Let’s talk about cheap credit cards — that is — cards with low interest rates and no fees. When you think about it, fees are a lot like the ninjas of the credit card world. They’re excellent at hiding, they can sneak up on you when you least expect it — and they can cost you a limb if you’re not careful. But while ninjas are notoriously difficult to best, most credit card fees can be defeated simply by choosing the right card (and using it wisely).
The key to minimizing the costs of your credit card is to select a cheap card to begin with. This means choosing a card with a low APR to avoid high interest fees if you’re prone to carrying a balance, or keeping a low (or, better, $0) balance on a card with no annual or service fees to avoid extra costs altogether. Let’s take a look at some of our top choices for credit cards on the market today that feature low APR offers and no fees.
Compare the Best “Low APR” Credit Cards
Unlike one-and-done annual and service fees, interest rate charges aren’t temporary house guests; every billing cycle you carry a balance can mean more interest fees added to the pile. And while you can avoid interest charges by paying off your balance during the card’s grace period (i.e., before your due date), it simply isn’t an option for every cardholder on every statement.
Thankfully, there are ways to skip the interest fees — or, at least, minimize them — with the right credit card. Whether you have a big purchase coming up, want a lower rate on a balance you already carry, or just want a card that always offers a low APR, you can find a way to cut your credit card interest costs.
Intro-APR New Purchases | Intro-APR Balance Transfers | Low Ongoing APR
Best Credit Cards with 0% Intro-APR on New Purchases
Credit cards can be a fantastic way to make a big purchase, both because of the ease of use — no bulky stacks of cash to carry to and fro — and the awesome rewards you can earn. What’s less fantastic are the high interest charges that big purchase can accrue if you fail to pay off your balance before the end of your billing cycle. That’s where introductory 0% APR credit card offers can save you a bundle.
Though the best intro-APR credit card offers will require good to excellent credit to qualify, they can provide up to 18 months of interest-free financing. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on all of your eligible new purchases. Many of our favorite intro-APR new purchase deals, such as the ones listed below, also come free from annual fees, making them truly cheap credit cards.
- 0% Introductory APR for 21 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 15.49% - 25.49% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- No annual fee.
- No penalty APR. Paying late won't automatically raise your interest rate (APR). Other account pricing and terms apply.
- Access your FICO® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 21 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 21 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
15.49% - 25.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- Start off strong with 0% Intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. A variable APR of 19.49% - 28.24% on balance transfers and purchases after the introductory period ends.
- Lower your interest rate by 2% each year. Automatically be considered for an APR reduction when you pay on time, and spend at least $1000 on your card by your next account anniversary.
- Raise your credit limit. Get an automatic, one-time review for a higher credit limit when you pay on time, and spend $500 in your first six months.
- All for no annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Slate Edge℠ card
- Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 18 months
|
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 18 months
|
19.49% - 28.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87%-2.62% cash back on every purchase with Preferred Rewards.
- No annual fee.
- No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire.
- 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Intro-APR New Purchases Credit Cards
An important thing to remember about introductory-APR deals is the “introductory” part. Once your promotional period expires, your purchase APR will revert to the default APR, which can be found in the cardholder agreement. Be sure to pay off your new purchases before the end of your intro-APR period to avoid being charged interest on those purchases. And go ahead and set a calendar alert on your smartphone or in your email to remind when that introductory rate is set to expire, just to be on the safe side.
Best Credit Cards with 0% Intro-APR on Balance Transfers
While lower-APR credit cards are certainly out there (several are listed in the next section, in fact), cards with high APRs are just as — if not more — abundant in the modern marketplace. Whether you had poor credit once upon a time, are paying a penalty APR for an old mistake, or otherwise got trapped with a high-interest credit card, you may have a way out: an introductory 0% APR balance transfer deal.
The best intro-APR balance transfer credit card deals last 15 months or more, during which time you’ll pay no interest on eligible transferred balances. Although most credit cards will charge a balance transfer fee to transfer a balance onto that card, our list of top-rated balance transfer cards includes a fee-free option.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- No annual fee.
- Click through to Discover’s website to see terms and conditions.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
|
0% Intro APR for 18 months
|
16.49% - 27.49% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- 0% Introductory APR for 21 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 15.49% - 25.49% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- No annual fee.
- No penalty APR. Paying late won't automatically raise your interest rate (APR). Other account pricing and terms apply.
- Access your FICO® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 21 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 21 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
15.49% - 25.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- Start off strong with 0% Intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. A variable APR of 19.49% - 28.24% on balance transfers and purchases after the introductory period ends.
- Lower your interest rate by 2% each year. Automatically be considered for an APR reduction when you pay on time, and spend at least $1000 on your card by your next account anniversary.
- Raise your credit limit. Get an automatic, one-time review for a higher credit limit when you pay on time, and spend $500 in your first six months.
- All for no annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Slate Edge℠ card
- Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 18 months
|
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 18 months
|
19.49% - 28.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
+See More Intro-APR Balance Transfer Credit Cards
There are a few things to note when it comes to balance transfers, starting with the fact that you won’t earn rewards on transferred balances; only new purchases typically earn rewards. Additionally, balance transfers aren’t subject to the new purchase grace period that allows you to avoid interest fees. This means your transferred balance can start accruing interest right away if you don’t have an intro-APR deal.
Best Credit Cards with Low Ongoing APRs
For all that intro-APR offers can save cardholders tons of money in interest fees, they are, by nature, temporary deals. Once your introductory period expires, you’ll be charged the default interest rate for that purchase type, be it new purchases or transferred balances. If you’re prone to carrying balances over the long term, you may fare best with a credit card that offers a low ongoing APR.
The APR you are offered for a specific card depends on your credit score and the card’s available APR range. Those with the best credit scores will be offered the lowest interest rates, but you can skew the odds in your favor by applying for a card with a low APR range in the first place. Our favorite low-APR cards offer rates as low as 11.99% to qualified applicants.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on Balance Transfers and Convenience Checks that post to your account within 90 days of account opening. After this time, the Variable Regular APR will apply to your balance.
- Our lowest-rate card: Pay less in interest if you carry a balance from month to month
- Travel benefits include Auto Rental Coverage, Travel Accident Insurance, Baggage Delay and Reimbursement, and Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- This offer is only open to members of military-affiliated groups and their families
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
0% for 15 Months
|
9.15% - 26.15% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Good to Excellent
|
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 16.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
16.49% - 27.49% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- Earn 40,000 Bonus Points when you spend $4,000 within 90 days of account opening
- Free year of Amazon Prime®
- Receive 3X points on travel purchases and 2X points on everything else
- Receive statement credits (up to $100) for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
- No balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees, or cash advance fees
- Worldwide Automatic Travel Accident Insurance, plus travel and emergency assistance
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
14.24% - 18.00% Variable
|
$49
|
Very Good/Excellent
|
+See More Low Ongoing APR Credit Cards
Since your credit score is the major factor that decides your interest rates, the best way to get better (read: lower) rates, is to improve your credit score. Depending on your initial score, something as simple as paying down current credit card balances could lead to a credit score increase and allow you to get a lower interest rate.
Compare the Best “No Fee” Credit Cards
Of course, even if you diligently pay your balances and make use of introductory-APR offers to eliminate interest charges, you aren’t out of the proverbial fire. There are plenty more credit card fees waiting to inflate the cost of your card, including annual maintenance fees, as well as service fees for using specific features of your card.
However, just as you can avoid interest fees with the right card and a little diligence, so, too, can you reduce — or even eliminate — the myriad other fees that turn a cheap credit card into a costly one. And that doesn’t simply mean avoiding all of your card’s benefits and services; you can have your bells and whistles, and play them, too.
No Annual Fee | No Balance Transfer Fee | No Foreign Transaction Fee
Best Credit Cards with No Annual Fees
Credit card annual fees are an all-purpose type of fee, generally charged to cover various perks and rewards offered by the card, such as airline credits or cash back rewards. As such, the only real way to avoid paying an annual fee is to choose a credit card that doesn’t charge one.
Happily, a large number of credit cards are available that come annual-fee-free — and you won’t need to forfeit rewards for the privilege, either. Not only can you find no annual fee cards that provide awesome rewards rates, but also solid signup bonuses, including great intro-APR deals. Start comparing your options with our expert-rated picks below.
10. Chase Freedom Flex℠
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
|
Additional Disclosure: The information related to Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 16.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
16.49% - 27.49% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.49% - 28.24%.
- No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
|
19.49% - 28.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
+See More Credit Cards with No Annual Fees
Although you certainly can find great cards without annual fees, sometimes that annual fee may be worth the cost. For example, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card charges a $95 annual fee, but provides 6% cash back rewards on your first $6,000 worth of grocery purchases each year. So, you’d only need to spend about $32 a week on groceries with your card to break even on the annual fee — less than a third of what a typical family spends.
Best Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees
Traveling abroad can be an exciting experience, full of new places, new people — and new currencies. But where each border crossing once required changing out one pocket of strange bills and coins for another, credit cards have made the currency transition almost painless — almost. The convenience of having your credit card deal with the currency conversion comes with a cost: foreign transaction fees.
Generally charged to cover the costs of converting your funds to and from American dollars, foreign transaction fees are typically between 2% and 4% of your purchase total, which can add up quickly. As with annual fees, the only real way to avoid foreign transaction fees (other than avoiding foreign transactions) is to choose a card that doesn’t charge them, starting with our top options below.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 16.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
16.49% - 27.49% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% - 28.24% (Variable)
|
$95
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees
When most people think of foreign transaction fees, they tend to picture an overseas trip and purchases made in a foreign land. In actuality, you can make foreign transactions right from your living room. That’s because most purchases made in a another currency (or that pass through a foreign bank) can qualify as a foreign transaction — and be charged as one. Contact your issuer if you’re concerned a specific transaction may accrue fees.
Cheap Doesn’t Have to Mean Feature-Free
Credit card costs can be sneaky, tricky things, often hiding in the fine print like ninjas in shadows. But while you’d have to live a life on the lam to avoid a ninja out to get you, most credit card fees can be easily avoided with the right card and responsible credit card behaviors.
And, even better, you won’t need to live without perks and rewards to find a cheap credit card, particularly if your credit is good to excellent. With a quality credit score, you can say “Sayonara” to credit card fees without giving up the benefits of being a cardholder.
Advertiser Disclosure
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 for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (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: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
Share This Article
About the Author
