Best 0% APR Credit Cards

When getting a new credit card, it’s important to consider its overall affordability. If you’re going to carry a balance on the card, the single most important factor that will affect this is the applicable interest rate or APR (annual percentage rate).

Credit card interest is at an all-time high, with average APRs reaching 17.64% at the end of February 2019. (The APR can be a more accurate representation of the cost of borrowing than interest rate alone because it also takes fees into account.) Meanwhile, total credit card debt in the U.S. reached more than $420 billion in late 2018.

>> Read More: How to lower your credit card interest rate

The good news is you don’t necessarily have to keep paying these high interest rates if your existing balances have gotten out of hand or you’re planning a large purchase you can’t afford outright. That’s because there are many credit card issuers offering 0% introductory APR periods that apply to new purchases and/or balance transfers for a limited time period.

If you’re in the market for a new credit card, this guide to the best 0% interest credit cards can help you identify the best and most affordable option for your needs and financial goals.

Best 0% Interest Credit Cards

Some of our picks for the best 0% APR credit cards include:

Citi Simplicity

Here’s what you need to know about the Citi Simplicity card.

• Introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles; after that, variable APR between 16.24% and 26.24%
• Introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 21 months from the date of first transfer; after that, variable APR between 16.24% and 26.24%
• Balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the transferred balance, whichever is greater

Benefits

• No annual fee, late fees, or penalty APR
• Choice of payment due date
• Automatic account alerts
• Travel and purchase protection

Drawbacks

• Higher balance transfer fee than most other cards
• 3% foreign transaction fee
• No rewards program or signup bonus

Citi Diamond Preferred

Here’s what you need to know about the Citi Diamond Preferred card.

• Introductory 0% APR on purchases for 18 months from the date of account opening; after that, variable APR between 15.24% and 25.25%
• Introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months from the date of first transfer (must complete balance transfers within four months of account opening), after that, variable APR between 15.24% and 25.24%
• Balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the transferred balance, whichever is greater

Benefits

• No annual fee
• Choice of payment due date
• Automatic account alerts
• Travel and purchase protection
• Citi Concierge

Drawbacks

• Higher balance transfer fee than most other cards
• 3% foreign transaction fee
• No rewards program or signup bonus

Chase Slate

Here’s what you need to know about the Chase Slate credit card.

• Introductory 0% APR on purchases for 15 months; after that, variable APR between 17.24% and 25.99%
• Introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 15 months; after that, variable APR between 17.24% and 25.99%
• No balance transfer fee on transfers made within 60 days of opening your account; after that, $5 or 5% of the transferred balance, whichever is greater

Benefits

• No annual fee or penalty APR
• Fraud alerts
• Purchase protection
• Free credit score with Credit Journey

Drawbacks

• Higher balance transfer fee than most other cards
• 3% foreign transaction fee
• No rewards program or signup bonus

Citi Double Cash

Here’s what you need to know about the Citi Double Cash card.

• Introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months; after that, variable rate between 15.74% and 25.74%
• Variable purchase APR between 15.74% and 25.74%
• Balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the transferred balance, whichever is greater

Benefits

• Lower balance transfer fee than some other cards
• 1% cash back on purchases and an additional 1% when you pay for those purchases (must make minimum payments)
• No annual fee
• Late fee pass
• Citi Concierge
• Citi Private Pass
• Automatic account alerts
• Travel and purchase protection

Drawbacks

• No introductory 0% APR on purchases
• No bonus rewards categories or signup bonus
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Wells Fargo Platinum Card

Here’s what you need to know about the Wells Fargo Platinum card.

• Introductory 0% APR on purchases for 18 months; after that, variable rate between 17.74% and 27.24%
• Introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months (balance transfer requests must be made within 120 days of account opening); after that, variable APR between 17.74% and 27.24%
• Balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the transferred balance, whichever is greater

Benefits

• Lower balance transfer fee than some other cards
• No annual fee
• My Money Map
• Free FICO score with Wells Fargo Online
• Cell phone protection
• Travel accident insurance
• Emergency assistance services

Drawbacks

• No rewards program or signup bonus
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Here’s what you need to know about the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

• Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers made within 15 months of account opening; after that, regular APR between 17.24% and 25.99%
• Balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the transferred balance, whichever is greater

Benefits

• Lower balance transfer fee than some other cards
• Earn 3% cash back rewards on all purchases in your first year up to $20,000 spent; after that, 1.5% cash back on all purchases
• No annual fee
• Rewards do not expire
• No minimum to redeem rewards for cash back
• $0 liability

Drawbacks

• 3% foreign transaction fee
• 3% cash back rate capped at $20,000 in spending
• No signup bonus

Discover it Cash Back

Here’s what you need to know about the Discover it Cash Back credit card.

• Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers made within 14 months of account opening; after that, regular APR between 14.24% and 25.25%
• Balance transfer fee of 3% of the transferred balance

Benefits

• Earn 5% cash back each quarter in rotating bonus categories, including gas stations, grocery stores, Amazon.com, and restaurants
• Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Automatic cash back match at the end of your first year
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
• Rewards do not expire
• Free Social Security number alerts

Drawbacks

• You’ll need to keep track of rotating bonus categories to maximize this cash rewards credit card
• No signup bonus

Bottom Line

Each of these credit cards with 0% APR has its own pros and cons, but as you can see, you can benefit from paying no interest for a long time with any of these options. When shopping for a new card, it’s worth taking the time to review multiple credit card offers — after all, interest-free cards can potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your existing card balances and/or new purchases.

>> Read More: Compare the best credit cards

You’ll want to find one that provides a long sign-up bonus offer, keeps other fees low, and, ideally, gives you cash rewards for spending.