7 popular 0 percent APR credit cards to look out for
A 0% annual percentage rate (APR) credit card charges no interest on purchases made through the account for a certain introductory period. Some credit cards even offer 0% APR on balance transfer during this period, after which the regular rate kicks in. A 0% APR credit card is great for repaying high-interest debt during the introductory period since it doesn’t accrue any interest.
You can also make big purchases on 0% APR credit cards without having to worry about interest. This means you can buy a new 4K Smart TV and save on the extra charges you’d normally pay through a regular credit card. With an 0% intro APR credit card, you will save on the interest and pay only for the new appliance. And if you are in need of emergency funds, a 0% APR credit card is a life saver. Herein, we discuss 7 0% APR credit cards and the various benefits they offer.
Wells Fargo Platinum Visa® Card
This credit card offers 0% APR for the first 18 months, which is 6-7 months longer than most of its competitors. This is applicable for balance transfer new purchases made on the card. The intro fee on balance transfer is 3% within the first 120 days of opening the account. After the introductory period, the regular APR can vary between 17% and 27%, and the balance transfer fee will be 5% after the first 120 days. Although the card charges a 3% transaction fee for purchases made abroad, it makes up through its APR that is cheaper by nearly $17 per year than most average cards. This is mostly due to its 0 annual fees, making this card quite useful for paying off credit card debt. The credit score eligibility for this card is good to excellent. There are no purchase-based rewards but this O APR credit card offers some other useful perks: if you pay your cellular bills with this card, this card will give you a smartphone insurance coverage of nearly $600 against theft and damage. This protection is subject to a $25 deductible.
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
This credit card offers excellent everyday rewards and 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for the first 15 months. Moreover, the card has an initial bonus of $150 if you have spent $500 in the first three months of opening the account. Even if you are just paying bills, getting gas, or making purchases, you are easily spending $500 in the first three months. With the initial bonus, you get a cashback of nearly 30% and an unlimited cashback of 1.5% every day for every purchase that you make with this card. Also, there are no annual or foreign transaction fees. Once the introductory period is over, the regular APR will vary between 16.24% and 26.24%. The balance-transfer fee will be 3% on the amounts that have been transferred in the first 15 months. The credit score eligibility for this card is good to excellent. If you have limited or fair credit, you can still use this card. But you will have to pay an annual fee of around $39.
Citi Simplicity® Card
This credit card is one of the best in the market as it offers 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 21 months. This is quite a long interest-free period compared to other cards. On new purchases, you get 0% APR for the first 12 months. There is a 5% or a minimum $5 balance transfer fee, but there is no annual fee involved. This makes it easier to pay off monthly debt payments since you will be spending lesser on interest and fees. This card requires a good to excellent credit score for one to qualify. After the intro period offer ends, the regular APR is around 14.41% for those with an excellent credit score. For those with good credit score, the regular APR would be just around 20%. Also, there are no late fees applicable.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
If you are looking for a cashback credit card, the Freedom Unlimited® card from Chase is one of the best to choose from. This card has an introductory APR of 0% for new purchases and balance transfers within the first 15 months of opening the account. The balance transfer fee is 3% of the total amount of each transfer or $5, whichever is greater. After the introductory period, the regular APR can vary between 17.24% and 25.99%. There are no annual fees involved. Additionally, cardholders get a cashback of nearly $600 or 3% for the first $20,000 spent in the first year. Also, there is a 1.5% cashback of every purchase made with the card. But there is a 3% fee levied on international purchases. One requires an excellent credit score to qualify for this card.
Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
This card has a 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months. After the introductory period, the regular APR varies between 14.24% and 26.24%. There are no annual, balance-transfer, or foreign-transaction fees involved, a 3% or $10 cash advance fee is charged. Although there is a $38 late payment fee, there is no penalty APR or returned payment fee imposed. Note that this card has no 0% intro APR on balance transfers. It offers 1.25 miles on every purchase made every day, and cardholders get a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles of $200 on spending $1,000 in the first three months of account opening. Also, cardholders can get about 10 miles on using the card across listed hotels, and the miles can be transferred to more than 12 travel loyalty programs. Additional features include credit tracker, travel upgrades, complimentary concierge services, and 24-hour travel assistance. Also, there is lost luggage reimbursement, Apple Pay, roadside dispatch, and purchase security.
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
This credit card offers one of the lowest interests and has 0% intro APR on new purchases as well as balance transfers for 20 months. Thus, cardholders get a really long interest-free introductory period. This makes it easy to avoid debt without paying any extra interest. Although there is a balance transfer fee of 3% or a minimum of $5, there is no annual fee involved. The card does not offer any rewards or cash back on purchases. After the introductory period, the regular APR ranges from 14.74% to 25.74% depending on the cardholder’s credit score. Also, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee for international purchases. Despite the lack of rewards, one of the biggest advantages of this card is that a cardholder can choose a payment due date according to their schedule. One needs an excellent credit score to qualify for this card.
Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express
For those looking for small business credit cards, this is one of the best options. There are no annual fee or balance transfer fee involved. It has a 0% intro APR on new purchases as well as balance transfers for the first 15 months after account opening. There is a balance transfer fee of 3% with the minimum fee being around $5. Once the introductory period is over, the regular APR will vary between 13.49% and 21.49% depending on the credit score. Although the regular APR may seem a bit high, this card is a good all-around card for businesses. It offers rewards in the form of points that can be converted to cashback. Cardholders get 2 points for every $1 on the first $50,000 spent on purchases every year. After the first $50,000, cardholders can earn 1 point for every $1. On converting these points to cash, the earning rate will be 0.85% to 1.7% of the total expenses. This card requires a good credit score rating for one to qualify.