What a 0% intro APR really is
A promotional window, often 12 to 21 months, where a transferred balance or new purchases accrue no interest. When it ends, your standard APR applies to whatever's left.
I built this part of Cardinate for one reason: I couldn't keep my own 0% deadlines straight. Ten-plus cards, every end date different, and nobody reminds you. Then one day a balance you forgot about is quietly racking up 24% interest. Never again.
Promo APR deadline tracker
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On track242 days left·Needs $521/mo·Gap $171/mo
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Watch61 days left·Needs $885/mo·Gap $685/mo
Calculations are estimates for educational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Actual payoff timelines, interest charges, and credit outcomes may vary.
What & why
0% intro APR, without the nasty surprise.
What happens when it expires
The remaining balance starts accruing interest at the go-to APR, frequently 20% to 29%. Anything you didn't pay off in time can get expensive fast.
Why the deadlines slip
Issuers rarely remind you, every card's date is different, and once you've got a few promos running at once it's genuinely hard to keep them all straight.
How Cardinate helps
It tracks each promo's end date, flags the ones getting close, and shows the exact monthly payment to reach $0 before the rate jumps.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Your 0% intro APR ends on the date in your card's original offer, usually 12 to 21 months after account opening or the balance transfer. Issuers rarely remind you, so it's worth tracking each card's exact end date yourself.
Any remaining balance starts accruing interest at the card's go-to APR, frequently 20% to 29%. Only the leftover balance is affected; you're not charged retroactive interest on what you already paid (as long as it wasn't a deferred-interest offer).
List each card's promo balance, end date, and go-to APR in one place, then sort by which deadline hits first. Cardinate does this automatically and flags the ones getting close.
Divide the promo balance by the number of months left before it expires. The tracker above calculates this for each card and shows the gap between that number and what you're currently paying.
It can be, if you can't clear the balance in time and the transfer fee is less than the interest you'd otherwise pay. Compare the fee against the projected interest before moving a balance.