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More on this topic
Balance transfer credit cards
Can save you £1,000s by slashing the interest you pay
Cheap personal loans
Including our Loans Eligibility Calculator
0% balance transfer & purchase cards
Shift card debt AND spend at 0%
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Best 0% credit cards
Compare cards with up to 24 months' interest-free spending
Updated 27 January 2023
We prefer you don't borrow, as it can lead to problems. Yet if you need to, 0% spending credit cards are the cheapest way to borrow, if you use them right. Our guide has full info on what to watch out for, plus our eligibility calculator will show you the cards you've the best odds of getting before you apply.
Who's this guide for? Anyone with a planned, budgeted-for purchase for a retailer that takes credit card.
Want to shift card debt to 0%? See our Balance transfers guide.
Want to borrow £3k+? A cheap loan often beats a credit card.
Other related guides... 0% money transfer cards | All-rounder cards | Debt help | How credit cards work | What is buy now, pay later?
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How do 0% spending cards work?
Put simply, a 0% spending card offers a number of months where no interest is charged on new purchases. This can save you £1,000s compared with the same borrowing on a standard credit card (assuming you pay them off over the same period of time).
So done right, there's no cheaper borrowing over the medium term – though they're not an excuse to overspend. We'd only suggest using a credit card to borrow for a needed, planned, affordable, one-off purchase, for example, replacing a broken fridge. This means borrowing as little as possible and only an amount you can pay back during the 0% period.
Of course, with the cost of living crisis, it can be tempting to get one to fill gaps in your income. That's a mistake, as the need to repay it will just add to your future costs, and make life more difficult. Though if you are doing it anyway, borrowing at 0% is better than paying interest. Yet it's far, far better to avoid borrowing to fill gaps in your income if you can – do read our Debt help guide for more info.
Compare which 0% credit cards you've the best chance of getting, in your own personal best-buy table.
Usually, applying is the only way to know if you'll be accepted for a credit card. Yet that marks your credit file, affecting your ability to get future credit. To help, our tool uses a 'soft search' to find your chances of acceptance before you apply.
Check your chance of acceptance
Top-pick 0% spending credit cards
Here are our top-pick cards with the next best below for you to compare, all with a long 0% period.
How do I apply for a credit card?
A few years ago, the only way to know if you'd be accepted for a credit card was to apply. But that leaves a mark on your credit report that lenders can see – affecting your ability to get credit in future.
However, our eligibility calculator uses a 'soft search' (which lenders can't use) to calculate and show your percentage chance of getting the top credit cards. This is the best route as it reveals which cards you're most likely to be accepted for WITHOUT impacting on your credit report.
Some cards even give a 100% acceptance chance, meaning you're 'pre-approved' to get them. This is particularly helpful for 'up to' cards – ones where poorer credit scorers may get a shorter deal than advertised. Be aware of these if you're not showing as pre-approved.
| Longest 0% period, though some could get fewer interest-free months. You'll get the full 24 months at 0% if you're showing as 'pre-approved' in our eligibility calculator, otherwise you could get just 12mths' 0%. | ||
- Up to 24mths 0% - 22.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility | |
| Apply* | ||
 NatWest |
Longest definite 0% period – all accepted get the full 23 months at 0%. Also offered by sister banks RBS (check eligibility / apply*) and Ulster Bank (apply), these cards were previously only available to existing customers, but are now open to all to apply. | |
| - 23mths 0% - 23.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility | |
| Apply* | ||
 M&S Bank |
Another long, definite 0% period – plus earn M&S points. All accepted get the full 21 months at 0%. You also get M&S points – one point per £1 spent at M&S and one point per £5 spent elsewhere – which convert into M&S vouchers. | |
- 21mths 0% - M&S points on spending - 23.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility | |
| Apply* | ||
| The next best 0% spending cards. Here are quick details of decent alternatives. | ||
| MBNA Only on purchases made in first 60 days |
- Up to 22mths 0% - 22.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
| Apply* | ||
| HSBC | - Up to 20mths 0% - 23.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
| Apply* | ||
| Sainsbury's Bank | - Up to 18mths 0% - 21.9% rep APR |
Apply (not in our eligibility calculator) |
See all official APR examples.
Top 0% credit cards for poor credit scorers
If you have high levels of current debt, missed payments (recent or historic), bankruptcies, county court judgments (CCJs) or individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs), chances are your credit file might not be in the best shape.
Try our eligibility calculator first to check your chances of acceptance for the cards above, but if it shows no or low odds, then the cards below offer a short 0% period if your credit problems are over a year old. These cards can also help if you've existing, expensive debt...
 Virgin Money |
The longest 0% period designed for those with poor credit by far – use our eligibility calculator to see if you're 'pre-approved'. | |
- 12mths 0% - 29.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility | |
| Apply* | ||
| The next best poor-credit 0% spending cards. Here are quick details of decent alternatives. | ||
| Capital One | - 4mths 0% - 34.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
| Apply* | ||
| Post Office | - 3mths 0% - 29.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
| Apply* | ||
| Barclaycard | - 3mths 0% - 33.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
| Apply* | ||
See all official APR examples.
If you can't get these cards, read our Credit cards for bad credit guide for more help to build or rebuild your credit history.
Cashback sites may pay you for signing up
As an extra boon, members of specialist cashback websites can be paid when they sign up to some financial products. Do check that it's exactly the same deal though, as terms can be different. And remember the cashback is never 100% guaranteed until it's in your account.
Full help to take advantage of this, plus pros and cons, in our Top cashback sites guide.
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