U.S. Bank Platinum Goes Long: 20 Months at 0%

» This page is out of date

The offer described in this article is no longer available. See our details page for the  U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card for the current offer. 

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card has been a solid balance-transfer credit card for a while. But with U.S. Bank lengthening the introductory interest-free period on the card, it now has to be considered one of the best in the 0% game.

New cardholders get an annual percentage rate of 0% intro APR for 20 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 16.74%-26.74% Variable APR. That's the longest 0% period for both purchases and balance transfers of any card from a major issuer. Previously, the 0% period on this card was 18 months.

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card charges a balance-transfer fee of 3% of the amount transferred or $5, whichever is greater. A few cards offer an introductory transfer fee of $0, but their interest-free periods are usually several months shorter. Like most balance-transfer cards, the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card doesn't give you rewards, although it does offer up to $600 protection on your cell phone against covered theft and damage when you pay your bill with the card. (The protection comes with a $25 deductible.)

With the 3% fee and the new 0% period, the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card comes close to the terms that the Citi Simplicity® Card offered in its heyday. The Citi card once boasted a 21-month 0% period and a 3% transfer fee; in January 2018, it dialed back the 0% period to 18 months and boosted the transfer fee to 5% (minimum $5). In October 2018, it kept that balance transfer fee and returned to its lengthy introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases, and then the ongoing APR of 16.99%-26.99% Variable APR.