How long does a zero per cent interest credit card last?

Zero per cent credit cards are in most cases introductory rates.  This will mean that after a period they will rise to a standard interest rate.  When shopping around for a zero per cent interest credit card then it is a good idea to look at the amount of time that the credit card will have the zero per cent interest rate as that can vary dramatically among the various credit cards.

The first thing that should be remembered about zero per cent interest credit cards is that they are designed to be unprofitable for the introductory period.  This is because they have been found to be a good way of attracting customers.  Credit card companies spend a lot of money trying to attract customers through advertising and other forms of marketing.  For some customers it is cheaper to attract them by offering a very low or zero per cent interest introductory rate.  However as this introductory rate adds costs to the credit card companies then they are unable to keep the introductory interest rate for a long period.

The usual introductory period is around six to nine months for a zero per cent credit card, although there are a large amount of credit cards that offer an introductory rate for three months or even less.  It is a good idea to consider whether these credit cards are worth applying for as the balance transfer fee and the extra annual fee may very well cancel out the card’s value.

However there are credit cards that last for a considerably longer period than three months.  Periodically credit cards will come out that will offer zero per cent interest rates for twelve months or more.  The providers vary and there are different providers providing these cards at different times, although in most cases there is usually at least one of these cards on the market.  The cards can be withdrawn quite quickly and the amount of these cards that are available is usually dependent on the general lending environment.  In some cases there are credit cards that last up to eighteen months, although twelve and fifteen month periods are more common.  These cards are only open to new customers (as with most zero per cent credit card offers).

It is a good idea when looking for a zero per cent interest credit card to look for a credit card with a long introductory period.