Best 0% APR Credit Cards May 2023

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0% APR for 21 Months
0% APR for 18 Months

By Lisa Gerstner

last updated 1 May 2023

Contributions from

Ellen Kennedy

Rates checked as of May 1, 2023.

We may get compensation if you visit partner links on our site. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our website. However, our selection of products is made independently of our relationship to advertisers.

Are you looking to finance a large purchase? By opening a credit card with an introductory 0% annual percentage rate on purchases, you could enjoy interest-free payments on your spending for up to 21 months, saving you a bundle in interest.

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Best Rewards Credit Cards

Choosing one of the best 0% APR credit cards highlighted here can make a lot of sense if you want to break up the cost of a large expense — say, for home upgrades or car repairs — into more manageable payments. But before you rack up charges during the interest-free period, make a plan to pay off the balance before the 0% window expires. After that, you’ll likely be charged a much higher variable interest rate on any remaining balance. Average credit card interest rates are currently about 20%.

To maintain the promotional 0% rate, be sure to make at least the minimum card payment on time each month. If you don’t, some issuers may rescind the 0% APR early and charge you a higher rate. Plus, you may owe late-payment fees and damage your credit score.

We’ve rounded up the best 0% offers on credit cards for purchases. These cards also provide a 0% introductory rate on balance transfers, which can be helpful for refinancing high-rate credit card debt. For more, see our list of the best balance transfer credit cards.

We feature cards with a 0% APR on purchases for 18 months or longer. Interest rates, fees, rewards and other terms listed in this article are subject to change. Before you apply for a credit card, check its current terms and conditions with the issuer.

21 Months of 0% APR

BankAmericard® Credit Card (opens in new tab)

This card from Bank of America provides a lengthy 21-month period of 0% interest — one of the most generous offers on the market. Once you have paid off your big purchase, this card has a below average APR. But as the card offers few perks like cash back, we recommend using it just for stretching out payments with no interest.

The BankAmericard® may also be used to make a balance transfer within the first 60 days of opening the account for a 3% transfer fee. Those with a good credit score or better are more likely to be approved for this card.

Interest rate: 0% for 21 months on purchases or on balance transfers; after the introductory period, the standard variable APR is 15.74% to 25.74%
Annual fee: None
Penalty APR: None; paying late won't automatically raise your interest rate (APR)
Late payment fee: Up to $40
Perks: Free FICO score

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card (opens in new tab)

Enjoy up to 21 months of 0% interest if you pay your credit card bill on time. If you pay your wireless bill with the card, you qualify for up to $600 worth of protection for loss or damage on your cell phone.

This card also offers balance transfers made within the first 120 days of opening the account for a 3% fee.

The Wells Fargo Reflect® card may also come in handy in an emergency, offering roadside assistance and insurance protection for a rental car up to $50,000. Be sure you understand how to use the card's benefits (opens in new tab).

Interest rate: 0% APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases (as well as on qualifying balance transfers), plus three additional months interest-free if you pay at least the minimum due on time during the introductory period, for a total 21 months of 0% interest; after that, the APR is a variable 17.74% - 29.74%.
Annual fee: None
Penalty APR: If you make a late payment during the introductory period, you may lose the 0% interest rate
Late payment fee: Up to $40
Perks: Up to $600 per claim of protection for your cell phone against damage or theft if you pay your monthly wireless bill with the card; you pay a $25 deductible, and you get up to two paid claims per 12 months

18 Months of 0% APR

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card (opens in new tab)

In addition to a 0% rate on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 18 months, cardholders also get cash-back rewards on all their spending and a $200 sign-up bonus. Get 3% back in a category like dining or gas that you can change each month, 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% back on everything else. After spending $2,500 in combined spending in the 2% and 3% categories, the rewards rate drops to 1%, so those with high rates of spending may want to supplement this card with another cash back credit card.

This card is best for those who are already Bank of America customers with significant savings or checking balances. The highest customer tier adds another 0.75% cash back to the standard rewards rates.

Interest rate: 0% for 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate that was recently 17.74% to 27.74%
Annual fee: None
Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% if you make a late payment
Late payment fee: Up to $40
Perks: 3% cash back in one category that you can change monthly; the six categories are gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, and home improvement and furnishings. Cardholders also get 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. (The 3% and 2% rewards are limited to $2,500 in combined spending in those categories each quarter; after that, you earn 1%.) All other spending gets 1% cash back.
Sign-up bonus: $200 cash back if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days

Chase Slate Edge℠ (opens in new tab)

This card offers a solid option for those looking to finance a large purchase within 18 months interest-free. Don't be distracted, however, by the card's offer to lower your interest rate by 2% each year for good credit habits. You should pay all of your credit card balance on time each month to avoid paying any interest.

You may also transfer a balance from another card within the first 60 days of opening the account for $5 or 3% of the transfer amount, whichever is higher.

One of the best ways to raise your credit score is to pay your bills on time and keep your credit utilization as low as possible. So the card's welcome offer to raise the credit limit for cardholders who spend at least $500 and pay their bills on time during the first six months could improve your credit score and help establish good habits.

Interest rate: 0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate that was recently 19.74% to 28.49%
Annual fee: None
Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% if you fail to make the minimum payment on time or make a payment that is returned unpaid to Chase
Late payment fee: Up to $40
Perks: If you pay your bill on time and spend $500 in the first six months, Chase automatically reviews whether you are eligible for a higher credit limit. If you make purchases of at least $1,000 in an account anniversary year and make all payments on time, you may get a 2% reduction of the standard APR for purchases and balance transfers (your APR cannot be lower than the prime rate plus 9.74%).
Additional perks: Cardholders enjoy three free months of membership with DashPass–which provides reduced fees on orders from delivery service DoorDash–and 50% off DashPass for the following nine months. You also get a complimentary three months of Instacart+ membership, which provides reduced fees on orders from delivery service Instacart.

Interest rate: 0% for 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate that was recently 19.49% to 29.49% variable
Annual fee: None
Penalty APR: None
Late payment fee: Up to $41
Perks: Like the Wells Fargo Reflect card, this card offers up to $600 per claim of reimbursement if your cell phone is stolen or damaged and you use the card to pay your wireless bill; the deductible is $25, and you get up to two claims paid per 12 months

Other Best Buy Credit Cards

Kiplinger's guide to the best cash back credit cards
Kiplinger's guide to the best travel credit cards
Kiplinger's guide to the best student credit cards
Kiplinger's guide to the best balance transfer credit cards
Kiplinger's guide to the best business credit cards

As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.

Lisa has spent more than15 years with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and heads up the magazine’s annual rankings of the best banks, best rewards credit cards, and financial-services firms with the best customer service. She reports on a variety of other topics, too, from retirement to health care to money concerns for millennials. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.

With contributions from

Ellen KennedyContributing Editor, ESG, Kiplinger.com