The best cash back cards with 0% intro APR offers
Key takeaways
- Choosing a cash back card that offers a 0% intro APR gives you the best of both worlds.
- First, you get an introductory APR that can help you to pay down purchases, balance transfers or both without incurring additional interest.
- But in addition, you’ll get the ongoing value of cash back — even after your intro APR expires.
The best cash back credit cards don’t charge an annual fee, and many also come with introductory APR offers that apply to purchases, balance transfers or both. These benefits give consumers the opportunity to earn rewards for spending while also paying down their balances interest-free for a limited time. They also pave the way to long-term value in the form of cash back on ongoing purchasing.
But which credit cards that earn cash back also have intro APR offers worth pursuing? The cards we recommend include the options below, so read on to learn about our top picks and how they can benefit you.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Rewards: The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card starts new customers off with a $200 cash rewards bonus when they spend $500 within three months of account opening, and users can also earn 2 percent cash back on purchases with no limits to speak of. Cardholders also get up to $600 in cell phone protection as a cardholder benefit, although a $25 deductible applies.
Intro APR offer: There’s no annual fee, and the card comes with 0 percent intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers made in the first 120 days for 15 months followed by a variable APR of 20.24 percent, 25.24 percent or 29.99 percent.
Best for: The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is ideal for people who want to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase without having to keep track of bonus categories or earning caps. This card’s intro APR for purchases and balance transfers also makes it a good deal for people who want to avoid interest charges for more than a year.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for earning bonus rewards
Rewards: Chase Freedom Unlimited® starts new customers off great welcome bonus. Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Cardholders can also earn 5 percent cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel, 5 percent cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025), 3 percent cash back on dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5 percent cash back on everything else.
Keep in mind: Major cardholder benefits include purchase protection, extended warranties and a handful of travel insurance benefits.
Intro APR offer: There’s no annual fee, and cardholders can enjoy 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (followed by a variable APR of 20.49 percent to 29.24 percent).
Best for: This card is best for people who spend a lot on travel or on dining and drugstore purchases. Consumers who want flexible rewards that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, statement credits or travel through a portal or with transfer partners can also benefit.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment
Rewards: The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is ideal for dining and entertainment since it offers 3 percent back on these purchases, as well as on popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart). Capital One Entertainment purchases earn 8 percent cash back, and all other purchases earn a standard rate of 1 percent back.
Keep in mind: New customers can also qualify for a $200 cash bonus after spending at least $500 on purchases within three months of account opening. Cardholder benefits to know about include a complimentary Uber One membership and 24/7 concierge service.
Intro APR offer: Despite its $0 annual fee, this card gives you 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a variable APR of 19.99 percent to 29.99 percent. A 3 percent fee applies on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months or at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time; no fee for amounts transferred at the transfer APR.
Best for: This cash back credit card is best for people who spend a lot on dining, entertainment, groceries and streaming services but also want a 0 percent APR for a limited time.
Citi® Double Cash Card: Best for balance transfers
Rewards: The Citi® Double Cash Card lets users earn 2 percent cash back on all purchases — 1 percent when a purchase is made and another 1 percent when it’s paid off. This card doesn’t have many notable perks, but rewards do have some flexibility since cash back can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, travel and more.
Intro APR offer: Enjoy 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers only for 18 months (transfers must be made in the first four months), followed by a variable APR of 19.24 percent to 29.24 percent.
Best for: This cash back credit card is best for people who want a lucrative balance transfer offer upfront but want to be able to earn cash back for the long haul once they’re debt-free.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Best for small business
Rewards: This business credit card offers a $750 cash bonus for new applicants who can spend $6,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Regular purchases earn a flat rate of 1.5 percent cash back.
Keep in mind: Cardholders with the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card also get free employee cards, purchase protection, extended warranties and several travel insurance protections.
Intro APR offer: This business credit card has no annual fee and comes with 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months (followed by a variable APR of 18.49 percent to 24.49 percent).
Best for: Consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card if you want to earn cash back with a business credit card for the long haul with no annual fee, but you also want to pay down a large purchase (or several) for up to one year interest-free.
Why a 0 percent APR credit card with cash back might be the best of both worlds
Cash back credit cards with 0 percent intro APR on purchases, balance transfers or both can be useful, both now and in the future. Not only can cardholders benefit from the rewards they earn and the intro APR offer that lets them skip interest for a limited time, but they can also continue earning rewards on their spending for as long as they have the card.
This is important since you may not want to open new credit cards all the time, given that how often you open new lines of credit — and how long you keep old accounts open — plays a role in the health of your credit score. New credit makes up 10 percent of FICO scores, while the average length of a person’s credit history makes up another 15 percent.
By opening a single cash back credit card with 0 percent APR and keeping it for the long-term, you can avoid damage to your credit score caused by opening new cards (and the hard inquiries that result) and shortening the average length of your credit history by opening a slew of new accounts throughout the year. At the same time, you’ll gain the ongoing value of cash back rewards, even after your 0% intro APR period expires.
The bottom line
The best cash back credit cards with a 0 percent intro APR can be useful in the short-term and beyond, and they tend to come with valuable benefits and no annual fee. That said, rewards rates among cards with intro APR offers vary, so you’ll want to compare options and know the pros and cons of various cards to find the right fit based on how you spend.
Also remember that the best way to avoid credit card interest involves charging only purchases you can afford and paying the statement balance on each card in full every month. Once an intro APR offer ends, you’ll want to get in the habit of doing this to avoid credit card interest for the long haul.
