Most consumers today have felt the sting when they realize that the price tag that first lured them in has snowballed beyond recognition at the moment of checkout. For example, that $10 pizza delivery somehow ends up costing you $20 by the time the tax, tip, and delivery fee are included.
And it doesn’t stop there. If you use a credit card to pay for your purchases and then carry that balance past the grace period, you’ll start accruing interest fees on top of everything else.
While taxes are unavoidable (and tipping is just good manners), you can avoid — or, at least, minimize — interest fees with the right credit card. You may even earn rewards while you do so. We’ve researched a variety of credit cards to compile the list below, featuring our selections for the best low-interest credit cards. The varied list should contain something for nearly every consumer, whether you prefer a low purchase APR, cash back, or travel perks.
0% Purchases | 0% Balance Transfers | Cash Back | Travel | Business | Low Ongoing
Best Cards with 0% Intro APR on New Purchases
Although paying off your balance before the end of your card’s grace period is the easiest way to avoid interest fees, carrying a balance for a few months is sometimes necessary.
For these situations, a credit card with an introductory 0% APR offer can give you at least six months of interest-free purchasing. And the best intro-APR offers, like some of our picks below, offer more than 12 months of 0% interest.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
N/A
|
14.99% - 23.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49%-25.49% variable APR after that
- Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
N/A
|
15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Introductory 0% APR offers for 18 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers (balance transfer fee applies)
- Account protection features such as Zero Liability protection for promptly reported unauthorized transactions, alerts, and cell phone protection
- My Money Map – tools to help you manage spending and create a budget with ease
- Access to your FICO® Credit Score with Wells Fargo Online®
- $0 annual fee
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 18 months
|
0% for 18 months
|
16.49% - 24.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good
|
+See More Cards with 0% APR on New Purchases
As handy as intro-APR offers can be, they do have some limitations, not the least of which is that they are introductory, meaning your APR will revert to the default rate once the promotional period expires.
Furthermore, some transactions will not qualify for the 0% APR. While some deals may cover new purchases and balance transfers, others will only cover new purchases. Cash advances will not be covered and will usually start accruing interest fees immediately.
Best Cards with 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers
Whether from one large purchase or a series of smaller ones, it can be all too easy to wind up with a credit card balance that starts accruing interest. And when the interest rate is near the average 16.9% APR, those fees can get very expensive very quickly.
If your current card isn’t cutting it in the interest rate department, you can often transfer your balance to another card with a lower rate. Choosing one with an introductory 0% APR offer on balance transfers, such as our cards below, can potentially cut your fees down to $0 for 12 months or more.
- No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
- 0% intro APR offers on both purchases and balance transfers (balance transfer fee applies)
- Choose a payment due date that works best for you — beginning, middle, or end of the month
- Stay protected against identity theft with Citi® Identity Theft Solutions
- $0 liability on unauthorized charges
- 24/7 access to customer service representatives - save time, just say "representative" when you call, to enjoy fast, personal help
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 18 months
|
0% for 18 months
|
14.74% - 24.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- 0% Intro APR for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers (balance transfer fee applies)
- Get free access to your FICO® score online
- With Citi Entertainment℠, get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including presale tickets and exclusive experiences for the year's most anticipated concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and more
- Shop with confidence knowing that you have dependable protection benefits, including $0 Liability on Unauthorized Purchases and Citi® Identity Theft Solutions.
- 24/7 access to customer service representatives
- Enjoy the flexibility to choose the payment due date that works best for you - the beginning, middle or end of the month
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 18 months
|
0% for 18 months
|
14.74% - 24.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- Earn cash back twice! Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time
- Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance Transfers do not earn cash back and will have a fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- 24/7 access to customer service representatives
- $0 annual fee
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
0% for 18 months
|
13.99% - 23.99% Variable
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
+See More Cards with 0% APR on Balance Transfers
Keep an eye on the length of the promotional period, as your remaining balance will be subject to the default balance transfer APR once the offer ends.
Additionally, most credit cards will charge a balance transfer fee for the service. These fees can range between 3% and 5% of the total transferred balance and will reduce the total amount you can transfer.
Despite the fees, however, balance transfers can still be very valuable savings tools, especially if your current APR is very high. You can use an online balance transfer calculator to determine if the balance transfer fee is worth the interest rate savings.
Best Cash Back Cards with 0% Intro APR Offers
What’s better than paying 0% interest on your new purchases for a year or more? Why, earning cash back rewards on those purchases, of course.
In today’s competitive credit card market, issuers are stacking the perks to draw in customers. This means some of the best cash back cards out there, including the options below, also come with awesome intro-APR offers.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
N/A
|
14.99% - 23.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
8. Discover it® Cash Back
This card is currently not available.
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR after that
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
N/A
|
15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
To make the most of your cash back card, look for cards with bonus categories that complement your spending habits. If you dine out a lot, for instance, look for a card that offers bonus rewards for restaurant purchases.
Be sure to pay off your purchases before your APR offer expires, however, or you’ll end up wasting your rewards on interest fees. Regular interest rates will almost always exceed any cash back rewards rate, so the credit card company will likely win if you allow interest to accrue.
Best Travel Cards with 0% Intro APR Offers
With the average international vacation topping $3,000, it’s likely fair to say that many who charge their trips will be spending a little time paying them off.
With such a high cost, it makes sense to use an intro-APR card to cut out the interest fees, but that means giving up on travel rewards for your trip. Or does it? While only a few travel cards come with 0% intro-APR offers, the list below includes some of our top-rated cards.
10. Discover it® Miles
This card is currently not available.
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates and fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Transfer your miles to over 10+ travel loyalty programs
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 months
|
N/A
|
15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
+See More Travel Rewards Cards
If you’re heading abroad and charging your travel expenses, be sure to check out whether your card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made in a foreign currency.
With rates of 2% to 4% of the total purchase amount, foreign transaction fees can add a lot of cost to your travels.
You can eliminate that cost by choosing a card that doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees at all. In particular, many travel credit cards, including the ones above, will waive foreign transaction fees.
Best Business Cards with 0% Intro APR Offers
Similar to a living creature, businesses continually grow and change — and so do their financial needs. Major expenses can come when you least expect them, and revenue ups and downs can make paying for them a challenge at times.
A good business credit card can be a vital tool for any business, but one with a 0% intro-APR offer can be even more lucrative when you need a little time to pay down your balance. Happily, several of our favorite business cards also come with sweet interest offers.
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
- Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Employee cards at no additional cost
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 12 months
|
N/A
|
13.24% - 19.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
13. Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business
This card is currently not available.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
14. Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business
This card is currently not available.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Always remember that intro-APR offers tend to expire, and you’ll be stuck paying the default purchase APR on any remaining balance. Pay off your card before your promotion expires to avoid interest fees.
As with consumer cards, choosing the best business credit card for your company will often come down to maximizing rewards where you spend the most.
If your business goes through a lot of office supplies, for example, select a card that offers bonus rewards for purchases made at office supply stores. You can also find business credit cards that offer bonus rewards for digital advertising, communications services, and even shipping costs.
Best Credit Cards with Low Ongoing APRs
Despite the value introductory interest rates offer, they do have one major downfall: they expire. Even the best 0% APR offers will end eventually and you’ll start accruing interest at the default rate after that.
If your balance-carrying needs are likely to be a regular concern, then a card with a low ongoing APR can be a good investment. Some of our low-rate cards even include rewards and low or no annual fees.
- Better than Prepaid...Go with a Secured Card! Load One Time - Keep On Using
- Absolutely No Credit Check or Minimum Credit Score Required
- Automatic Reporting to All Three National Credit Bureaus
- 9.99% Low Fixed APR - Your Rate Won’t Go Up Even if You Are Late
- Activate Today with a $200 Minimum Deposit - Maximum $1,000. * Increase Your Credit Limit up to $5,000 by Adding Additional Deposits Anytime
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
9.99%
|
$48
|
Poor/Fair/Limited/Damaged
|
- Earn 30,000 bonus points when you make at least $3,000 in net purchases within 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel purchases
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases, everywhere, every time – no matter how much you spend
- Earn 3 points per every dollar spent when you book your travel (car, hotel, airline) through the Bank of America® Travel Center
- Get 75% more points on the base earn of every purchase you make when you’re a Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier member. That means you'll earn 2.62 points on all purchases and 4.12 points for every $1 you spend at the Bank of America® Travel Center.
- 0% introductory APR on purchases for 9 billing cycles from account opening
- $0 annual fee
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 9 billing cycles
|
N/A
|
12.24% - 22.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good
|
- Get a $300 statement credit when you make at least $3,000 in net purchases within 90 days of your account opening
- Earn 3% cash back on your choice of one of the following six categories: gas stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services, or business consulting services and 2% cash back on dining on the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each year, 1% thereafter
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Get 75% more cash back on every purchase when you're a Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier member. That means you'll earn 5.25% on your selected choice category, 3.5% on dining, and unlimited 1.75% cash back on all other purchases.
- 0% on purchases for 9 billing cycles from account opening
- $0 annual fee
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 9 billing cycles
|
N/A
|
12.24% to 22.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good
|
+See More Cards with Low Ongoing APRs
Most credit cards come with a range of potential APRs, with the exact APR you are offered dependent upon your credit risk. Choosing a card with a low APR range can be a good way of ensuring you are offered a low rate (if approved).
The only guaranteed way to obtain lower interest rates, however, is to improve your credit profile. Paying down debt, limiting new inquiries and new accounts, and always paying your debts on time and as agreed can all help improve your credit score and, thus, your interest rates.
Keep Interest Fees at Bay with the Right Card
Like taxes, fees seem to be an inevitable facet of consumer life. But they don’t have to have the upper hand in every battle.
By choosing the right credit card (and using it responsibly) you can avoid adding interest fees to the long list of extras inflating the cost of your purchases. What’s more, with a good rewards card, you may even gain a little ground of your own.
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CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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