To qualify for the lowest ongoing APR cards, you generally need a FICO score of at least 740 (very good to exceptional). Good low-APR offers are available to those with scores of 690+ (good credit). Below 669, your options narrow significantly — see our fair credit guide for options.
APR ranges are typical — actual rate depends on the issuer's full risk assessment, not just your credit score.
Set up autopay for at least the minimum on every account. Even one missed payment damages your score for 7 years. A 30-day late payment on a good score can drop it 60–80 points.
Keep balances below 30% of each card's credit limit. Below 10% is optimal. Pay down balances or request a credit limit increase (soft pull at most issuers). This is the fastest way to raise your score.
Closing an old card reduces your average account age and your total available credit (worsening utilisation). Keep old accounts open even if unused — just use them occasionally to prevent the issuer closing them.
Each hard inquiry drops your score 2–5 points and stays on your report for 2 years. Space out applications by at least 6 months. Rate-shopping for mortgages or auto loans within 30 days counts as one inquiry, but credit cards do not have this benefit.
Roughly 1 in 5 credit reports contain errors. Get free reports from AnnualCreditReport.com (official site). Dispute incorrect negative items directly with each bureau (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Disputes must be investigated within 30 days.
Ask a family member or trusted person with excellent credit to add you to their account as an authorised user. Their positive payment history and low utilisation appears on your credit report immediately. You don't need to use the card.
Ready to apply once your score is where you need it? See our full application guide for step-by-step instructions, including how to use pre-qualification tools. Application guide →
To qualify for the lowest ongoing APR cards, you generally need a FICO score of at least 740. Good low-APR offers are available to those with scores of 690+. Below 669, your options narrow — consider credit unions which often offer lower rates to fair-credit members.
The most impactful steps are: paying every bill on time (35% of your FICO score), lowering your credit utilisation below 30% (30% of score), and not applying for new credit unnecessarily. Utilisation improvements can raise your score within 1–2 billing cycles — it's the fastest lever available.