U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card Review: A Long Intro APR Offer With a Few Extra Perks

If your goal is to avoid interest while paying down debt or financing a big purchase, the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card is a strong contender. It offers an exceptionally long 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 24 billing cycles after card opening and 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 24 billing cycles after card opening. Then, a 17.74% - 28.74% variable APR applies. That kind of breathing room can make a huge difference if you need time to pay off a balance without racking up interest.

However, this card is not ideal if you’re looking for robust rewards or upfront value. There’s no sign-up bonus, and cash back is earned only on travel booked through the U.S. Bank’s Rewards Center. The balance transfer fee is also on the high side compared to some alternatives.

Annual fee: $0

Sign-up bonus: N/A

Rewards: Earn 4% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center when you use your card.

Intro balance transfer APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 24 billing cycles after card opening

Regular balance transfer APR: 17.74% - 28.74% variable APR

Intro purchase APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 24 billing cycles after card opening

Regular purchase APR: 17.74% - 28.74% variable APR

Balance transfer fee: 5% of each transfer amount, $5 minimum

Foreign transaction fee: 3%

Other benefits:

• $20 annual statement credit for 11 consecutive months of purchases
• Cellphone protection
• Free credit score access
• Annual U.S. Bank ExtendPay® Plan

• Extremely long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers

  The U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 24 billing cycles after card opening and a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 24 billing cycles after card opening. Then, a 17.74% - 28.74% variable APR applies. This is currently the longest intro APR window available for purchases or balance transfers that we know of.

  A recent LendingTree survey found that the most common 0% intro APR duration is 15 months and just 53% of balance transfer cards include a 0% intro APR on purchases. This card offers a well-rounded solution for managing debt and financing large purchases.

  → See all of the top 0% APR credit cards.
  → See all of the top balance transfer credit cards.

• Cash back on travel purchases

  With the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card, you can earn 4% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center when you use your card.

  This is a valuable perk, as most balance transfer credit cards don’t offer rewards. However, redemption options are limited. You can redeem only for a statement credit or a deposit to your designated U.S. Bank® savings or checking account. Keep in mind that cash rewards will expire if there’s no reward, purchase or balance activity on your account for 12 consecutive billing cycles.

  → See all of the top cash back credit cards.

• Chance to earn a $20 annual statement credit

  If you make purchases for 11 consecutive months, you’ll automatically receive a $20 statement credit once per 12-month period. The credit will be applied to your U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card within two billing cycles, as long as your account remains in good standing. This can be a helpful way to offset all or part of a purchase made with your card.

• Cellphone protection

  With the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card, you’ll get up to $600 in cellphone protection as reimbursement for damage or theft when you use your card to pay your monthly cellphone bill. While the Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card also offers cellphone protection, most similar cards — such as the Citi Simplicity^® Card and Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card — don’t offer cellphone protection as a benefit.

• No sign-up bonus

  You won’t have the chance to earn a sign-up bonus with the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card. While this isn’t uncommon for a balance transfer credit card, there are some that offer it. For example, the Citi Double Cash^® Card offers the chance to earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

  → See all of the top credit card sign-up bonuses.

• Cash back program is limited to travel

  While many cash back cards let you earn rewards across a variety of spending categories, the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card restricts cash back to travel booked through the Rewards Center with your card, limiting your opportunities to earn.

  If you’re looking for a more flexible rewards program, the Citi Double Cash^® Card lets you earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.

  → See all of the top rewards credit cards.

• No travel protections

  Aside from cellphone protection, this card doesn’t offer any additional coverage, meaning you’ll miss out on valuable travel protections that can save you hundreds when things go wrong.

  If you travel often, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card (see rates & fees), which includes comprehensive travel protections such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car coverage and baggage delay insurance.

• High balance transfer fee

  The U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card charges a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer amount, $5 minimum.

  While the majority of balance transfer cards charge a fee, the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card’s high balance transfer fee makes it less competitive than some cards with lower fees, even though it offers a longer intro APR period. For example, transferring a $6,000 balance could cost you less with the Citi Simplicity^® Card. You might also save more with the Citi Double Cash^® Card or BankAmericard^® credit card, despite their shorter promotional periods.

  Cost of $6,000 balance transfer

  	Balance transfer fee	Cost of balance transfer	Estimated savings*
  Citi Simplicity® Card	There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).	$180	$1,360
  BankAmericard® credit card	3% intro fee for 60 days, then 4%	$180	$1,164
  Citi Double Cash® Card	There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).	$180	$1,162
  U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card	5% of each transfer amount, $5 minimum.	$300	$1,060
  Wells Fargo Reflect® Card	5%, min: $5	$300	$1,060
  Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card	Balance transfer fee applies with this offer; 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.	$300	$1,060

  *We estimate how much the typical cardholder might save on a $6,000 balance transfer, assuming the card’s intro period, average APR, a $300 monthly payment and subtracting any fees involved, compared to carrying the same balance on another card. Based on LendingTree’s value methodology.

• 3% foreign transaction fee

  Since the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, it’s not the best choice for international travel. You’ll be better off using a card that doesn’t charge extra for purchases made abroad.

  → See the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.

U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card vs. Citi Double Cash^® Card

If you’re looking to earn strong rewards on daily spending while still taking advantage of a solid intro balance transfer APR, the Citi Double Cash^® Card may have more long-term value. There’s a shorter 0% intro APR for 18 months on Balance Transfers (then, a 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) APR), and no intro APR on purchases. But it makes up for it with a lower balance transfer fee and a more simple, flexible rewards structure. Plus, you’ll get a sign-up bonus with the Citi Double Cash^® Card, something the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card doesn’t offer.

U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card vs. Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card

The Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card is a strong option if you’re looking for added peace of mind through travel and purchase protections. While both the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card and Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card have cellphone protection, the Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card goes further by offering perks including roadside dispatch and secondary rental car coverage.

It also has one of the longest 0% intro APR offers available outside of the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases. After that, a 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR applies. However, unlike the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card, the Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card doesn’t offer a rewards program, which limits its long-term earning potential.

U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card vs. Citi Simplicity^® Card

If your primary goal is to save money on a balance transfer, the Citi Simplicity^® Card can offer more savings. That’s because there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). While there’s a slightly lower 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers (then a 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable) APR), it can still lead to significant savings if you’re transferring a large balance.

There’s also a lower but still valuable 0% intro APR for 12 months on Purchases. After that, a 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable) APR applies. However, the Citi Simplicity^® Card may fall short on long-term value. It doesn’t earn rewards and comes with limited perks compared to the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card.

The U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card could be a great fit if your main goal is to avoid interest while paying down debt or financing a large purchase. It offers one of the longest intro APR periods on the market, giving you extra breathing room to catch up or get ahead financially.

However, this card may not be right for you if you’re looking for robust rewards or upfront perks. Additionally, it doesn’t offer the lowest balance transfer fee available, so it might not deliver the most savings on a large balance transfer. If you’re focused on minimizing fees and still want a long intro APR, you might prefer a card such as the Citi Simplicity^® Card or Citi Double Cash^® Card. If you’re looking for added benefits such as rental car insurance, you might check out the Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card.

We use an objective rating and ranking system that compares features across a large set of credit cards (over 200 from over 50 issuers). We use calculations to estimate the value of each card for the average cardholder, based on LendingTree and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

• Average value over two years (90% of rating): We calculate the amount saved on interest given the length of the card’s introductory period. We assume a purchase of $6,000 and a monthly payment of $300. We subtract the card’s annual fee and interest paid on any amount remaining after the introductory period expires. We also add in the amount earned on rewards for the average cardholder, including the card’s sign-up bonus, minus the card’s annual fee. We look at the average rewards earned over two years to balance out a card’s ongoing value with its first-year value.
• Other features (10% of rating): We also compare a card’s benefits, such as purchase and travel protections, against benefits from other cards.