A 0% introductory APR offer can be an efficient way to finance a large purchase or temporarily eliminate interest while paying down revolving debt.

• The promotional period is most effective when the payoff schedule is set at the time the account is opened. Without that schedule, a 0% balance can behave like a whirlpool: the balance remains easy to carry for months, then the promotional rate ends and the regular APR begins compounding immediately.
• This post reviews the major banks that are most competitive for 0% introductory APR in February 2026, explains the practical differences in how these issuers structure 0% offers, and outlines the steps that improve the odds of receiving a higher starting limit while keeping personal credit utilization controlled.

February 2026 Overview

The credit cards 0% APR market is led by a small group of major issuers offering many options of cards with long 0% APR windows, alongside banks that compete by lowering balance transfer fees during an initial transfer window. The table below is issuer-focused review on banks, each one with it’s own strong point.

Issuer	Strong Point	How the 0% structure is positioned	Typical expected balance transfer fees
U.S. Bank	Longest 0% APR card options available from all Issuers	Card options available up to 24 billing cycles on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (transfer deadline applies in most cards)	5% (min $5)
Wells Fargo	Near-2-year 0% term on purchases and transfers	Up to 21 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (transfer deadline applies)	5% (min $5)
Chase	Long 0% APR options; combine credit lines from other cards, to the new 0% APR Card	Up to 21 months on purchases and balance transfers (terms/fee apply).	3% – 5% (min $5)
Citi	Transfer-first structure designed for payoff timelines	Often 21 months on balance transfers; shorter purchase window within the same family	Oftten 3% during set times from account opening, then 5%
Bank of America	Lower-cost entry window for transfers; combine credit lines from other cards, to the new 0% APR Card	Often 18 billing cycles on purchases and transfers; transfer deadline applies	Often 3% during an initial window, then 4%
Discover	Simple options for 0% APR; pre approval available. Strong on points structures the 1st year	Often 15 months on purchases and balance transfers	Often 3% during a promotional window, then higher
Capital One	Broad consumer lineup and shopping experience with capital one shopping; pre approval available.	Intro APR windows vary; commonly shorter than the longest market leaders	Varies by product

 

Selecting the right 0% offer for the job

0% introductory APR offers fall into two practical categories: purchase financing and balance transfer payoff. The best issuer choice depends on which balance you intend to carry.

Use case	What matters most	Operational detail that decides success
Purchase financing	Length of the purchase 0% window; credit limit size	Set a fixed monthly payoff target immediately; avoid adding additional balances without recalculating payoff
Balance transfer payoff	Transfer fee, 0% window length, and transfer deadline; limit size	Initiate the transfer immediately after approval; keep paying the old issuer until the transfer posts

Balance transfer fees and the real financing cost

For balance transfers, the introductory APR is only part of the cost. Most issuers charge a one-time balance transfer fee. The fee is added to the transferred balance immediately and should be treated as additional principal in the payoff plan.

Typical fee range: 3% to 5% of the amount transferred (minimum fee applies).

Transfer amount	3% fee (balance becomes)	5% fee (balance becomes)	Planning note
$10,000	$10,300	$10,500	Base the monthly payoff target on the total balance, including the fee.

A long 0% window can still be worthwhile even with a fee if the alternative is carrying interest at standard purchase APRs. The decision comes down to whether the monthly payoff required to clear the balance before the promotional end date is realistic.

Payoff planning: keeping the Intro from Eating up your Savings.

• The simplest plan is a fixed payoff schedule. Divide the total balance (including any transfer fee) by the number of months in the promotional period, and treat that amount as the minimum payment necessary for the strategy to work.

Two practices reduce operational risk:

• Autopay the minimum payment to prevent accidental late payments.
• Schedule the payoff payment separately based on the monthly target, not on the statement minimum.

Credit utilization and score management

Carrying a large 0% balance on a personal card can reduce credit scores even when every payment is made on time. A widely used baseline is to keep utilization below 30% on personal revolving credit, with lower utilization typically supporting stronger score outcomes.

For borrowers preparing for additional credit applications, the cleanest approach is to reduce the reported balance before the statement closes. In most cases, statement balances are what report to the credit bureaus.

Improving the odds of a higher starting limit

Starting limits are driven by exposure and repayment capacity. Profiles that combine long on-time payment history, low reported revolving balances, and existing high credit lines in good standing tend to perform better in limit-driven underwriting.

• Lower reported utilization before applying, both overall and on individual cards where possible.
• Avoid clusters of new accounts and inquiries in the weeks leading up to a limit-sensitive application.
• Maintain older, high-limit accounts in good standing; closures and reductions can weaken total available credit.
• Keep income and employment information current where issuers permit profile updates.
• If a strong relationship exists with a bank (deposit/loan history), apply within that ecosystem when the offer structure is competitive.

Business vs personal: where balances report

• A core advantage of many business credit cards is reporting behavior. Many issuers do not report ongoing monthly business card activity to personal credit bureaus when accounts are paid as agreed, which can allow a 0% balance to be carried without inflating personal utilization in the same way a personal card would. Policies vary, and delinquency can still appear on personal reports.
• Capital One is the major exception among large issuers: it reports most business card activity to personal credit bureaus even when accounts are in good standing, with two business charge-card exceptions that generally appear on personal credit only if balances are not paid.
• Discover does not have any  applications for business credit cards, which removes business-card reporting strategy from consideration within Discover’s ecosystem.

 

Issuer-by-issuer strengths and practical considerations

 

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank is the clearest leader on promotional duration when its longest 0% window is available. For borrowers who need maximum time, this is the benchmark in the market. The tradeoff is that transfer deadlines and transfer fees tend to be less forgiving than the low-fee entry offers from other issuers.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo’s 0% positioning has remained competitive with long introductory periods. It is often a practical choice for purchase financing or balance transfer payoff when the priority is runway. For borrowers who want clear underwriting and mainstream servicing, Wells Fargo remains a core issuer in the 0% category.

Chase

Chase competes with long introductory periods and tends to be a strong fit for borrowers who value a nationwide bank ecosystem and account management tools. For existing customers, credit line management across accounts can be useful when the approved limit is lower than planned.

Citi

Citi remains one of the most consistent issuers for transfer-first structures. It is commonly viewed as a strong fit when the priority is a long transfer payoff window, particularly when the early transfer fee is lower than flat 5% fee structures. Citi can be a strong option when the entire plan is to move debt and pay it off with disciplined monthly payments.

Bank of America

Bank of America frequently competes by lowering the upfront cost of a transfer during an initial window. That structure is best for borrowers ready to initiate the transfer immediately after approval. For many households, Bank of America is a stable mainstream option for both purchase financing and balance transfers.

Discover

Discover’s strength is simplicity and transparency in a consumer lineup. The introductory period is commonly shorter than the longest market leaders, but the experience can be straightforward for purchase financing or modest transfers. Discover is not a business-card strategy issuer because it is not currently accepting business card applications.

Capital One

Capital One is often strongest on accessibility and shopping experience, including consumer pre-approval. When the goal is to keep a large 0% balance from affecting personal utilization, reporting behavior is the key issue: Capital One typically reports most business card activity to personal bureaus, with charge-card exceptions, which makes it a poor fit for that specific strategy.

 

Important Checklist:

• Write down the promotional end date and any balance transfer deadline the day the account opens.
• If transferring a balance, initiate the transfer immediately after approval and continue paying the original issuer until the transfer posts.
• Calculate the monthly payoff target using the total balance, including any transfer fee, and schedule payments to clear the balance before the promotion ends.
• Keep personal utilization below 30% while carrying a 0% balance; if necessary, adjust by paying before the statement closes or by using additional available credit responsibly.
• Use autopay for at least the minimum payment to prevent accidental late payments during the promotional period.

 

Here is the list of most major offers availble

 

Personal 0% Intro APR Cards