Best 0% APR Credit Card for Purchases

How we picked the cards to evaluate:

NerdWallet reviewed about 30 cards in 2023 that had a 0% intro APR period on purchases. To be considered, a card had to be widely available and include a 0% APR period for purchases of at least 12 months. The cards we reviewed include products from NerdWallet partners, but this did not influence our selection of the winner.

How we chose the winner:

When choosing our best 0% APR credit card for purchases, we considered the following factors in descending order of importance:
  • Introductory APR periods (length).
  • Sign-up bonuses.
  • Spending rewards
  • Annual fees.
  • Consumer perks, such as extended warranties or purchase protection.
  • Ongoing APR after the promotional period.
In the case of cards with annual fees, we looked at how much spending would be necessary before a consumer would come out ahead compared with no-fee options.
Cards' NerdWallet star ratings alone do not determine awards. Here's how our credit cards team distinguishes between star ratings and award selections:
  • Star ratings are quantitative: We assess the features of a card, score those features according to how they compare with other options on the market and assign the card a rating of 1 to 5 stars based on those features. In general, a card that rates 4.5 stars will be a better value for more people than a card that rates 4.0 stars. However, the 4.0 card might be better than the 4.5 card for an individual consumer depending on that person’s circumstances.
  • Selection for awards is both quantitative and qualitative: Selection for the awards is based on discussion among editorial team members and relies on the same criteria used for the star ratings. However, star ratings alone do not dictate awards. Rather, the awards identify the best cards for specific uses or specific types of consumers, such as those looking to finance a major purchase interest-free or pay down existing debt without interest.

How we verified our data:

NerdWallet gets credit card information from partner issuers through automated data feeds. Information about cards from nonpartner issuers is verified on the issuers’ websites.

Explore the List

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•