01 / Ranking
Cards in 0% window order
Cardholders who want the longest 0% window with no penalty for late payments
Window
21
months
Fee
5%
of bal
FICO
690+
Those who want 0% on both transfers and new purchases with cell phone protection
Window
21
months
Fee
5%
of bal
FICO
670+
Those who need the longest possible payoff window with no annual fee
Window
21
months
Fee
5%
of bal
FICO
700+
People who want to rebuild their credit while paying down debt
Window
21
months
Fee
5%
of bal
FICO
670+
Those who want the lowest transfer fee from a major bank plus cash back rewards
Window
18
months
Fee
3%
of bal
FICO
670+
Those who may not fully pay off the balance and want the lowest post-intro APR
Window
18
months
Fee
3%
of bal
FICO
700+
Those with smaller balances who can pay off in 15 months and want Amex rewards
Window
15
months
Fee
3%
of bal
FICO
670+
02 / Tier Math
Monthly payment by intro window
The longer the 0% window, the lower the required monthly payment. On a $10,000 balance, the gap between 15 months ($667 a month) and 21 months ($476 a month) is roughly $191 a month, which can be the difference between a plan you can sustain and one you cannot.
| Balance | 15 mo | 18 mo | 21 mo | 21 vs 15 saved per mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $333/mo | $278/mo | $238/mo | −$95/mo |
| $8,000 | $533/mo | $444/mo | $381/mo | −$152/mo |
| $10,000 | $667/mo | $556/mo | $476/mo | −$191/mo |
| $12,000 | $800/mo | $667/mo | $571/mo | −$229/mo |
| $15,000 | $1000/mo | $833/mo | $714/mo | −$286/mo |
| $20,000 | $1333/mo | $1111/mo | $952/mo | −$381/mo |
03 / Counterpoint
Longest is not always cheapest
If you can comfortably clear the balance in 15 months, a shorter-window card with a 3% fee can beat a 21-month card with a 5% fee. The extra six months of 0% only matter if you actually need them. Run the numbers with your specific balance.
Worked Example
$5,000 balance, $350 a month available
Lower-fee card: 18-mo window, 3% fee
- Fee
- $150
- Months at $350/mo
- 15
- Total cost
- $5,150
Long-window card: 21-mo window, 5% fee
- Fee
- $250
- Months at $350/mo
- 15
- Total cost
- $5,250
Both clear in 15 months at $350 a month, but the lower-fee card costs $100 less because of the smaller upfront fee. The extra six months on the longer card go unused.
04 / Fine Print
"Billing cycles" vs "months"
A handful of cards (notably the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum) advertise their intro window in "billing cycles" rather than calendar months. A billing cycle is the period between two statement closing dates, typically 28 to 31 days. Over 21 cycles, that quietly adds up to roughly an extra week or two of 0% APR compared to 21 calendar months.
For most cardholders the difference is small, but if your payoff plan is tight, the billing-cycle framing is the more forgiving of the two.
Next Step
Calculate your payoff timeline
Enter your balance and see exactly what you would need to pay each month with any featured card.