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The Daily Insight Hub

Is a low APR credit card good?

Author

William Jenkins

Updated on January 31, 2026

In general, credit cards with a low regular APR are best for people who infrequently carry a balance from month to month. If you already have credit card debt or regularly carry a balance, you’ll probably save more with a 0% balance transfer credit card or a card offering 0% on purchases.

Do you want a card with high or low APR?

The rule of thumb is usually the lower your APR is, the better. According to the Federal Reserve, as of August 2020, the average interest rate for current U.S. credit cards is 14.58% on all accounts. On credit card accounts that maintain a balance and pay interest, the average interest rate is notably higher at 16.43%.

Why is 0% APR not good for your credit?

High credit utilization. Many people get a 0% APR credit card to pay off a large purchase over time without paying interest. But if the purchase takes up most or all of the card’s credit limit, the cardholder’s credit utilization will go up. High credit utilization could damage your credit score.

Why do some credit cards offer 0% APR when you get the card?

A 0% introductory purchase APR means you won’t be charged interest on your purchases for a certain period of time as determined by your credit card company. In order to take advantage of this offer, you’ll need to make at least the minimum payments due on your statement.

What does it mean 0 APR for 60 months?

A 0% APR means that you pay no interest on new purchases and/or balance transfers for a certain period of time. You still have to make monthly minimum payments to keep your 0% APR. And if you don’t pay off your balance by the end of the 0% intro period, you’ll have to pay interest on whatever balance remains.

Why is Apr important when choosing a credit card?

The APR that you’ll end up being charged is virtually always higher than the rewards rate with even the most generous credit card rewards program. This means if you ever plan to carry a balance, you need to look for a credit card with the absolute lowest possible APR.

Which is the best credit card with the lowest interest rate?

Credit cards with the lowest APRs tend to have the lowest interest rates. To be considered a low interest credit card, you are usually looking at an APR range starting at 12% to 14%. Interest applied to purchases fall into a range from 10% to 15% compared to the average of 19% to 22%.

What happens to your APR if you don’t pay off your credit card?

If you pay off your credit card in full every month when the statement comes, it doesn’t matter at all what your APR is. You’d only be charged interest on unpaid balances, so your interest cost will be $0 if you don’t have one — no matter what the APR. If you don’t pay off your card in full, though, you’re going to be charged interest.

Is it better to have a high or low credit limit?

When it comes to credit cards, bigger isn’t always better. While some consumers may look for flashy cards with bells, whistles, and sky-high credit limits, others may prefer to throttle temptation by maintaining a lower credit limit.