Planning a big purchase? Put it on a card with a 0% intro APR and pay no interest while you pay it off. Compare every 0% purchase card by intro length, ongoing rate, and rewards, then use the calculator below to see your interest-free monthly payment. Ranked by math. Compensation never changes the order.
See your interest-free monthly payment and how much interest you’d avoid versus putting the purchase on a regular card. Adjust the numbers to match your plan.
Put a large planned expense (furniture, appliances, travel, a repair) on a card with a 0% intro APR on purchases and pay it off over 12–21 months with zero interest. The longer the 0% window, the smaller your required monthly payment.
Model your full walletDivide the purchase by the number of 0% months to get the payment that clears it interest-free. $3,000 over 18 months = ~$167/mo, $0 interest. On a 24% card paying the same amount, you’d lose $400+. There’s no fee to finance purchases at 0%, unlike balance transfers.
Paying off debt instead?Top 0% purchase APR cards by intro window, ongoing rate, and annual fee. We pull them live from our card database, so it stays in sync with the rankings below.
| Card | 0% Purchase period | Ongoing APR | Annual fee | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card U.S. Bank | 21 mo | 16.99%–27.99% | $0 | 88 |
| Slate® Credit Card Chase | 21 mo | 18.49%–28.49% | $0 | 88 |
| Wells Fargo Reflect® Card Wells Fargo | 21 mo | 17.74%, 24.24% or 28.49% variable APR | $0 | 88 |
| BankAmericard® Credit Card Bank of America | 21 mo | 14.99%–25.99% | $0 | 88 |
| BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students Bank of America | 21 mo | 15.24%–26.24% | $0 | 88 |
| Eagle Adapt™ Credit Card USAA | 20 mo | 16.40%-26.40% | $0 | 83 |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card American Express | 18 mo | 19.74%-28.74% | $95 ($0 intro annual fee for the first year) | 75 |
| Truly Simple®
Credit Card Fifth Third | 18 mo | 18.49% - 29.49% | $0 | 75 |
Ranked by our 0% intro-APR score. The longest interest-free purchase windows rank highest here.
It means new purchases charged to the card accrue no interest during the promotional period, typically 12 to 21 months. As long as you make at least the minimum payment each month, every dollar you pay reduces principal. After the intro period, the card’s regular variable APR applies to any remaining balance.
The longest right now is 21 months on purchases: U.S. Bank Shield Visa, Chase Slate, BankAmericard and Wells Fargo Reflect, all with no annual fee. Several rewards cards pair a shorter 0% period with cash back, such as Chase Freedom Unlimited (15 months) and BoA Customized Cash (15 months). See the live rankings above for the current lineup.
No. Unlike a balance transfer (which usually costs a 3–5% transfer fee), there is no fee to make regular purchases at a 0% intro APR. You simply pay for the purchase over time without interest during the promotional window.
Yes. You must make at least the minimum payment every month. Missing a payment can trigger a penalty APR that cancels the intro offer on many cards. Set up autopay for at least the minimum the day you get the card to protect your 0% rate.
The strongest 0% purchase offers target good to excellent credit, typically 670+ FICO. The longest windows (up to 21 months) tend to require stronger profiles. Shorter promotional periods and student versions may be available with fair credit.
Any remaining balance starts accruing interest at the card’s regular variable APR, currently 6%–35% across the 0% cards we track, depending on the card and your credit. Standard 0% purchase cards do not charge back-interest, but aim to pay the balance to zero before the promo clock expires.
Yes. Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% on everything plus 3% on dining and drugstores with 15 months at 0%. BoA Customized Cash earns 3% in a choice category with 15 months. The trade-off: rewards cards usually offer shorter 0% windows than pure long-intro cards.
Keep the account open. Closing it hurts your credit utilization and average account age. If it earns rewards, use it for everyday spending; otherwise keep it as a backup. Use the rewards calculator to find your best next card, and note that cash back is not taxable income. See are credit card rewards taxable.