0% Watch #1: The baseline (October 17, 2026)
Welcome to the first issue of 0% Watch, StackScout's weekly email for people who use 0% intro APR cards on purpose.
This issue sets the baseline. We checked 29 live 0% intro APR offers (19 personal, 10 business) against each issuer's own page on October 17, 2026. From next week on, this email covers what changed.
Quick reminder: "0% for 21 billing cycles" is about 21 months, not a guarantee. Intro APRs usually need good-to-excellent credit, and every card below goes back to a go-to APR of roughly 13.99%–28.74% once the intro ends.
The longest 0% runways right now
| Card | 0% on purchases | 0% on balance transfers | BT fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Reflect® | 21 months | 21 months (BTs within 120 days) | 5% (min $5) |
| Chase Slate® | 21 months | 21 months | Greater of $5 or 5% |
| BankAmericard® | 21 billing cycles | 21 billing cycles (BTs within 60 days) | 5% |
| U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® | 21 billing cycles | 21 billing cycles (BTs within 60 days) | 5% (min $5) |
| Citi® Diamond Preferred® | 12 months | 21 months (BTs within 4 months) | 3% intro, then 5% (min $5) |
| Citi Simplicity® | 18 months | 18 months (BTs within 4 months) | 3% intro, then 5% (min $5) |
Worth noting: Citi Diamond Preferred has the cheapest long balance transfer on this list: a 3% intro fee on BTs completed within 4 months, with 21 months at 0% on BTs. Its purchase intro is shorter, at 12 months.
Business cards: 12 months is the norm, one runs 15 cycles
- Bank of America Platinum Plus® Mastercard® Business: 0% on purchases for 15 billing cycles, $0 annual fee. This is the longest business intro we found.
- 12 months on purchases, $0 annual fee: Chase Ink Business Unlimited® and Ink Business Cash®; Amex Blue Business Cash™ and Blue Business® Plus.
- **12 billing cycles on purchases and BTs (BTs within 30 days, 5% fee):** U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business and U.S. Bank Business Shield™ Visa®.
- Shorter: Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select (9 months) and Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited / Customized Cash Rewards (7 billing cycles).
Lowest balance transfer fee on the board
Alliant Visa® Platinum (credit union): 0% for 12 months on purchases and BTs, with a 2% BT fee ($5 min) and a $0 annual fee. Alliant membership is required.
Several cards have a 3% intro BT fee: the Citi Simplicity / Diamond Preferred / Double Cash (BTs within 4 months), Chase Freedom Unlimited® / Freedom Flex® (BTs within 60 days), Bank of America Customized Cash / Unlimited Cash (first 60 days), Wells Fargo Active Cash® (120 days) and Truist Enjoy Cash (3%, min $10).
Noted this week (not in the tracker)
- Citi Custom Cash® isn't taking new applications. Citi's page says it stopped on May 28, 2026.
- Navy Federal Platinum is 0.99% intro APR on BTs, not 0%, so it's not in the tracker. It has no BT fee and 12 months on BTs made within 60 days.
- Amex Blue Cash Everyday® shows "0% for up to 18 months." Amex says your intro length is set after you apply and can be as short as 6 months.
Bureau pulls: what the recent data says
We seeded the Bureau Pull Database with 96 dated, sourced data points for 11 issuers. Highlights from the last 12 months:
- Chase: Experian in Florida (Freedom Unlimited, applied Dec 13, 2025; Sapphire Reserve, Nov 2025) and in California (United Explorer, Nov 13, 2025).
- Wells Fargo: one public report of a TransUnion pull (Nov 8, 2025, state not given).
Longer-run patterns (from 2023–2025 data points plus independent trackers): Amex is overwhelmingly Experian. Barclays is almost always TransUnion. Capital One often pulls all three. Citi splits between Experian and Equifax. U.S. Bank leans TransUnion, with Experian reported in CA and TX. Honest caveat: most seed data points are 1–3 years old. Submit your data point to help keep it current.
One thing to do this week
If you plan to open a 0% card, write down the date the intro ends and the go-to APR before you spend a dollar. Every offer above switches to a variable APR when the intro ends.
Sources: every offer links to the issuer's page in the 0% Tracker. The full change history is on the Offer changes page.
Disclosure: StackScout has no affiliate links today. If we add any, they'll be labeled. This issue has no sponsor. We don't promote paid "credit stacking" or funding-broker services.
Not financial advice. Terms change and can vary by applicant. Confirm on the issuer's site before applying.