Credit cards are technically loans, and credit card interest is the cost you pay for borrowing money. Credit card purchase interest happens when you don't pay off your entire statement balance by the end of your billing cycle. Your purchase interest charge is typically based on your credit card's annual percentage rate (APR) and the total balance owed on the card.
How to Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rate
Last Updated: June 13, 2024
6 min read
Key points about: lower your credit card interest
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Credit card interest is the cost you pay to your card issuer for borrowing money.
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Your credit card issuer calculates your interest daily and then charges you the total at the end of the month if you don’t pay off your balance.
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You can avoid interest if you pay off your entire statement balance on your credit card bill every month.
What is credit card interest?
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How does credit card interest work?
Why is having a low interest rate so important? Your credit card company may charge you interest on your credit card balance if you don’t pay off your card by the due date each month. The amount of money you owe can quickly go up if you have a higher interest rate because of how compounding interest works.
What is compounding interest on a credit card?
At the end of each day, your credit card company calculates your interest for that day and adds it to your balance the next day (although you won’t be charged for it yet). This process continues—compounds—for every day of your billing cycle, so the interest from the day before becomes part of the balance for the interest calculated the next day, and so on. When the month ends, your credit card provider will add up all of the daily interest charges on your purchases and then apply it to your credit card account as an interest charge. (Note: This only applies if you don’t pay your statement balance by the due date).
So, the lower your interest rate, the less you could potentially pay in interest. Not only that, but a lower interest rate may give you the ability to pay off your debts faster. Ideally, you should pay off your credit card balance by your payment due date, but even if you can’t, if you manage to pay more than the minimum payment, you could help pay off the amount that you owe sooner.
You can use the Discover credit card interest calculator to see how adjusting your monthly payment may impact the time it takes to pay off your balance.
Tips to lower your credit card interest rate
Improve your credit score
According to Experian, a higher credit score may help open the door for a lower credit card interest rate.
That’s because when you apply for credit cards, your lender may check your credit report. Many credit card companies use your scores to predict your future financial behaviors. If you have a higher credit score, it may show lenders that you’re responsible and can reliably pay your bills on time and pay back what you owe.
A low credit score may show that there's a higher risk that a person will not repay back the loan. So, one way that you may be able to get a lower interest rate is if you improve your credit score.
Compare credit card interest rate offers
You should always compare credit card offers for the best credit card for your unique situation. Some cards may have higher credit card interest rates than others. If you have a good credit score, it may be worth it to look into the best low-interest credit cards.
Get a new 0% APR credit card
If you qualify for it, you can apply for a new credit card with a 0% APR introductory offer, which means you won’t pay interest on certain transactions for a period of time. A 0% APR credit card offer may come in handy if you want to finance a large purchase or want to pay off credit card debt quicker. If you get a 0% APR card offer, be sure to review your card's terms to be aware of all of the rules that apply to the offer.
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Get a balance transfer to a lower interest rate card
Another way you can potentially lower your credit card interest is through a balance transfer card offer. A balance transfer credit card offer allows you to move the balance of a credit card with a high interest rate to a new card with low or no interest.
The immediate benefit is that you get a lower rate, which may allow you to pay off your credit card debt quicker. But you should also keep in mind that a balance transfer credit card offer usually comes with a balance transfer fee, which may vary between 3%-5%.
You should review your finances to see if a balance transfer card will help you manage your credit card debt. Additionally, you should also keep in mind that the 0% APR offer is only temporary. You still have to pay off the balance before the introductory offer expires, or your standard interest rate will kick in.
How to avoid paying interest on a credit card
No matter your interest rate, you may still be able to avoid paying interest on your credit card with good credit management. For example, your card’s interest rates won't affect you if you pay off your monthly balance in full. You can do this by taking advantage of your grace period.
Your grace period is the time between the end of your billing cycle to your payment due date. During this time, you can avoid paying interest on new purchases if you pay your balance in full by the due date. Your grace period may vary depending on your credit card company. According to the Federal Trade Commission and the Credit CARD Act of 2009, your grace period will be no less than 21 days. If you’re a Discover Cardmember, your grace period will be at least 25 days from the end of the billing period, or a minimum of 23 days for billing periods that start in February.
Can you lose your grace period?
When you pay off your total balance before the end of your grace period, you can avoid interest on some transactions. But, if you carry a balance, your credit card issuer may not apply your grace period, meaning you’ll still pay interest on the outstanding balance and on new purchases. You should check your credit card's terms and conditions to understand how your issuer treats the grace period.
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There is no hard inquiry to your credit report to check if you’re pre-approved. If you’re pre-approved, and you move forward with submitting an application for the credit card, it will result in a hard inquiry which may impact your credit score. Receiving a pre-approval offer does not guarantee approval. Applicants applying without a social security number are not eligible to receive pre-approval offers. Card applicants cannot be pre-approved for the NHL Discover Card.
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