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U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Review: Among the Longest 0% Intro APR Offers

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Ashley Maready
By: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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 and  Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Writer and Editor

Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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Our Credit Cards Experts

Nathan Alderman
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Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
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Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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OFFER STATUS

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is good for people who want to finance a large purchase or pay off an existing credit card balance with no interest. It has a long 0% intro APR offer good for both new purchases and balance transfers. It's lacking in benefits elsewhere, and isn't a rewards card, however.

Read our full review of the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card to see if it might be the right choice for you.

Ratings Methodology

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 21 billing cycles on purchases billing cycles, and after that 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable).

Purchases: 0%, 21 billing cycles on purchases

Balance Transfers: 0%, 21 billing cycles

Regular APR

18.74% - 29.74% (Variable)

Rewards

N/A

Annual Fee

N/A

Welcome Offer

N/A

  • Got a big purchase to finance over time? Consider this U.S. Bank card, as it'll give you a whopping 21 billing cycles of 0% APR on purchases. This also goes for balance transfers, making this one a great fit if you have some existing debt to pay off. It also comes without an annual fee.

    • Long 0% intro APR offer
    • No annual fee
    • Cellphone protection
    • Free credit score monitoring
    • No rewards
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • For a limited time, 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 21 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 18.74% - 29.74%.
    • Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Credit Card. Certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
    • Choose a payment due date that fits your schedule
    • No Annual Fee
    • Terms and conditions apply.
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Circle with letter I in it. N/A 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

U.S. Bank Visa Platinum review

Is the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum worth it?

This U.S. Bank card has no annual fee and comes with a startlingly long 0% intro APR period. For these reasons, it can save you money whether you need to finance a big purchase or transfer an existing balance over to pay it off.

Author's note

I've never used the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card, but I have used other cards with long 0% APR intro periods to finance big purchases. It's very reassuring to buy a new appliance, cover a car repair, or pay for a sizable medical bill and know that you have months to pay it off before you're charged interest.

Just watch your dates, and run your own numbers to figure out the minimum you must pay per month to have your balance at $0 before that intro period is over.

What everyone else is saying

We took a look around the internet to get a sense of what other reviewers and consumers think about the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card -- here's a summary of these findings.

What other review sites say

Average review site rating: 3.9 / 5.0 stars

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is a solid financing or balance transfer card, and other review sites recognize this, too. All four top review sites we investigated called the card out for these perks in particular:

  • A long 0% intro APR offer
  • Included cellphone protection
  • No annual fee

However, the fact that the card doesn't earn rewards and has a high variable APR after the intro period is up, were points against it -- as were foreign transaction fees and no welcome bonus for new cardholders.

Online consensus

The credit-card-using public seems to have encountered a major issue with this card -- a low opening credit limit.

This may not be a dealbreaker. But if you have an existing credit card balance of $3,000 and intend to transfer it to this card (or even want to finance a large purchase), a low credit limit could be a problem. Of course, if you're approved for just $500, it's possible to ask for credit limit increases over time, but if you're hoping to take full advantage of those 21 billing cycles of 0% APR, you might be out of luck.

Interestingly, many social media users complaining about this issue self-identify as having high credit scores and high income. Obviously, it's easy to lie on social media -- but these reviews might give you pause if you're hoping to use the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card for its best purposes.

U.S. Bank Visa Platinum features and benefits

Long 0% intro offer on purchases

This card's intro APR of 0%, 21 billing cycles on purchases covers more than a year and a half of credit card statements. Even compared to other top 0% APR credit cards, that's a great offer.

It's ideal if you need to finance costly purchases and make payments on them over time. Need to get your car's transmission fixed? Or maybe replace your refrigerator? The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card could be a great fit.

With this U.S. Bank card, you'll have plenty of time to pay off the charges without paying credit card interest. After that, the go-to APR applies -- it's currently 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable).

Long 0% intro APR on balance transfers

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card has an equally impressive intro balance transfer APR of 0%, 21 billing cycles. Just like with the purchase APR, after the intro period ends, the go-to APR applies -- currently 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable).

You'll have to pay a balance transfer fee: 5% of each transfer amount, $5 minimum.

This is one of the longest offers among all balance transfer credit cards, so this card is equally useful for paying off credit card debt. Transfers must be made within 60 days of account opening to qualify.

No annual fee

If you're trying to save money with a 0% APR offer, you probably don't want to incur any extra fees. This is a no annual fee credit card, which is another reason it's perfect for saving money.

Cellphone protection

You don't need to buy separate cellphone insurance or leave your phone at risk when you have this credit card. If you pay your cellphone bill with your U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card, then your phone will be insured against damage or theft for up to $600.

The limit is two claims of up to $1,200 total per 12-month period. A deductible of $25 per claim applies. Keep in mind that this is secondary insurance. If you already have an insurance policy that covers your cellphone, you need to make a claim through that first.

Free credit score

You'll have a complimentary credit monitoring tool at your fingertips. TransUnion's CreditView™ product is available through U.S. Bank's online banking site and provides you with your VantageScore.

This service is convenient and shows you if your credit is headed in the right direction. However, it's worth mentioning that the most widely used type of credit score is your FICO® Score. VantageScore isn't nearly as popular among lenders.

U.S. Bank ExtendPay® Plans

With this card, you may sometimes be offered the chance to use a U.S. Bank ExtendPay® Plan for purchases made within 60 days prior. This gives you the ability to pay off a balance in fixed monthly payments over time, without extra interest charges. You'll designate up to 50% of your credit line (a $100 minimum) in eligible purchases and you'll be charged a small fixed monthly fee to use this.

After your pre-designated pay-back period, any remaining balance will accrue interest at the card's go-to rate, so if you want to use an ExtendPay® Plan for a purchase, make sure you have a plan to pay it off before that happens.

What could be improved

No rewards program

The most glaring issue with this card is that it doesn't offer purchase rewards. It's purely an intro 0% APR card. If you want to earn cash back or points on your spending, then you'd need to look at rewards credit cards.

Some rewards cards have 0% intro APR offers of their own, although you likely won't find any that have such a long offer on both purchases and balance transfers.

Foreign transaction fee

This U.S. Bank card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. That can add up if you use it to pay for purchases abroad.

Many cards don't charge foreign transaction fees, and those are a much better choice if you plan to travel outside the country. If you're a frequent traveler, a travel credit card would be a good choice.

Find the best credit card for your needs

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Compare Cards

What to know before applying

U.S. Bank Visa Platinum credit score

While U.S. Bank doesn't specifically name a credit score requirement for this card (or others in its line-up), it does note that its credit cards are targeted toward consumers with established credit history and scores in the good to excellent range (meaning a FICO® Score of 670 or higher).

You are of course welcome to apply with a lower credit score, as U.S. Bank (and all credit card issuers) consider more than just your credit score when deciding whether to approve. Your income, existing credit accounts, and debt will also be considered.

Pre-approval process

You may be able to check your pre-approval status for the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card. You'll need to provide your phone number and Social Security number, but U.S. Bank will only initiate a hard credit check if you decide to go forward with the full application. Pre-approval is based on a soft credit check, so it won't ding your credit score.

Intro APR

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers a 0% intro APR for 21 billing cycles on both new purchases and balance transfers. This is a generous period of time that can help you pay off an existing balance transferred from another card, or let you finance a big purchase with a small payment every month.

The go-to APR for this card is currently 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable) -- so carrying a balance after the first 21 billing cycles is an expensive prospect.

Fees

Here's a fee schedule of the most common fees for the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card:

  • Annual fee: N/A
  • Balance transfer fee: 5% of each transfer amount, $5 minimum
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3%
  • See rates and fees

Credit limit

U.S. Bank doesn't disclose its credit limit range, but internet postings from cardholders and on other review sites suggest the range is from $500 to $20,000. Your credit limit will depend on several factors, including your credit score, income, and current debt situation.

Should you apply for the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum?

If you're searching for a credit card that comes without an annual fee and is purely a 0% intro APR card (be it for a balance transfer or new purchases), the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is worth a closer look. But if you want a card that also offers rewards, there are better options out there -- and many of them come with intro APR periods nearly as long as this card's.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • If you have a credit score of at least 670, manageable debt, and a solid income, you likely won't struggle to be approved -- but no one can say with any certainty who will and won't qualify for a given credit card. Give the U.S. Bank pre-approval tool a try to see if it's worth applying.

  • It absolutely can be. A card like this one could be an excellent way to pay off an existing balance on another card, or finance a large purchase without interest. And since there's no annual fee, once the 0% intro APR offer is over, you can hang onto this card to boost your credit limit and history.

  • Credit limit increases aren't guaranteed, and are at the discretion of U.S. Bank. But it stands to reason that if you use your card responsibly and pay your bills on time, over time, your credit limit is likely to rise.