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13 Best 0% APR Credit Cards of December 2024

Updated: Dec 12, 2024
Paul Soucy
Written by
Director
Caitlin Mims
Reviewed by
Content Management Specialist
Kenley Young
Edited by
Fact Checked
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
Paul Soucy
Written by
Director
Caitlin Mims
Reviewed by
Content Management Specialist
Kenley Young
Edited by
Fact Checked
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
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Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

A zero-percent or 0% APR credit card saves you money by stopping the clock on interest for a year or more. Got a big expense coming up? Put it on one of these credit cards and then pay it off without finance charges. Many of the best zero-percent credit cards not only come with a long 0% APR period, but also earn rewards and offer bonuses that can translate into big discounts on big purchases.

  • 400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)

  • 80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

  • 27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months

  • Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.

  • 400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)

  • 80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

  • 27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months

  • Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.

NerdWallet's Best 0% APR Credit Cards of December 2024

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Find the right credit card for you.

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Find the right credit card for you.

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

HOW NERDWALLET RATES 0% APR CREDIT CARDS

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NerdWallet assigns star ratings to credit cards based on how much value they provide to a typical consumer. Our scale goes from 1.0 at the bottom to 5.0 at the top and is incremented in tenths of a star — such as 2.5, 3.7 or 5.0.

Credit card ratings are determined by proprietary formulas developed by NerdWallet’s credit card experts. When it comes to the best 0% APR credit cards, there are generally two kinds of products:

  • “Pure” 0% cards that offer an extra-long introductory APR period. These cards usually don’t offer rewards; their primary value proposition is that they save you money on interest and fees.

  • Rewards cards that offer a shorter, but still substantial, intro APR period. The primary appeal of these cards lies in their rewards, bonuses and perks. The 0% offer is an added enticement.

Each credit card on this page is rated under the formula that best matches the card’s core value proposition.

A five-star card isn’t a “perfect” credit card; there’s no such thing as an objectively perfect card because every consumer has different needs. Rather, a 5.0 rating indicates a best-in-class card that will deliver the most value to the most people. Depending on your specific circumstances, a card with a 4.0 rating or even a 3.5 rating might actually be the perfect card for you.

Because the credit cards on this page are a mix of pure 0% cards and rewards cards, you may find yourself comparing two cards that were rated using different formulas. Even so, each is a strong choice for someone looking to finance a big purchase without interest. For many people, the cash back or points they earn with a rewards card with a 15-month intro period are worth far more than a few extra months at 0%.

NerdWallet’s formula for rating “pure” 0% cards puts the greatest weight on how much money you could save by using that card, compared with using a typical credit card with a high ongoing interest rate. Key factors in that calculation include:

  • The length of the 0% introductory APR period.

  • Whether the intro 0% APR applies to purchases, balance transfers or both.

  • Fees, including annual fees and balance transfer fees.

Our formula also considers whether the card provides significant value after the 0% period ends, such as with an ongoing perk like cell phone insurance. Many pure 0% cards don’t provide much of an incentive to keep using them.

To be considered for our roundup of the best 0% APR credit cards, a rewards card generally needs to offer a 0% period longer than a year and charge no annual fee.

Beyond that, NerdWallet’s ratings formulas for rewards cards focus not on savings, but on earnings — how much money you can make by using the card as your primary payment method. Key factors in that calculation include:

  • Rewards rates.

  • Bonus categories. (We use federal consumer spending data to assess the relative value of different categories.)

  • The complexity of the rewards structure, or how much “work” is required to understand it and ensure you’re getting proper value.

  • Sign-up bonuses, and how difficult they are to earn.

Our formulas can also take into account such factors as the issuer’s customer service record and how hard it is to qualify for the card. NerdWallet’s credit card experts can also make adjustments to ratings based on the presence of a unique feature — or the absence of a feature that should be standard for cards in its class.

  • How ratings are set
  • What the stars mean
  • Pure 0% credit cards
  • Rewards credit cards
  • Other factors
  • Credit card ratings are determined by proprietary formulas developed by NerdWallet’s credit card experts. When it comes to the best 0% APR credit cards, there are generally two kinds of products:

    • “Pure” 0% cards that offer an extra-long introductory APR period. These cards usually don’t offer rewards; their primary value proposition is that they save you money on interest and fees.

    • Rewards cards that offer a shorter, but still substantial, intro APR period. The primary appeal of these cards lies in their rewards, bonuses and perks. The 0% offer is an added enticement.

    Each credit card on this page is rated under the formula that best matches the card’s core value proposition.

    A five-star card isn’t a “perfect” credit card; there’s no such thing as an objectively perfect card because every consumer has different needs. Rather, a 5.0 rating indicates a best-in-class card that will deliver the most value to the most people. Depending on your specific circumstances, a card with a 4.0 rating or even a 3.5 rating might actually be the perfect card for you.

    Because the credit cards on this page are a mix of pure 0% cards and rewards cards, you may find yourself comparing two cards that were rated using different formulas. Even so, each is a strong choice for someone looking to finance a big purchase without interest. For many people, the cash back or points they earn with a rewards card with a 15-month intro period are worth far more than a few extra months at 0%.

    NerdWallet’s formula for rating “pure” 0% cards puts the greatest weight on how much money you could save by using that card, compared with using a typical credit card with a high ongoing interest rate. Key factors in that calculation include:

    • The length of the 0% introductory APR period.

    • Whether the intro 0% APR applies to purchases, balance transfers or both.

    • Fees, including annual fees and balance transfer fees.

    Our formula also considers whether the card provides significant value after the 0% period ends, such as with an ongoing perk like cell phone insurance. Many pure 0% cards don’t provide much of an incentive to keep using them.

    To be considered for our roundup of the best 0% APR credit cards, a rewards card generally needs to offer a 0% period longer than a year and charge no annual fee.

    Beyond that, NerdWallet’s ratings formulas for rewards cards focus not on savings, but on earnings — how much money you can make by using the card as your primary payment method. Key factors in that calculation include:

    • Rewards rates.

    • Bonus categories. (We use federal consumer spending data to assess the relative value of different categories.)

    • The complexity of the rewards structure, or how much “work” is required to understand it and ensure you’re getting proper value.

    • Sign-up bonuses, and how difficult they are to earn.

    Our formulas can also take into account such factors as the issuer’s customer service record and how hard it is to qualify for the card. NerdWallet’s credit card experts can also make adjustments to ratings based on the presence of a unique feature — or the absence of a feature that should be standard for cards in its class.

    ASK OUR CREDIT CARD EXPERTS

    BACK TO TOP

    Craig Joseph avatarCraig Joseph

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I seek out a 0% APR card that offers rewards and a sign-up bonus any time I have a big expense coming up. The 0% APR period allows me to make structured payments over time and preserve cash on hand, while the rewards and sign-up bonus help offset the overall cost. I used the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card to finance a home remodel . I would have paid in cash, but the 0% APR period allowed me to put that cash in a high-yield savings account and earn interest over the promotional period.

    Craig Joseph avatar

    Craig Joseph

    Lead writer

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I’ve used 0% APR offers for large planned expenses to avoid tapping into my emergency fund and reap savings in the process. For instance, I previously used the 0% APR from a new credit card to cover a large vet bill. I earned rewards on the amount spent and I was also on my way to meeting the requirements for the $200 sign-up bonus. The interest-free window gave me enough time to pay down the bill, and my emergency fund was kept intact in case I needed it.

    Melissa Lambarena avatar

    Melissa Lambarena

    Senior writer

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I want that interest-free period to be as long as possible. My husband and I used the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to pay for new windows that cost more than $20,000. At the time, the Freedom Unlimited card had a 15-month 0% APR period, which gave us plenty of time to pay off that sizable balance. If you're really serious about avoiding interest, note the date the 0% APR period ends — ask the issuer if you're not sure — and calculate how much you'll need to pay each month in order to pay off the balance before the promotional APR expires.

    Jae Bratton avatar

    Jae Bratton

    Lead writer

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I moved into an older house that needed several updates: a new water heater, new curtains, new paint, new plumbing, updated electricity. I used a 0% card — the Citi Custom Cash® Card — to cover all these purchases and was able to pay off the balance within a year without interest. If I were paying cash, I might've spaced out those purchases more, but I wanted to get the work done before I moved in. (Living in a home while it's being painted seems … stressful.) The card helped me get the job done, and I earned a sign-up bonus and rewards in the process.

    Claire Tsosie avatar

    Claire Tsosie

    Editor, travel rewards

  • Craig Joseph avatarCraig Joseph
  • Melissa Lambarena avatarMelissa Lambarena
  • Jae Bratton avatarJae Bratton
  • Claire Tsosie avatarClaire Tsosie
  • HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I seek out a 0% APR card that offers rewards and a sign-up bonus any time I have a big expense coming up. The 0% APR period allows me to make structured payments over time and preserve cash on hand, while the rewards and sign-up bonus help offset the overall cost. I used the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card to finance a home remodel . I would have paid in cash, but the 0% APR period allowed me to put that cash in a high-yield savings account and earn interest over the promotional period.

    Craig Joseph avatar

    Craig Joseph

    Lead writer

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I’ve used 0% APR offers for large planned expenses to avoid tapping into my emergency fund and reap savings in the process. For instance, I previously used the 0% APR from a new credit card to cover a large vet bill. I earned rewards on the amount spent and I was also on my way to meeting the requirements for the $200 sign-up bonus. The interest-free window gave me enough time to pay down the bill, and my emergency fund was kept intact in case I needed it.

    Melissa Lambarena avatar

    Melissa Lambarena

    Senior writer

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I want that interest-free period to be as long as possible. My husband and I used the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to pay for new windows that cost more than $20,000. At the time, the Freedom Unlimited card had a 15-month 0% APR period, which gave us plenty of time to pay off that sizable balance. If you're really serious about avoiding interest, note the date the 0% APR period ends — ask the issuer if you're not sure — and calculate how much you'll need to pay each month in order to pay off the balance before the promotional APR expires.

    Jae Bratton avatar

    Jae Bratton

    Lead writer

    HOW DO YOU USE 0% APR CREDIT CARDS?

    I moved into an older house that needed several updates: a new water heater, new curtains, new paint, new plumbing, updated electricity. I used a 0% card — the Citi Custom Cash® Card — to cover all these purchases and was able to pay off the balance within a year without interest. If I were paying cash, I might've spaced out those purchases more, but I wanted to get the work done before I moved in. (Living in a home while it's being painted seems … stressful.) The card helped me get the job done, and I earned a sign-up bonus and rewards in the process.

    Claire Tsosie avatar

    Claire Tsosie

    Editor, travel rewards

    ASK REDDIT: WHAT’S THE BEST 0% APR CARD?

    BACK TO TOP

    Reddit users who frequent the site's personal finance forums, particularly r/CreditCards, know that requests for credit card recommendations come up on a daily if not hourly basis. These requests are so common that r/CreditCards asks users to fill out a detailed template with enough information to help other redditors make an appropriate recommendation.

    Posters on r/CreditCards commonly ask "What's the best 0% card?" But those requests don't generate the volume of responses you typically see for questions related to rewards credit cards. That's because if all someone is looking for is a 0% intro APR period, there's not a lot to debate. The only real differentiators are the length of the zero-percent introductory period and, if the purpose is to pay down existing high-interest debt, the balance transfer fee. Beyond that, 0% cards pretty much all work the same.

    Searching r/CreditCards for "best 0% APR card" turns up dozens of discussions that come at the question from different angles, whether it's the best option for large purchases, for transferring, for business and so on. In that transfer discussion, one user boils down the options in 0% APR cards the same way NerdWallet usually does:

    "Assuming you have good credit, you have two broad options:
    1. A 12-15 month 0% APR card that’ll have decent rewards & be useful after you’re finished paying down the BT balance.
    2. An 18-21 month 0% APR card that’ll have basically no rewards and be pretty useless once you’re done, apart from potentially product changing it."
    Reddit user Tight_Couture344

    Perhaps the liveliest discussion among the threads that Reddit's algorithm identified as most relevant for "best 0% APR card" isn't about specific card recommendations at all. It's a post in which a redditor emphasizes that nearly every card can be a 0% APR card ... if you pay your statement balance in full every month. When you do that, you typically have a grace period in effect that prevents interest from ever accruing. That, in turn, means the ongoing APR on your card is irrelevant because your rate is always effectively 0% on purchases.

    The trick, of course, is making sure that you do, in fact, pay the balance in full each month. Not everyone is able to do so. But for those who can but sometimes choose not to in the interest of preserving cash for a "rainy day," carrying debt month to month is literally throwing money away. Several users offer helpful ways to frame the issue:

    • "Treat a credit card bill like any utility bill. You wouldn't pay off 1% of your electricity bill every month, so don't do it with a credit card,"said a user who goes by Ranzar.

    • "Cards are negative APR if you pay your balances in full and are smart with earning rewards," said user noemata1. This is referring to the fact that when you earn rewards on a purchase and pay no interest, your net out-of-pocket cost is less than the amount of the purchase. Compare this with what happens when interest accrues and makes out-of-pocket cost more than the purchase amount.

    • "I remember being amazed when I first figured out that credit cards offered FREE 30-60 day loans (depending on when you make the purchase relative to your billing cycle)," added user avg_swe.

    MOST POPULAR 0% APR CREDIT CARDS

    BACK TO TOP

    NerdWallet’s credit card experts have reviewed hundreds of credit cards. These are the most visited review pages for 0% APR credit cards.

    “Pure” 0% APR cards: These credit cards have a longer introductory APR period for purchases, but they generally don’t offer rewards.

    Rewards cards: These credit cards have an introductory APR period longer than a year but shorter than what you’d find on “pure” 0% cards. However, they offer rewards that give them long-term value after the intro period runs out.

    METHODOLOGY

    BACK TO TOP

    NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best 0% APR credit cards based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. Factors in our evaluation include annual fees, the length of a card's introductory 0% APR periods (if any) on purchases and balance transfers, ongoing APRs, balance transfer fees, bonus offers for new cardholders, rewards rates and redemption options, and other noteworthy features such as fee waivers or the ability to qualify with less than good credit. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    BACK TO TOP

    Both a 0% credit card and a low-interest credit card save you money on interest, but they do it in different ways — short-term versus long-term.

    • A 0% credit card doesn’t charge any interest at all for a period of time after you open the account, then it shifts to an often-high ongoing interest rate. Zero-percent cards are good for people who want to spread out payments on a large purchase or gain breathing room to pay down debt without interest.

    • A low-interest credit card charges an ongoing interest rate that's lower than other cards on the market. Low-interest cards are good for people who expect to roll over a balance most months (meaning they don’t pay off their balance in full every month).

    How much your card payments will be with a 0% APR depends entirely on which bank issued your card, how much you put on the card and how much you are able to pay. Every issuer has its own formula for calculating your minimum payment. It's usually made up of the interest and fees that have added up over the past month, plus a small amount of the actual debt, say 1% or 2%. There may also be a minimum dollar amount for each payment, such as $40 (except in cases where the total statement balance is less than that). When you have a 0% APR in effect, no interest is adding up, so your entire payment can go toward paying down your debt.

    A 0% credit card works just like any other credit card except that for a certain period of time after you open your account, the bank doesn’t charge any interest on your balance. You’re still responsible for paying at least the minimum amount due each month. (And be sure you do: If you don't, the issuer might cancel your 0% period.) Once the introductory 0% period ends, your APR rises to the ongoing rate, and you will be charged interest on your balance going forward.

    Among credit cards from major issuers, the longest 0% APR periods tend to be around 18 months, although in a few cases you might find 20 or 21 months, especially for balance transfers. (Depending on the card, the 0% period may apply to purchases, balance transfers or both; some cards have different 0% periods for purchases and transfers.) Cards from smaller issuers or credit unions may offer longer 0% periods. It’s most common to see periods of 12 to 15 months.

    Credit card issuers use 0% introductory offers to attract new customers, so to get one, your best bet is to apply for a new card that advertises a 0% period. Generally speaking, you’ll need good to excellent credit to qualify for a card with a 0% offer. That roughly translates to a credit score of 690 or better — although credit scores alone do not guarantee approval for any credit card. You’ll also need to be able to show income and meet other requirements.

    If the card doesn’t charge an annual fee, there’s no harm in keeping the account open once the introductory 0% rate expires. In fact, closing the account could hurt your credit score by reducing the amount of credit you have available, which could increase your credit utilization. If the card charges a fee, however, or if you fear that the open credit line will tempt you to overspend, then closing it might be the best action.

    A credit card with a 0% interest rate doesn't affect your score any more or less than a card with a regular interest rate. Your credit score takes into account how long the card has been open, how much debt you currently have on the card, the utilization ratio on the card (the current debt as a percentage of the total credit limit) and your payment history. The interest rate doesn't factor into scoring. That said, there are a couple of things to be aware of:

    • Credit card issuers offer 0% promotions to entice you to use the card more. Overspending affects how much debt you carry on the card, and that can affect your credit scores indirectly.

    • Charge cards (as opposed to credit cards) do not let you carry debt from month to month. The full balance is due each month. Therefore, these cards charge no interest, so they could be thought of as "no interest" cards. Many charge cards don't have a preset spending limit. Without a specified credit limit, scoring formulas can't calculate utilization for the card, so these cards can have a smaller impact on your score than a regular credit card.

    Credit card issuers will sometimes offer you a promotional 0% APR on a card you already have — usually as an incentive to get you to use your card when you haven't been doing so. You can't really count on these offers, though. You could try calling your credit card company and asking for a 0% offer; it doesn't hurt to try. But this isn't likely to work if you've been using the card regularly.

    About the author

    Portrait of author

    Paul Soucy

    Paul has been the lead editor for NerdWallet's credit cards team since 2015 and for the travel rewards team since 2023. Previously, he worked at USA Today and the Des Moines Register, then built a freelance writing and editing business focused on personal finance topics. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA. Read full profile
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