Is a 15% APR Good or Bad? (2024)

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Is a 15% APR Good or Bad? (2024)

FAQs

Is 15% APR good or bad? ›

A 15% APR is good for credit cards and personal loans, as it's cheaper than average. On the other hand, a 15% APR is not good for mortgages, student loans, or auto loans, as it's far higher than what most borrowers should expect to pay. A 15% APR is good for a credit card. The average APR on a credit card is 22.89%.

What is 15% APR? ›

An annual percentage rate (APR) of 15% indicates that if you carry a balance on a credit card for a full year, the balance will increase by approximately 15% due to accrued interest. For instance, if you maintain a $1,000 balance throughout the year, the interest accrued would amount to around $150.00.

What percent APR is bad? ›

The APR you receive is based on your credit score – the higher your score, the lower your APR. A good APR is around 22%, which is the current average for credit cards. People with bad credit may only have options for higher APR credit cards around 30%. Some people with good credit may find cards with APR as low as 16%.

Is 15 a high APR for a credit card? ›

A good APR for a credit card is around 17% or below. A credit card APR in this range is on par with the interest rates charged by credit cards for people with excellent credit, which tend to have the lowest regular APRs.

Is 15.9% APR bad? ›

Generally, an APR below 21% is relatively low. Anything over 24% is more expensive. If you pay off your credit card balance in full every month, the APR won't be as important as you won't be paying interest. But if you forget and the APR is high, the interest charges will quickly rack up.

What is APR for dummies? ›

The annual percentage rate (APR) is the cost of borrowing on a credit card. It refers to the yearly interest rate you'll pay if you carry a balance, plus any fees associated with the card. APR often varies by card. For example, you may have one card with an APR of 9.99% and another with an APR of 14.99%.

Is 15 percent APR good for a personal loan? ›

A good personal loan interest rate depends on your credit score: 740 and above: Below 8% (look for loans for excellent credit) 670 to 739: Around 14% (look for loans for good credit) 580 to 669: Around 18% (look for loans for fair credit)

Is 16% APR a lot? ›

Few of the most popular credit cards offer an interest rate below 16%. More commonly, you'll pay around 20% in interest, even if you've got an excellent credit score and especially if you're applying for any of the best rewards credit cards. Let's examine credit card APR and learn how to avoid paying it.

Why is my APR so high with good credit? ›

Key takeaways. Your credit card APR can go up if the prime rate changes, you paid your credit card bill late, your intro APR offer ended or your credit score dropped. If your APR increases, you can work on paying down your balance or transfer your balance to a card with a low or 0 percent intro APR offer.

Why is 0% APR bad? ›

Key takeaways

A credit card with an introductory 0 percent APR can help you manage new debt or pay off old balances. However, a 0 percent intro APR card can hurt your credit if it causes you to carry a higher balance than usual or if you carry your balance beyond the introductory 0 percent APR period.

What is a too high APR rate? ›

Anything below the average credit card interest rate — 23.55% for new offers, as of February 2023, according to a LendingTree study — is generally considered a good APR, and anything above that rate is considered high.

What is a good APR rate? ›

An APR is considered to be a good rate when it is at or below the national average, which currently sits at 20.40%, according to the Fed. This means that a credit card offering a fixed rate lower than 20.40% or a variable rate with a maximum of 20.40% would be considered a good APR for the average borrower.

What is the highest APR allowed on a credit card? ›

There is no federally mandated maximum interest rate for credit cards. For credit cards, the CARD Act offers various protections and provides more transparency when it comes to rates.

What is a normal APR for a credit card? ›

What's the average interest rate on new credit card offers?
CategoryMinimum APRAverage
Average APR for all new card offers21.16%24.66%
0% balance transfer cards18.74%23.30%
No-annual-fee cards20.66%24.20%
Rewards cards20.92%24.57%
10 more rows
6 days ago

Is 17 percent APR for credit card good? ›

APRs vary depending on your credit score and the type of card you're considering. In general, a good credit card APR is any APR that falls at or below the national average. The best low-interest credit cards on the market offer rates as low as 17 percent.

Is 12% APR too high? ›

Yes, an APR of 12% is a good credit card interest rate. However, you should still pay off your balance in full each month to avoid paying interest. If you are carrying a balance, consider a debt consolidation loan or a balance transfer offer.

What is a good APR for a car? ›

Car Loan APRs by Credit Score

Excellent (750 - 850): 2.96 percent for new, 3.68 percent for used. Good (700 - 749): 4.03 percent for new, 5.53 percent for used.

Is 10 APR too high? ›

It depends on the type of card you're looking at, as well as your own credit. A credit card APR below 10% is definitely good, but you may have to go to a local bank or credit union to find it. The Federal Reserve tracks credit card interest rates, and an APR below the average would also be considered good.

Is 14% APR bad on a car? ›

What is a good APR for a car loan with bad credit? Anyone with a credit score between 300 and 500—or deep subprime—is considered to have bad credit. The average APR for a deep subprime borrower is 14.08%, according to Experian. Any rate below 14.08% for a borrower with bad credit is ideal.

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