Summary of the best 0% APR credit cards
|
Map name |
Unique Traits |
Awards |
Introduction to APR on purchases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Custom Cash℠ Card | $200 bonus after you spend $750 on purchases in the first three months after opening an account | 5% cash back on your spend category in every billing cycle ($500 spend limit) plus an unlimited 1% cashback on all other purchases. | 0% for 15 months on purchases & 0% for 15 months on balance transfers; standard pa 15.49% – 25.49% (variable) |
| Pursuit of Unlimited Freedom® | Introductory Offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cashback on everything you buy (up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – up to $300 worth! |
5% refund on trips booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3% for purchases in restaurants and pharmacies; 1.5% cashback on all other purchases |
0% initial APR on purchases within 15 months and on balance transfers; regular annual 15.74% – 24.49% Variable |
| Citi Rewards+® Card |
Automatic rounding up to 10 points for each purchase |
2 ThankYou® Points (worth $0.01 in cash/gift cards or $0.01 on trips) at gas stations and supermarkets (maximum spend of $6,000 per year) plus 1x cash back on all the rest |
0% entry fee for 15 months on purchases; regular annual 14.99% – 24.99% (variable) |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ |
$200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months |
5% cashback on combined purchases in bonus categories up to $1,500 each quarter + other cashback benefits |
0% initial APR on purchases within 15 months and on balance transfers; regular annual 15.74% – 24.49% Variable |
| Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card |
0% for 21 months on balance transfers. Current speed 15.24% – 25.24% (variable) applied after. |
N/A |
0% for 12 months on purchases. Current speed 15.24% – 25.24% (variable) applied after. |
| Discover® Cash Back |
Discover will match ALL the cashback you earned at the end of the first year. |
5% cashback at different locations every quarter* |
0% |
*5% cashback categories have a maximum spend of $1,500 and require quarterly activation.
How credit cards work 0% per annum
Credit card companies use promotional interest rates (also called “teaser” or introductory rates) to attract new customers. The premise is simple: for a certain period of time (usually six months to 18 months), any card payments will not earn interest if you make the minimum payments on time.
(Often these promotional 0% APRs also apply to balance transfers, but here let’s focus on using 0% credit cards for new purchases.)
Let’s say you withdraw $5,000 from your credit card with the intention of paying off the balance within a year. Typically at 15% per annum, you pay $416 in interest, paying the card in 12 installments of $451.
With an introductory annual rate of 0%, you can make minimum payments of just $100 per month and pay no interest in the first year. Of course, then you will need cash to pay the entire balance before the expiration of the promotional annual income, otherwise the interest will begin to accrue in accordance with the regular annual interest on the card.
Pros and cons of credit cards 0% for purchases
Benefits of shopping with credit cards 0%
- Make a large purchase with a temporary deferral of interest payments. You can make a large purchase with your credit card, like a home improvement project, and it won’t cost you a dime of interest if you pay off the balance before the promotional interest rate expires.
- Earn extra money with cashback and signup bonuses. Some credit cards offer not only a low initial annual interest rate, but also a cashback on your purchases and a bonus for spending a certain amount on the card in the first few months. So if you can pay for your purchase before the 0% APR expires, you are in fact earn money for buying something that you were going to buy anyway.
Cons of shopping with credit cards 0%
- It’s still a financial risk. There is a chance that you will have problems with payments and you will not be able to pay off the card before the 0% period expires, which will cost you interest in the end.
- The 0% rate is conditional. Miss a payment – even just for a day – and the bank can cancel the 0% promotional rate.
- There are credit implications. As a general rule, you will need very good credit to get approved for a new card. And getting a significant credit card balance will increase your credit usage, which can hurt your credit score until the balance is paid off.
Summary
If you have no other credit card debt, a solid credit score, and an emergency fund large enough to cover your expenses for several months, you may be in a good position to use the 0% APR promotion on your purchase. But think about what kind of purchases you plan to make with the card.
- Are shopping absolutely necessary? For example, did your refrigerator die, or do you just want a new refrigerator because you are tired of the old one? Does your pet need veterinary care?
- Are purchases an investment in yourself, in your career, in your business, or in your home?
If you can answer yes to the above, you might feel pretty comfortable using a zero interest credit card as a tool to buy something with no interest and then pay off the balance over the life of the promotion. If not, you may want to reconsider why you’re willing to borrow to buy things you don’t really need.