15 Best Low-Interest Credit Cards — Compare 0% Intro Rates

Low interest credit cards are important when it comes to those big purchases that may require you to carry a balance for a while. This article explores some of the top low interest cards on the market today.

According to a 2018 survey on credit card ownership from Statista, more than half of the consumers from every age group over 18 reported using credit cards. Of those abstaining from card use, a common reason cited is the potential for accumulating debt.

They have a fair point; collectively, Americans owe more than $1 trillion in credit card debt. The fact is, however, that credit cards aren’t, on their own, inherently dangerous for your finances. The real culprit is actually the high interest rates and fees that often come with your new card.

Thankfully, choosing the right credit card can go a long way toward reducing the debt risks associated with card use, and, of course, personal spending restraint. For instance, paying your balance fully each month will let you avoid interest altogether. For necessary balances, find cards that charge low (or better, no) interest rates.

Balance Transfers | Excellent Credit | Good Credit | Fair Credit | Bad Credit

While choosing the right low-APR offer can help you avoid accumulating a balance on a high-interest card in the first place, it’s not too late if you’ve already made a poor choice for your purchases. All you need is a shiny new balance transfer offer.

In essence, a balance transfer is what it sounds like: you transfer your credit card balance from one credit card to a second credit card with a lower interest rate. The best balance transfer credit card offers will actually come with a 0% introductory APR, meaning you won’t have to pay any interest on your transferred balance for the length of the introductory terms.

2

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

at Chase'ssecure website

0% BALANCE TRANSFER RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

5.0/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
• No annual fee
• No minimum to redeem for cash back
• Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
0% 15 Months	N/A	14.99%–23.74% Variable	$0	Good/Excellent

3

Chase Freedom®

at Chase'ssecure website

0% BALANCE TRANSFER RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

5.0/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
• Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
• 3% intro balance transfer fee when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days your account is open, with a minimum of $5.
• No annual fee

• See application, terms and details.

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	14.99% - 23.74% Variable	$0	Good/Excellent

+See More Balance Transfer Offers

On the down side, issuers aren’t going to give you a balance transfer entirely without cost. Most credit cards will charge a balance transfer fee, typically equal to 2% or 3% of the total transferred balance. That said, the interest rate savings over an 18-month period can more than make up for the fees.

Another thing to note is that you generally can’t transfer a balance between two cards if they are both from the same issuer. For example, you can’t transfer your Chase Freedom® balance to a Chase Freedom Unlimited® (or vice versa).

You’ll also want to be careful to continue making payments on your original card until you’ve received confirmation from both your old and new cards that the balance has been transferred. A balance transfer can generally be completed within 10 days.

At the top of the credit food chain, those with excellent credit typically have credit scores north of 750. These consumers have demonstrated good credit behaviors, such as paying their bills on time every month, as well as maintaining low balances and being stingy about new accounts.

In the credit world, financial diligence gets rewarded, often in the form of low rates and fees. When it comes to credit cards, consumers with excellent credit can find a wide range of great no-interest offers on both new purchases and balance transfers, with many offers lasting 12 months or more.

4

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

at Chase'ssecure website

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

5.0

OVERALL RATING

5.0/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
• No annual fee
• No minimum to redeem for cash back
• Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
0% 15 Months	N/A	14.99%–23.74% Variable	$0	Good/Excellent

6

Chase Freedom®

at Chase'ssecure website

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

5.0

OVERALL RATING

5.0/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
• Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
• 3% intro balance transfer fee when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days your account is open, with a minimum of $5.
• No annual fee

• See application, terms and details.

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	14.99% - 23.74% Variable	$0	Good/Excellent

For those with excellent credit, the choice of 0% APR cards may come down to comparing the non-interest-rate features, rather than simply the terms of your introductory offer. This includes looking at the card’s cash back rewards and signup bonuses, keeping your personal spending habits in mind when comparing rewards programs.

Consumers who are in the “good” credit category generally have credit scores of 700 and up. These applicants will qualify for a number of quality 0% APR offers, but may not receive terms as favorable as those offered to their excellent-credit counterparts.

For instance, offers for good credit consumers may have shorter introductory periods than offers for consumers with excellent credit. These offers may also specify the type of balances that qualify for the low introductory rates — new purchases versus balance transfers — rather than offering the same introductory rate for both.

8

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

at Chase'ssecure website

GOOD CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

5.0

OVERALL RATING

5.0/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
• No annual fee
• No minimum to redeem for cash back
• Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
0% 15 Months	N/A	14.99%–23.74% Variable	$0	Good/Excellent

One of the most important things to remember about 0% APR introductory offers is the “introductory” part. The rate (or lack thereof) being offered is, by nature, a temporary rate, and will expire at the end of the introductory terms.

Introductory offers providing 0% APR will revert to a higher APR at the end of the offer terms.

Because they are temporary rates, you’ll want to determine the interest rates you’ll be charged after the offer period ends when comparing offers. To avoid paying interest fees on your balances, be sure to pay it off completely before the end of the offer.

Possessing credit scores in the 600s, those with fair credit are likely in the process of building — or rebuilding — their credit. As such, the credit card offers these consumers receive will reflect the higher credit risk they represent.

Indeed, no-interest offers for fair-credit consumers will often have much shorter introductory offer terms than the 0% APR offers received by those with better credit. Fair-credit offers may also have other requirements, such as status as a student.

10

Milestone® Mastercard® – Less Than Perfect Credit Considered

at the issuer'ssecure website

FAIR CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.5

OVERALL RATING

3.9/5.0

Our Review »

• Prequalify for a card today and it will not impact your credit score
• Less than perfect credit is okay
• Mobile account access at any time
• Protection from fraud if your card is stolen
• Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S.

• *Dependent on credit worthiness

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	24.9%	$35 - $99	Bad, Poor Credit

For some applicants, especially those on the lower end of the “fair” category, the choice may come down to selecting a card that simply has a lower all-around interest rate. The rates for these cards will vary based on your individual creditworthiness.

As most consumers with bad credit are likely already aware, few issuers are willing to offer low-interest cards to those who present the highest credit risk. In most cases, this means credit scores below 600, though each credit card issuer (and even each specific credit card) will have its own particular credit standards.

For those with bad credit, the lowest interest rates will likely be found on secured credit cards. Requiring a cash down payment to open, a secured credit card otherwise will act exactly like a regular unsecured credit card when you make purchases.

13

First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard® Secured Credit Card

at First Progress'ssecure website

SECURED RATING

★★★★★

3.9

OVERALL RATING

2.9/5.0

Our Review »

• Invest your tax refund to improve your credit by making the refundable deposit for your new secured card today
• No Credit History or Minimum Credit Score Required for Approval
• Monthly Reporting to all 3 Major Credit Bureaus to Establish Credit History
• Credit Line Secured by Your Fully-Refundable Deposit of $200 -- $2,000 Submitted with Application
• Nationwide Program though not yet available in NY, IA, AR, or WI *See Card Terms.
• Apply in just a few moments with no negative impact to your credit score; no credit inquiry will be recorded in your credit bureau file

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	9.99% (V)	$49	Bad / No Credit

14

First Progress Platinum Select MasterCard® Secured Credit Card

at First Progress'ssecure website

SECURED RATING

★★★★★

3.8

OVERALL RATING

2.7/5.0

Our Review »

• Invest your tax refund to improve your credit by making the refundable deposit for your new secured card today
• Receive Your Card More Quickly with New Expedited Processing Option
• No Credit History or Minimum Credit Score Required for Approval
• Quick and Complete Online Application
• Full-Feature Platinum Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
• Good for Car Rental, Hotels; Anywhere Credit Cards Are Accepted!

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	13.99% (V)	$39	Poor/Limited/No Credit

When it comes to choosing a card with bad credit, you’ll want to be sure your new card reports to all three major credit bureaus. This will allow you to build your credit and increase your credit score over time as you (responsibly) use your new card.

For many, the idea of paying the average 16.6% APR on their credit card purchases (or worse, more) can be scary — but it doesn’t have to be. Today’s consumers have a variety of options available to avoid paying high interest rates on both new purchases and an existing balance.

Of course, the best way to avoid paying interest on your purchases is to completely pay your credit card balance every month. But qualified applicants can still find interest-fee-free ways to carry a balance on their cards with a little research and a sweet low-interest credit card offer.