Update 12/29/23: Some people are seeing Chase Slate with a better 21-month 0% APR offer now when logged into their Chase account. (ht JohnnyBoyJr)
General
During the current high-interest environment, 0% APR offers can be useful for cashing out and parking the cash in a high-yield savings account or CD. These are typically found with new credit card approvals, and occasionally banks will send them out for existing customers as well.
Some readers asked for a list of 0% APR cards, and so I’ve put what I found (some from the comments a recent post where I discussed using a 0% APR offer). Hopefully readers will add and update this list as things evolve. I’ll try adding below any 0% offer of 12 months or longer. Feel free to discuss offers and strategies in the comments below.
Below we’ve listed all cards we’ve found which have 0% APR on purchases and/or balance transfers for 12 months or more. If you use the 0% purchases option there won’t be any fees. Most 0% balance transfer offers have an initial fee, typically it’s 3-5%. We’ve listed below a few options with no fee at all.
We only list cards which have a completely fee-free option: either 0% APR on purchases or 0% on balance transfers with no initial balance transfer fee.
Caveats
A few caveats:
- Be sure to always double-check that there is no initial transaction fee (typically it’s 3%), especially for balance transfers – even when it’s 0% there’s often an initial 3% fee with those.
- Always be sure to check the details well before applying on the actual card application page. Offers are constantly changing, and even the same card might have differing APR offers, depending on the card version or the offer landing page.
- With some banks you only get a small window (say, 60 days) where you can make a purchase or balance transfer to trigger the 0% APR offer. With other issuers, you get the full offer window (e.g. 12 months) to make the purchase or transfer and still get the 0% APR offer.
- And finally, be sure to always make the minimum payments. And be sure to pay off the balance entirely before the promotional period ends!
A few other general notes:
- Many banks will allow you to reallocate your credit lines. If you have a card with 0% APR, you might easily be able to shift over credit from a different card to increase your credit line on the 0% card. See this post for a bank-by-bank break down.
- If you carry a balance on a personal credit card it can have a major negative impact on your credit score.
- If you carry a balance on a business credit card it typically will not affect your personal credit score. See this post where we break this down bank-by-bank.
- If you quickly rack up a lot of debt on your credit report or with a given bank, it might make them nervous about bust-out fraud and can potentially result in shutdowns.
- Even when done slowly, some banks might be less likely to approve your future credit card applications.
- If you are someone who struggles with debt, playing this APR game is probably not best for you.
List of 0% APR Offers
Consumer Cards
- American Express Blue Cash Everyday – 15 months
- American Express Everyday – 15 months
- Associated Bank – 18 months
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards – 15 months
- Bank of America Travel Rewards – 15 months
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards – 15 months
- Bank of America Bank Americard – 18 months
- Capital One Quicksilver – 15 months
- Capital One SavorOne Rewards – 15 months
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards – 15 months
- Chase Slate – 18 months
- Chase Slate branch offer – 18 months and no balance transfer fee for the first 60 days
- Chase Freedom cards – 15 months
- Citi Custom Cash – 15 months
- Citi Diamond Preferred – 21 months on balance transfers and 12 months on purchases
- Citi Rewards+ – 15 months
- Citi Simplicity – 21 months on balance transfers and 12 months on purchases
- Discover – 15 months
- Fairwinds – 12 months on balance transfer and purchases($0 fees)
- Fidelity Card – 12 months
- Fifth Third Cashback – 21 months
FirstTech FCU – 12 months balance transfer ($0 fees)- FNBO Getaway – 12 months
- General Motors Mastercard – 12 months
- M&T Signature – 12 months on purchases (BT has 4% fee)
- Navy Federal Platinum – 12 months .99% APR ($0 additional fees)
- Regions Cash Rewards – 12 months
- Regions Life – 15 months
- Regions Premium – 12 months
- Regions Prestige – 12 months
- Salem Five – 18 months
- Truist Enjoy Cash – 12 months purchases
- Truist Future – 15 months
- U.S. Bank Cash+ – 15 months
- U.S. Bank Visa Platinum – 18 months
- Wells Fargo Active Cash – 15 months
- Wells Fargo Autograph – 12 months
- Wells Fargo Reflect – 18/21 months
Highlights
- Chase Slate branch offer – 18 months and no balance transfer fee for the first 60 days
- Fairwinds – 12 months on balance transfer and purchases ($0 fees)
- FirstTech FCU – 12 months balance transfer ($0 fees)
- Navy Federal Platinum – 12 months .99% APR ($0 additional fees)
- Wings Financial CU – 12 months ($0 fees)
- Fifth Third Cashback – 21 months
- Wells Fargo Reflect – 18/21 months
- Bank of America Bank Americard – 18 months
- U.S. Bank Visa Platinum – 18 months
- Associated Bank – 18 months
Business Cards
- American Express Blue Business Plus – 12 months
- American Express Blue Business Cash – 12 months
- Capital One Spark Cash Select – 12 months on purchases
- Chase INK Unlimited – 12 months
- Chase INK Cash – 12 months
- Citizens Bank Business Platinum – 12 months
- Salem Five business – 18 months
- U.S. Bank Visa Platinum business – 18 months
- U.S. Bank Triple Cash – 15 months
- Edward Jones – 12 months
Has anyone been able to get an Edward Jones card that wasn’t a member, by setting the length of relationship with Edward Jones to say 0 years/1 months in the application?
If I set it to 0y/0m I get an error saying “Length of Relationship must be greater than zero.”
Thanks in advance!
I’m not an Edward Jones client and tried doing just that (0 yrs/1 mo) and it worked! Was approved for a 20k credit limit.
Sleepy WOW, thank you for the feedback! This is really useful! Did you have to open any other accounts in order to get the card? Thanks in advance.
Sleepy Sleepy Sleepy I forgot to also ask: what documentation did they ask for and was the process relatively quick/easy or did it take long? I’ve a huge balance that’s about to lose its 0% APR.. Thanks
No documentation, just filled out the application with my annual revenue and how many years I’ve been in business. I did not open any accounts with Edward Jones. It wasn’t an instant approval, I got an email 2 days later saying I was approved. Was expecting to have to wait several days for a decision based on the other DPs here but got it sooner than expected.
Sleepy Great! Thanks for the info & quick reply! One more: did you notice which credit bureau(s) the did a hard pull on? I want to freeze the others.. Thanks!
They pulled TU for me (I’m based in NY).
Sleepy Thanks for the DP! Experian, so far, for me (CA).
Both Fairwinds and Liberty FCU weren’t instant approvals and asked for additional documentation.
I second this re: Fairwinds, I had to send proof of address after moving 6 months ago even though I already had a card from a larger bank approved at the new address with no issue, as well as 3 years of tax returns (!) to prove my income. This is probably the hardest I’ve ever had to work for a card. A bit of a hassle but seems worth it for no balance transfer fees.
Jessica H. ieatdogfood So is Fairwinds open/available to anyone anywhere (country-wide)? And did you complete any balance transfers? I’m wondering if it was easy & electronic, or slow (snail-mail)?
Thanks in advance!
It’s more than likely you have to be a member of Fairwinds since they are a credit union. If you aren’t a current member, you might be presented the opportunity to join when applying.
I got denied by Fairwinds, Liberty FCU, AND Edward Jones so I can’t help you there. What a waste of a bunch of hard pulls. 😭
ieatdogfood Thanks for the reply! I called to ask but the CSR wasn’t clear about it: he said it’s needed for banking but credit cards are handled separately.. Anyways, tomorrow I’m calling the loans dept. to ask about it and other things..
What additional docs did they ask of you, BTW? And was the denial due to location or credit score issues?
Thanks for your help!
My credit score teeters between Good/Very Good because of a large 0% float balance I carry. So it was a combo of credit score, large float, inquiries, and I said screw you (nicely) when they asked for tax documents for I forgot how many years back. I did ask them to push the application through without the documents, which they did but still denied. Could I have gotten approved by providing the documents? Probably. But nah, ain’t no big bank has ever asked me for that info and hassle. Disappointing considering the many years I’ve been with Fairwinds and Liberty FCU too. As far as Edward, he is scissorhands.
Balanace transfer for Justice Federal Credit Union works like this:
Initiate the transfer in your JFCU online
Receive a check in the mail made out to the bank you are transferring the balance from
LOL
Mail in your payment to the external bank
Associated Bank has 18 months of 0% APR.
https://www.associatedbank.com/personal/credit-cards-and-payments/credit-cards
Although you may need to click the drop-down (under apply now) then click “Standard Card” to see the offer.
Added thanks
The Citizens Clear Value card currently offers 0% for 18 months.
https://www.citizensbank.com/credit-cards/overview.aspx
Although if you’re using it for purchases, I would lean towards 5/3 Bank’s 21-month 0% APR, which also has 1% cash back.
I’m only seeing now 0% on BT, not on purchases
I did a free balance transfer for Justice Federal Credit Union for 18 months of 0% APR. The max credit line they will give you is $25k. Applying was a long process. They tried to hard sell me on an 8% personal loan and then took three weeks to finally get my credit card approved. It’s a good deal, but give yourself a solid month to get the card just in case.
Dumb tax Question: if we proceed fund our balanace trasfers to HYSA ? can the balance transfer fee treated investment expense ?
In case anyone is curious:
For the Edward Jones Biz Mastercard with 12mo. 0% APR for BT, I spent $1k to get the $150 SUB. Then paid-off. Once $0 balance, initiated max balance transfer (92% of credit limit). Worked as expected — takes a few days; presumably with paper checks. Do not lock your EJ card; it stops the BT from processing.
$150 rewards + ~$15 for spend posted after first statement close. Cashback options are either into EJ investment account or statement credits, but in annoying increments of $25. You can also link to Paypal and spend your rewards by shopping in any amount.
I used $15 via PP and put the $150 towards a statement cashback credit which took about 3 days. Given I initiated a balance transfer at the max limit previously, the $150 freed up credit to initiate another BT (of $150 obviously). $100 is the min per BT.
Elan’s phone support is fine. Glad I don’t actually have to deal with anyone at EJ.
Thanks for providing your experience. I just applied using the link however I didnt get instant approval (my FICO is over 750). I got the message saying You will be notified of your application status via U.S. Mail in 7-10 business days. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Kastgr I did not get an instant decision. I received an email a few days later, then the letter in snail mail.
Ok, keeping my fingers crossed then. Does this card have an annual fee, on application page it said $0 but it seems there is $25 annual fee unless a purchase is made once a year. Did you pay off the card of your purchases and then do BT or you waited for statement to close and then did BT in next billing cycle. Just want to ensure my payment do not apply towards BT since that will get APR on purchases.
As I said, I made a purchase, then paid it off. Then I initiated a BT, when the balance was $0.
I got an annual fee line item at statement close for $0. Supposedly the annual fee is waived if there’s a purchase once a year. But the terms at application made it seem like there wasn’t a fee at all. I was told otherwise on the phone when inquiring about the terms I read on the paper print out not aligning with what was online at the time of application.
Thanks for the feedback. Just got email yesterday that I am approved for $20000 CL and I should be getting the card in mail in next few days. Applied using the link you provided. I will make a purchase, pay it off and then initiate BT.
Can you confirm if it was an instant decision or did you get the 7-10 day decision message?
Did the card report to personal credit?
No, only the HP. It’s a business card.
How big of a credit limit did they give you?
I didn’t get an instant approval either. Indicated I wanted to balance transfer 30k on my application. Received an email several days later with an approval for about 34k. I was surprised since the application/terms sheet asks you to call for CLs over 25k and though including a higher balance transfer on my app would have caused a denial or some other issue.
Looks like screwed up with P2’s BofA Biz CCR 0% promo period which ended last statement (thought had one more statement to go and was traveling internationally), ended up with $50 or so finance charge. Any tips? Obviously pay off immediately, may call to get it waived (don’t see chat option in business login), anything else?
For future reference, looks like one can chat with BofA Small Business Credit Card on one’s PERSONAL BofA login by selecting a different card (the business card itself is fine but no the CORP account), the Chat button will appear, then select Small Business Credit Card and start the chat. Of note, I was not able to get the finance charge waived.
Does anyone know if Edward Jones allows BT from another person’s card?
You can input your own payee information (name, address, account #), so at least from the Elan/EJ side it should work.
I think the bank with accept the payment unless they suspected fraud. No clue if the check sent from Elan has your name on it though.
Try it. If it doesn’t work, BT to your own account and get a credit refund for the overpayment.
Requested it during application, which went pending but was denied after call.
Denial reason: too many recently opened credit lines with lack of payment history (which must be my Chase Marriott Boundless & IHG Premier opened in Dec ’23)