Average credit card APR right now
National + by issuer size, type and credit tier · CFPB TCCP survey, Jul-Dec 2025
The US average credit-card APR is 21% across all accounts and 21.52% on accounts that carry interest (Federal Reserve G.19, Q1 2026, down from 22.3% the prior quarter). But the average hides a wide spread: in the CFPB survey, large issuers charge roughly 8 to 10 percentage points (large vs small issuers, across credit tiers) more than small banks and credit unions for the same credit tier. Surveyed terms, not offers.
Source: Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit (Q1 2026). Data as of Q1 2026.
Average APR by segment
| Segment | Average / median APR |
|---|---|
| All credit-card accounts (Fed G.19) | 21% |
| Accounts assessed interest (Fed G.19) | 21.52% |
| Surveyed median max purchase APR (CFPB) | 27.49% |
| Top-25 issuers (surveyed median, this site) | 24.32% |
| Smaller banks & credit unions (surveyed median) | 14.38% |
Source: Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit (Q1 2026); CFPB Terms of Credit Card Plans (TCCP) Survey. Data as of CFPB TCCP survey, Jul-Dec 2025.
Average APR by issuer type
Median surveyed purchase APR across the 171 issuers on this site, grouped by type:
| Issuer type | Issuers | Median surveyed APR |
|---|---|---|
| Top-25 issuer | 15 | 25.93% |
| Bank | 16 | 18.96% |
| Credit-card bank | 7 | 26.94% |
| Store / retail-card issuer | 3 | 20.92% |
| Credit union | 130 | 13.8% |
Source: CFPB Terms of Credit Card Plans (TCCP) Survey. Data as of CFPB TCCP survey, Jul-Dec 2025.
Top-25 issuers · Banks · Credit-card banks · Store / retail-card issuers · Credit unions
Average purchase APR by credit tier (large vs small issuers)
The CFPB's headline finding - median purchase APR by issuer size and applicant credit tier:
| Credit tier | Large issuers | Small banks & credit unions |
|---|---|---|
| Great credit (720+) | 22.99% | 15.24% |
| Good credit (620-719) | 28.2% | 18.15% |
| Poor credit (<= 619) | 28.49% | 20.62% |
Source: CFPB Terms of Credit Card Plans (TCCP) Survey. Data as of CFPB TCCP survey, Jul-Dec 2025.
See what APR to expect by credit score and the payoff calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average credit card interest rate right now?
The Federal Reserve's G.19 release (Q1 2026) puts the average APR at 21% across all credit-card accounts and 21.52% on accounts that are actually charged interest - down from 22.3% the prior quarter. In the CFPB survey, the median maximum purchase APR across surveyed cards is about 27.49%.
Why is the 'accounts assessed interest' rate higher than 'all accounts'?
The 'all accounts' figure averages the stated APR across every card account, including people who never carry a balance. The 'assessed interest' figure only counts accounts that were actually charged interest, which skews toward higher-rate revolving balances - so it runs a bit higher.
Do credit unions have lower average APRs?
Yes. Federal credit unions are capped at an 18% APR by law, and the CFPB found small banks and credit unions charge roughly 8 to 10 percentage points (large vs small issuers, across credit tiers) less than large issuers for the same credit tier. ~$400-$500/yr saved on an average $5,000 balance by using a small bank or credit union card instead of a large issuer (CFPB).
Sources & accuracy
National averages from the Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit (Q1 2026); issuer medians from the CFPB Terms of Credit Card Plans (TCCP) Survey (U.S. public domain, CFPB TCCP survey, Jul-Dec 2025). Surveyed terms are not offers. See our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-29