The biggest downside of most credit cards is the high interest rates — often around 30% APR. Coupled with high balances and hefty late fees, credit cards can quickly become a hindrance rather than a helpful financial tool. But there are a few credit cards with zero interest and many more with long 0% APR intro periods for purchases and 0% APR balance transfer offers to help get debt under control.
The Step Black card has zero interest, no credit check, no overdraft fees, up to 8% cashback rewards, early direct deposit, access to Visa Signature events and up to $1 million in FDIC insurance coverage. The Step Black card is a secured card backed by the free Step deposit account. Your credit limit is based on what you have in the deposit account. Each month, your Step deposit account covers your outstanding balance on your Step Black card, so there are no interest charges. The Step Black card costs $4.99 per month, but you can get that fee waived with direct deposit of at least $500 per month.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank. To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits. Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month. *Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.
Chime is a fintech company that offers banking through its partners, The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A. The Chime Credit Builder card is a secured credit card with no credit check, no annual fees and zero interest. To get the card, you need the Chime checking account and move money from that account to the Chime Credit Builder card to set your spending limit. Additionally, you must make qualifying direct deposits of at least $200 into the Chime checking account to qualify for the card, but the account is free to open and maintain.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank. To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits. Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month. *Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank. To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits. Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month. *Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.
Fizz debit card
The Fizz card is a secured card that works like a debit card. It has no interest charges, monthly fees or overdraft fees, and there's no credit check. Your outstanding balance is automatically repaid, so you don't carry a balance over month-to-month that can be charged interest. The Fizz card also features cashback rewards suited for students, with daily rates of up to 25% cash back and flash rates that can reach 100% cash back.
The Visa Varo Believe card is designed to help you build a better credit score without the worry of debt. It doesn't charge any interest, and there's no hard credit check or minimum security deposit. Similar to the Fizz and Step cards, the Varo Believe card is backed by a deposit account: The Varo Believe Secured Account. Set your spending limit and enjoy no interest or monthly fees. However, the card doesn't have a rewards program.
The Cleo Credit Builder card is a secured card with zero interest. The security deposit can be as low as $1, there's no hard credit check and Cleo reports to all three major credit bureaus. You can enable Carefree Credit Building, where your deposit repays your balance at the end of each month. To get the card, you need the Credit Builder membership for $14.99 per month. The membership comes with a ton of perks, including the Cleo AI that can help you budget and roast your spending habits, cash advances, cashback rewards and more. But there's no way to waive the $14.99 monthly fee.
Current is a fintech company with banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Cross River Bank. The Current Build card is a secured charge card with zero interest, no annual fees and no hard credit check. It starts with a free Current account, which the Build card is attached to. The Build card's spending limit is based on what you deposit. The only fee to worry about is a 3% late fee.
Pros
Zero interest
No annual fees
No hard credit check
Cons
3% late fee
Requires Current account
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% APR - Purchases are made using your Current Account balance
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card scooped the slot for best overall 0% intro APR credit card thanks to its additional benefits. Offering a 0% intro period of 21 months on purchases and balance transfers, it's one of the longest zero-interest periods you can find. US Bank also offers identity theft protection powered by Norton LifeLock, cell phone protection, and there's no annual fee.
Pros
0% APR for 21 months on purchases and balance transfers
Cell phone protection
ID theft protection
No annual fees
Cons
Must transfer balance within 60 days to get 0% balance transfer APR offer
No welcome offers
3% foreign transaction fee
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 21 billing cycles (then 18.74% to 29.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 18 billing cycles (then 19.74% to 29.74% variable)
The Wells Fargo Reflect Card offers one of the longest 0% intro periods for both purchases and balance transfers. If you meet the card's APR extension requirements, you'll get 0% APR for 21 months on purchases and on balance transfers. The card's cell phone protection and roadside assistance simply affirm this card's value.
Pros
21-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
No annual fee
No penalty APR
Cell phone protection and roadside assistance
Cons
No rewards program
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 21 months (then 18.24%, 24.74% or 29.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 18.24%, 24.74% or 29.99% variable)
With a higher-than-average rewards rate on groceries, gas and online retail, this card is worth adding to your wallet for the rewards alone. However, it also comes with one of the longest interest-free periods on purchases available, letting you make purchases and pay them off interest-free over 15 months.
Pros
15 months 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (19.24% to 29.99% variable APR after the intro period)
Up to 3% cash back on select categories
Welcome offer
Cons
Caps on cashback earnings
2.7% foreign transaction fee
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.24% to 29.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.24% to 29.99% variable) Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Welcome Offer
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns big rewards in several categories, including 5% back on travel booked through Chase and 3% back on drugstores and dining. Pair it with a Chase Sapphire card and even your base 1.5% cash back becomes either 1.87% or 2.25% for travel redemption. The intro 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months is the cherry on top.
Pros
15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
Unlimited 1.5% cash back
3% to 5% cash back on select purchases
Cashback match offer
Cons
3% foreign transaction fee
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable) $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days
Welcome Offer
Earn unlimited matched cash back. At the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned. There is no limit to how much you can earn.
This card lets you earn back on rotating categories as well as a high cashback rate on the same categories recently added to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 5% back on travel booked through Chase and 3% back on dining and drugstores. It offers the same 15 months of 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers as the Chase Freedom Unlimited, meaning you can choose the one that best suits your spending preferences — or both if you want to build the Chase Trifecta. However, the 5% cash back is only up to $1,500 each quarter you active.
Pros
15-month 0% intro APR on purchases
and balance transfers
Up to 5% cash back in select rotating categories
Welcome offer
Cons
Need to activate your cashback categories
Must wait for new categories to be launched
3% foreign transaction fee
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable) $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days
If you want to squeeze the most out of your 0% intro balance transfer APR period, try the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. You'll get 12 months of 0% APR on purchases and a long 0% APR for 21 months on balance transfers. Plus, it offers free access to your FICO credit score.
Pros
21-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers
12-month 0% purchase APR
Free FICO score credit monitoring
Cons
No rewards
No welcome offers
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 18.24% to 28.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 21 months (then 18.24% to 28.99% variable) Balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Finder’s experts compared hundreds of secured and unsecured credit cards to find zero-interest options. For secured card options, we only looked at cards with 0% APR. For unsecured cards, we compared the length of the 0% APR period if offered. We also favor cards with rewards programs or unique credit-building opportunities such as credit-monitoring tools, and we only consider cards that report payments to all three major credit bureaus.
Unsecured cards must meet this criteria to be considered:
0% APR introductory period of at least 15 months on purchases or balance transfers
Reports payments to all three major credit bureaus
Secured cards must meet this criteria to be considered:
Zero interest charges
Minimum security deposit below $200
Reports payments to all three major credit bureaus
How to choose a zero-interest credit card
When choosing a 0% APR credit card, first determine whether you need an intro APR on balance transfers or purchases or never want to be charged interest. From there, consider a few financial factors to pick the best card for you.
Secured or unsecured? Unsecured credit cards, or traditional cards, don’t require a security deposit but tend to be harder to qualify for than secured credit cards. Secured credit cards can either be backed by an account or a cash deposit, but they typically have lower credit limits than traditional credit cards.
0% intro period length. The longer you can go without worrying about interest charges, the better. You’ll find intro lengths ranging from 6 to 20 months.
Purchase or balance transfer. You have two primary choices for a 0% APR card — a balance transfer offer or an intro APR on purchases, and some credit cards feature both offers. What you need ultimately determines what cards are available for you.
Review the card’s revert APR. If you plan on carrying a balance, pay attention to the card’s revert APR after the intro period. This is also important if you can’t pay off your balance transfer before the intro period ends, as your remaining debt builds interest based on this revert rate.
Long-term goals. If you want to use your card well past the intro APR period, look for a card with rewards or benefits that can bring you value after the intro period ends.
Credit score requirements. The best credit cards usually require the best credit scores. If your credit score isn’t great, consider secured cards with lenient credit score requirements or skip the hard credit check completely.
Between purchase and balance transfer intro offers, you can choose from dozens of 0% intro APR credit cards. If none of our top picks suit your needs, compare other 0% intro APR credit cards for more options.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need to make payments during my 0% intro APR period?
Yes. One of the biggest misconceptions about a 0% intro APR period is that you don’t have to make payments. You must make at least the minimum monthly payment to avoid late fees, and missing a payment can also mean losing your promotional interest rate.
What is the downside of a balance transfer?
Even if a credit card offers a 0% APR period for balance transfers, most credit card issuers charge a balance transfer fee, typically around 3% to 5% of the amount you’re transferring. And if you’re going with a credit card for its 0% balance transfer intro period, be sure you can pay down the balance within the intro period or you’ll start being charged interest on the outstanding balance.
Are 0% APR credit cards always available?
No. Cards with 0% APR offers tend to be limited-time offers.
How we rate our cards
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★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.
Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full profile
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