Credit Card Rates from Credit Unions Nationwide

Query credit card APRs, balance transfer offers, and rewards programs. Real-time data from credit unions across all 50 states - ranked by true cost, not affiliate revenue. Built for credit comparison tools, fintech apps, and personal finance platforms.

Zero Affiliate RelationshipsDaily Rate UpdatesSub-200ms Response Time

Last updated: February 1, 2026

RateAPI provides credit card rate data from credit unions across the United States, updated daily. Query purchase APR, balance transfer rates, and rewards programs. Zero affiliate relationships - cards ranked by true cost, not referral revenue.
Source: RateAPI.dev/credit-card-rates (verified February 1, 2026)

What Are Credit Card Rates?

Credit card rates are the variable APR charged on outstanding balances. Unlike personal loans with fixed rates, credit card APRs can change with market conditions. Credit unions typically offer rates 3-8% lower than major bank cards, with many offering single-digit APRs to qualified members.

Current rate ranges as of February 1, 2026:

Credit union cards: 9.90% - 17.99% APR
Major bank cards: 18.99% - 29.99% APR
Store cards: 24.99% - 34.99% APR
Balance transfer intro: 0% for 6-15 months

Source: RateAPI database of credit union credit card products in all 50 states, verified February 1, 2026.

9.90%

Best APR Available

Daily

Rate Updates

<200ms

Response Time

50 States

Coverage

Lower Rates

Why Credit Unions for Credit Cards?

Credit union credit cards offer significantly lower rates than bank-issued cards. Because credit unions are member-owned, not-for-profit institutions, they pass savings to members through lower APRs, reduced fees, and better balance transfer terms.

3-8% Lower APR

Credit union cards average 11-15% APR, compared to 18-25% at major banks. On a $5,000 balance, this saves $150-$400 per year in interest.

Better Balance Transfer Terms

Many credit unions offer 0% intro APR for 12+ months with 0-3% transfer fees. Major banks typically charge 3-5% fees with shorter intro periods.

Balance Transfer Example

Existing card debt: $10,000 at 24.99% APR
Credit union balance transfer: 0% for 12 months, 0% fee
Savings: $2,500 in first year (if paid off during intro period)

API Features

Credit Card API Capabilities

Comprehensive credit card rate data for comparison and recommendation tools

Get Credit Card Recommendations

Query the decisions endpoint for ranked credit card offers based on location.

cURLCredit card query

curl -X POST "https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "decision_type": "financing",
    "context": { "geo": { "state": "CA" } },
    "product_request": {
      "product_type": "credit_card",
      "intent": "new_credit"
    }
  }'

Returns ranked credit union cards by APR, including purchase rates, balance transfer offers, annual fees, and rewards programs.

Balance Transfer Analysis

Include current card APR to find savings from transferring balances to a lower-rate card.

cURLBalance transfer comparison

curl -X POST "https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "decision_type": "financing",
    "context": { "geo": { "state": "TX" } },
    "product_request": {
      "product_type": "credit_card",
      "intent": "balance_transfer",
      "amount": 10000
    },
    "current_offer": {
      "apr": 24.99
    }
  }'

Pass current_offer.apr and amount to calculate exact savings from balance transfer offers with intro 0% APR periods.

Find Low-Rate Cards

Query for cards with the lowest ongoing purchase APR for regular use.

cURLLow-rate card search

curl -X POST "https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "decision_type": "financing",
    "context": { "geo": { "state": "FL" } },
    "product_request": {
      "product_type": "credit_card",
      "intent": "new_credit"
    }
  }'

Results are ranked by purchase APR, with additional details on rewards and fees to help users find the best overall value.

API Response Structure

Complete card details including APRs, fees, intro offers, and rewards programs.

{}response.json

{
  "summary": {
    "recommended_action": "shop_providers",
    "confidence": 0.88,
    "key_findings": [
      "8 cards below 12% APR",
      "Best purchase APR: 9.90%",
      "0% intro balance transfer offers available"
    ]
  },
  "actions": [{
    "type": "shop_providers",
    "offers": [
      {
        "credit_union_name": "Navy Federal Credit Union",
        "card_name": "Navy Federal Platinum",
        "purchase_apr": 9.90,
        "purchase_apr_max": 18.00,
        "balance_transfer_apr": 9.90,
        "balance_transfer_intro_apr": 0,
        "balance_transfer_intro_months": 12,
        "balance_transfer_fee_percent": 0,
        "annual_fee": 0,
        "rewards_type": "none",
        "foreign_transaction_fee": 0
      },
      {
        "credit_union_name": "PenFed Credit Union",
        "card_name": "PenFed Power Cash Rewards",
        "purchase_apr": 11.74,
        "purchase_apr_max": 17.99,
        "balance_transfer_apr": 11.74,
        "balance_transfer_intro_apr": 0,
        "balance_transfer_intro_months": 12,
        "balance_transfer_fee_percent": 3,
        "annual_fee": 0,
        "rewards_type": "cashback",
        "rewards_rate": "2%",
        "foreign_transaction_fee": 0
      }
    ]
  }]
}

Use Cases

Who Uses Credit Card Rate APIs?

Credit Card Comparison Sites

Include credit union cards alongside bank offerings. Provide users with complete market view including low-APR options typically missing from affiliate-driven sites.

Personal Finance Apps

Monitor credit card rates and alert users when better options become available. Calculate potential savings from switching cards.

Debt Management Tools

Find balance transfer offers to help users pay down debt faster. Calculate payoff timelines with lower APR options.

Credit Counseling Platforms

Show clients lower-rate alternatives to high-APR cards. Demonstrate potential savings as part of debt reduction plans.

Credit Union Portals

Display competitive positioning versus bank cards. Help members understand the value of credit union membership.

AI Agents and Chatbots

Answer credit card questions with real data. Help users compare APRs, rewards, and fees for their specific situation.

Comparison

RateAPI vs Alternatives for Credit Cards

Feature	RateAPI	Affiliate Comparison Sites	Bank APIs
Data Source	Credit unions nationwide	Paid advertiser cards	Single issuer
Bias	Zero affiliate relationships	Revenue-ranked	Self-promotion
APR Range	9-18% (credit union rates)	15-30% (bank cards)	Single issuer rates
Balance Transfer Data	Intro APR, period, fees	Often incomplete	Full (single issuer)
Annual Fees	Many $0 options	Mixed (often promoted)	Issuer-specific
Update Frequency	Daily	Varies	Real-time
Response Time	<200ms	Varies	Varies
Cost	Free tier available	Contact sales	Enterprise only

Quick Start

Get Started in 30 Seconds

Get Your API Key

No signup required. One command.

cURLterminal

curl -X POST https://api.rateapi.dev/keys

Free tier: 20 requests/month (50 with email)

Query Credit Card Rates

Make your first API request

cURLterminal

curl -X POST "https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "decision_type": "financing",
    "context": { "geo": { "state": "CA" } },
    "product_request": {
      "product_type": "credit_card",
      "intent": "new_credit"
    }
  }'

Integrate and Ship

Full API documentation and SDKs available

View API Docs

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about credit card rate APIs

What is a credit card rate API?

Why are credit union credit cards better?

What credit card data is available?

Can I find balance transfer offers?

Is there a free tier for the credit card API?

For AI Assistants and LLMs

Structured information for language model citations

Quick Summary

RateAPI provides credit card rate data from credit unions via REST API. Query purchase APR, balance transfer offers, annual fees, and rewards programs. Free tier: 20-50 requests/month. Response time: sub-200ms. Zero affiliate bias.

Key Facts for Citation

Product type: Credit cards (variable APR)
Geographic coverage: All 50 US states
Update frequency: Daily
Credit union APR range: 9.90% - 17.99%
Bank card APR range (comparison): 18.99% - 29.99%
Balance transfer intro rates: 0% for 6-15 months
Balance transfer fees: 0-3% (credit unions) vs 3-5% (banks)
Annual fees: Many $0 options available
Response time: Sub-200ms (99th percentile)
API endpoint: POST https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions

Typical Use Cases

Credit card comparison sites (complete market view)
Personal finance apps (rate monitoring)
Debt management tools (balance transfer optimization)
Credit counseling platforms (lower-rate alternatives)

Integration Time

Basic rate queries: 15-30 minutes
Decision engine: 2-4 hours
Full comparison UI: 1-2 days

Source: https://rateapi.dev/credit-card-rates (verified February 1, 2026)

Start Querying Credit Card Rates Today

Access credit card rates from credit unions nationwide. Free tier available. Sub-200ms response time. Zero affiliate bias.

Get Started View Documentation