What is APR?

APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and indicates the true cost of borrowing money from a lender. It includes the interest rate a lender levies along with other fees.

What is the difference between APR and interest rate?

Well, the interest rate is the annual cost of borrowing a loan. In contrast, APR is the rate of interest plus other charges or fees like the loan origination fees, closing costs, mortgage insurance, etc., to take out a loan.

That’s why your APR is usually higher than your interest rate.

How will I know about my APR?

According to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) of 1968, lenders need to disclose the APR they charge the borrowers. So, while applying for a loan, the lenders will inform you about the APR.

How do I calculate APR?

If you are shopping around for loans, you might do the APR calculations on your own to find the best deal. So, to find the APR on your loan, follow these steps:

• Calculate the total interest along with other charges that you have to pay.
• Divide the resultant by the amount you have borrowed, or you currently owe.
• Multiply by 365
• Divide the resultant by the number of days left of your loan term.

But you don’t need to do any complex calculations. Enter your loan details and let us do the math for you.

What are fixed APR and variable APR?

With a fixed APR, the rate does not change over time. If you take out a loan with a variable APR, its rate can rise and fall. Usually, a variable APR depends on the prime rate index.

What is a good APR?

Usually, the APR depends on your credit score. The higher your credit score, the lower your APR will be.

If you qualify for a loan with an APR below the national average, then you may call it a good APR.

For example, as of September 2021, the average APR of credit cards is about 15.56%. So, if you qualify for a credit card with an APR below this value, you can consider it a good APR.

Can I avoid paying APR on loans?

If you use credit cards (which is also a type of loan), you can avoid paying APR. For that, you will have to pay off your credit card balance in full and within the grace period.

Is it possible to get a loan with 0% APR?

Yes, it’s possible to take out a loan with 0% APR. You need a good credit score to qualify. Here are a few examples of 0% APR loans:

• Captive financing companies like Toyota Financial Services, Ford Motor Credit Company, etc., offer auto loans with 0% APR. Car dealers offer these promotional offers to their customers who have excellent credit scores.
• Many credit card companies offer balance transfer cards at 0% APRs for consumers with good credit scores. But this offer typically applies for an introductory period ranging from about 18 to 24 months. After that, you will have to pay a variable interest, depending on your creditworthiness.

What credit score do I need to qualify for a 0% APR loan?

Generally, lenders ask for a good credit score of about 690 or above on the FICO scale to extend credit at 0% APR.

What are the different types of credit card APRs?

Credit cards can have different types of APRs, like:

• Purchase APR: This is also known as the regular APR, and creditors levy it for normal purchases.
• Balance Transfer APR: When you transfer your existing outstanding balances to a new credit card, creditors levy the balance transfer APR.
• Cash Advance APR: If you withdraw cash at an ATM using your credit card, a cash advance APR will be levied. This APR is much higher than the regular one.
• Introductory APR: Credit card companies levy introductory APRs when they offer credit cards with much lower or 0% APRs for a limited period.
• Penalty APR: Creditors can levy penalty APRs for late or missed payments.

What is the difference between 0% APR and deferred interest?

With an 0% APR loan, you won’t have to make any interest payments for an introductory period. After that period ends, the creditors will levy a regular APR on the remaining balance, if any.

With a deferred interest loan, if you fail to repay the balance amount within the introductory period, you will have to pay 100% of the interest costs that have accrued during the deferred interest period along with interest on your unpaid balance.

How can I get a low APR credit card?

You need to have a decent credit score to qualify for a low APR credit card. If you have a low credit score, you need to show your credit responsibility.

If your credit score is low because of unpaid debts, you can opt for our debt consolidation program and pay off your debts with ease.