- There are multiple no-fee, low interest credit cards on the market right now.
- Your actual interest rate will depend largely on both your credit history and your credit score.
- Almost every card has introductory bonuses that you should try to take maximum advantage of, before they expire.
More than 80% of Americans
have at least one credit card. In fact, the average American has more
than three credit cards. Those credit limits, combined with high
interest rates, account for huge profits for the likes of Visa,
MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and the various banks they
partner with to issue these cards. Searching online for credit card
offers in your area is the best place to start when looking for a
low-interest credit card.
Ideally, you wouldn’t carry a balance
on your card at all. But hey, sometimes unexpected expenses pop up.
That’s why it’s worth exploring a credit card with a low interest rate.
Yes, they are out there, even as interest rates slowly creep up around the country. Just keep in mind that the interest rate you’re offered will be tied directly to your credit score. An online search for which banks or companies are offering affordable credit cards will kickstart your research.
Wells Fargo Reflect Card
The Wells Fargo Reflect Card
offers interest rates as low as 13.75% APR, along with no annual fee.
You’ll need good-to-excellent credit to qualify for the best rates,
which can climb as high as 25.74%. There’s also an introductory balance
transfer APR of 0% for up to 21 months, if you have a qualifying balance
transfer to make.
The Reflect Card has a couple additional bonuses. First, there’s up
to $600 in cell phone protection if you pay your mobile bill with your
card. However, be aware that there’s a $25 deductible. You can also
utilize Wells Fargo Deals to earn cash back when you shop, dine out, or
buy certain entertainment products.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card
doesn’t go quite as low as the Reflect Card, with a bottom interest
rate of 15.74%. However, the card more than makes up for it with a
generous rewards program. You’ll get:
- 6.5% cash back on qualifying travel purchases through Chase Rewards;
- 4.5% back on drugstore and dining purchases — including takeout — up to $20,000 a year with 3% afterwards, and;
- 1.5% on all other purchases.
This card comes with no annual fee and minimum redemption amount on
the cash back rewards. The rewards also never expire, making them a more
attractive option than any card with expiry dates on
points/miles/cashback. There is also an introductory 0% APR on all
purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months.
Discover it Balance Transfer
With rates as low as 12.74%, the Discover it Balance Transfer card
comes with one of the lowest variable interest rates you can get.
There’s also no annual fee, making it a very cheap credit card to own,
even if you don’t pay off your balance every single month.
As its name implies, this card is great for balance transfers.
There’s a 0% introductory APR on all balance transfers for the first 18
months. However, there is a one-time 3% fee on the balance transferred.
You will earn 5% cashback on plenty of everyday purchases, like
Amazon, grocery stores, dining, and fuel. Even non-qualifying purchases
will earn 1% cashback automatically. Even better, Discover will match
all your cashback earnings at the end of your first year. Furthermore,
there’s no redemption limit on your cashback rewards and they never
expire.
Discover it chrome
Here’s another Discover-branded card with ultra low interest rates. The “it chrome” card (no capital letters because marketing!)
offers a range of 12.74% to 23.74%. Like the other cards on this list,
there is no annual fee. Plus, it has some of the same features as the
previous Discover card, such as the matching rewards after one year and a
privacy tool that helps you remove your personal data from
people-search websites.
This card also has a 0% introductory APR for purchases and balance
transfers for 15 months, plus a decent cashback rewards program. You’ll
get 1% back on every single purchase, with certain categories like gas
and restaurants jumping up to 2%.
Chase Freedom Flex
The final card on our list is the Chase Freedom Flex.
With no annual fee and annual interest rates in the 15.74% to 24.49%
range, it remains a popular card for many Americans. There’s an even a
$200 welcome bonus, as long as you spend $500 in the first three months
of opening the card. That’s easy money for most people.
The Freedom Flex cashback system is also fairly generous. You’ll get
5% back for up to $1,500 on personally selected categories every
quarter. So if you know you’re going to spend extra on gas, travel, or
groceries over a certain period, you can cash in some extra rewards.
There’s also:
- 5% cashback on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards;
- 3% cashback on drugstore and dining purchases, and;
- 1% cashback on everything else.
An introductory 0% APR lasts for 15 months and also applies to
balance transfers. Chase throws in their Credit Journey program too, to
help you monitor your credit and keep your financial data safe.