Looking for a better way to finance back-to-school shopping? You’re not alone: 19% of parents opened a new credit card specifically for back-to-school shopping, and another 32% considered it, according to Motley Fool Money research.
Many of those were 0% intro APR cards — credit cards that offer 0% interest on purchases for a limited time. And the best ones can also help you save on existing debt, or earn solid cash back rewards, for no annual fee.
Here are the three best 0% intro APR cards to help you save on back-to-school shopping this year.
1. Wells Fargo Reflect® Card: The longest runway on new purchases
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card (rates and fees) offers 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, which is about as long as you’ll find out there. That was enough to earn the card our award for Best 0% Intro APR Credit Card of 2026.
A 17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR kicks in after that, and there’s no annual fee. There’s also a balance transfer fee of 5%, min: $5.
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card earns no rewards, and its only notable perk is $600 in cellphone protection. But if you want to save on interest across purchases and balance transfers, for this year and next year’s back-to-school shopping, you can’t do better than this.
2. Chase Slate®: Nearly identical terms to the Wells Fargo Reflect Card
Want a card with nearly identical terms as the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, just from a different issuer? The Chase Slate® (see rates and fees) is the way to go.
Chase Slate® also gives you 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 21 months with no annual fee. A slightly higher 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR applies once that window ends.
Like the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, this card earns no rewards and has no welcome bonus — just an extra-long window to save on interest. It does come with six months of complimentary DashPass, though, which might be a bigger selling point to you than the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card’s cellphone protection.
Also like the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is the balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. So be sure to weigh that in if you plan on transferring an existing balance.
3. Chase Freedom Unlimited®: If you want to earn rewards, too
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) is the only one of these three cards that actually earns you rewards. You’ll get:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3% cash back on drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
As you can imagine, there’s a tradeoff. The 0% intro APR window is shorter: 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers. After that, a 18.24% – 27.74% Variable APR applies.
Still, 15 months is a pretty long runway, and the earning rates here are pretty great. Getting 3% back on dining is one of my favorite everyday bonus categories on a no-annual-fee card. This one won our award for Best Cash Back Credit Card of 2026 for a reason.
You’ll also earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months, which you can hit pretty fast with your back-to-school spending. If you don’t need a full 21 months to pay off your expenses, I say go with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
Which 0% intro APR card is right for you?
If you just need as much time as possible to pay off big school expenses — say, a new laptop and a load of textbooks — go with either the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card or the Chase Slate®. Either way, you’re getting about the longest runway possible on both purchases and balance transfers.
On the other hand, if you want to earn rewards along the way and don’t mind a shorter 0% window, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is your card. And if you’re weighing more options, our list of the best 0% intro APR credit cards is a great place to start.