Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Allcards.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Allcards.com does not include all companies or all offers available in the marketplace. AllCards has partnered with CardRatings and Creditcards.com for our coverage of credit card products. AllCards and CardRatings or Creditcards.com may receive a commission from card issuers.Learn More Here Credit Score Disclosure: Allcards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Allcards. Commissions do not affect our authors’ or editors’ opinions or evaluations. From our partners: See our advertiser disclosure here.
A balance transfer card is an important tool to help pay off credit card debt. These cards enable you to move high-interest debt to a new credit card that won’t charge interest for a year or more. Some of the top cards offer a 0% intro APR well into 2026. Here is our list of the best balance transfer cards available today.
We scoured the web to search for approval odds on these cards. Approval odds can help you decide which card may be easier to get than others.
*The credit score data provided for some of the cards listed below are from publicly available information in a number of forums. The accuracy of the information cannot be verified. Keep in mind that credit card issuers consider more than an applicant’s credit score and that underwriting standards change over time.
Chase Slate Edge is a bit unique. It offers 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months. In addition, you can lower your interest rate by 2% a year when you pay your bills on time and spend at least $1,000 by your account anniversary (obviously, this doesn’t last forever: it lasts until you reach 9.74% + the prime rate). You can also be considered for a higher credit limit after six months, as long as you pay your bill on time and spend at least $500 on the card.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: Get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 months. After that, your APR will be 19.74%–28.49%, variable, based on creditworthiness.
Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
All information about Chase Slate Edge has been collected independently by allCards.com. Chase Slate Edge is no longer available through allCards.com.
Approval Odds*
App Status
Date
Credit Score
Bureau
Credit Limit
Approved
07/04/2023
636
Experian
$500
Approved
07/04/2023
660
TransUnion
$500
Approved
07/24/2023
675
Not Provided
$500
Approved
09/24/2023
770
Not Provided
$16,000
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
For those who want a long 0% intro APR, the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card fits the bill. It has an impressive 0% intro APR offer. And it does this without charging an annual fee.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and for 21 months from account opening on purchases, then 17.24%, 23.74% or 28.99% variable APR. Balance transfers made within 120 days from account opening qualify for the introductory rate.
Balance Transfer Fee: 3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%; min: $5
I’ve carried the Citi® Double Cash Card for years. In addition to an excellent balance transfer offer, it also pays up to 2% cash back and doesn’t charge an annual fee.
Rewards:
2% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers completed within four months of account opening, then 18.24% - 28.24%, variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).
Welcome Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your Citi Double Cash® card account opening.
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has one of the longest balance transfer terms out there, and it doesn’t charge an annual fee. It doesn’t, however, offer rewards.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and on purchases for 12 months, then 17.24% - 27.99% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and purchases. It comes with no annual fee, but little in the way of cash back or other rewards.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 21 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 17.74% to 28.74% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card offers 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months. It doesn’t have a welcome offer, but it does offer terrific cash back rewards if you have a U.S. Bank Savings account with at least $5,000 in it.
Rewards:
2% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
2.5% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn a 25% Smartly Earning Bonus: Earn 2.5% cash back on all purchases when you have a U.S. Smartly Savings Account with a qualifying balance between $5,000 - $49,999 in U.S. Bank deposit, trust or investment accounts. To get this rate, rewards must be redeemed into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.
3% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn a 50% Smartly Earning Bonus: Earn 3% cash back on all purchases when you have a U.S. Smartly Savings Account with a qualifying balance between $50,000 - $99,999 in U.S. Bank deposit, trust or investment accounts. To get this rate, rewards must be redeemed into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.
4% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn a 100% Smartly Earning Bonus: Earn 4% cash back on all purchases when you have a U.S. Smartly Savings Account with a qualifying balance of $100,000 or more in U.S. Bank deposit, trust or investment accounts. To get this rate, rewards must be redeemed into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.
0% Intro APR offer: 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months and then your rate will be 18.49% to 28.74% variable, depending on your credit worthiness.
Balance Transfer Fee: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great card to keep in your wallet after the 0% intro APR offer period. It offers great cash back on many categories and there’s a welcome offer. There’s also no annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
Rewards:
1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Supermarkets
3% cash back at grocery stores excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®
3% cash back
Streaming services
3% cash back on popular streaming services
3% cash back
Dining
3% cash back on dining
3% cash back
Entertainment
3% cash back on entertainment
5% cash back
Hotels
Earn 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
5% cash back
Rental Cars
Earn 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
8% cash back
Entertainment
Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Balance transfer fee applies
Welcome Offer: $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Members of the military and their families should check out Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card. Not only do you get 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months, there’s no balance transfer fee. That makes this card a great option for those who want to pay off higher interest debt.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months, then 11.24% and 18.00% variable APR.
For those who want cash back rewards in addition to a solid balance transfer offer, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is a top option. It offers an impressive 0% intro APR balance transfer offer + up to 5% cash back + a signup bonus. And it does all of this without charging an annual fee.
Rewards:
1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases
2% cash back
Rotating Categories
2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations and EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
5% cash back
Rotating Categories
5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
5% cash back
Airfare
5% cash back on prepaid air booked directly in the Rewards Center
5% cash back
Hotels
5% cash back on prepaid hotels booked directly in the Rewards Center
5% cash back
Rental Cars
5% cash back on prepaid car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, then 18.49% to 28.74% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
Welcome Offer: $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months after account opening. In addition, you’ll earn some decent rewards, like 3% cash back on dining and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases. There’s no annual fee, and you can get an excellent welcome offer.
Rewards:
1.5% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
Earn 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Drugstores
Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
3% cash back
Dining
Earn 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
5% cash back
Travel
5% cash back on all travel purchased through Chase Travel(SM)
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and for 15 months on purchases, then 18.99% - 28.49% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days. After that: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Welcome Offer: Limited Time Intro Offer: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Chase Freedom Flex® is very similar to the Chase Freedom Unlimited. You get the same 0% intro APR for balance transfers and purchases. The rewards are a little different; with the Freedom Flex you get up to 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories you activate. There’s also a welcome offer and no annual fee.
All information about Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by allCards.com. Chase Freedom Flex® is no longer available through allCards.com.
Rewards:
1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Drugstores
3% cash back on drugstore purchases
3% cash back
Dining
3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
5% cash back
Rotating Categories
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
5% cash back
Travel
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel(SM)
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months months on balance transfers and for 15 months months on purchases, then 19.49% to 28.24% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Welcome Offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offers a 0% introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. It also appears on our list of 15 Best Credit Cards for Average Credit, so if your credit score isn’t quite where you want it to be, but you want to transfer high-interest debt, this card is a great choice. You also get travel rewards, and there’s no annual fee.
Rewards:
1.25x miles
All eligible purchases
1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
5x miles
Hotels
5 Miles per dollar on hotels booked through Capital One Travel
5x miles
Rental Cars
5 Miles per dollar on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and for 15 months on purchases, then 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Balance transfer fee applies
Welcome Offer: 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Citi Simplicity® Card offers 0% APR for 21 months, plus 0% for 12 months. There are no late fees, no annual fee, and no penalty fees. You won’t get any rewards, but you will be able to pay down your debt.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% on balance transfers for 21 months and 0% on purchases for 12 months, then 18.24% - 28.99% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min)
BankAmericard® Credit Card offers a decently long 0% intro APR: 18 months months on purchases and on transfers made in the first 60 days. You can access your FICO score for free, so you can see how paying down your debt is affecting your credit rating.
Rewards: None
0% Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers and for 18 months on purchases, then 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee: After the intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for all future balance transfers is 4%.
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min)
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).
Balance Transfer Fee: $0 Introductory fee for balance transfers completed within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $10 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
Balance Transfer Fee: The Introductory Balance Transfer Fee is 3% for transactions made within 60 days of opening your account. After that, your Balance Transfer Fee is 4% of the amount of the transaction
Balance Transfer Fee: Introductory Fee of 3% of the amount of each transaction, for transactions made within 60 days of opening your account. After that, your fee will be: 4% of the amount of each transaction.
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, applies for the first 90 days following account opening. After that, balance transfer fee of either $5 or 4% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for the first 90 days following account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer for transfers that post to your account by February 10, 2025 with the 0% intro APR balance transfer offer. After that, 5% of the amount of each transfer.
Balance Transfer Fee: Intro fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer for transfers that post to your account by February 10, 2025 with the 0% intro APR balance transfer offer described above. After that, 5% of the amount of each transfer.
Balance Transfer Fee: 3% of each transaction intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days your account is open. After the intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for all future balance transfers is 4%.
Balance Transfer Fee: 0% on balances transferred within the first 60 days. After that, a balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer amount ($5 minimum) will apply.
Balance Transfer Fee: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
Regular APR: 16.99% - 25.99%
What Is a Balance Transfer and Why Is It Useful?
Balance transfers are what they sound like – they involve transferring a balance from one credit card to another one. This can be a useful tool if you have a credit card with a high balance – either close to maxed out or without enough space to spend with it like you want to. Most cards will allow you to transfer more than one balance as well, so they can be a great way to consolidate debt. Lastly, you could end up saving hundreds of dollars in interest if you transfer your balance from a high-interest card to one with low interest or a period of 0% interest.
In any case, just like anything having to do with personal finance, transferring a balance can be a risky move, so it’s important to do your research and have a plan for your transfer before you apply for any credit card. Below we will discuss what to look for in a balance transfer credit card.
What to Look For in a Balance Transfer Card
Balance Transfer Fee
Many balance transfer cards take the higher of a set dollar amount or a percentage of the amount you are transferring as a fee for the transfer. A typical balance transfer fee looks something like $10 or 5% respectively, or sometimes $5 or 3%. The fee usually comes in the form of an addition to your balance on the new card. Make sure you consider this when deciding if a balance transfer is worth it or not.
The higher the balance, the higher the fee, but if you are transferring to save money in interest on another card, the fee may be negligible for you. Say, for instance, you are transferring a $7,000 balance from a card with a 22.99% interest rate. If you leave that balance, you are paying close to $150 per month, which is a lot, especially compared to the one-time $350 you would pay for a 5% transfer fee. Of course, this is assuming you are transferring to a card with a lower interest rate or, ideally, one with a 0% introductory interest rate.
Low or No-Intro APR: Check Specifically for Balance Transfers
Another thing to look for is a 0% introductory interest charge rate, the longer the period the better. This will give you time to pay down the balance without paying interest and can potentially save you hundreds of dollars, especially if the balance is large. We already illustrated just how much you might save in interest above, and it’s worth emphasizing again. There is no point in a balance transfer if there’s no interest-free period or at least a low interest rate. One thing to keep in mind is to check for differences between purchase APR and balance transfer APR – some cards will give you different rates.
Low or No Annual Fee
Since cards with good balance transfer benefits don’t usually have the best long-term rewards, you will want to make sure that you prioritize cards that are inexpensive to maintain. For credit cards that means a low, or no annual fee. Usually, with annual fees, you get access to rewards that incentivize you to spend money on your card. If you are earning 5x – 10x airline miles or 5% cash back on purchases, annual fees can be worth it. However, this is the opposite of what you want in a balance transfer card. You do not want to incentivize spending (more on this later), and the last thing you need is an extra fee hitting your account at the worst time. There are plenty of options with low or no annual fees.
Skip the Bonuses
Intro rewards can be very enticing, but you may want to skip anything that incentivizes you to make new purchases on a card you will be transferring a balance to. When you are trying to pay down a high debt, you should avoid spending on that card, at least until the balance has been paid off. You don’t want any of your introductory rewards to go to waste because you aren’t spending or don’t have the credit space to spend enough.
How to Choose the Best Balance Transfer Offer
Finding 0% balance transfer cards is the easy part. Choosing the best option for your specific circumstances, however, requires a lot more than just comparing transfer fees and the length of the 0% introductory rate. There are several questions you should consider before making a choice. What might be the best option for one person may not be the wisest choice for another.
Here are 6 things to consider.
1. How much debt do you have?
The amount of credit card debt you have is an important consideration for at least two reasons. First, you may or may not qualify for enough credit on a balance transfer card to cover all of your existing credit card debt. This may mean you need to apply for multiple offers if you want to move all of the debt to a 0% card.
Second, your monthly minimum payment may be higher than what you are paying now. While two percent of the outstanding balance is a common minimum payment formula, not all issuers follow this standard. You’ll want to make sure you understand what the minimum payment will be and that your budget can handle it.
2. Which cards hold your debt now?
Credit card issuers do not allow you to transfer debt from one of their cards to another. If you have debt on a Citibank card, for example, you can’t transfer it to another Citibank card. This is particularly important to remember when searching for balance transfer cards. You may find a great offer, but it won’t do you much good if it’s with the same issuer that currently holds your debt.
3. Your credit score
Credit card issuers don’t publish their underwriting standards, including the credit score needed to qualify for one of their cards. The best card offers, however, require a good credit score. While there is no minimum score required, in my experience you want to aim for a FICO score of at least 700. Keep in mind that other factors are important, too, such as your income, debt levels, and history with the credit card issuer.
If you don’t know your credit score, there are several free tools available to get access to your score. One of the free options is credit card issuers. Most major issuers today provide free access to your credit score. You’ll find a list of those issuers here.
4. Time to pay off the debt
Most of the top balance transfer cards today offer 0% for 12 to 21 months. Before transferring a balance, assess whether you’ll be able to pay off the debt before the 0% introductory rate ends. If you can pay off the debt in 15 months, for example, you’ll then want to look for offers of 15 months or longer.
5. Life after the 0% offer
Make a plan for when the 0% offer expires. In our case, we continued to transfer the balances until we paid off our credit card debt in full. While this is a reasonable option, there are at least two potential hurdles.
First, there is no guarantee that 0% offers will be available a year or two from now. While balance transfer cards have been part of the credit card landscape for many years, all good things eventually come to an end. Many major issuers left the balance transfer space during COVID-19, including Chase, American Express, and Capital One.
Second, even if these offers are available down the road, there is no guarantee that you’ll qualify for them. As noted above, these offers require a good to excellent credit score.
One way to prepare is to understand what the interest rates will be at the end of the 0% offer. As the CFPB has noted, it’s important to understand the interest rate over the life of the new card, not just the introductory rate. All credit card issuers make this information available to you. During the application process, the regular APR is typically stated as a range based on your creditworthiness. If your application is approved, however, you’ll know then what the regular APR is. While this can of course change, you’ll at least have some idea of the consequences should you be unable to pay off the debt before the zero percent rate expires.
6. Other credit card perks
Finally, it’s worth considering the perks beyond the 0% offer. Some of the best balance transfer cards come with no rewards, as noted above. There are, however, several good balance transfer cards that offer cash back rewards.
Rob Berger is the founder of allCards.com. He's written about personal finance and investing since 2007 and is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Retire Before Mom and Dad. He is a former litigation attorney in the securities field and the Founding Editor of Forbes Advisor.