AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠ and HSBC Gold Mastercard® credit card are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
Paying interest on credit card debt will quickly wipe out the value of any rewards earned on purchases and can make it difficult to pay down the balance on your credit card. We recommend never carrying a balance on your cards, but, the reality is, whether you have a large purchase on the horizon or an emergency expense you haven’t accounted for, there are times when it isn’t practical or pragmatic to pay down your entire balance at the end of the month.
While many cards offer an introductory 0% APR period on both purchases and balance transfers, we’ve focused this post on cards featuring a 0% intro APR on purchases. Allowing you to take advantage of the purchase protection benefits offered by rewards cards, earn rewards on your purchase, and potentially pay no interest or fees on a large purchase that would cost substantially more using traditional financing.
Top 0% Introductory APR Credit Cards for Purchases
When tossing up between 0% APR cards, it’s essential to ask yourself a few questions, first and foremost being; can you pay off the balance before the end of the introductory-APR period, without making late payments. High credit card interest rates are an inefficient method of financing a purchase, and if you miss a payment, or don’t pay the balance in full before the introductory APR period ends, you’ll be paying double-digit interest rates. Other factors to consider include:
- How much time will it take to pay down the balance? 6 months? 12 months? Longer? This will have a significant impact on the best card for your situation.
- Will points, miles, or cash back provide the best return on your purchase?
- Are there fees to factor into the equation? Annual fees or transaction fees for example.
Once you have a clear idea of your requirements, it's time to find the best card to suit your needs. Below, you'll find some of our favorite 0% intro APR cards listed from the longest 0% intro APR period to the shortest.
| Credit Cards Offering 0% Intro APR on Purchases | 0% APR Period on Purchases | Regular APR | Welcome Offer | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card | 18 billing cycles on purchases | 14.99% - 23.99% Variable APR | Limited time offer: 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 14.99%-23.99%. | $0 |
| HSBC Gold Mastercard® credit card | 18 months | 13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR | N/A | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | 15 months | 18.99% - 28.49% Variable APR | Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | 15 months | 19.24% - 27.99% Variable APR | Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $0 |
| Citi Custom Cash® Card | 15 months | 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR | Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | $0 |
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | 15 months | 20.24% - 29.24% Variable APR - Rates & Fees | Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. | $0 - Rates & Fees |
| Amex EveryDay® Credit Card | 15 months | 14.49% - 25.49% Variable APR | Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. | $0 |
| Discover it® Cash Back | 15 months | 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR | INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched. | $0 |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | 12 months from date of account opening | 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR - Rates & Fees | Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. | $0 - Rates & Fees |
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card | 12 months | 17.49% - 23.49% Variable APR | Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $0 |
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | 12 months | 17.49% - 25.49% Variable APR | Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. | $0 |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | 15 months | 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR | 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | $0 |
| Citi Simplicity® Card | 12 months | 18.24% - 28.99% Variable APR | N/A | $0 |
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
While it doesn't offer the longest 0% APR intro rate on purchases, the Freedom Unlimited stands out from the crowd thanks to its long-term earning potential for Ultimate Rewards.
The card features a 0% introductory APR on purchases for up to 15 months (then 18.99% - 28.49% Variable). While advertised as a cashback card, you’re effectively earning Ultimate Rewards points on purchases if you combine your points with one of the Chase cards that allow transfers to Ultimate Rewards partners.
Read More: Chase Freedom Unlimited Card Review
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card & Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Both the Ink Unlimited and Ink Cash offer up the perfect mix of high-value welcome bonus and extended intro APR period. Not only will new cardholders pay no interest on purchases until the intro APR period ends, but you can land one of the highest cashback bonuses available across all the rewards cards.
Don’t forget, if you also hold an Ultimate Rewards earning card that charges an annual fee, you can combine the points earned on these two cards with those earned on premium Ultimate Rewards earning cards, and transfer them to partners to achieve exponentially higher value!
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of cards available offering 0% intro APR on purchases, plus you can earn a stack of points, miles, or cash back without attracting the high interest charged on traditional credit cards. It’s great that all the cards listed charge no annual fee as it provides access to low (or no) cost finance for larger purchases that accept credit card payments.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
