What Is a Good APR for a Credit Card?

A good APR for a credit card is around 17% or below. A credit card APR in this range is on par with the interest rates charged by credit cards for people with excellent credit, which tend to have the lowest regular APRs. The average credit card APR overall is around 23% right now, according to WalletHub's latest Credit Card Landscape Report.

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Good Credit Card APRs by Credit Score

A great APR for a credit card is 0%. The right 0% credit card could help you avoid interest entirely on big-ticket purchases or reduce the cost of existing debt. But you generally need at least good credit to qualify for such a card, and 0% APRs only last for a limited time. On that note, the very best APR for a credit card is one you don't need to worry about. If you pay your bill in full every month, your credit card's interest rate is irrelevant because it will never apply.

Below, you can check out some of the best credit cards with good APRs available right now and learn more about how to qualify for them. You can also check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub, if you don’t know where you stand.

Compare Low Interest Credit Cards

Best Credit Cards with Good APRs in 2024

Some credit cards have low regular APRs, compared to either all other offers or cards with the same minimum credit requirement. Other cards offer low intro APRs for purchases, balance transfers or both. So finding a credit card with a good APR starts with figuring out which rates will affect you. And to do that, you must know what you’re going to use the card for, how long it will take to pay off your balance, and which credit cards you have reasonable odds of getting.

Below, you can compare the top options for 0% purchases, balance transfers and low regular APRs. They’re definitely a great place to start.

Citi Simplicity® Card	U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card	Wells Fargo Reflect® Card	BankAmericard® credit card
4.7WalletHub Rating WalletHub Rating 4.7 This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Lower Cost of Existing Debt." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs. Editor’s Rating 3.7 User Reviews 3.7 Market Comparison 5.0 fees: 5.0 cost: 5.0 APR: 5.0	4.1WalletHub Rating WalletHub Rating 4.1 This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Lower Cost of Existing Debt." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs. Editor’s Rating 4.8 User Reviews 3.7 Market Comparison 4.0 fees: 5.0 cost: 3.5 APR: 4.4	4.2WalletHub Rating WalletHub Rating 4.2 This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Finance New Purchases." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs. Editor’s Rating 4.8 User Reviews 3.2 Market Comparison 4.2 fees: 4.0 rewards: 0.0 cost: 4.0 APR: 5.0	4.4WalletHub Rating WalletHub Rating 4.4 This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Lower Cost of Existing Debt." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs. Editor’s Rating 4.0 User Reviews 3.7 Market Comparison 4.6 fees: 5.0 cost: 4.6 APR: 4.5
(2,541)	(473)	(124)	(627)
annual fee$0	annual fee$0	annual fee$0	annual fee$0
Purchase Intro APR0% for 12 months	Purchase Intro APR0% for 18 billing cycles	Purchase Intro APR0% for 21 months from account opening	Purchase Intro APR0% for 18 billing cycles
transfer intro apr0% for 21 months Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, and 5% ($5 min) for each transfer after that	transfer intro apr0% for 18 billing cycles Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 60 days, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer*	transfer intro apr0% for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Transfer Fee: 5% (min $5)	transfer intro apr0% for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Transfer Fee: 3%
Regular APR19.24% - 29.99% (V)	Regular APR18.74% - 29.74% (V)	Regular APR18.24% - 29.99% Variable	Regular APR16.24% - 26.24% Variable
rewards rate N/A	rewards rate N/A	rewards rate N/A	rewards rate N/A
bonus offer N/A	bonus offer N/A	bonus offer N/A	bonus offer N/A
Learn More	Learn More	Apply Now Rates & Fees	Learn More

Finding a credit card with a good APR and actually getting approved for one are very different things, unfortunately. But the good news is there are steps that you can take to improve your chances. You can learn about them below.

How to Get a Good Credit Card APR

1. Improve Your Credit Score 

   People with better credit scores get better credit cards. And the higher your score is, the more options you will have. Improving your score will help you qualify for a higher-tier card, for one thing. And since many credit cards advertise their APRs as a range (e.g. 13% - 23%), it may enable you to get a better rate on a card you’d get approved for anyway.Reducing your credit utilization, paying down debt and correcting credit report errors are all good ways to improve your credit score. The more responsible you are, the more quickly your score will rise. But you can determine the best approach for your particular situation by reviewing your free personalized credit analysis from WalletHub.

2. Shop Around
   

   You’re unlikely to get the best deal on anything you buy if you go for the very first offer that you come across. So comparison-shop your way to the best credit card rates for your needs. You can use WalletHub’s comparison tool to see how different cards stack up against one another.

3. Make a Payoff Plan 

   How good a credit card APR will be depends on how long it remains in effect. Low introductory APRs last for only a limited time before a high regular APR takes their place, for example. And an 18% regular rate won’t cost you too much for a month or two, but carrying a balance for a long time will be expensive.

   So determine what monthly payments you’ll make in advance and look for a card whose APR package complements your schedule.

4. Use the Island Approach 

   Using the same card to make everyday purchases and carry a balance from month to month is a bad idea. It makes your debt more expensive, for one thing, since your normal spending will be added to the amount accruing interest on a daily basis. In contrast, if you use a separate card for everyday purchases and pay your bill in full every month, your standard spending will be interest-free. Separating your everyday spending from longer-term balances also lets you get the best possible terms for both. You can use a rewards credit card for everyday spending, since you’ll be paying in full every month and its APR thus won’t matter. And you can use a 0% APR credit card to save on the balance you’ll carry from month to month. This method of using separate credit cards to meet different needs is called the Island Approach.

   At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that the best APR for a credit card is one that never takes effect. Americans owe over a trillion dollars in credit card debt, and we’re spending millions per year on interest. It’s very difficult to get ahead when you’re trying to get out from under a big credit card balance. So make sure to keep your spending in check, pay off your credit card debt as quickly as possible and explore other debt solutions if necessary.