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A credit card offering 0% APR can help you save money when you need to carry a balance.

Let's say you have a $1,350 balance on a card with a 16.99% APR that you want to pay off in equal monthly payments. Transferring that balance to a card with 0% APR for 15 months and paying it off within the time frame could save you $136 in interest — and when you take into account a 3% balance transfer fee of about $40, you still save $95 overall.

Insider reviewed dozens of credit cards with introductory 0% APR offers to come up with 12 best-in-class products. We considered factors like annual fees, intro periods, and rewards to help find the right card for you.

Compare the best 0% APR and low-interest credit cards

It seems counterintuitive, but another credit card could be just what you need to pay off your credit card debt for good. Some credit cards with introductory 0% intro APR periods allow you to transfer a balance from another credit card. Cards in this category might let you pay 0% interest on purchases, balance transfers, or both for a specified period of time that can range from nine to 21 months.

Some 0% intro APR cards that allow balance transfers require a balance transfer fee upfront — but the interest savings can easily outweigh the fee by hundreds or thousands of dollars. Especially if your financial situation has been impacted by unemployment or other pandemic factors, a credit card with a 0% intro APR offer can give you some breathing room to get back on your feet.

Before you consider taking advantage of a 0% intro APR offer, be sure you have the means and a plan to pay off the balance before the introductory period expires — otherwise, you could be on the hook for high-interest charges. Also, keep in mind you're still responsible for making at least the minimum payment on your card each month, even with a 0% intro APR offer.

The best 0% APR credit card reviews

Citi Diamond Preferred Card

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months, followed by a 16.74% - 27.49% Variable APR.

Balance transfer fee: 5% (minimum $5)

Annual fee: $0

Review: Citi Diamond Preferred review

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers one of the longest 0% introductory offers on the market today. A balance transfer fee of 5% (a minimum of $5) applies, but this card is still ideal for anyone with a ton of high-interest debt they want to consolidate and pay down over time.

It's currently offering a limited-time welcome bonus of $150 statement credit after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

Citi Simplicity Card

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months, followed by a 17.74% - 28.49% Variable APR.

Balance transfer fee:  3% intro balance transfer fee (minimum $5) applies for the first four months, then 5% balance transfer fee (minimum $5) 

Annual fee: $0

Review: Citi Simplicity card review

If you want to consolidate high-interest credit card debt without having to worry about extra fees or penalty rates, the Citi Simplicity® Card is a great choice. It offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months (then a 17.74% - 28.49% Variable APR).

The card doesn't add late fees or charge a penalty rate, and there's no annual fee either. You won't earn rewards for your spending, but if debt consolidation is a priority, this card is a good choice.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening, followed by a 18.74%, 23.74%, or 28.74% variable APR

Balance transfer fee: Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening (after that, up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5)

Annual fee: $0

Review: Wells Fargo Active Cash card review

If you're looking for a card with a solid welcome bonus offer and strong cash back rewards earning on all purchases, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is an excellent choice. New cardholders earn $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The card's intro APR offer is generous, and you'll have access to a number of good benefits, including cell phone protection. Just be aware this card charges foreign transaction fees, so it's not a good pick for travels overseas.

Citi Double Cash Card

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, followed by a 17.74% - 27.74% Variable APR.

Balance transfer fee: 5% (minimum $5)

Annual fee: $0

Review: Citi Double Cash credit card review

The Citi® Double Cash Card is popular with consumers since it offers 2% back for everything you buy — 1% (1 point per dollar) when you make a purchase and another 1% (1 point per dollar) when you pay it off. You'll also secure a lucrative 0% intro APR offer that can help you save thousands of dollars on interest for a limited time. 

It doesn't normally offer a welcome bonus, but for a limited time, you can earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

The Citi® Double Cash Card earns rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which you can redeem at a rate of 1 cent apiece for cash back, travel, merchandise, gift cards, and more. 

The Citi® Double Cash Card is one-third of the Citi Trifecta, along with the Citi Premier® Card and Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. This trio of Citi cards can supercharge your ThankYou Rewards balance by earning anywhere from 2x to 5x rewards on every single purchase.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, followed by a 17.99% - 26.74% Variable

Balance transfer fee: Intro fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer (minimum $5), on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that: 5% of the amount of each transfer (minimum $5).

Annual fee: $0

Review: Chase Freedom Unlimited card review

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® starts new customers off with 1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back). 

They can also earn 5% back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, 3% back on dining and drugstores, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When you consider the card's intro APR offer, it's easy to see why it's best for consumers who want to earn rewards on a big purchase and pay down their balance without any interest over time. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (and the Chase Freedom Flex℠) recently added balance transfers to its 0% intro APR offer, which makes this an even better deal.

Citi Custom Cash Card

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months, followed by a 17.74% - 27.74% Variable APR

Balance transfer fee: 5% (minimum $5)

Annual fee: $0

Review: Citi Custom Cash credit card review

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a great choice if your spending habits tend to change from month to month. It offers a welcome bonus of $200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. In addition, cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%), and 1% on all other purchases.

The qualifying categories include everyday expenses that should appeal to most folks: restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.

Although it's marketed as a cash-back card, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card actually earns rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which are worth 1 cent apiece for cash back, travel booked through Citi, gift cards, merchandise, and more. And again, if you have a Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants), you can pool your rewards and transfer points to Citi's airline and hotel partners.

Chase Freedom Flex

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, followed by a 17.99% - 26.74% Variable APR.

Balance transfer fee: Intro fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer (minimum $5), on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that: 5% of the amount of each transfer (minimum $5).

Annual fee: $0

Review: Chase Freedom Flex card review

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a bonus of $200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 

It also earns 5% back on up to $1,500 spent in rotating bonus categories like Amazon and streaming services when you activate each quarter (then 1%) and on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal. It also offers 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases. From October 1 to December 31, 2022, the Chase Freedom 5x categories are Walmart and PayPal.

This card is a great option for anyone who wants to avoid interest payments for a limited time while earning rewards on their purchases. Keep in mind that with the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited, if you pair your card with a Chase card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — your rewards become more flexible, as you have the option to transfer points to Chase's airline and hotel partners in addition to redeeming for cash back.

Not sure which Freedom card is right for you? Check out our comparison of the different Freedom credit cards for a full rundown of earnings, benefits, and perks.

Amex Blue Cash Everyday

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening, followed by a 17.74% - 28.74% Variable APR

Annual fee: $0

Review: Amex Blue Cash Everyday credit card review

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers a welcome bonus of a $100 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in the first 6 months of card membership and up to $150 back by earning 20% back as a statement credit on purchases when you shop with PayPal in the first 6 months.

You can also earn 3% back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year (then 1%), 3% back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year (then 1%), 3% back on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year (then 1%), and 1% back on everything else (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits). 

Capital One Quicksilver

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), followed by a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR

Balance transfer fee: 3% for balance transfers that post to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open (or at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time). None for transferred balances at the purchase APR after the first 15 months that your account has been open.

Annual fee: $0

Review: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card review

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card earns an unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 1.5% back on all other eligible purchases, and that's on top of the welcome offer: One-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months of account opening.

Since this card also comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months) (then a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR), it's an excellent option for debt consolidation or avoiding interest on large purchases. 

Capital One SavorOne 

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), followed by a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR

Balance transfer fee: 3% for balance transfers that post to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open (or at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time). None for transferred balances at the purchase APR after the first 15 months that your account has been open.

Annual fee: $0

Review: Capital One SavorOne credit card review

If your goal is earning cash back while saving on interest on purchases, check out the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. This card has a good welcome offer: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

You also earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 3% back on dining, grocery stores, entertainment, and streaming services, and 1% back on everything else you buy. There's no annual fee, and you'll qualify for a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), then a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR.

Discover it Cash Back

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 14.99% - 25.99% Variable APR

Balance transfer fee: 3% intro fee; then up to 5% on future balance transfers (see terms)

Annual fee: $0

Review: Discover it Cash Back credit card review

Also, consider the Discover it® Cash Back if you want to earn rewards and save money on interest without an annual fee. Once you enroll, this card lets you earn 5% back on up to $1,500 spent in quarterly bonus categories that change every three months (then 1%) plus 1% back on all other purchases (from October 1 to December 31, 2022, you can earn 5% cash back at Amazon.com and on digital wallets on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%).

You'll also have all your rewards matched after your first year of card membership, which works as a delayed welcome bonus of sorts. And that's not to mention the lucrative intro APR offer this card extends.

If you're looking specifically for a long balance transfer period, the Discover it® Balance Transfer is an even better choice for new cardholders with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months and on purchases for 6 months (after that, there's a 14.99% - 25.99% Variable APR). Here's our full Discover it Balance Transfer card review.

Chase Slate Edge

Introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months from account opening, then a 17.99% - 26.74% Variable APR

Balance transfer fee: 3% (or $5, whichever is greater) for balance transfers made in the first 60 days of account opening; after that, the fee goes up to 5%

Annual fee: $0

Review: Chase Slate Edge card review

The Chase Slate Edge℠ comes with no welcome bonus offer, and it doesn't earn rewards. It's geared toward those who are taking steps to improve their financial situation, and offers features that can help you increase your credit score and reduce the amount of interest you pay.

One benefit designed to help you build your credit is an automatic, one-time review for a higher credit limit if you've paid on time and spent at least $500 in your first six months of opening the Chase Slate Edge℠. A higher limit could improve your credit utilization ratio and potentially give your credit score a boost.

In addition, on each account anniversary, you'll be considered for a 2% APR reduction, as long as you've paid your card on time and spent at least $1,000 on purchases in the previous anniversary year. The reduction is capped, though — it will only be reduced until your APR reaches the Prime Rate plus 9.74% (currently 15.24% variable APR based on the Prime Rate of 5.5% as of August 2, 2022). 

The best credit cards with 0% APR offers

Here's a roundup of cards with relatively low-interest rates, including their introductory APR offer and their interest rate ranges for comparison.

• Discover it® Cash Back: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a 14.99% - 25.99% Variable APR
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), then a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening, then a 17.74% - 28.74% Variable APR
• Citi® Double Cash Card: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months(when transfers are completed within 4 months from date of account opening), then a 17.74% - 27.74% Variable APR
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), then a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR
• Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months, then a 16.74% - 27.49% Variable APR
• Chase Freedom Flex℠: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then a 17.99% - 26.74% Variable APR

For comparison's sake, here are some credit cards, including some rewards cards, without intro APR offers and with APRs that start much higher than those on the cards above: 

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: No intro APR offer; then a 18.99% - 26.99% Variable APR
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: No intro APR offer; then a variable APR of 18.99% - 25.99% Variable APR
• Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: No intro APR offer; then a 28.49% Variable APR

Credit card issuers are allowed to charge whatever interest rate they want; they only have to disclose the rate in the card's terms and conditions. You should always make sure you know the interest rate range of the card you apply for, and when you receive the card, check the rate you were approved for.

Intro 0% APR credit cards frequently asked questions (FAQ)