Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Card terms verified July 29, 2026

Move your balance off a 20% APR and stop paying interest for a while.

A balance transfer card gives you a stretch of 0% interest to clear debt you are already carrying. It works, but only if the transfer fee is smaller than the interest you avoid, and only if you clear the balance before the promo ends. Start with the math.

Written by Michael Yanda  ·  Reviewed July 29, 2026  ·  How we pick cards

Your numbers

$
%
mo
%
Interest if you stay put$0
One-time transfer fee$0
Monthly payment to clear it in time$0

You keep

$0

Assumes equal monthly payments that clear the balance by the end of the promo period, and no new purchases on either card. Your actual result depends on the terms you are approved for.

Balance transfer cards, compared

Sorted by length of the 0% window. Terms verified July 29, 2026.

Advertiser disclosure

Citi Diamond Preferred®
Citibank, N.A.
0% on transfers 21 months when transfers are completed within 4 months from date of account opening
Transfer fee 3% Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, introductory fee for transfers made within 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Regular APR 16.49% to 27.24%
Annual fee $0
Apply now
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase
0% on transfers 15 months for the first 15 months that your Account is open
Transfer fee 3% 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.
Regular APR 18.24% – 27.74%
Annual fee $0
Apply now
Citi Simplicity®
Citibank, N.A.
0% on transfers 18 months when transfers are completed within 4 months from date of account opening
Transfer fee 3% Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, introductory fee for transfers made within 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Regular APR 17.49%- 28.24%
Annual fee $0
Apply now

Looking at a specific bank? See balance transfer offers from Chase, Citi, American Express and Discover.

How a transfer actually happens

Four steps, and the order matters. Most of the money people lose is lost in step four.

Step 1

Apply for the new card

You are applying for a new line of credit, so expect a hard inquiry. You will not know your approved limit until you are approved, and it may be smaller than the balance you wanted to move.

Step 2

Request the transfer

Give the new issuer the account number and amount for each debt you want paid off. Most cards require this within a set window after opening, often 60 to 120 days, or the 0% rate does not apply.

Step 3

Keep paying the old card

Transfers take days to weeks to settle. Until you see the old balance hit zero, keep making at least the minimum payment there. A late fee during the gap is the most common avoidable cost.

Step 4

Clear it before the promo ends

Divide the balance by the number of promo months and pay that every month. When the window closes, the regular APR applies to whatever is left.

When a transfer is the wrong move

A balance transfer is a tool for people who can clear the balance during the promo. It is not debt forgiveness, and for some situations it makes things worse.

The fee outweighs the interest

On small balances or lower APRs, a 3% to 5% fee can cost more than the interest you would have paid. Run your numbers in the calculator above before you apply.

You cannot clear it in time

If the required monthly payment is beyond your budget, you will be sitting on the leftover balance at the regular APR when the promo ends, having also paid the fee.

You keep spending on the old card

Transferring frees up the old limit. If you refill it, you now have two balances instead of one. Consider closing the old card only after weighing the effect on your utilization.

You want to move debt within one bank

Issuers do not let you transfer a balance from one of their own cards to another. A Chase balance cannot move to a Chase card, and the same applies at most banks.

Common questions

Does a balance transfer hurt your credit score?
Short term, slightly. The application creates a hard inquiry and lowers your average account age. Beyond that it usually helps, because moving a balance onto a new card raises your total available credit and lowers your overall utilization. Paying the balance down during the promo helps further.
How long does a balance transfer take?
Usually five to fourteen days from the time you request it, though some issuers quote up to three weeks. Keep paying the old card until you confirm the balance is zero.
Can I transfer more than one balance?
Yes, as long as the total fits inside your approved credit limit, which includes the transfer fee. If your limit is lower than expected, move the highest APR balance first.
Can I transfer a balance to a card I already have?
Sometimes. Existing cardholders are occasionally offered promotional transfer rates, but the long 0% windows are almost always reserved for new accounts. Check your issuer’s offers tab before applying elsewhere.
What happens if I miss a payment during the promo?
It depends on the card. Some issuers end the promotional rate after a missed payment and apply the regular APR to the remaining balance. Others only charge a late fee. This is in the card agreement, and it is worth reading before you transfer.
Can I transfer a loan or a store card balance?
Store cards, yes, in most cases. Personal loans and auto loans, sometimes, though fewer issuers allow it. Federal student loans generally cannot be transferred, and doing so would cost you protections worth keeping.

Advertiser disclosure: Card offers on this page are from companies from which BalanceTransfers.com receives compensation. That compensation may affect which offers appear and the order they appear in. We do not cover every card available.

Editorial note: Opinions here are the author’s alone, not those of any card issuer, and have not been reviewed or endorsed by any issuer. Rates and terms were verified on July 29, 2026 and can change without notice. Confirm current terms on the issuer’s application page before applying.