Compare interest free credit cards

What is an interest free credit card?

Interest free credit cards, or 0% interest cards, allow you to pay for items without having to pay interest on your balance over a fixed period. Used sensibly, they can be a cost-effective way to pay for expensive items upfront, providing you pay off the amount you owe by the end of the promotional period.  

Why compare interest free credit card deals?

Interest-free credit cards can be a great way to manage your money, whether you want to spread the cost of a spending spree or get your debts under control. Let’s say you decide to splash out on a family holiday for £2000. If you buy the trip with a standard credit card, you could pay interest of about 18%. But with a 0% card, there would be no interest to pay, sometimes for two years or more. In other words, it’s like an interest-free loan.

A number of card firms also charge 0% on balance transfers. So, if you have run up debts on another card or cards at a high rate of interest, you can simply switch the balance to a 0% deal and start saving money.

What are the benefits?

Interest-free credit cards can help you to manage your household budget, saving money on both debts and purchases. If, for example, you pay for your £2000 holiday with a credit card at 18%, it would cost almost £100 in interest over two years. But buy the holiday with a 0% card and you would pay no interest at all.

The savings can be similarly impressive with 0% balance transfer cards. Let’s say you have a £2000 debt on a store card that charges 29.9%. If you clear the debt in two years you will pay approximately £112 in interest, compared with nothing on a 0% deal.

Credit cards also offer some protection to consumers in the event that the goods or services are faulty, fail to arrive or the supplier goes bust.

What are the drawbacks of 0% interest credit cards?

If you take out a 0% card, it’s important to clear your balance before the 0% offer expires; otherwise you will start to rack up interest at the standard rate. The best way to stay on track is to set up a direct debit. For example, you could set up a monthly direct debit for £84 to be sure to pay off a £2000 debt in two years.

You should be careful not to spend more on the card than you can afford to pay off during the interest-free period – and it’s often a good idea to cut up the card when the 0% deal expires.

Remember, too, that a good deal for purchases is not necessarily a good deal for balance transfers. Some cards, for example, offer 0% on balance transfers for 26 months, but 0% on purchases for only three months. If you want to both spend and transfer a balance, you will probably be better off with two separate credit cards.

Also watch out for the fees on balance transfer cards, which can be as much as 3% of the transferred balance. In other words, you could pay a fee of £60 to switch a £2000 balance.

Interest-free credit cards are not available to everybody. Most card issuers reserve their best deals for customers with a spotless credit record, so your application could be turned down if you have struggled with debts in the past.

What are the alternatives to interest free credit cards?

There are a number of alternatives to interest-free credit cards, though you will have to pay interest on your borrowings.

A personal loan, for example, allows you to borrow a fixed amount over a fixed period, usually at a fixed rate of interest. If you want to borrow a large amount over a long period, you might therefore be better with a low rate loan.

Another option is a credit card that charges a low rate for the lifetime of the balance. You would not then have to worry about clearing the debt within the 0% period

Summary points

• 0% cards charge no interest for a limited time.
• If you take out a 0% card, clear your balance before the interest-free offer expires; otherwise you will encounter interest at the standard rate.
• Balance transfer cards charge 0% on a balance moved from another card, but watch out for a fee.

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