A 0% purchases card is a credit card that doesn't charge any interest on your new spending during a promotional period that can last from 1 month up to 26 months or more. As of September 2026, the market has stabilized, with several top providers extending offers back toward the two-year mark.

0% purchases cards can be used for spreading the cost of purchases over the length of this intro period without incurring interest charges - though monthly payments are still required throughout.

Always make sure you can afford repayments.

How a 0% Purchases Card Works

With a 0% purchases card, you aren't charged interest on new purchases for the duration of the promotional period. Once the promotional period is over, the credit card provider will start charging your standard interest rate on any remaining balances.

What are the Best 0 Purchases Credit Cards?

Promotional periods on 0% purchases cards last anywhere from one month up to around 26 months in 2026. Although the market is constantly changing, promotional periods have extended a bit for 0% purchases cards in the past few years, with several providers currently offering deals at or near this longer end of the range.

Losing Your 0 Interest Promotional Rate

You can lose your 0% rate and be moved back onto your stated purchases interest rate if you:

• Make a late payment

• Don't pay at least the minimum amount

• Exceed your credit limit

Going over your credit limit or failing to pay the minimum amount on time each month usually means you lose all promotional offers and the credit card will start charging your balances at the stated interest rate.

When applying for a new purchases card, the standard APR is worth checking alongside the promotional period (i.e., months of 0% interest), since it can be high and quite variable.

APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and represents the total yearly cost of borrowing, including interest and any fees. On a 0% purchase card, the APR shown in the representative example reflects the rate that kicks in once the promotional period ends, and this can vary significantly depending on the applicant's credit profile. It's common for a card's summary box to list several possible representative APRs — for example, three different rate tiers depending on individual circumstances — meaning two applicants accepted for the same card could end up on quite different rates once the 0% period expires.

The rate you receive is determined by the lender based on your individual circumstances and is not always known until after you apply. Using an eligibility checker before applying allows you to see your likelihood of acceptance without leaving a mark on your credit file.

Do You Make Monthly Payments on a 0 Interest Card?

Yes, you still make monthly payments during a 0% interest promotional period. During this period, your minimum payments will usually be around 1% of the balance (plus any default charges or monthly/annual fees) - there may be a minimum £ payment such as £5, or the full balance if that balance is less than £25.

None of the payments made during the promotional period on a purchases card go towards interest charges - they go directly towards reducing the outstanding balance.

How Much Can a 0% Purchases Card Save Me?

A 0% interest credit card can save cardholders a significant amount of money in avoided interest payments. Let's look at an example.

Say you spend £1,000 on charges related to house renovations that you would prefer to pay off slowly, but you can afford £50 payments each month.

Your options are charging this £1,000 in renovation costs to your existing 24.9% credit card (close to the current average UK credit card interest rate) OR opening a new 0% purchases card.

OPTION 1 - 24.9% card: Charge £1,000 to a 24.9% card, paying back £50 per month (more than the minimum payment) - this will cost you approximately £264 in interest charges and take 26 months to pay down the balance.

OPTION 2 - 0% purchases card: 0% purchases card: Charge £1,000 to a 0% card with a promotional period lasting 25 months (for example), paying back £50 per month (more than the minimum payment) - this will cost you £0 in interest charges and take 20 months to pay down the balance.

In this example, a 0% purchases card not only saves approximately £264 in interest charges (around 26% of the original amount) but you would be debt free 6 months sooner.

The outstanding balance, the size of monthly payments, and the length of the promotional period all affect the outcome. Clearing the balance by the end of the promotional period avoids reverting to the standard APR on any remainder.

In the example above, paying £50 per month on a £1,000 balance would leave you debt free in 20 months. Here's the math: £1,000 ÷ £50 per month = 20 months. The potential savings on a purchases card are even more pronounced the higher the interest rate on your current credit card, as you can see in the chart below.

Purchases Cards with Balance Transfers

Purchase cards sometimes offer balance transfer capability as an added feature for those need help managing existing debt - but cards with both purchases and balance transfers tend to have higher balance transfer fees than you'd find on a card whose primary focus is balance transfers.

Cards with long 0% interest periods for both purchases and balance transfers are often referred to as "dual" or "all around" offers.

For those wanting one card for everything, balance transfer fees are affected by this combination. Putting a balance transfer on a long purchases card is more expensive than putting a balance transfer on a short purchases card. The most suitable card depends on factors such as the balance involved, the promotional periods needed, and the associated fees.

FAQs

What does 0 interest on purchases mean?

A credit card with 0 interest on purchases will not charge any interest on new purchases made during the 0 purchases period, until the promotional period ends.

How do 0 purchase credit cards work?

A 0 purchase credit card charges no interest on new purchases during the 0% interest promotional period. After the promotional period ends you will pay your stated interest rate on remaining balances. You still need to make monthly payments - your payments will go towards the outstanding balance and won't include interest charges. If you miss a payment or even go over your credit limit, you'll probably lose the 0% promotional rate.

What is a 0 purchase credit card?

A 0 purchase credit card charges no interest on new purchases during the 0% interest promotional period. After the promotional period ends you will pay your stated interest rate on remaining balances.