Best 0% APR Credit Cards of May 2025

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The best 0% intro APR credit cards compared

What is a 0% interest credit card?

You’ll pay interest when you carry a balance on a credit card, but some credit cards offer 0% APR promotional periods, known as an introductory APR. You won’t pay interest during this period, but the standard APR will apply after the promotional period expires.

A 0% APR offer can help you save hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars in interest fees. You can use a 0% introductory APR to make large purchases or transfer a balance and pay it off interest-free during the promotional period.

While 0% interest credit cards usually require a good or excellent credit score, they can help you avoid additional costly interest charges.

How do 0% intro APR credit cards work?

A card with a 0% introductory APR allows you to either make purchases, complete a balance transfer, or both without paying interest for a specified period. Once the 0% introductory period is over, ongoing APR charges go into effect, and a new interest rate will apply to any purchases or balance transfers made after this time and any remaining balance not paid off during the promotional period.

For more information, read our complete guide on how 0% APR credit cards work.

How much can you save with a 0% intro APR credit card?

A 0% intro APR credit card can save you hundreds of dollars or more in interest, depending on how much you owe, your current APR, and how long it takes to pay off your balance.

For an accurate picture, a credit card payoff calculator can show you how long it will take you to pay off your debt and how much interest you’ll pay each month. This can show you how much you can save with a 0% intro APR credit card.

For example, what if you could pay off a balance in full using a credit card with a 21-month APR offer? Here’s how much total interest you could save with 21 months of interest-free payments compared to a credit card with average interest and one with high interest.

As you can see, a credit card with a 0% intro APR offer can save you a lot of money. If you do a balance transfer, most issuers charge a fee that will be added to your balance. That can cut into your total savings but is still less than paying interest each month.

Pros and cons of 0% APR credit cards

Who should get a 0% intro APR credit card?

You should get a 0% APR credit card if:

• You want time to pay off a large purchase.
• You need to pay off high-interest credit card debt.
• You have an emergency expense you need to pay off over time.

You shouldn’t get a 0% card if:

• You want to earn rewards.
• You only plan to make minimum payments.
• You can’t pay off your balance before the introductory period ends, and a personal loan may be a better debt consolidation method for you.

How to choose an introductory APR credit card

Start by asking yourself these key questions:

• Are you planning a large purchase or paying down pre-existing debt?: Choosing the right 0% interest card may come down to one goal: paying down a pre-existing balance or financing a large purchase. While a 0% interest card can save you money on interest payments for a defined period of time, especially for a large purchase, a balance transfer card may be better suited for those who need to focus on paying down an existing balance. If you’re concerned you’ll need to carry a balance for longer than the promotional APR period, then a low-interest credit card option may be better.
• What’s your payoff timeline? Before selecting a card, understanding your payoff timeline could impact your decision. Not all introductory APR offers are created equal. Some have longer promotional periods than others, which may affect your payoff timeline if you hope to pay as little interest as possible. Remember that some introductory APR offers only apply to purchases and may not include balance transfers. Once you have your payoff goal in mind, you can choose the card best suited for your timeline.
• Do you plan to use the card for the long haul? Long-term financial plans should factor into your card selection. Ongoing features, like the annual fee, interest rates after the promotional APR period ends and rewards programs are key elements that could help decide what card you choose. For example, you should consider the ongoing APR to avoid hefty interest charges if you end up carrying a balance. If you do decide you no longer need your 0% interest card, carefully consider the impact before closing it. It’s possible closing a card can negatively affect your credit score by raising your credit utilization and impacting the length of your credit history.

How to make the most of your 0% intro APR offer

• Plan large purchases around your introductory period to finance purchases with 0% interest.
• Avoid adding to transferred balances so all payments go to paying off your balance.
• Nail down a payoff strategy early. Take the total purchase amount and divide it by the number of months left in your introductory period. This will tell you the minimum amount you must pay on the card each month to avoid interest charges and maximize your intro offer.
• Pay off your balance within the introductory period if possible.

Alternatives to 0% APR cards

If you’re worried that you won’t qualify for a 0% intro APR card or you want to avoid opening another credit card, you have a few options:

• Debt consolidation loan: With a debt consolidation loan, you could combine debt from several sources into a single loan. The goal of consolidating is to end up with one affordable monthly payment. Debt consolidation loans are ideal if you need a longer payoff time or a lower interest rate. You’ll get a three-to-five-year payoff period with a debt consolidation loan, while most 0% interest cards have intro offers that expire after 12 months on the low end or up to 21 months on the high end.
• Ask for a lower interest rate: One way to save on interest is to ask your credit card issuer for a lower interest rate. Your issuer isn’t guaranteed to grant your request; however, your odds of landing a lower rate increase if you have a good payment history and have been a loyal customer. If you get better offers from competing cards and share that information with your issuer, you might get a lower rate to retain your status as a customer.
• Look into credit card hardship programs: If you’re struggling to pay your credit card bill each month, you can ask your credit card issuer if it provides a hardship program. These programs vary; not every provider will offer them to every cardholder. They’re also temporary, lasting at most 12 months. Your credit card issuer might freeze your account for the duration of the program to keep you from adding to your balances.

How we picked the best 0% intro APR credit cards

Our editorial team and expert review board analyzed over 1,000 0% interest intro APR credit cards to identify some of the best offers on the market. The major factors we considered were:

• 0% intro APR period for purchases: Does the card allow you to skip interest charges on purchases for a set period of time? If so, how long does the offer last?
• 0% intro APR period for balance transfers: Does the card allow you to skip interest charges on a balance transfer for a set period of time? If so, how long does the offer last?
• Regular APRs: After the introductory period expires, are the purchase APRs or balance transfer APRs reasonable, relative to the current industry average?
• Balance transfer fee: Do you have to pay a fee to transfer a balance onto the new card to take advantage of the 0% interest offer? If so, is the fee reasonable relative to the industry standard?
• Overall card value: Does the card offer benefits once the introductory 0% APR offer ends? For no-frills cards, we considered whether continued use would cost cardholders an annual fee.

Other criteria used include other rates and fees, rewards rates, extra benefits and features, customer service, credit needed, ease of application and security features.

Our comparison service is compensated by our credit card company partners, which may affect product placement. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Star ratings are based solely on our independent card scoring methodology and are not influenced by advertisers or card issuers. Learn more about our partners and how we make money.

Additional information on 0% APR credit cards

For more information on all things 0% APR cards, continue reading content from our credit card experts:

• Average credit cards interest rates
• What is an intro APR and how does it work?
• What is a good APR for a credit card?

About the Author

Tracy Stewart

Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer specializing in credit card loyalty programs, travel benefits, and consumer protections. He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.

About the Editor

Robert Thorpe

Robert Thorpe is an editor for CreditCards.com

About the Reviewer

Sally Herigstad

Sally Herigstad is a certified public accountant, author and speaker who writes about personal finance for CreditCards.com. She also writes regularly for MSN Money, Interest.com, Bankrate and RedPlum.com, and has been a guest on Martha Stewart radio and other programs.