0% Intro APR Credit Cards

What does a 0% intro APR mean?

A 0% intro APR card charges no interest on purchases, balance transfers, or both, for a set number of months after you open it. You still have to make at least the minimum payment every month, but none of that payment goes to interest during the intro period.

When the intro period ends, any balance you still owe starts collecting interest at the card's regular APR. Interest isn't charged backward on what you already paid off. It only applies to what's left from that point on.

How do you use one without paying interest?

Divide the purchase by the number of intro months, and pay at least that much every month. Say you put a $2,400 dental bill on a card with a 12-month intro period. You'd need to pay $200 a month to clear it in time. Pay $150 instead, and you'd still owe $600 when the intro period ends, and that $600 starts collecting interest.

Setting up an automatic payment for the full monthly amount is the easiest way to stay on track. The minimum payment alone usually won't clear the balance before the intro period ends.

Purchases or balance transfers: what's the difference?

A purchase intro APR covers new things you buy with the card, like a couch, a car repair or a medical bill. A balance transfer intro APR lets you move debt from another card and pay it down without interest for a while. Most balance transfers charge a fee, a percentage of the amount you move, so check that first.

Don't mix this up with store financing that says "no interest if paid in full." That's usually deferred interest: if you don't finish paying on time, the store can charge all the interest back to the purchase date. A 0% intro APR card doesn't work that way.

Who is a 0% intro APR card a good fit for?

It works best when you have one big, planned expense and a realistic plan to pay it off within the intro months. It can also help you pay down existing card debt faster, since more of each payment goes to the balance instead of interest. These cards are usually recommended for good to excellent credit.

It's a poor fit for ongoing spending you can't cover, because the balance just grows until the regular APR kicks in. The guides below work through real situations, from roof repairs to tax bills and moving costs.