We chose the BECU Visa Credit Card as our top pick for low interest since it offers 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, plus 0% Intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers completed within 90 days of account opening with a $0 balance transfer fee. Both offers are followed by a lower-than-average 13.24% to 24.24% variable APR.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro purchase APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases; after, a 13.24% to 24.24% variable APR applies
The BECU Visa Credit Card is our choice for the lowest interest card because of its powerful combination of features. Not only does it come with one of the lowest ongoing APRs of any credit card (currently 13.24% to 24.24% variable), it also offers an interest-free offer on both purchases and balance transfers. You’ll get a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases followed by a low APR of 13.24% to 24.24% variable, as well as an intro APR of 0% Intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers (after which, a 13.24% to 24.24% variable APR applies).
The BECU Visa Credit Card also comes with a $0 balance transfer fee, $0 cash advance fee, $0 foreign transaction fees and $0 annual fee.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro balance transfer APR: 0.00% introductory APR for 12 months for balance transfers requested within 60 days of account opening; after, an 10.99% to 18.00% (variable) APR applies
The Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card is one of few cards available to people with fair credit that includes an introductory APR. You’ll get a 0.00% introductory APR for 12 months for balance transfers requested within 60 days of account opening. After that, you’ll get a relatively low APR of 10.99% to 18.00% (variable). Plus, unlike many other cards with balance transfer offers, it doesn’t have any balance transfer fees.
There are also $0 annual fees and $0 foreign transaction fees with the card. However, you’ll need to be a member of Navy Federal Credit Union to apply for this card. Membership requires you to be a member of the armed forces, Department of Defense, or a veteran, or a family member of one of the above.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro purchase APR: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening ; after, a 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR applies
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has an incredibly lengthy intro APR offer compared to most cards. This card extends a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, followed by a 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR.
There’s a $0 annual fee, and cardmembers get a few benefits like cellular telephone protection and roadside dispatch. On the downside, this card charges a 5%, min: $5 balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro purchase APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 billing cycles; after, a 16.99% to 25.99% Variable Variable APR applies
The U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card offers one of the longest introductory periods on purchases of any business credit card. If you want to finance a large purchase, you’ll have over a year to pay it down with no interest. The card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 billing cycles, then a 16.99% to 25.99% Variable Variable APR applies.
And while it’s light on other benefits, the business credit card comes with some useful tools for your small business, including controls for employee cards and expense management.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Regular purchase APR: 28.24% Variable
If you have bad credit or are working on building your credit history, you might consider the Secured Self Visa® Credit Card. It’s a secured credit card designed for people with bad or poor credit that happens to feature a lower-than-average APR of 28.24% Variable
There’s no hard credit check performed when you apply. Instead, you’ll need to sign up for a Self Credit Builder Account and meet certain eligibility requirements. Then, you’ll put down a security deposit that will convert to your card’s credit limit.
You can open a card with a deposit as low as $100. Plus, Self will also regularly review your account to possibly increase your credit limit, as long as your account remains in good standing.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Regular purchase APR: 15.75% (variable)
The DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is another option if your credit is less-than-ideal and you’re looking for a secured card. It features an APR of 15.75% (variable), one of the lowest rates you’ll find among secured credit cards.
While you are required to put down an initial security deposit, that deposit will turn into your initial credit limit. The DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card also requires credit union membership to apply, but you can be approved even with bad or poor credit. Further, there’s a $0 annual fee, no balance transfer fee, no cash advance fee and $0 foreign transaction fees.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
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Intro purchase APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months; after, a 19.49% - 28.24% Variable APR applies
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the best cash back cards you can find with an introductory APR on both purchases and balance transfers. It gives you a longer-than-average intro period to pay down a balance, plus a great cash rewards program that makes it worth keeping in the long run.
You can enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
The card requires a better credit score than other cards, however, so you should consider alternatives if your credit still needs some work.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro purchase APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases; after, a 15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR applies
The BankAmericard® credit card comes with one of the longest intro periods for purchases and balance transfers around. The card also has an intro balance transfer fee of 3% intro fee for 60 days, then 4%.
While this low-interest credit card doesn’t have a rewards program or many other perks, its long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers plus its potentially low regular APR can score you savings in the long run.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Intro purchase APR: 0% intro on purchases for 15 months; after, a 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies
If you’re looking to finance an upcoming trip or transfer an existing balance to a travel credit card, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card may be your best bet. This rewarding card from Capital One features a longer-than-average intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers (balance transfer fee applies). It also offers a simple, yet solid, rewards program.
You’ll earn 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The card also comes lets you earn a solid initial welcome offer that can boost your rewards balance. It doesn’t have a ton of travel perks as a no-annual-fee card. However, when it comes to foreign transaction fees, there are none.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Intro purchase APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases; after, a 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) APR applies
The Citi Custom Cash® Card isn’t just a really rewarding card for gas purchases. It also gives you more than a year to finance a new purchase or pay down an existing balance, interest-free.
This card lets users earn cash back quickly with a unique structure so you can use the card for more than its intro APR: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026. The 5% category includes gas purchases, making a great option for a dedicated gas card.
Its welcome offer and the ongoing rewards are paid out in ThankYou® Points, which you can redeem as cash or use for travel expenses. The Citi Custom Cash® Card has a $0 annual fee, but watch out for foreign transaction fees.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Regular APR | Penalty APR | Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BECU Visa Credit Card*
Review Coming Soon
|
Lowest interest rate credit card
|
13.24% to 24.24% variable | N/A | N/A | Review Coming Soon |
|
Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card*
|
Low-interest credit card for fair credit
|
10.99% to 18.00% (variable) | 18.00% | Fair / Good / Excellent | |
|
U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card*
|
Low-interest business credit card
|
16.99% to 25.99% Variable | 29.99% | Good / Excellent | |
|
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card*
|
Longest intro APR
|
17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR | None | Good / Excellent | |
|
Secured Self Visa® Credit Card*
|
Low-interest credit card with no hard credit check
|
28.24% Variable | N/A | Poor | |
|
DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card*
|
Low-interest secured credit card
|
15.75% (variable) | 18.00% | Poor | |
|
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
Low-interest cash back credit card
|
19.49% - 28.24% Variable | Up to 29.99% | Good / Excellent |
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
BankAmericard® credit card*
|
Balance transfer credit card with a low interest rate
|
15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR | None | Good / Excellent | |
|
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
Low-interest travel credit card
|
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | None | Good / Excellent |
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
Low-interest gas credit card
|
18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) | Up to 29.99% (Variable) | Good / Excellent |
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
Low-interest-rate credit cards offer low ongoing variable rates that help consumers save money on interest as they pay off their credit card balances. Cards with this perk help consumers save considerable sums of money, since the average credit card interest rate is well over 24.61%, according to a LendingTree analysis.
Low-interest credit cards can be secured or unsecured credit cards, although cards with the lowest rates and best benefits tend to be unsecured.
Low-interest card vs. 0% APR credit card
Credit cards that offer 0% APR introductory rates can last anywhere from 12 to 21 months. Introductory rates can apply to new purchases made with a card, balance transfers from other credit cards or both. In these scenarios, individuals get the chance to avoid interest completely as they pay off balances on their cards.
While getting 0% APR for a year is longer can be huge when it comes to interest savings, it’s important to remember that these offers don’t last forever. Once the introductory period ends, remaining balances are charged with the card’s regular variable APR, so it’s important to pay off whatever you can of your balance before your intro APR finishes.
Balance transfer cards
Some 0% APR credit cards are also called balance transfer credit cards since they extend 0% APR to balances transferred from other credit cards and loans. These cards typically give consumers 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 to 21 months, which can help them save on interest and pay down debt faster.
In the case of balance transfer cards, the vast majority charge balance transfer fees. While paying these fees is a downside, the added cost can be worth it to get 0% APR for a limited time.
Credit card interest is the price you pay to borrow money with a credit card, and how much you’ll pay is represented with a credit card’s annual percentage rate (APR). The better your credit score is, the lower your regular APR will likely be.
How is credit card interest calculated?
Even though how much credit card interest you’re charged is based on your credit card’s annual percentage rate (APR), most credit cards calculate the interest you owe on a daily basis. They do this based on your average daily balance using a calculation called the daily periodic rate. If you don’t have a grace period, which is the time in between the end of your card’s billing cycle and your payment due date, you can reduce your interest charges by paying off all or part of your credit card balance as soon as you can.
Also remember that credit cards can charge different interest rates for different types of balances, including new purchases, balance transfers and cash accessed through a cash advance.
When do credit cards charge interest?
If you have a credit card with a 0% intro APR period, you won’t be charged interest on your balances until that period ends. Once it does end, any remaining balances you have — including the balance transfer fee — are charged interest based on the card’s variable APR.
Outside of that, credit cards come with grace periods that let users avoid interest charges on new purchases. Grace periods are the time between the end of a billing cycle and the date the payment is due, and they typically last for 21 days.
How to avoid paying credit card interest
If you have a credit card with 0% APR, you can avoid paying interest by paying off all amounts you owe before the introductory period ends.
Outside of introductory APR periods, you can avoid credit card interest by paying off your balance in full every billing period. This means paying the full statement balance on your card each month when you receive your credit card bill.
The average credit card interest rate currently stands at 24.43% across all credit cards in circulation today, according to a LendingTree review. However, a “good” interest rate for you will depend on your credit score and financial history. Lower APRs are usually given to applicants with higher credit scores and stronger financials.
Cards with good interest rates should fall below these averages:
| Category | Min. APR | Max. APR | Avg. | Prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average APR for all new card offers | 20.72% | 27.70% | 24.21% | 24.26% |
| 0% balance transfer cards | 18.30% | 27.43% | 22.87% | 22.89% |
| No-annual-fee cards | 20.21% | 27.24% | 23.73% | 23.79% |
| Rewards cards | 20.44% | 2.81% | 24.13% | 24.17% |
| Cash back cards | 21.04% | 27.71% | 24.38% | 24.45% |
| Travel rewards cards | 20.07% | 28.40% | 24.23% | 24.23% |
| Airline credit cards | 20.28% | 28.90% | 24.59% | 24.55% |
| Hotel credit cards | 20.09% | 28.76% | 24.42% | 24.37% |
| Low-interest credit cards | 13.61% | 21.62% | 17.61% | 17.89% |
| Grocery rewards cards | 20.16% | 27.97% | 24.07% | 24.07% |
| Gas rewards cards | 20.70% | 27.76% | 24.23% | 24.25% |
| Dining rewards cards | 19.95% | 28.02% | 23.98% | 23.98% |
| Student credit cards | 18.32% | 27.99% | 23.16% | 23.16% |
| Secured credit cards | 26.61% | 26.61% | 26.61% | 26.71% |
If you want a low-interest credit card, you’ll need to think about your goals. Do you want to pay down debt at 0% APR? Or, do you prefer having a low interest rate that lasts as long as you have the card? Consider the following steps to find and apply for the right card for your needs.
Fixed-rate credit cards are much less common than they were before the Credit CARD Act of 2009. Since the act requires issuers to notify consumers 45 days before an APR increase, issuers have shifted toward variable APR cards to give themselves more flexibility. That said, a few fixed-rate cards still exist in some credit unions.
Maximizing your rewards becomes even simpler when you’re not burdened by high interest rates and fees. But how can you achieve that with inflation, record-level debt, and sky-high interest rates?
If you just ask your credit card issuer for a break on your rates and fees, there’s a good chance you’ll get it. According to a LendingTree survey, your chances of getting late, balance transfer or foreign transaction fees waived or reduced is higher than it’s been in years.
For example, 76% of those who asked for a lower interest rate on one of their credit cards in the past year were successful, with the average reduction being 6.5 points. This is 6 points higher than 2022. 20% of cardholders asked for a reduced rate this year.
90% of people who asked to have an annual fee waived or reduced were successful. 32% of people with an annual fee credit card asked this past year. 72% of people had the fee waived and 18% had it reduced.
Why don’t more people ask for lower rates and fees? During our survey, when we asked why consumers haven’t asked for a lower interest rate or a higher credit limit, 30% said they didn’t know they could ask. As debt continues to rise, reducing your rates and fees can significantly help you avoid or eliminate credit card debt. Plus, your chances of success when requesting a reduction from your credit card issuer may be higher than you expect.
Before talking to your credit card issuer, check your credit. Understanding your credit score can give you an idea of the lowest rate you may be able to secure. Many issuers also let you request a higher credit limit directly through their mobile app, without needing to speak with anyone.
In the case of many other types of loans, your interest rate is the rate at which interest is charged on any outstanding balances. The annual percentage rate (APR), meanwhile, reflects the total cost of borrowing including fees. For credit cards, your APR is synonymous with your interest rate — and not two separate values like other loans.
It is possible for credit card companies to lower your interest rate. In many cases, all you need to do is call up the customer service department and ask if your interest rate can be lowered. The more valuable you are as a customer (by being a long-time customer and/or regularly paying your bills on time), the more likely the bank is to grant your request.
If you don’t have any luck with your current card when you ask your card issuer, consider transferring your high-interest debt to a balance transfer credit card instead.
There’s no one bank that offers lower rates across the board. Credit card interest rates are typically variable, which means they not only change over time but also depend on each borrower’s specific financial situation. Because of this, some banks may offer lower interest rates for some borrowers and higher rates for others.
Some of the best low-interest credit cards are geared to individuals with good to excellent credit, whereas others can work for people with poor credit or fair credit. If you have limited credit history or poor credit, you may want to look into secured credit cards with lower-than-average interest rates first.
Unfortunately, cards with 0% intro APR offers are usually never geared to individuals with poor credit. If you have bad credit but you want to save money on interest, your best bet is paying down any credit card balances you have as quickly as you can. Also make on-time payments on your card(s) each month, and you can slowly work toward building your credit score over time.
To bring you the list of best credit cards with low interest, we use an objective rating and ranking system that compares features across a large set of credit cards (over 200 of them from over 50 issuers). We use calculations to estimate the value of each card for the average cardholder, based on LendingTree and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Note, that our ratings are a starting point for comparing and choosing the best 0% APR credit cards. However, your needs may be different from the average cardholder. You should consider the amount you’re likely to finance with a 0% offer and which benefits you value to choose the best card for you.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
The information related to the BECU Visa Credit Card, Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card, Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card, Secured Self Visa® Credit Card, DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card, BankAmericard® credit card, DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card, Wings Visa Platinum Credit Card, Lake Michigan Credit Union Prime Platinum and Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
