Which Balance Transfer Credit Card Is Right for Me?

Shifting debt from a high-interest bank card to a card with a promotional 0% APR supply can prevent tons of and even hundreds of {dollars} in curiosity. Whenever you’re searching for a steadiness switch bank card, it’s pure to gravitate towards the cardboard with the longest 0% interval or the bottom switch price. However that may not essentially be the appropriate selection for you.

Stability switch bank cards fall into two normal classes:

• Devoted 0% APR playing cards typically have a protracted introductory interval at 0% curiosity. The intro interval could possibly be 18-21 months or longer. As soon as that promotional interval runs out, nevertheless, they do not provide you with a lot purpose to maintain utilizing them. Their ongoing rates of interest are nothing particular, and so they do not supply rewards.

• Rewards playing cards with a steadiness switch promotion typically have a shorter 0% interval — sometimes 12-15 months, however there are alternatives that go so long as 18 months. These playing cards supply rewards on purchases (often money again), so you will have an incentive to maintain utilizing them lengthy after the 0% interval runs out.

Stability switch price: There may be an intro steadiness switch price of three% of every switch (minimal $5) accomplished inside the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your price will likely be 5% of every switch (minimal $5).

APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months and 0% intro APR on steadiness transfers for 21 months, after which the continuing APR of 17.49%-28.24% Variable APR.

Why we selected the Citi Simplicity® Card as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: Three standout options of the Citi Simplicity® Card made it our selection for finest steadiness switch bank card within the 2025 NerdWallet Greatest-Of Awards. First is the extra-long introductory APR interval on steadiness transfers, which is without doubt one of the longest you will discover from a significant issuer. Second is the truth that the cardboard does not cost late charges or a penalty APR (that’s, a better rate of interest that some issuers impose when you’re late with a cost or violate another rule). Clearly, it is best to all the time attempt to make funds on time, however the forgiveness provided by this card could be a lifesaver to somebody working to remove debt. Third, the cardboard has a comparatively low introductory steadiness switch price (see above). Nevertheless, watch out for the mismatch between the intro APR durations for purchases and steadiness transfers. This card additionally earns no rewards, so its long-term worth is proscribed.

Stability switch price: 5% of the quantity transferred (minimal $5).

APR: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying steadiness transfers, after which the continuing APR of 17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR.

Why we selected the Wells Fargo Mirror® Card as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: The Wells Fargo Mirror® Card has probably the most accommodating introductory APR affords out there from a significant issuer, with a promotional interval approaching two years for steadiness transfers. It is price noting that there is an equally lengthy intro interval for purchases. A number of competing playing cards supply a lengthly 0% interval for transfers however a shorter one (or none in any respect) for purchases. This one does each. Though we typically advise towards carrying debt on new purchases from month to month, particularly once you’re doing steadiness transfers to deal with current debt, the matching durations for purchases and transfers however afford you most flexibility. The most important draw back for this card is the 5% steadiness switch price ($5 minimal), which is on the excessive aspect and explains why this card does not earn 5 stars in our scores method for steadiness switch playing cards. The cardboard additionally does not earn rewards, so there’s not a ton of ongoing worth after the promotional interval runs out.

Stability switch price: 5% of the quantity transferred (minimal $5).

Why we selected the Citi® Diamond Most well-liked® Card as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: This card is a good different to the Citi Simplicity® Card. You get a pleasant, lengthy introductory APR interval for steadiness transfers and a shorter one for purchases. Nevertheless it does not have the late-fee safety of the Simplicity, nor does it have any type of promotional steadiness switch price. In any other case, the identical cautions apply to this card as to the Simplicity: The mismatched intro durations may journey you up when you’re not cautious, and the dearth of rewards means the cardboard’s long-term worth is proscribed.

Stability switch price: Introductory price of three% of the quantity transferred ($5 minimal) for balances transferred inside 60 days of account opening. After that, 5% of the quantity transferred ($5 minimal).

Why we selected the U.S. Financial institution Protect™ Visa® Card as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: The U.S. Financial institution Protect™ Visa® Card has totally different intro APR affords relying on the place you get the cardboard. The supply out there by NerdWallet features a prolonged promotional interval for each steadiness transfers and purchases, in addition to a low introductory steadiness switch price. On U.S. Financial institution’s personal website, the cardboard affords an extended intro APR interval — nevertheless it additionally lacks the decrease promotional switch price. Do the maths: When you will not want greater than a yr and a half to pay down the steadiness you are planning to switch, you then’re higher off going with the shorter 0% window and the decrease price. As with most different steadiness switch playing cards with a promotional interval this lengthy, the cardboard does not have super long-term worth, though it does earn money again on sure journey purchases made by U.S. Financial institution.

Stability switch price: 3% intro steadiness switch price, as much as 5% price on future steadiness transfers (see phrases)*.

APR: 0% intro APR on Purchases for six months and 0% intro APR on Stability Transfers for 18 months, after which the continuing APR of 17.74%-26.74% Variable APR *Charges as of December 15, 2025.

Why we selected the Uncover it® Money Again – 18 Month Intro Stability Switch Supply as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: Lengthy-term worth is the rationale this card stands out a lot. Sure, you get a protracted intro APR interval on steadiness transfers, however in contrast to most playing cards with competing promotional durations, this one additionally provides you ample purpose to maintain utilizing the cardboard: 5% money again in rotating classes that you simply activate (on as much as $1,500 per quarter in spending), and 1% money again on different purchases. It is these rewards that earn this card its excessive star ranking. Observe that the intro APR interval for purchases is significantly shorter, nevertheless. Your finest guess could be to carry off on utilizing it for purchases till you have absolutely paid off transferred debt.

Stability switch price: 3% or $5, whichever is larger, within the first 60 days; 5% or $5, whichever is larger, after that.

Why we selected the Chase Freedom Limitless® amongst our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: This playing cards earns 5 stars for its money again rewards, nevertheless it additionally comes with a steadiness switch supply that is solely a smidge beneath what you get from many playing cards which can be completely dedicated to steadiness transfers. The intro APR interval for transfers may not be so long as what you get on, say, the Wells Fargo Mirror® Card or the Citi Simplicity® Card, nevertheless it’s nonetheless effectively over a yr. There is a comparatively low steadiness switch price for brand new cardholders. There is a matching intro APR interval for purchases, so it is also a powerful choice for financing a big buy. And the cash-back rewards supply robust long-term worth.

Stability switch price: 3% or $5, whichever is larger, within the first 4 months; 5% or $5, whichever is larger, after that.

Why we selected the Citi Double Money® Card as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: The Citi Double Money® Card has lengthy been certainly one of NerdWallet’s high suggestions for individuals searching for easy bank card rewards, because it earns an impossible-to-mess-up 2% money again on each buy (1% once you purchase one thing and 1% once you pay it off). Nevertheless it additionally comes with one of many stronger steadiness switch affords available on the market. There is no such thing as a 0% intro APR interval for purchases, nevertheless — not even a brief one like another playing cards have. So in case you are utilizing this card for a steadiness switch, do not put purchases on it till that debt has been absolutely paid off. So long as you are carrying a transferred steadiness, you’ll not have a grace interval on purchases, so you will pay curiosity on them. However you will have purpose to make use of it (and use it usually) lengthy after the promotional interval ends.

Stability switch price: 3% introductory steadiness switch price. For future transfers, the price is as much as 5% (see phrases).

Why we selected the Uncover it® Chrome as certainly one of our greatest steadiness switch bank cards: The Uncover it® Chrome is slightly underwhelming as a cash-back card, providing weak rewards relative to its rivals, nevertheless it scores excessive as a steadiness switch card. You get a protracted intro APR interval for steadiness transfers, and a shorter one for purchases. The rewards at the very least give the cardboard a certain quantity of long-term worth. Due to the mismatched intro APR durations, our recommendation with this card is identical as for the opposite Uncover providing on this web page: Repay your transferred steadiness, then shift to utilizing the cardboard for purchases.

When selecting a steadiness switch bank card, the temptation will be to only search for the cardboard with the longest 0% interval after which hit the “Apply” button. However there are different concerns that may be simply as essential, if no more essential, than the size of the steadiness switch promotion. Ask your self these inquiries to slender your search.

Accepting a buyer’s steadiness switch poses a danger for a bank card issuer. That issuer is taking over debt that the shopper ran up someplace else — debt that’s sufficient of a burden that the shopper is searching for assist in paying it off. Usually talking, card issuers make steadiness transfers out there to individuals with good to glorious credit score and to not these with unhealthy to common credit score. Scores in 700s and better point out a powerful chance that buyer will repay repay their debt with out challenge.

That stated, there is not any magic credit score rating that ensures approval above it and rejection beneath it. Folks with excessive scores can and do get their functions declined; individuals with scores within the mid-600s have been accepted for steadiness switch playing cards. Credit score scores are just one issue within the approval selections made by bank card issuers. In addition they consider your revenue, your different money owed, your current credit score functions and different data.

As a rule, you possibly can’t do steadiness transfers amongst playing cards from the identical issuer. When you’ve got debt on a Chase card, for instance, you will not be capable to use a steadiness switch supply to maneuver that debt to a different Chase card. You may’t transfer debt from one Citi card to a different, and so forth.

Take into consideration how a lot cash you can put towards paying off your transferred steadiness every month (particularly when that debt is now at 0% curiosity). At that fee, how lengthy will it take you to erase the debt? The much less time you will want, the extra choices you will have. There are solely a handful of playing cards that provide 0% for 21 months or extra, however there are various that provide you with 12 months or extra. When you anticipate to have the ability to knock out your debt comparatively shortly, a 21-month 0% interval could be overkill.

Your pay-down schedule additionally issues when calculating the impression of the steadiness switch price. Whereas there are a handful of playing cards from small banks and credit score unions that haven’t got a steadiness switch price, most issuers will cost this price. When you want solely a few months to repay your debt, you may truly be higher off leaving it the place it’s as a result of the curiosity financial savings from a switch will not make up for the price. However the longer it takes you to repay the debt, the extra seemingly it’s that you’re going to get monetary savings even after the price. Our steadiness switch calculator may also help you estimate your financial savings.

When the introductory 0% APR interval in your card runs out, you do not have to only toss the cardboard in a drawer and overlook about it. If the cardboard affords ongoing rewards, you may give it a brand new job incomes you money again on purchases. (However pay your invoice in full every month to keep away from getting again into debt.) If the cardboard does not have rewards, helpful perks or different longer-term advantages, you might change to a special card from the identical issuer by means of a product change. So when selecting a steadiness switch card, contemplate what it could do for you down the highway.

You may wish to be real looking about how a lot debt you can transfer onto your steadiness switch card. In the case of steadiness transfers, bank card issuers search for individuals who have the power to pay down their debt however simply wish to get monetary savings on curiosity whereas they do. That is versus people who find themselves drowning in debt they can not repay and are in search of a short lived lifeline to maintain from sinking deeper.

So when you’ve obtained a number of thousand {dollars} you wish to switch however your credit score is in any other case robust and your playing cards aren’t all maxed out, you are extra more likely to get accepted for a card and for sufficient of a credit score restrict that you would be able to transfer all of the debt. Conversely, when you have $50,000 in balances on a number of maxed-out playing cards, you are most unlikely to search out an issuer keen to take all of that debt. (Relying on the circumstances, it might be onerous to search out an issuer keen to take any of it.) It is common for an applicant to be accepted for a steadiness switch card with solely sufficient credit score restrict for a portion of their debt. Nonetheless, that may be higher than nothing.