within the first 4 months of account opening, but we still think this card is worthwhile when you consider how long the 0% intro APR period is. Cardholders also receive a 12-month 0% intro APR on purchases (then the rate is 16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)) and pay no annual fee, no penalty rate and no late fees.

Discover it® Cash Back

Discover it® Cash Back offers a 14-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (then the APR is 13.49% - 24.49% Variable) — with an intro 3% balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balances (see terms). When it comes to cash back, you’ll earn 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter you activate (up to the quarterly maximum, currently $1,500, then it’s 1% back) and 1% cash back on all other purchases. What’s more, Discover will match all of the cash back you earn in your first year as a cardholder!

Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Want a card with straightforward cash back rates and a long 0% intro APR? If so, the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card is for you. Kicking things off is a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (with a 3% balance transfer fee) — then the rate is 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable). Next, when you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening, you’ll get a $150 bonus! Additionally, you’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. As if all of that isn’t enough, it has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Another card offering a flat cash back rate on all purchases with a long 0% intro APR is Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Cardholders will get a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (with a 3% intro balance transfer fee when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days your account is open, $5 minimum — after that, it’s 5% or $5, whichever is greater). After the intro APR period ends, the ongoing APR is 16.49% - 25.24% Variable. In terms of cash back rewards, you’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which means you don’t have to worry about spending limits or categories. Chase Freedom Unlimited® also has no annual fee.

Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card

The Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card is another great choice because it combines cash back rewards with no annual fee and a long 0% intro APR period. This card offer a 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and on any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (note that there’s a balance transfer fee of either $10 or 3% of each transaction, whichever is greater) — then the rate is 15.49% - 25.49% Variable. On top of that, you’ll earn 3% cash back on the category of your choice as well as 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (that accept Mastercard) for up to $2,500 in combined category of your choice, wholesale club and grocery store purchases each quarter, then it’s 1% back. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. You’ll also earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card

If you’re a foodie who wants a long 0% intro APR period, the Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card is for you. Kicking things off is a $150 bonus that cardholders can earn after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months! The Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card‘s ongoing rewards are also pretty great, as you’ll earn an unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% cash back at grocery stores and 1% cash back on everything else. In addition, the card offers a lengthy 15-month 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers (with a 3% balance transfer fee) — then the rate is 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable).

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Another card that combines a 0% intro APR with cash back rewards is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. To start, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (a NextAdvisor advertiser) features a 12-month 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers — then the rate is 14.49%-25.49% Variable (See rates and fees). We should note that balance transfers come with a 3% balance transfer fee, $5 minimum (See rates and fees). Next, you’ll receive a $250 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months! Additionally, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers great cash back on everyday purchases. You’ll earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/year on purchases, then it’s 1% back), along with 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, HBO, Audible and more. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express also earns 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (no spending cap) and 3% cash back on transit (no spending cap). All other purchases will earn a standard 1% cash back with no cap. There is a $95 annual fee (See rates and fees), but if you use the card for all of your everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations or to cover select U.S. streaming subscriptions and transit expenses, you’ll more than earn it back each year.

BankAmericard® credit card

The BankAmericard® credit card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 billing cycles, along with a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on balance transfers made in the first 60 days (with a 3% balance transfer fee, $10 minimum) — then the rate is 14.49% - 24.49% Variable. On top of that, you’ll pay no annual fee and no penalty APR, which means paying late won’t increase your interest rate. Cardholders will also receive access to their FICO score for free via online banking.

Citi® Double Cash Card

The Citi® Double Cash Card kicks things off with an 18-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers (with a 3% balance transfer fee, $5 minimum) — then the rate is 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable). It doesn’t offer a 0% intro APR on purchases, so that might be a dealbreaker if you’re looking for a card with both. The card also earns 2% cash back on all purchases in a unique way — you’ll earn 1% cash back when you make a purchase and another 1% cash back when you pay for that purchase. We should note that balance transfers do not earn cash back rewards. Rounding out the Citi® Double Cash Card is no annual fee.

Citi Rewards+℠ Card

Those who want a card with a wide array of benefits should check out the Citi Rewards+℠ Card. To start, you’ll get a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases, which means you won’t pay interest if you carry a balance, along with a 15-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers (with a 3% balance transfer fee, $5 minimum) — then the rate is 14.99% - 24.99% (Variable). Next, you’ll earn a 15,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening, and 10% of the points you redeem back (on the first 100,000 points redeemed per year) that you can redeem at the end of your next billing cycle. This no-annual-fee card also earns some impressive rewards — earn 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations (up to $6,000/year in purchases, then 1X points) and 1X points on all other purchases.

Chase Freedom®

Our final choice for the best 0% APR credit card is Chase Freedom®. This card kicks things off with a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers — then the rate is 16.49% - 25.24% Variable. There’s a 3% intro balance transfer fee for transfers made in the first 60 days of account opening (with a $5 minimum) — after that, it’s 5% or $5, whichever is greater, but the long 0% intro APR and cash back rewards make up for it. Cardholders earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter) and 1% back on everything else. Plus, the Chase Freedom® has no annual fee and offers a free credit score that’s updated weekly with Credit Journey^SM.

Comparing the Best Zero Interest Credit Card Offers

Whether you want to avoid paying interest on a new, large purchase or you’re already paying interest on a balance and want to stop, the previous list of low APR credit cards can help. Some cards offer long 0% intro APR periods on both purchases and balance transfers, allowing you to avoid interest on both new expenditures and ones you’ve already made.

The length of the 0% intro APR periods differ from card to card, but they can be as long as 21 months. A handful of cards we’ve reviewed also include cash back and other rewards for purchases made with your card, which means they’re cards you’ll likely want in your wallet long after the 0% interest period is over. Check out our list of the best 0% APR credit cards from our partners to find the right one for your needs.

How to choose the right 0% intro APR credit card

For potential cardholders with good or excellent credit, you have a wide catalog of 0% intro APR offers to choose from. Most importantly, you should take a look at what card is best suited for your lifestyle.

Your APR, or annual percentage rate, is your card’s interest rate stated as a yearly percentage. With an intro APR offer you get a predetermined amount of time where you won’t be charged any interest on your purchases and/or balance transfers, allowing you a window to strategically manage your money. The most typical usage of a 0% intro APR card is to make a large purchase or to tackle some existing debt, so it’s crucial to know your goal ahead of time.

Spreading the cost of a large purchase

These 0% intro APR cards are useful because they give you the chance to make a large purchase and avoid being charged high interest rates during your time chipping away at your balance. If you’re looking to use your card to make a big one-time purchase like fixing or replacing a major home appliance, there are several factors to look at. Specifically, you’ll want to heavily consider the length of the promotional period, the ongoing APR percentage (APR post-promotional period), as well as some other less important features. You should budget your purchase ahead of time to see if you can fully pay off the amount before the end of the intro period, otherwise you’ll likely owe interest on the outstanding amount. You can avoid these charges by completely paying off your balance or by executing a balance transfer to relocate the amount to another card.

Paying down high-interest debt

For people looking to apply for a 0% intro APR card for debt relief, the most important thing to consider is whether the introductory period applies to balance transfers as well as your purchases. The typical credit card will charge you anywhere from 3% to 5% on balance transfers, but with the right card you can completely avoid that cost. A common strategy is to consolidate your outstanding debts into the same 0% intro APR card account to avoid paying interest charges across all accounts.

3 things to consider

In addition to achieving your ultimate financial goal with one of these credit cards, there are a few other things to pay attention to when weighing your options.

1. The length of promotional periods can vary greatly, so take a look at that first to determine if the card can meet your needs. Some 0% intro APR cards have extraordinarily high interest rates after your time is up, making the ongoing APR a must-know. The best cards for long-term use will have a long intro period (some as high as 21 months) and a reasonable interest rate afterward.

2. You’ll also want to consider the cost of the annual fee when choosing your card. While most 0% intro APR cards will come without an annual fee, you should decide whether the card’s benefits are worth the price if you’re forced to pay one.

3. Finally, take a look at the other features of the cards to see if they’re the right fit for you. You may be interested in earning cash back, want incentives to hold the card beyond the promotional period or are looking for more niche perks, so it’s best to look into the details of each card as you narrow your search.