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Best 0% APR credit cards in 2024

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These 0% interest credit cards can be game-changers when you’ve got a big expense in the near future that you know you won’t be able to pay before the bill is due. But keep in mind they should be for emergencies — not just to buy something you can’t currently afford.

High-interest credit cards can be poison to your finances when you’re struggling to pay down credit card debt. The antidote: opening a 0% APR credit card.

There are two types of interest-free windows:

  • 0% intro APR on new purchases — Any balance you run up on your credit card won’t be charged interest during a defined intro period.
  • 0% intro APR on balance transfers — If you relocate a balance from an existing credit card to your new card, you won’t be charged interest on it during a defined intro period.

Many cards offer both options, but for the purposes of this list, we’re looking at cards that waive interest fees for new purchases.

Overview: Best 0% intro APR credit cards for purchases

Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best overall

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Welcome Offer

Spend $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of opening an account and you’ll receive 20,000 ThankYou Points, worth $200 in cash back.

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent (1% cash back thereafter) - there are no category enrollments to worry about or no need to juggle reward tiers. Eligible 5% categories include: restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, fitness clubs, live entertainment, drugstores, and home improvement stores. You’ll get 1% cash back on everything else you purchase.

Annual Fee

$0

Our Thoughts

Earn bonus 5% cash-back on the category of purchases you make most, up to $500 spent per billing cycle.

Offer details accurate as of 9/6/23

The no-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash Card comes with 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (then a variable APR applies). Balance Transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.

This card is extremely well-rounded. It’s easy to earn points, and the rewards are flexible.

You’ll get $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. You’ll also earn 5% back on up to $500 you spend each billing cycle on whichever of the following categories is your top spending category (then 1% back):

  • Certain streaming services
  • Drugstores
  • Fitness clubs
  • Gas stations
  • Grocery stores
  • Home improvement stores
  • Live entertainment
  • Restaurants
  • Specific travel and transit expenses

You’ll earn 1% back on all other purchases, too.

You can redeem Citi ThankYou® points at a rate of 1 cent each for things like cash back, gift cards, and travel (airfare, hotels, rental cars) through the Citi ThankYou® portal.

However, if you’ve also got either the Citi Prestige (which you can no longer apply for) or the Citi Premier® Card, your points can be way more valuable. That’s because these cards allow you to transfer the points you earn with the Citi Custom Cash into airline miles and hotel points — which can be worth more than 2 cents each, depending on how you use them.

Card info has been independently collected by MoneyUnder30 to help consumers better compare cards. The financial institution did not provide or approve card details.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best for cash back

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.

Rewards

Earn 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year; 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases up to $6,000 per year; 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations up to $6,000 per year, and; 1% Cash Back on all other eligible purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Our Thoughts

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card is a solid option to consider for earning cash back on everyday purchases.

Offer details accurate as of 9/6/23

The no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months. Then, you’ll be charged the ongoing variable APR after, based on creditworthiness.

This is one of the best cash back credit cards on the market for most of us. That’s because it gives you bonus cash in super popular spending categories:

  • 3% cash back with U.S. supermarkets for up to $6,000 in spending each year (then 1%)
  • 3% cash back with U.S. gas stations for up to $6,000 in spending each year (then 1%)
  • 3% cash back with U.S. online retailers for up to $6,000 in spending each year (then 1%)
  • 1% cash back for all other eligible purchases

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday® comes with a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first six months from account opening.

There are two other card features worth mentioning. You’ll get monthly statement credits that can be worth up to $264 per year. You’ll have to pay with your card and enroll it in these benefits to get the credits:

  • Disney Bundle — If you spend at least $12.99 for the Disney Bundle each month (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+), you’ll get a $7 statement credit.
  • Home Chef — Home Chef is a service that delivers meal kits to your door. You’ll get a $15 monthly credit.

Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards®

Card info has been independently collected by MoneyUnder30 to help consumers better compare cards. The financial institution did not provide or approve card details.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months and 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months (followed by an APR of 20.49% - 29.24% Variable)

While Chase tends to market this card’s rewards as “cash back,” they’re actually not. They are Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be redeemed for cash back at 1 cent each. But if you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can transfer those points to airline and hotel partners such as Hyatt, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines. It’s possible to get a much better value than a flat 1 cent per point by doing this.

This card is a Chase Ultimate Rewards® points-earning powerhouse. Chase points are one of our favorite credit card rewards currencies because of all the fun things you can do with them.

Here’s what you’ll earn:

  • 5% back (5 points per dollar) when you book travel (airfare, hotels, rental cars, etc.) through the Chase Travel Portal
  • 5% back (5 points per dollar) on rotating bonus categories each quarter (then 1%) after you activate, for up to $1,500 in purchases — bonus categories usually include things like purchases at grocery stores, Amazon.com, and gas stations
  • 3% back (3 points per dollar) on dining and drugstore purchases
  • 1% back (1 point per dollar) for all other purchases

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ will also give you the change to earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

» MORE: Check out our full Chase Freedom Flex℠ review

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for earning Capital One Miles

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Apply Now →

See Rates & Fees.

  • 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, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
  • Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
  • Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
  • 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 and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • No annual fee
Annual Fee Intro APR, Purchases Intro APR, Balance Transfers Regular APR Credit Needed
$0 0% intro on purchases for 15 months 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
  • Excellent
  • Good

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a 0% intro on purchases for 15 months and 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months. You’ll then get an ongoing APR of 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable), based on creditworthiness.

The card earns:

  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on rental cars and hotels reserved through Capital One Travel
  • Earn 3% cash back on dining, popular streaming services, entertainment, and at grocery stores (not including superstores such as Target and Walmart)
  • 1% back on everything else

Plus, you can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Card is another all-star of the cash back/travel rewards genre of credit cards, similar to the Chase Freedom Flex℠. The cash back you earn with this card can be turned into Capital One miles if you’ve also got a miles-earning card such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, etc. These can be transferred to airline and hotel partners such as Air Canada, British Airways, Wyndham, etc.

» MORE: See card details/apply or read our Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Best for a big welcome bonus

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Apply Now →
  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 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 purchases
  • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
  • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC
Annual Fee Intro APR, Purchases Intro APR, Balance Transfers Regular APR Credit Needed
$0 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months N/A 18.49% - 24.49% Variable Good, Excellent

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months . You’ll then get an ongoing APR of 18.49% - 24.49% Variable, based on creditworthiness.

That’s a below-average introductory APR window, but the card makes up for this with a monster welcome bonus. You’ll earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.. That’s humongous for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee.

As with the Chase Freedom Flex℠, this card technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. That means if you’ve got either the Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred®, you can transfer your rewards to airlines and hotels for outsized value, such as Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, and Southwest.

Here’s what the card earns for spending:

  • 5% back (5 points per dollar) at office supply stores and for internet/cable/phone services on up to $25,000 in combined spending per year (then 1%)
  • 2% back (2 points per dollar) at restaurants and gas stations on up to $25,000 in combined spending per year (then 1%)
  • 1% back for everything else

This is a small business credit card, which means if you don’t have a for-profit venture, you don’t qualify. However, even DoorDash delivery driver, Uber driver, dog walker, babysitter, etc., can qualify as a small business. You don’t need to make hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to get this card.

» MORE: See card details/apply or read our Ink Business Cash® Credit Card review

Citi® Diamond Preferred®: Best for balance transfers

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Welcome Offer

Enjoy 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months of account opening.

Rewards

This card does not offer any rewards on purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Our Thoughts

A no-frills credit card meant for those interested in paying off a large purchase or to complete a balance transfer.

Offer details accurate as of 9/6/23

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months on purchases and 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers. After that a variable APR applies, based on your creditworthiness.

Balance transfers are when you move a balance from one or more cards to another card. If you’ve got a significant balance on a credit card that charges tons of interest, it can be a good idea to transfer that balance to the Citi® Diamond Preferred®. You’ll have 21 months to pay on it interest-free.

Again, you’ll also be free to swipe your card without being charged interest on new purchases for the first 12 months. The tradeoff is that you won’t earn any rewards for your spending. And there is no welcome bonus, unless you count the generous 0% intro APR window.

Card info has been independently collected by MoneyUnder30 to help consumers better compare cards. The financial institution did not provide or approve card details.

What is a 0% intro APR credit card?

Zero-interest credit cards allow you to make purchases — and carry a balance — without being charged interest for a certain amount of time. This is extremely handy for anyone who knows a big expense is in their future and anticipates that they won’t be able to pay it off before the bill comes due.

How does 0% intro APR work?

When you make purchases and don’t pay them off each month, you will incur interest.

Let’s say you’ve got a card that charges 18% APR and you spend $2,000 on the card. If you let that entire balance hang on the card one month after the bill is due, you’ll be charged $30 in interest. If you were to theoretically keep that same balance for a full year, you’d pay $360 in interest.

That’s where a 0% APR comes in handy. Many cards come with zero interest on purchases for a certain window of time after you open the card. You can carry as high of a balance as you want and you won’t be charged interest. Once that window closes, your balance will begin to accrue interest.

Some people use a 0% intro APR credit card as a way to pay down other credit card debt. You can put all new purchases on your 0% APR card and throw all your money toward paying off the credit card(s) that are suckling on your bank account.

One super important note is that you must still make the card’s monthly minimum payment. Even though you’re not being charged interest, you must still keep up with these payments.

Pros & cons of 0% intro APR cards

Pros:

  • Great way to pay off debt — If you’ve got significant balances on high interest-incurring credit cards, you can switch your payments to a 0% intro APR card.
  • Handy for emergencies — If you’ve got an unexpected expense (perhaps related to a medical emergency, automobile repair, etc.), you can use a 0% intro APR card to mitigate the interest charges of these bills.
  • Useful for big purchases — Let’s say you’ve got the means to pay off a large purchase — but you don’t want to drop it all at once. A 0% intro APR card can help you to spread those payments over several months.

Cons:

  • Often small welcome offers — Even the best 0% APR credit cards are often unimpressive when it comes to sign-up bonuses. Many premium credit cards come with bonuses worth potentially thousands of dollars. You almost certainly won’t find that with a 0% APR credit card.
  • Can be deceptive — A 0% intro APR card can give you a false sense of security. You might be persuaded to make purchases you can’t afford because you know you won’t reap the immediate consequences of crippling interest charges.
  • You’re restricted to your credit line — If you’ve got a large purchase or an emergency bill, you’ll be handcuffed by the size of your credit line. If you don’t have a stellar credit score, you may receive just a couple thousand dollars, which may not be enough to cover your bill.

How to choose a 0% APR credit card

There are scores of credit cards with 0% APR. The one you want depends entirely on your needs.

The first step to choosing the right card is to assess your goals. Here are the main questions you should be asking yourself:

  • Are you willing to forfeit the ability to earn valuable rewards for a longer interest-free window?
  • Do you need 0% intro APR for new purchases only, or do you want the ability to transfer a balance, as well?
  • Do you want to earn travel rewards or cash back — or a combination of both?
  • Are rotating bonus categories too much effort to keep track of?

One question you shouldn’t have to contend with is whether you’re willing to pay an annual fee. The best no-interest credit cards don’t charge an annual fee — which helps you to throw all your money toward paying your credit cards.

Summary

While 0% interest credit cards can help with big expenses, let me stress that you shouldn’t use them as an excuse to buy something you can’t currently afford. Don’t let a 0% APR credit card lull you into bad financial habits like buying a giant TV and renovating your house just because you know you can run up a balance and worry about paying it off later.

That 0% interest rate won’t last forever, and when it ends, you need to be ready.

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