The average American household carries roughly $6,523 in credit card debt right now, according to Federal Reserve data — and with average APRs sitting at 21%, that balance can drain over $1,300 a year in interest alone.
The good news: a small group of cash back credit cards have 0% intro APR offers for up to 15 months or more on balance transfers — which means you can pay no interest on existing debt, while still earning cash back rewards on regular spending.
My team at Motley Fool Money tracks hundreds of credit card offers each year. These three are top picks right now.
1. Chase Freedom Unlimited® — overall top pick
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) just won our Best Cash Back Credit Card of 2026 award for a simple reason. It’s a rare card that combines a flat-rate cash back program with bonus categories most people actually use.
- Intro APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months, then a 18.24% – 27.74% Variable APR.
- Cash back: 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery, 1.5% on all other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Who it’s best for: Anyone who wants strong everyday cash back plus a runway to pay down existing debt. If you can park a balance here and still earn up to 5% cash back on new spending, you’re getting paid to clean up your finances.
2. Citi Double Cash® Card — top pick for simple, flat-rate rewards
The Citi Double Cash® Card earns a flat rate on all spending with no categories to track and no quarterly activations to remember. It’s a true set-it-and-forget-it option in the cash back world, and it pairs that flat rate with one of the longest intro APR offers for balance transfers.
- Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 18 months on Balance Transfers. After that, a 17.49% – 27.49% (Variable) APR will apply, based on your creditworthiness.
- Cash back: 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases, plus 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel
- Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Who it’s best for: For anyone with a larger balance that wants a little more breathing room, this card has a longer no-interest window on balance transfers that helps make payoff more manageable with no interest. As for rewards, it’s built for people who want a no-fuss approach to earning cash back.
3. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card — top pick for flexibility
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card just won our Best Credit Card for Gas of 2026 award, but it’s worth a look for more than just fuel spending. You can pick your own top spending category — eg. gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement — and earn boosted rewards.
- Intro APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% – 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- Cash back: Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice. You’ll automatically earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category. Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.
- Welcome offer: Earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Who it’s best for: Anyone who wants control over their rewards category — and folks who pump a lot of gas every month.
How to actually get the most out of these cards
The trick with any 0% intro APR card is to treat the runway like a deadline you actually plan to hit.
A great plan includes taking whatever balance you’re carrying, dividing it by the number of intro APR months, and setting up autopay for that exact number. So for example on a $4,500 transfer with 15 months to play with, that’s $300 per month.
To unlock a welcome offer, make sure you’ve got natural spending you can put on the new card. The thresholds here aren’t particularly high, but keep an eye on it so you can earn the bonus (and apply it towards your debt balance if you can!).
The bottom line
The cash back + 0% intro APR combo is one of the few moves in personal finance where you can earn money and save money at the same time.
If you’re ready to put one of these to work, my team’s full lineup is a good place to start.