Best Balance Transfer (0% APR) Credit Cards

Short Review of Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfer

Cards’ description

Citi Double Cash

The Citi Double Cash offers a great 18-month 0% APR period on balance transfers made in the first 4 months. After that, it’s 18.24% - 28.24% Variable, based on your creditworthiness. The balance transfer fee is 3% (minimum $5). That is a card you'll want to keep even after you take advantage of its zero-interest period because it will also earn you a generous 2% cash back on all purchases (1% cash back when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay for it). However, there is no intro APR on purchases.

Read more about Citi Double Cash

Citi Diamond Preferred®

This card has a lengthy 12-month 0% APR period for purchases and a 21-month period for balance transfers (made within 4 months after account opening). There is a balance transfer fee of 3% or $5 (whichever is greater), but no annual fee. The regular APR will be 17.24% - 27.99%. It hardly offers any long-term value after the intro period as it lacks a rewards program.

Read more about Citi Diamond Preferred®

Citi Rewards+®

You could say that the Rewards+® offers the whole package: a 15-month 0% APR period on balance transfers and purchases (17.74% - 27.74% variable after that), rewards, and a sign-up bonus, all with a no annual fee. Balance transfers have to be made within the first four months to qualify for the intro APR period, and the ARP after will be 17.74% - 27.74%. You’ll earn 2 ThankYou® points for every dollar spent at supermarkets and gas stations (up to the first $6,000 spent) and 1 point for all other purchases. Also, points automatically round up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase.

Read more about Citi Rewards+®

Citi Simplicity®

The Citi Simplicity® is ideal for the forgetful and those unsure whether they'll have the money to make all payments on time. That is because this card has no late and penalty fees. Also, no annual fee! The introductory 0% APR period is 12 months for purchases and 21 months for balance transfer. The intro APR offer applies to balance transfers made within 4 months upon opening the account and after the offer ends, it’s a variable 18.24% - 28.99%.

Read more about Citi Simplicity®

Barclays Bank Delaware AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

This is a travel card that also offers a satisfactory 15-month 0% APR period for balance transfers. After, the APR will be 21.24% - 29.99%, depending on your creditworthiness. You'll earn 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases. Plus, an easy-to-reach welcome bonus. There are two things to keep in mind with this card. First, to benefit from the intro period, you have to make the balance transfer within 45 days from account opening, and there's also a $99 annual fee.

Read more about Barclays Bank Delaware AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

What is a balance transfer credit card?

A balance transfer credit card allows you to transfer your debt from a high-interest credit card to this one which usually offers a 0% APR for a limited period. It can be a great tool to manage your debt and save money on interest.

How to save money with a credit card balance transfer?

Moving your debt from one credit card to a balance transfer credit card is all about saving money. So, before applying for one you have to carefully think it through. First, consider your debt amount and be realistic about the time you’ll need to pay it all off. If it's a significantly high amount or you think it'll take longer to repay it, go for a card that offers a longer period with 0% APR. The US bank Visa® Platinum offers the longest introductory period, 20 billing cycles which is nearly two years (18.74% - 29.74% Variable thereafter).

The average credit card debt in the USA is around $5000. If you pay an 18% APR on that debt, that's $750 you'll give for interest. Alternatively, with an average balance transfer credit card that has an 18-month period with 0% APR and if you pay off $250 every month, at the end of the intro period, you'll have $500 left. Even if you pay a higher APR on those, like 20%, interest will be $100, so it'll cost you considerably less.

Another important thing to note is the balance transfer fee. It's a fee charged by the credit card when you make a balance transfer, and it's a percentage of the balance transfer amount. Generally, it's 3% (but not less than $5) for most credit cards, so if you transfer a balance of $1000, you'll pay a $30 fee. If you're transferring a higher balance amount, this cost can be significant. In that case, you can get a card that doesn't charge a balance transfer fee, like the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum.

Pros and cons of a balance transfer credit card

Pros

• Save money on interest – transferring your debt to a card that doesn't charge interest for a certain period can save you hundreds of dollars. The money you put into your debt will go only toward paying off the principal balance and not toward interest.
• Debt consolidation – it’s more convenient to pay only one credit card balance every month than several of them. It’s also easier to remember and focus on one due date.
• Other favorable features – if your priority is not just a balance transfer, you can apply for a card that also offers rewards, like the Citi Double Cash (cash back).

Cons

• The ongoing APR – after the intro period expires, APRs on balance transfers usually vary from card to card and are within certain limits. For example, the regular APR on the US bank Visa® Platinum is between 18.74% - 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness. If you’re not in good financial health, you can easily get a rate that’s closer to the higher limit of the APR range after the intro period ends.
• It can get costly – factor in the balance transfer fee and the annual fee of the new credit card. Compare the cost of moving your balance to the cost of the interest on your current card.
• Good or excellent credit is needed – the best balance transfer deals require you to have good to excellent credit to get approved.

How to do a balance transfer?

Before doing a balance transfer, you have to get familiar with the credit card's rules. Especially pay attention to the time limit for transferring your balance to qualify for the introductory period. Although for most cards you'll have around 4 months to make the transfer, with some you don't have that much time.

The Bank of America Cash Rewards requires you to apply within 60 days after opening the account and the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® 45 days.

The balance transfer starts with a request that you can usually do online or by talking to a representative from your new credit card company. They’ll need the number of the account on which you carry your debt and the amount you want to transfer.

The process can take from several days to several weeks. So, make sure you keep making at least the minimum payments due on your old credit card until the balance transfer is completed.

Alternatives to a balance transfer

Balance transfer credit cards usually require good to excellent credit, so if those with fair or bad credit get rejected, there are other alternatives to consider. These can be used even by those who get accepted, but their debt is higher than the credit limit approved by the balance transfer card’s company.

Our recommendations, depending on your financial situation, are:

• Borrow from a friend or relative – if your debt is not too big and you know someone who’d be willing (and can afford) to lend you the money, you should ask them.
• Personal loan – another alternative suitable for those with higher debt amounts who'll take longer to repay the debt. There are no surprises with personal loans - you'll pay a fixed amount of interest for a fixed period of time. Note that some come with origination and sign-up fees.
• Try renegotiating your regular APR – you can contact your credit card company and ask if they can lower your ARP. If you’re in good standing and have been making your payments regularly, they might say yes.

Additional Options for Balance Transfer Cards with Rewards

If you’re looking for a balance transfer card that’s a keeper after the 0% APR intro period, you should look at those that offer rewards. Besides the cards on our list, another great rewards card is the Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card. For the first 6 months, you’ll get 5x rewards points on up to $12,500 spent on groceries, gas, and drugstore purchases, and 1x points on all other purchases. The 0% APR period for balance transfers and purchases lasts for 15 months after account opening.

A good option is also the SunTrust Prime Rewards Credit Card, whose intro APR offer is very low, currently a 3.25% variable APR for 3 years. If you make the balance transfer within the first 60 days upon account opening you’ll get the intro APR offer and also you won’t pay a balance transfer fee ($10 or 3% after). The rewards program includes a 1% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases and a $100 sign-up bonus.

Travel rewards and financing offers

Along with the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, another attractive travel card with a balance transfer offer is the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®. It has a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days after account opening (21.24% - 29.99% Variable thereafter). The rewards include 5x miles on purchases at flyfrontier.com, 3x miles at restaurants, and 1x miles for everything else, as well as a sign-up bonus. This card has a $89 annual fee.

How to choose a balance transfer credit card?

As most credit cards require excellent credit, you have to be realistic about your options. If you have a less-than-perfect credit score your choice will be limited.

With a good credit score, you’ll qualify for most balance transfer credit cards on the market. So, start analyzing and comparing them to find the one that's most suitable for your financial situation. The reason for a balance transfer is, of course, paying off debt as cost-efficiently as possible.

First, carefully review your debt and your financial situation. Ask yourself how much time you'll need to pay it off. If, for example, you can manage to repay it within 15 months, you'll have more options. While an important factor for those who think they’ll keep paying off their debt after the intro period is over is the ongoing APR.

If you are in a tight situation, and you want to avoid any fees and costs, consider those that don't charge a balance transfer or annual fees. All cards on our list, except the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, don’t have annual fees. But only the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum doesn’t have a balance transfer fee.

Finally, think about other credit card perks that are important to you. For instance, with rewards credit cards you get the best of both worlds – intro APR offers and rewards.

How to apply for a balance transfer credit card?

After you’ve made your research and decided on the credit card you want, the only thing left to do is apply for it. You can apply for a balance transfer credit like for any other credit card. It can be done online or by talking to a representative of the bank that issues the card.

We assume you've already read the terms and conditions of the card, and the only thing you don't know is the available credit limit. You'll find out about that only after you’ve been approved for the card, so be aware that it might not be as large as the amount of debt you want to transfer.

Also, please note that you cannot transfer your debt to another credit card of the same issuer.