Which credit cards have the lowest interest rates (APR)?
Low-APR cards run noticeably below the national average, which the Federal Reserve's G.19 release put at 20.94% for all accounts (22.15% for accounts carrying a balance) as of its July 8, 2026 release (May 2026 data). Cards marketed as low-rate generally target well-qualified borrowers and carry fewer rewards in exchange.
The rate you pay to carry a balance is the APR, and the Federal Reserve's G.19 report tracks the averages — 20.94% across all accounts and 22.15% for accounts actually assessed interest, per its July 8, 2026 release (May 2026 data); check federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current for the newest release before quoting it. A few structural sources of below-average rates: credit union cards, since federal credit unions are member-owned nonprofits with an 18% APR cap on most cards; bank 'low rate' or 'simplicity' products that trade rewards for a lower purchase APR; 0% introductory-APR cards, which are effectively 0% during a 12-21 month promo before reverting to a standard rate; and some secured cards for rebuilding credit. Since specific rates and offers change constantly and depend on your credit profile, always confirm the APR in a card's live Schumer Box rather than relying on a headline number.
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