Full List of Our Picks for Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Click on the card name to read our full review.

Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa®

What we love about the Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Card: Introductory offer for balance transfers

The Union Bank Platinum Visa Card is a top choice for people who want more time to pay off a large purchase and for those who are looking to make a balance transfer. This card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then . You’ll enjoy a 0$ intro balance transfer fee for any balance transfers you make within 60 days of opening the account (after that there’s a 3% fee for each transfer or minimum of $10). The card doesn’t come with rewards, but it does lack an annual fee and it comes with added security features. Read our full review

Capital One SavorOne Rewards

What we love about the Capital One SavorOne Rewards Card: Cash back on top categories

The Capital One SavorOne Rewards Card is a great choice for those looking to get a good, straightforward rate of cash back on everyday purchases without an annual fee. The card gives you unlimited 3% cash back on groceries, dining, entertainment, and streaming services, plus you can earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. All other purchases will generate 1% cash back. Those who expect to carry a balance early on will appreciate the 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; APR after that; a 3% fee applies on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months. The card also comes with a welcome offer of $200 when you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months. Read our full review

Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum

What we love about the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Card: Great for those who want to avoid fees

The Navy Federal Platinum Card stands out among balance transfer cards by charging no balance transfer fees. Additionally, the card doesn’t charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees. The card offers a 0.99% introductory APR on balance transfers for 12 months, then . While this is a great rate, you can certainly find 0% APR offers on balance transfer cards, including on many cards in this list. However, the combination of a low intro APR and no balance transfer fees make this card a great option for Navy Federal Credit Union members or those who qualify for membership. Read our full review

Fifth Third Truly Simple®

What we love about the Fifth Third Truly Simple® Card: 0% intro APR for 18 months

The Fifth Third Bank Truly Simple Card is appealing for those who are either looking to carry a balance on new purchases or looking to make a balance transfer, because it comes with an introductory APR of 0% for 18 months from account opening. After the intro APR period ends, the APR will be . The Truly Simple card does not have an annual fee. The card also features contactless credit card payment technology and allows you to easily manage your account with online and mobile banking. Read our full review

American Express Blue Cash Everyday®

What we love about the American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card: Well-rounded features and benefits

The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is a great choice for those who want a versatile card that offers a range of appealing features while charging no annual fee. The welcome offer bonuses that come with this card provide a $200 value for new card members. You’ll earn $200 after you spend $2,000 in purchases within the first six months. Additionally, the card pays out 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and supermarkets and 3% back on U.S. online retail purchases. On each bonus category, you will earn 3% back on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% after the cap is reached. On top of the rewards and bonuses, the card also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, APR. Read our full review

Chase Freedom Flex℠

What we love about the Chase Freedom Flex Card: Ample rewards for the savvy spender

The Chase Freedom Flex Card gives you lucrative rewards on revolving categories, allowing you to elevate your earnings by activating bonus categories each quarter. You also get solid flat-rate earnings on other categories, such as 5% for travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% for dining and drugstore purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. Rewards can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, or travel through the Ultimate Rewards website. As a bonus offer, you receive $200 after spending $500 in the first three months. Additionally, for a limited time you’ll earn 5% back on grocery store purchases on up to $12,000 spent in the first year (excluding Target and Walmart). The Freedom Flex Card has no annual fee. Read our full review

Amex EveryDay®

What we love about the American Express EveryDay® Card: Solid sign-up offer

The Amex EveryDay Card good option for everyday purchases that also comes with a generous welcome offer and intro APR. As a sign-up bonus, you’ll earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first six months. For rewards, you’ll get 2X points on the first $6,000 you spend each year at U.S. supermarkets, plus you’ll earn 1X points on all other purchases. On top of that, you’ll receive 20% extra points when you use your card 20 or more times in a billing period. The card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening, then a variable APR of . The card has no annual fee. Read our full review

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards

What we love about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Card: Personalized rewards and extended intro APR offer

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Card is an excellent choice for people who want control over which types of spending earn the most cash back. You can earn 3% cash back in your chosen category – now with expanded categories, 2% cash back at supermarkets and on wholesale club purchases (up to $2,500 in combined 3% and 2% bonus categories quarterly) and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. The newly expanded 3% categories are gas (to now include Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) Stations) and online shopping (to now include cable, streaming, internet and phone services). You can also take advantage of a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days after opening an account. Many people will also appreciate the 0% introductory APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends a APR will apply. Read our full review

Truist Future

What we love about the Truist Future Card: 0% intro APR and low regular APR

The Truist Future Card is great for people who want to save money on interest on purchases and balance transfers. You’ll get a 0% intro APR for 15 months for purchases and for balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening. The APR is after the intro offer ends, which is the lowest APR of any card that Truist offers. A 3% fee (minimum $10) applies to all balance transfers. The card charges no annual fee, plus it offers strong security features and has Visa Zero Liability protection against unauthorized use. Read our full review

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What Is a Balance Transfer?

A balance transfer is the act of shifting high-interest debt from one credit card over to another card that offers a low introductory APR, making it easier to pay off the balance without accumulating more debt. There are many credit cards out there that offer low introductory balance transfer APRs for specified periods of time. Once the introductory period expires, usually after about 12 to 18 months, the card’s regular APR applies.

What Is a 0% Balance Transfer?

A 0% balance transfer is when a card charges no interest on balance transfers, usually for a set period of time. In most cases, the balance must be transferred within 60 to 90 days after the account opens for it to be eligible for the 0% APR, which is typically an introductory rate. Most cards that offer this rate will charge an upfront fee for the balance transfer.

What Is a Balance Transfer Fee?

A credit card may charge a fee when you move your balance over from another card. For example, a common balance transfer fee might be 3% of the balance or $10, whichever is greater. Not all balance transfer credit cards charge a balance transfer fee.

Pros and Cons of Using a Balance Transfer Card

Like any type of credit card, balance transfer cards have their pros and cons. Here’s a look at some:

PROS

Save money – If you have high-interest debt that you can’t seem to pay off, a balance transfer can allow you to take a breath and dig yourself out of that financial hole. 

Improve credit utilization ratio – Your credit utilization ratio is the percent of your credit limit that you’re using. Generally speaking, you want to keep this number around 30% or less. If it gets too high, it can negatively impact your credit score. By transferring your existing balance and then paying it down, you’ll begin to improve this ratio.

Consolidate debts – If you’re carrying balances on multiple cards, you may want to move those balances over to one card to simplify your financial situation. This may make it easier to tackle your debt.

CONS

Less attractive rewards – Cards that advertise 0% introductory APRs on balance transfers tend to offer relatively meager rewards. That said, several of the cards in our Best Balance Transfer Cards list also landed on our Best Cash Back Cards ranking, so it is possible to find a card that gives you both.

Balance transfer fees – There’s always a catch, isn’t there? For many cards with a 0% introductory APR, the “catch” is that you’ll have to pay a balance transfer fee. Fees vary, but a common range is between 3% to 5% of the balance being transferred.

Usually requires strong credit – This one seems a bit unfair. You’re trying to pay down debt (a debt that probably isn’t helping your credit), and one of the most effective tools to achieve that requires you to have good credit. But alas, all of the top cards in our Best Balance Transfer Cards list will probably require you to have at least a Good credit score of 670 or higher.

How To Compare Balance Transfer Cards

Not all balance transfer cards are the same. Here’s a breakdown of factors to consider:

Intro APR – This is almost certainly the most important factor to consider when choosing a balance transfer card. You’re looking for a card with a 0% introductory APR, and you’re probably looking for one with the longest time horizon before the regular APR kicks in.

Fees – Few balance transfer cards charge annual fees, so we’re mostly looking at the balance transfer fee. If the balance you’re moving over is relatively small, a 3% or 5% fee probably isn’t a huge dealbreaker. If your balance is more substantial, you want to run the numbers to see if the move is worth it. 

Approval odds – If you’re trying to transfer a balance to help you improve your credit score, you don’t want to apply for a card unless you’re relatively sure you’ll be approved. That’s because applying for the card will trigger a hard inquiry into your score, which can negatively impact it.

How To Do a Balance Transfer

The balance transfer process is pretty straightforward. First, you apply for the balance transfer card of your choice. Once you’ve been approved, let the bank or card issuer know that you’d like to transfer a balance. They’ll ask you for information about where the balance is held, and then they’ll begin the process. From start to finish, a balance transfer typically takes about a week, but some can take longer. Keep an eye on both accounts to confirm that transfer worked properly.

Alternatives to a Balance Transfer Card

Use a repayment calculator – You can find free loan repayment calculators online. These allow you to plug in your balance, interest rate, timeline and other data. They can tell you information such as how long it may take you to pay off your balance or how much you might save in interest if you pay it off quicker. 

Look into getting a personal loan – Sometimes you may be able to pay down your credit card debt at a lower rate with a personal loan.

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Methodology

CardCritics, our resident credit card experts, identify the best credit cards by compiling and extensively analyzing data on all of the major credit cards available, then rating them on a 5-star rating system. The comparison factors include annual fees, APRs, sign-up bonuses, ongoing rewards, accessibility, redemption options and more. These factors were then weighted by importance to focus on key features that are most important in each specific category.