Credit Card APR by Credit Score Chart: New Offers 2026

Average credit card APR by credit tier, October 2026

These are MARKET AVERAGES on new card offers, not offers — your quote depends on the issuer, the card, your income, and your full credit profile. Rates move every quarter (this table is October 2026). The payment figures assume no fees, no new purchases, and no 0% intro period; paying in full by the due date accrues $0 (grace period).

Poor-tier honesty note: no general-purpose average APR is published for the poor-credit tier, so the table uses the store-card average of 33.15% for scores below 640 and labels it as such — store cards are the most common approval for poor-credit applicants. Do NOT read 33.15% as a general-purpose poor-credit average.

Table 1 — Average APR on new card offers by credit tier, October 2026 ($5,000 balance, $200 payment)

The same $5,000 balance costs $794.50 more in interest a year at the poor/store rate than at excellent ($1,657.50 − $863.00); $491.50 more at fair than at excellent ($1,354.50 − $863.00).

Table 2 — Market benchmarks on a $5,000 balance

All three benchmarks sit between the good and fair tier averages — the average cardholder pays more than the excellent rate and less than the fair rate.

How your tier sets your interest

On the defaults — a 720 score, a $5,000.00 balance, and a $200.00 monthly payment — your tier is Good (700–749), the average new-card APR is 23.49%, the monthly interest is $97.88, the annual interest is $1,174.50, the interest share of the $200.00 payment is 48.94%, and the payoff takes 35 months for $1,934.56 of interest and $6,934.56 total. The whole calculation is three moves: look up the tier’s average APR, divide the balance times the APR by 12 for the monthly interest, and sim the payoff month by month at APR ÷ 12.

Five things about the model are worth stating plainly. First, the tiers use FICO score ranges, and a 720 score is Good (700–749). Second, the monthly interest is $5,000.00 × 23.49% ÷ 12 = $97.88. Third, the annual interest is $5,000.00 × 23.49% = $1,174.50. Fourth, the interest share is $97.88 ÷ $200.00 = 48.94% — almost half of the payment is interest. And fifth, the payoff sim’s first-month interest is $97.88, and $200.00 a month clears the balance in 35 months; all listed in Accuracy & limitations.

The worked example, line by line

Setup: 720 score, $5,000.00 balance, $200.00 a month.

Line 1 — the tier. A 720 score is Good (700–749) — the average new-card APR is 23.49%.

Line 2 — the monthly and annual interest. The monthly interest is $5,000.00 × 23.49% ÷ 12 = $97.88, and the annual interest is $5,000.00 × 23.49% = $1,174.50.

Line 3 — the share of the payment. The interest share is $97.88 ÷ $200.00 = 48.94% — almost half of the payment is interest.

Line 4 — the payoff. Paying $200.00 a month, month by month at APR ÷ 12 with the monthly interest rounded to cents, clears the balance in 35 months for $1,934.56 of interest and $6,934.56 total.

Every branch, checked

Score 800, $5,000, pay $200: Score 800, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Excellent (750–850), average new-card APR 17.26%, monthly interest $71.92, annual interest $863.00, interest share of payment 35.96%, payoff 32 months, total interest $1,241.27, total paid $6,241.27 — An excellent 800 earns the lowest average rate — $71.92 of interest a month and a 32-month payoff.

Score 650, $5,000, pay $200: Score 650, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Fair (640–699), average new-card APR 27.09%, monthly interest $112.88, annual interest $1,354.50, interest share of payment 56.44%, payoff 38 months, total interest $2,445.10, total paid $7,445.10 — A fair 650 costs $112.88 of interest a month — $40.96 more than excellent on the same balance.

Score 720, $3,000, pay $150: Score 720, balance $3,000.00, payment $150.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $58.73, annual interest $704.70, interest share of payment 39.15%, payoff 26 months, total interest $844.09, total paid $3,844.09 — A smaller balance at the good rate costs $58.73 a month and clears in 26 months.

Score 720, $10,000, pay $300: Score 720, balance $10,000.00, payment $300.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $195.75, annual interest $2,349.00, interest share of payment 65.25%, payoff 55 months, total interest $6,357.90, total paid $16,357.90 — A $10,000 balance at the good rate costs $195.75 a month — 65.25% of the $300 payment is interest — and takes 55 months to clear.

Score 550, $5,000, pay $200: Score 550, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Poor (store-card average) (below 640), average new-card APR 33.15%, monthly interest $138.13, annual interest $1,657.50, interest share of payment 69.07%, payoff 44 months, total interest $3,610.67, total paid $8,610.67 — A poor 550 on the store-card average costs $138.13 a month and $3,610.67 of interest over 44 months.

Score 800, $1,000, pay $200: Score 800, balance $1,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Excellent (750–850), average new-card APR 17.26%, monthly interest $14.38, annual interest $172.60, interest share of payment 7.19%, payoff 6 months, total interest $45.47, total paid $1,045.47 — A small balance at the excellent rate costs $14.38 a month and clears in 6 months for $45.47 of interest.

Score 700, $5,000, pay $200: Score 700, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $97.88, annual interest $1,174.50, interest share of payment 48.94%, payoff 35 months, total interest $1,934.56, total paid $6,934.56 — 700 is the bottom of Good — one point lower is Fair — and the figures match the defaults exactly.

The reverses, worked backwards

Score at the tier boundary: 750 is Excellent at 17.26%; 749 is Good at 23.49% — one point changes the tier, and the monthly interest on a $5,000 balance jumps from $71.92 to $97.88. The star is SCORE.

Balance for exactly $100.00 of monthly interest at 23.49% (Good): $5,108.56 — the exact balance is 5108.5568. At the displayed $5,108.56 the monthly interest is $100.00. $5,108.55 gives $100.00 as well at cent rounding — both round to $100.00 — and $5,108.56 is the smallest cent value whose unrounded interest reaches $100.00. The star is DOLLARS.

APR for exactly $50.00 of monthly interest on a $5,000 balance: 12.00% — the exact APR is 12.0000%. At the displayed 12.00% the monthly interest is $50.00. 11.99% gives $49.96; 12.01% gives $50.04. The star is RATE.

Monthly payment for the interest to be exactly 50% of the payment: $195.76 (2 × $97.88). At $195.76 the share is 50.00%. $195.75 and $195.77 both round to a 50.00% share as well, but $195.76 is exactly twice $97.88. The star is DOLLARS.

Balance for exactly $1,000.00 of annual interest at 17.26% (Excellent): $5,793.74 — the exact balance is 5793.7428. At the displayed $5,793.74 the annual interest is $1,000.00 after cent rounding (unrounded $999.9995). $5,793.75 is the smallest balance whose unrounded annual interest reaches $1,000.00. The star is DOLLARS.

Score for a Fair-tier APR of 27.09%: 640 (the bottom of Fair, 640–699); 639 is Poor (store-card average) at 33.15% — one point changes the tier, and the monthly interest on a $5,000 balance jumps from $112.88 to $138.13. The star is SCORE.

What the defaults assume

The defaults are a 720 score, a $5,000.00 balance, and a $200.00 monthly payment — Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $97.88. With a score of 800, Score 800, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Excellent (750–850), average new-card APR 17.26%, monthly interest $71.92, annual interest $863.00, interest share of payment 35.96%, payoff 32 months, total interest $1,241.27, total paid $6,241.27 — the monthly interest is $71.92. With a score of 650, Score 650, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Fair (640–699), average new-card APR 27.09%, monthly interest $112.88, annual interest $1,354.50, interest share of payment 56.44%, payoff 38 months, total interest $2,445.10, total paid $7,445.10 — the monthly interest is $112.88. With a $3,000.00 balance, Score 720, balance $3,000.00, payment $150.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $58.73, annual interest $704.70, interest share of payment 39.15%, payoff 26 months, total interest $844.09, total paid $3,844.09 — the payoff is 26 months. With a $10,000.00 balance, Score 720, balance $10,000.00, payment $300.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $195.75, annual interest $2,349.00, interest share of payment 65.25%, payoff 55 months, total interest $6,357.90, total paid $16,357.90 — the payoff is 55 months. With a score of 550, Score 550, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Poor (store-card average) (below 640), average new-card APR 33.15%, monthly interest $138.13, annual interest $1,657.50, interest share of payment 69.07%, payoff 44 months, total interest $3,610.67, total paid $8,610.67 — the monthly interest is $138.13. With a $1,000.00 balance at 800, Score 800, balance $1,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Excellent (750–850), average new-card APR 17.26%, monthly interest $14.38, annual interest $172.60, interest share of payment 7.19%, payoff 6 months, total interest $45.47, total paid $1,045.47 — the payoff is 6 months. With a score of 700, Score 700, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $97.88, annual interest $1,174.50, interest share of payment 48.94%, payoff 35 months, total interest $1,934.56, total paid $6,934.56 — the figures match the defaults exactly. With a score of 300, Score 300, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Poor (store-card average) (below 640), average new-card APR 33.15%, monthly interest $138.13, annual interest $1,657.50, interest share of payment 69.07%, payoff 44 months, total interest $3,610.67, total paid $8,610.67 — the monthly interest is $138.13. With a score of 850, Score 850, balance $5,000.00, payment $200.00/month: Excellent (750–850), average new-card APR 17.26%, monthly interest $71.92, annual interest $863.00, interest share of payment 35.96%, payoff 32 months, total interest $1,241.27, total paid $6,241.27 — the monthly interest is $71.92. With a balance of $0, Score 720, balance $0.00, payment $200.00/month: Good (700–749), average new-card APR 23.49%, monthly interest $0.00, annual interest $0.00, interest share of payment 0.00%, payoff 0 months, total interest $0.00, total paid $0.00 — no interest and a 0-month payoff. With a $100.00 payment at 33.15%, Score 550, balance $5,000.00, payment $100.00/month: Poor (store-card average) (below 640), average new-card APR 33.15%, monthly interest $138.13, annual interest $1,657.50, interest share of payment 138.13%, payoff never — the balance grows because the $100.00 payment is below the first month’s interest of $138.13 — the balance grows. With 639 vs 640, Score 639: Poor (store-card average) 33.15%, monthly interest $138.13; score 640: Fair 27.09%, monthly interest $112.88 — one point saves $25.25 a month on a $5,000 balance. With a $100,000.00 balance at Excellent, Score 800, balance $100,000.00, payment $2,000.00/month: Excellent (750–850), average new-card APR 17.26%, monthly interest $1,438.33, annual interest $17,260.00, interest share of payment 71.92%, payoff 89 months, total interest $77,860.25, total paid $177,860.25 — the monthly interest is $1,438.33. With a score of 299, the calculator shows an error — enter a score from 300 to 850 — not a tier or a payment.

Output · formula · meaning

Who uses this

• The cardholder with a 720 score: they learn their tier is Good at 23.49% and the monthly interest on $5,000.00 is $97.88 — and they check the 750 reverse to see the score that would earn the excellent rate.
• The borrower paying $200.00 a month: they learn 48.94% of the payment is interest and the payoff takes 35 months — and they check the $195.76 reverse to see the payment that makes interest exactly half the payment.
• The shopper comparing tiers: they learn the same $5,000 balance costs $794.50 more a year at the poor/store rate than at excellent — and they check the 640 reverse to see the score that earns the fair rate.
• The borrower on a $100.00 payment: they learn the balance grows because $100.00 is below the first month’s interest of $138.13 at 33.15% — and they check the $5,108.56 reverse to see the balance that costs exactly $100.00 of monthly interest.

Accuracy & limitations

The math is first-principles: the monthly interest is the balance times the APR over 12, rounded to cents half-up, and the payoff sim rounds the monthly interest to cents each month and never rounds the balance. What the model cannot do is quote YOUR rate: these are MARKET AVERAGES on new card offers, not offers — your quote depends on the issuer, the card, your income, and your full credit profile; rates move every quarter (this table is October 2026); the payment figures assume no fees, no new purchases, and no 0% intro period; paying in full by the due date accrues $0 (grace period); and no general-purpose average APR is published for the poor-credit tier, so the table uses the store-card average of 33.15% for scores below 640 and labels it as such — store cards are the most common approval for poor-credit applicants. The rates are cited source data (WalletHub Credit Card Landscape Report, October 2026; Federal Reserve G.19, August 2026); the monthly interest, annual interest, and payoff figures are Bright Side Kit’s own arithmetic on the stated balance at each tier’s average rate. Use it to see what your tier costs — then get a real quote before you apply.

Frequently asked questions