pay no interst until 2018Updated: Jan. 19, 2017
Stop wasting money on interest fees! If you’re carrying a balance on one (or several) credit cards, you’re probably paying interest fees each month. Or if you need to make a large purchase that you can’t pay off for a while, you’ll likely start racking up substantial interest on your card. The fees might not seem like that big of a deal, but over time they can add up to a lot of dough and make it much more difficult and expensive to pay down your balance. Did you know there’s a way to avoid paying interest on your credit card balances? By taking advantage of a card with a long 0% intro APR, you can essentially get a free loan and pay down your balance without spending a dime in interest.
The question is, which cards offer the most competitive features and longest 0% intro APRs? We’ve done the research and found the best. In fact, with some of these cards the 0% intro APR is so outrageously long you’ll pay no interest until 2018!!! Our list of the top 0% intro APR cards is below.
Citi Simplicity Card
With an amazing 21-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases, the Citi Simplicity Card (a NextAdvisor advertiser) will take you all the way into 2018 without paying a dime in interest. It sounds crazy, but it’s true. There is a 3% balance transfer fee, but given the lengthy 0% intro APR period, it still might be worth transferring a balance to this card (to find out, use our free Balance Transfer Calculator). Additionally, there are no late fees, no annual fee and no penalty rates imposed. This means if you happen to be late with a payment, you won’t be penalized with a higher ongoing interest rate after the 0% intro APR period is over. It does require excellent credit, so if you’re in more of the good credit range consider Chase Slate, which is discussed below. We really like Citi Simplicity because of its super-long 21-month 0% intro APR, lack of late fees and $0 annual fee.
Citi Diamond Preferred Card
Similar to Citi Simplicity, the Citi Diamond Preferred Card (a NextAdvisor advertiser) features a spectacular 21-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases. It also has a very reasonable ongoing interest rate after the 0% intro period is up. If you’re transferring a balance, you will need to pay a 3% balance transfer fee, but paying no interest until 2018 could make it worthwhile. Take a look at our free Balance Transfer Calculator to see whether this card will work best for your needs. Additionally, the Citi Diamond Preferred Card has absolutely no annual fee and provides a free monthly Equifax FICO Score. You do need excellent credit to qualify for the card, so if you’re not necessarily in that range check out one of the cards listed below that only require good credit.
Chase Slate
If you’re worried about paying a fee to move your balance from your current card(s) to a new card, worry no more. Chase Slate has absolutely no balance transfer fees for transfers completed within the first 60 days your account is open, which means you can transfer your balances from cards with high ongoing APRs to Slate without paying a cent in fees. Plus, you’ll enjoy a 15-month 0% intro APR on both balance transfers and purchases. And if you happen to have a ding or two on your credit reports, Chase Slate is available to those with good credit (rather than “excellent” credit), which is typically a credit score above 670. All this, and there is no annual fee.
Citi Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
With a nice balance of cash back rewards and an 18-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers, the Citi Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer (a NextAdvisor advertiser) hits the spot. There is no annual fee, and the card is available to those with good credit (670+ credit score), but there is a 3% balance transfer fee. Citi Double Cash’s cash back potential is substantial, with an effective 2% back on every single purchase. You’ll get 1% back when you make the purchase and the other 1% when you pay for it, making this an ideal card for making a big purchase you may not be able to pay off for a while. You’ll also receive a free monthly Equifax FICO score, helping you to track your credit over time. Altogether this is a winner of a card, mixing generous cash back with a lengthy 0% intro APR and no annual fee.
Discover it — 18 month Balance Transfer Offer
Combining cash back rewards with a 18-month 0% intro APR on balance transfers and a low ongoing APR, Discover it packs a big punch. Transfers incur a 3% balance transfer fee, but this is pretty standard. Discover it also offers a 6-month 0% intro APR on purchases. Plus, you’ll earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate each quarter (up to the quarterly max, then 1% back) and 1% back on everything else. Some of the past 5% categories include Amazon.com, gas and restaurants. You do need to sign up each quarter to receive the 5% back, but this is made easy with options like automated reminder emails. There is no annual fee and you’ll get a free TransUnion FICO Score each month. As an added bonus, Discover it is available to those with average to excellent credit, which is usually considered to be a credit score of 670 and up.
Visit our 0% intro APR credit card reviews to see a side-by-side comparison of these cards and others, or use our free Balance Transfer Calculator to see how much you can potentially save by completing a balance transfer.
Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This content was accurate at the time of this post, but card terms and conditions may change at any time. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.