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0% interest free credit cards

Compare interest free credit cards to find our longest 0% offers

Find our best interest free credit cards for new purchases, balance transfers or both

Compare interest-free credit cards

Answer a few questions to find our best cards with a 0% interest offer on purchases or balance transfers for you
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Author
James Andrews
Editor
Rachel Lacey
Last updated
February 28, 2023
40 results found, sorted by longest balance transfer period.
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Halifax Longest 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card

Halifax Longest 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card

Representative APR (variable)
22.9%APR
Interest on balance transfers
0%for29months with a3.49%fee
Interest on purchases
0%for6months
Representative example:
The standard interest rate on purchases is 22.94% p.a. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 22.9% (variable).
Additional information
  • Pay 0% interest for up to 29 months on balances you transfer in the first 90 days (3.49% transfer fee)
  • 0% on purchases made in the first 6 months of card opening
  • You may be eligible to apply for this as a second credit card. Terms apply
Eligibility
  • be a permanent UK resident
  • be 18 or older
  • have a good credit rating
  • not been declined a Halifax Bank credit card within the last 30 days
  • can't transfer from another Halifax account
  • additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply
M&S Bank Transfer Plus Credit Card

M&S Bank Transfer Plus Credit Card

Representative APR (variable)
23.9%APR
Interest on balance transfers
0%for28months with a2.99%fee (£5 min.)
Interest on purchases
0%for3months
Representative example:
The standard interest rate on purchases is 23.9% p.a. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 23.9% (variable).
Additional information
  • 0% on balance transfers for 28 months, available for 90 days from account opening (2.99% fee applies, minimum £5)
  • Collect one point per £1 spent at M&S online and in-store. Collect one point per £5 spent elsewhere and abroad. You will be rewarded in vouchers to spend at M&S
  • 0% on shopping for 3 months
Eligibility
  • have a good credit rating
  • be 18 or older
  • be a permanent UK resident
  • have an annual income/pension of at least £6,800
  • additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply
Sainsbury's Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card (26 Mths)

Sainsbury's Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card (26 Mths)

Representative APR (variable)
22.9%APR
Interest on balance transfers
0%for26months with a3%fee (£3 min.)
Interest on purchases
0%for3months
Representative example:
The standard interest rate on purchases is 22.95% p.a. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 22.9% (variable).
Additional information
  • Sainsbury’s Bank may offer you a 0% interest period on balance transfers of 26 or 22 months, depending on your individual circumstances.
  • A Balance Transfer fee of 3% applies to transfers made at application (£3 minimum). The charge will depend on the offer available at the time.
Eligibility
  • be a UK resident
  • be 18 or older
  • have a good credit rating
  • not have been declined for credit in the last month
  • not be an existing Sainsbury's Bank Credit Card holder
  • additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply
Barclaycard Platinum Balance Transfer (24 Mths)

Barclaycard Platinum Balance Transfer (24 Mths)

Representative APR (variable)
22.9%APR
Interest on balance transfers
0%for24months with a2.49%fee
Interest on purchases
0%for3months
Representative example:
The standard interest rate on purchases is 22.9% p.a. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 22.9% (variable).
Additional information
  • 3 months 0% on purchases
  • 24 months 0% balance transfer (2.49% transfer fee applies.) Terms and conditions apply.
  • Earn up to 15% cashback automatically when you spend at a range of participating retailers with Barclaycard Cashback Rewards. This is a new benefit, available to all Barclaycard Visa credit card customers. T&Cs apply
  • Sign up for a Barclaycard and get up to five months free of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade. Continues as paid subscription after trial ends. UK only, T&Cs apply.
Eligibility
  • be a permanent UK resident
  • be 18 years or over
  • not have had any Individual Voluntary arrangements, County Court Judgements and must not have been declared bankrupt
  • not already hold a Barclaycard credit card
  • best suited to customers with an income of £20,000
  • additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply
Which? Recommended Credit Cards Provider in 2022
Virgin Money Balance Transfer Credit Card (24 Mths) (23.9%)

Virgin Money Balance Transfer Credit Card (24 Mths) (23.9%)

Representative APR (variable)
23.9%APR
Interest on balance transfers
0%for24months with a2.5%fee
Interest on purchases
0%for3months
Representative example:
The standard interest rate on purchases is 23.9% p.a. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 23.9% (variable).
Additional information
  • Virgin Money Cashback offers cardholders the ability to earn cashback on their credit card spend at participating retailers when they are enrolled in the programme via the mobile app'.
  • 24 months 0% on balance transfers (2.5% transfer fee)
  • 12 months 0% on money transfers (4% transfer fee)
  • 3 months 0% on purchases
Eligibility
  • be 18 or older
  • be a UK resident
  • have a good credit history
  • no balance transfers from Clydesdale Bank PLC
  • additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply
Uswitch Limited is a credit broker, not a lender, for consumer credit.
Our services are provided at no cost to you. We may receive a commission from the companies we refer you to, but this does not affect what you will pay for the product you choose.

What is an interest free credit card?

An interest free credit card is a type of credit card that charges no interest on balances for a set period of time. These cards can be used for balance transfers, purchases and money transfers.

0% balance transfer credit cards

0% balance transfer credit cards let you transfer the debt from one current credit card to another. After the 0% interest period ends, you will be charged interest on any outstanding balance. 

The 0% interest periods can range from six months to 33 months. Many of these cards will charge a fee that's worked out as a percentage of the balance you're transferring. You can get fee-free balance transfer cards, but  they typically offer shorter 0% periods.

0% purchase credit cards

Interest free purchase credit cards are also known as 0% purchase credit cards. 

These credit cards let you spend money without being charged interest for an introductory period.

This interest free period can be anywhere from three months to more than two years. After the 0% credit card purchase period ends you will be charged interest on your borrowing.

Watch: How do 0% purchase credit cards work?

How do 0% interest credit cards work?

Interest free credit cards work by giving you a set period of time when the credit card company won’t charge you interest while you repay what you owe.

These are useful for either paying down debt, or spreading the cost of a large purchase over a period of months, without paying interest. This can make monthly repayments more affordable and thus easier to pay off.

% of credit card balances that attract interest[1]
50.9%

Pros and cons of interest-free credit cards

Pros

Low cost: An interest free credit card is often the cheapest way to pay off what you owe in balance transfers and purchases. You will only have to repay what you owe. You will not be charged interest on top of what you owe.
Pay off debt faster: With interest free credit cards you only pay what you owe. Your credit card debt won’t grow unless you add to it with more balance transfer or purchases. This means you can pay off your balance transfer and purchases more quickly.
Time to pay: Interest free credit cards with long 0% interest periods on balance transfers and purchases give you time to pay off your debt. This can help you manage your repayments.

Cons

High interest rate when interest free period ends: When the interest free periods end the APR will be much higher. If you haven’t paid off everything you owe when the interest free period ends, you will be charged this higher interest rate.
Fees: Many balance transfer cards and all money transfer cards charge a fee when you move money onto them. This can sometimes work out more expensive than the best personal loan.
Temptation to spend: The offer of interest free credit can encourage some people to spend more than they need. Only borrow what you can afford to repay.

Watch: How do balance transfer credit cards work?

How do I get the best interest free credit card deal?

A woman is holding a credit card and looking at her laptop on a sofa

The first step in getting the best deal on interest free credit cards is to shop around and compare interest free credit cards. 

But remember the longest 0% deal available to you might well not be the best one for your circumstances.

If you think you can pay off your balance transfer in 18 months, for example, a lower fee is far more important to saving money than an extra 12 months at 0%.

Some of the best interest-free credit card deals offer 0% rates on balance transfers and new purchases for around two years.

This can help you manage your money more easily. You will only have to make one monthly repayment.

But remember, you'll only have one credit limit for both new purchases and balance transfers - so will have to choose how you split that between purchases and existing debts.

You'll also need to ensure you know when each 0% period ends, as combination cards can have a different number of interest free months for purchases and balance transfers.

This could mean you end up paying interest when you hadn't planned to. 

Use our credit card finder tool below to find the best interest free credit cards that you’ll qualify for, without damaging your credit score. 

You’re more likely to be offered the best credit card deals with the longest interest free periods if you have a good credit history.”

Compare interest free credit cards

See what's available and check your eligibility before applying with our card finder tool
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Answer a few simple questions about yourself
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We match you with the interest-free credit cards you're most likely to get
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Do all credit cards have an interest-free period?

Surprisingly, yes.

Almost every credit card offers a ‘grace period’ of up to 56 days or up to 55 days between you buying something and it having interest charged on it.

This means that people who pay their bills in full each month won't be charged any interest.

It makes sense when you think about the fact people buy things at different stages of the billing cycle.

If you buy something on the day after a monthly statement is sent, you won't be billed for that item for a month and then have to be given time to pay that bill.

Added up it can mean well over a month between the purchase and interest being charged - with card providers settling on about 56 days as an appropriate maximum time.

The exception is if you use your card at a cash machine or for a “cash like” transaction - for example buying foreign currency or shares - in which case interest is charged from the moment the transaction occurs.

You don't pay interest on credit card purchases until after you're sent a bill.”

Average 0% interest free periods on UK credit cards
How many months interest free different sordts of credit cards are offering on average.

Source: Defaqto and Uswitch data, correct as of December 19, 2022

Interest free credit card FAQs

Is interest free credit really interest free?

Yes, but that doesn't mean you'll pay nothing to borrow.

First, there may well be a fee attached to a credit card balance transfer or money transfer.

Secondly, if you don't clear your debt withing the 0% period you'll be charged interest on any money remaining on the account at the end of it.

What is APR?

APR stands for "annual percentage rate" - it's the interest rate charged on money borrowed on your credit card. 

It reflects the costs you'll pay over the course of a year and includes any standard fees associated with the card. 

So if you borrow £100 at 20% APR you'll pay £20 interest on that loan over a year.

In most cases you can avoid paying interest by paying off your credit card balance in full by the due date of every billing cycle.

What happens after the 0% period ends

After the 0% period ends, you will start paying interest on any remaining credit card balance at your card's standard APR.

New spending on the card will also have interest charged on it at your standard APR, unless you clear your bill in full each month.

Does Uswitch compare all the credit cards on the market?

We compare over 100 credit cards from all of the major banks and credit card providers.

However, we do not compare all the credit cards that are available in the UK.

This is because some credit card providers have offers that are only available exclusively through their own website or branch, or through other comparison websites - in the same way some credit cards are exclusively available through Uswitch.

There are also many credit cards that are only available to people in member organisations and clubs.

What does ‘most popular’ and ‘popularity’ mean?

When we use the term ‘most popular or ‘popularity’ on Uswitch in reference to credit cards, these cards are ranked by the number of clicks they have received on the site in the past 48 hours.

The most clicked on cards are at the top, with the least at the bottom. This reflects how popular they are with visitors to Uswitch.com. Consequently, this is a good table to look at if you’re interested in seeing which cards most people think are worth getting.

Credit card guides

Find out more about how credit cards work with our in-depth guides
How many credit cards can you have?
How many credit cards can you have?
How to use a credit card
How to use a credit card
What are the differences between credit and debit card?
What are the differences between credit and debit card?

About the author

Author imageJames Andrews
James Andrews
James has spent the past 20 years writing about and editing personal finance articles and guides in the UK. His driving mission has been to help people make better decisions with their money.

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References

1. UK Finance card spending statistics: November 2022