Some links on this page are from partners who pay us. That never changes the figures, which come from issuer disclosures.
A maintained record of what the major issuers actually charge for a balance transfer, how long they give you to make one, how much they will let you move, how to request one, how long it takes, where the payment goes, and how often offers come around. Every figure here is taken from the issuer’s own rate and fee disclosure, and every issuer carries the date we last checked it.
Comparison sites go stale. Cards get renamed, fees change, and promotional windows shift without announcement. This page exists so there is one place where the terms are dated and the changes are logged.
The six questions this page answers
- What does it cost? The 0% period, the fee, the request deadline and the rate after, for every card tracked.
- How do I request one? With the application or after the card arrives, and the rules each issuer attaches.
- How long does it take? What each issuer says, including holds on new accounts.
- Where does the payment go? The address the new issuer needs, and why it is on your statement.
- How much can I transfer? Published caps, and how the limit is set where there is no cap.
- How often are offers available? What each issuer says about transfers after the new-account window closes.
Verification status
| Issuer | Cards tracked | Last verified against issuer disclosure |
|---|---|---|
| American Express | 2 | October 30, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | 2 | November 1, 2026 |
| U.S. Bank | 1 | October 30, 2026 |
| Chase | 3 | October 30, 2026 |
| Citi | 2 | October 30, 2026 |
Every issuer on this page was re-read on October 30, 2026. Five rows changed since the September read, all of them recorded in the change log below with the reason.
Every tracked card
Sorted by the length of the 0% period. The fee column shows the introductory rate first where one exists, then what it becomes.
| Card | Issuer | 0% on transfers | Transfer fee | Request deadline | APR after | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Diamond Preferred | Citi | 21 months | 3%, then 5% | 4 months | 16.74% to 27.49% | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Reflect | Wells Fargo | 21 months | 5% | 120 days | 17.74%, 24.24% or 28.49% | $0 |
| U.S. Bank Shield | U.S. Bank | 21 billing cycles | 5% | 60 days | 17.24% to 28.24% | $0 |
| Chase Slate | Chase | 21 months | 5% | None stated | 18.49% to 28.49% | $0 |
| Citi Simplicity | Citi | 18 months | 3%, then 5% | 4 months | 17.74% to 28.49% | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | Chase | 15 months | 3%, then 5% | 60 days | 18.49% to 27.99% | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Flex | Chase | 15 months | 3%, then 5% | 60 days | 18.49% to 27.99% | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash | Wells Fargo | 12 months | 3%, then up to 5% | 120 days | 18.74%, 24.74% or 28.74% | $0 |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | American Express | 6 to 18 months, set at approval | 3% | 60 days, or no offer | 19.74% to 28.74% | $0 |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | American Express | 6 to 18 months, set at approval | 3% | 60 days, or no offer | 19.74% to 28.74% | $0, then $95 |
What the APR after the introductory period is made of
Every post-introductory APR on this page is variable. The issuer adds a fixed margin to the U.S. prime rate, and the margin is written into the card’s own disclosure. Margins change rarely. Prime changes only when the Federal Reserve moves, and the Fed publishes it. So for each card we record the margin from the issuer’s disclosure, the prime rate that disclosure was written against, and what the range works out to at today’s prime. Where an issuer’s displayed figure does not match its own disclosure, the last column says so.
Prime rate used below: 7.00%, per the Federal Reserve’s H.15 release of October 29, 2026. Prime moved from 6.75% to 7.00% on September 17, 2026.
| Card | Displayed by issuer (date read) | Margin over prime (issuer’s stated prime basis) | Computed at 7.00% prime | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Diamond Preferred | 16.74% to 27.49% (October 30, 2026) | 9.74% to 20.49% (disclosure states 7.0%) | 16.74% to 27.49% | Matches |
| Citi Simplicity | 17.74% to 28.49% (October 30, 2026) | 10.74% to 21.49% (disclosure states 7.0%) | 17.74% to 28.49% | Matches |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex | 18.49% to 27.99% (October 30, 2026) | 11.49% to 20.99% (pricing and terms document, 7.00% as of September 22, 2026) | 18.49% to 27.99% | Matches. Chase’s product pages compute the APR from prime plus margin on the page itself |
| Chase Slate | 18.49% to 28.49% (October 30, 2026) | 11.49% to 21.49% (pricing and terms document, 7.00% as of September 22, 2026) | 18.49% to 28.49% | Matches. The general cardmember agreement still cites 6.75% as of June 30, 2026, but the card-level pricing documents are current |
| Wells Fargo Reflect | 17.74%, 24.24% or 28.49% (October 24 and 30, 2026) | 10.74%, 17.24% or 21.49% (terms page, 7.00% as of November 1, 2026) | 17.74%, 24.24% or 28.49% | Matches |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash | 18.74%, 24.74% or 28.74% (October 24 and 30, 2026) | 11.74%, 17.74% or 21.74% (terms page, 7.00% as of November 1, 2026) | 18.74%, 24.74% or 28.74% | Matches |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday, Blue Cash Preferred | 19.74% to 28.74% (October 30, 2026) | 12.74% to 21.74% (Amex uses the prime rate on each billing period’s closing date; no fixed basis stated) | 19.74% to 28.74% | Matches |
| U.S. Bank Shield | 17.24% to 28.24% (disclosure dated 10/2026) | Not published for this card | Cannot be computed | U.S. Bank’s general Visa agreement caps the transfer margin at 21.24%, which is consistent with 7.00% prime, but the Shield-specific margin is not disclosed |
Why this matters: when prime moves, every range in the main table moves with it, but issuer pages do not all update at once. As of October 30, 2026, the product pages at Chase, Citi and American Express showed the post-September figures while Wells Fargo’s own terms pages did not. With the margins recorded, a reader can add the current prime rate and know the real range before the pages catch up, and so can we.
How long each issuer gives you to request the transfer
This is the term people miss most often, and it is not the same thing as the 0% period. It is a deadline on the request itself, counted from account opening, and the consequence of missing it differs by bank.
| Issuer | Deadline | What happens if you miss it |
|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo | 120 days | Transfer does not receive the introductory APR |
| Citi | 4 months | No 0% rate, and the fee rises from 3% to 5% |
| Chase, Freedom cards | 60 days | Fee rises from 3% to 5% |
| U.S. Bank | 60 days | Transfer does not receive the introductory APR |
| American Express | 60 days | Transfer is not approved for the offer at all |
| Chase Slate | None stated | Fee is 5% regardless |
Two things follow from this table. Wells Fargo gives you twice the window of Chase, American Express and U.S. Bank. And at three of the five issuers, missing the deadline does not cost you a few percent, it costs you the entire reason you opened the account.
The 0% period is also counted from account opening, not from the date the transfer posts. Using the full window shortens your interest-free time by however long you waited.
How much each issuer will let you move
| Issuer | Cap | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Chase | $15,000 | Within any 30-day period, across requests, and never more than your available credit |
| American Express | $15,000 | Less than your credit limit and not more than $15,000, with the eligible amount set after approval. Up to two requests covering four accounts each. $100 minimum |
| Wells Fargo | No published figure | Requests including fees cannot exceed available credit. Excess requests may be sent short or not at all |
| Citi | Not published | Limited by approved credit line |
| U.S. Bank | Not published | Limited by approved credit line |
American Express raised its published ceiling from $7,500 to $15,000 between our September and October reads, which removes what had been the lowest cap of the five. Chase and American Express now publish the same $15,000 figure. Chase counts it within any 30-day period; Amex sets the eligible amount at approval, so the figure is a ceiling, not a promise.
In every case the fee counts against your available credit. A $6,000 transfer at 5% consumes $6,300 of your line, not $6,000.
Where there is no published cap, the limit is whatever credit line you are approved for, and the issuers say a little about how that is set. Citi’s disclosure says the credit limit is determined from your salary and wages, other income, and a review of your debt, and that some limits may be as low as $500. American Express sets the eligible transfer amount after approval, based on creditworthiness and your history with Amex, at less than the credit limit and no more than $15,000. Wells Fargo’s terms state a minimum credit limit of $1,000 on Reflect and Active Cash. Chase’s $15,000 is a cap on requests in any 30-day period, not a credit line. U.S. Bank publishes nothing beyond “limited by available credit.” The practical consequence: you will not know your real transfer capacity until the account is open, and a request larger than it may be paid in part or not at all.
How to request a balance transfer at each issuer
Every issuer here lets you request the transfer at the same time as the card, and every one lets you request it afterward within the deadline above. The mechanics and the rules differ, and they come from the issuer’s own application disclosures.
| Issuer | With the application | After the card arrives | Rules the issuer attaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase | Yes. Transfers requested with the application are sent to the payee 10 days after Chase mails the card; you can cancel or change them during those 10 days by calling the number on the card, or 1-888-338-9464 before the card arrives | Call the number on the back of the card. Freedom cards get the 3% fee only on requests within 60 days | Requests including fees cannot exceed available credit or $15,000, whichever is lower; online and phone requests are also limited to $15,000 in any 30-day period. Chase may decline a request if the account is past due or over its limit, and its pricing documents note an account may not be eligible for transfers at all. Interest on the transfer starts when it posts |
| Citi | Yes. Citi holds application transfers for at least 14 days after the account opens; during that time you can change or cancel by phone | Call the customer service number on the back of the card | Transfers are made available at Citi’s discretion. The total of transfers plus fees must be less than your available credit. Complete within 4 months of opening for the 0% rate and the 3% fee. Nothing from Citi or its affiliates |
| American Express | Requests are tied to the 60-day window from account opening; Amex will not start one until at least 10 days after sending the Card Member Agreement | Within 60 days of opening. Amex says transfers requested after that will not be approved | Up to two requests, each covering up to four accounts in your name. $100 minimum per request. Eligible amount set after approval, less than the credit limit and not more than $15,000. Nothing from Amex or its affiliates |
| Wells Fargo | Yes. Wells Fargo says you can request a transfer when you submit the application, subject to approval | Within 120 days of opening for the introductory rate. You must confirm receipt of the card first or the request is delayed | Requests including fees cannot exceed available credit; Wells Fargo may send less than requested, or nothing. To cancel, call 1-800-642-4720 immediately and before confirming the card. Nothing from Wells Fargo or its affiliates |
| U.S. Bank | Yes. A request made at application can be cancelled within 10 days of account opening by calling 1-800-285-8585 | Within 60 days of opening for the introductory rate | After 10 days from opening, stop payment on a U.S. Bank balance transfer check is not honored unless the check is lost, stolen or destroyed. Nothing from U.S. Bank accounts |
What the new issuer will ask for, whichever one it is: the name of the creditor you are paying off as it appears on that statement, your account number there, the amount, and the creditor’s payment address. Have the old statement in front of you when you apply.
How long the transfer takes
| Issuer | What the issuer says | Hold on new accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Chase | Most within a week; some up to 21 days. The application terms say up to three weeks to set up a new account and process the transfer | Transfers requested with the application are sent 10 days after the card is mailed |
| Citi | Generally 2 to 21 days | At least 14 days after opening before a transfer requested with the application is processed |
| American Express | Usually 5 to 7 days; up to 6 weeks | Not before 10 days after the Card Member Agreement is sent |
| Wells Fargo | About two weeks | Not published |
| U.S. Bank | Most within 14 days | Not published |
Keep paying the old card until the payoff shows there; every issuer above says so. For eleven issuers including Discover, Capital One, Bank of America and Navy Federal, and for what each one says about cancelling a request, see how long a balance transfer takes, by issuer.
Where the payment goes
The transfer is a payment from the new issuer to the old one, and it goes to the old issuer’s ordinary payment address. None of the issuers we have checked publishes a separate balance transfer address, and several, including Citi, Discover and Barclays, say in their own words that the payment address is the one printed on your statement. Give the new issuer the address from your most recent statement, and if a web page disagrees with the statement, the statement wins. We have recorded the payment address each issuer publishes on its own site, with the date read, at where to send a balance transfer payment.
How often balance transfer offers come around
No issuer publishes a schedule, and every disclosure we have read reserves the right to decline. The published 0% offer on each card is a new-account offer with a request deadline. After the deadline, a transfer happens only if the issuer chooses to offer one, usually at the regular APR, and the issuer’s own account pages are where such an offer appears. What each issuer says:
- Chase. Requests go through the number on the back of the card, and Chase says it may decline one if the account is past due or over its limit. The 3% introductory fee on the Freedom cards applies only to requests in the first 60 days; after that the fee is 5%.
- Citi. The disclosure states that balance transfers are made available at Citi’s discretion. The 0% offer is for new accounts; after the card arrives, transfers are requested by phone at whatever terms Citi then offers.
- American Express. On the Blue Cash cards, only transfers requested within 60 days of opening will be approved. The terms refer to any later requests as ones Amex may or may not accept, at the regular APR.
- Wells Fargo. Transfers are subject to eligibility and contingent on account approval. The introductory rate applies only to requests within 120 days of opening.
- U.S. Bank. The introductory rate applies only to transfers within 60 days of opening. U.S. Bank’s general agreement says it may permit transfers subject to the terms in the offer materials it provides, which is to say by offer.
Two issuers not on this tracker are worth a note because people ask. Barclays’ help center says existing offers are shown in the account under balance transfer offers. Synchrony’s agreements say transfers are offered only at its discretion by targeted offer, and most Synchrony store cards do not offer them at all.
What none of them allow
All five issuers refuse balance transfers from their own accounts and their affiliates. A Chase balance cannot move to a Chase card, a Citi balance cannot move to a Citi card, and the same holds at Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank and American Express.
Check which bank issued your current card before applying anywhere. This is the most common reason an approved application turns out to be useless.
Other restrictions worth knowing
- No grace period on transferred balances. Wells Fargo states it directly: balance transfers have no grace period, and carrying one can cost you the grace period on new purchases as well.
- Transfers earn no rewards. Wells Fargo confirms this explicitly. Transferred amounts do not generate cash back or points at any issuer we track.
- Processing takes weeks, not days. American Express says up to six weeks and will not begin until at least ten days after providing your Card Member Agreement. Wells Fargo says about two weeks. Your old account stays due throughout.
- Approval and the 0% offer are separate decisions at American Express. Amex names your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as a Card Member, and the number of cards you have opened and closed as factors in whether the introductory APR is granted at all. For what issuers weigh at approval generally, see balance transfer card requirements.
- U.S. Bank allows ten days to cancel. After that, stop payment on its balance transfer checks will not be honored unless the check has been stolen, lost or destroyed.
- Introductory rates do not cover cash advances at any issuer tracked here.
Change log
This log begins in September 2026. Entries are added when we observe a change against a previously recorded term. We are not reconstructing history we did not record, so the log will be thin at first and will grow.
| Observed | Issuer | Change |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | Wells Fargo | Wells Fargo’s terms and conditions pages for Reflect and Active Cash now state a 7.00% prime rate as of November 1, 2026 and show the same APRs as the product pages. The discrepancy recorded on October 30 is resolved. No change to published terms. |
| October 30, 2026 | Chase | The variable APR floor on Slate, Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex rose from 18.24% to 18.49%. Chase’s cardmember agreement prices these cards at prime plus 11.49% to 22.24% and states that figure against a 6.75% prime rate as of June 30, 2026. The Federal Reserve raised its target range by 25 basis points on September 16, 2026, the first increase since 2023, and prime moved to 7.00% the following day. Chase’s product pages now show the higher floor. Our previous figure was correct when recorded and had not been updated for the prime change. |
| October 30, 2026 | Chase | Upper bounds added. Chase’s card-level pricing and terms documents, dated September 22, 2026, give 18.49% to 27.99% on Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex (prime plus 11.49% to 20.99%) and 18.49% to 28.49% on Slate (prime plus 11.49% to 21.49%), all stated against a 7.00% prime rate. The same documents add a 10-day cancellation window on transfers requested with the application. We had published only the floor. |
| October 30, 2026 | Citi | The APR after the introductory period rose 25 basis points on both cards. Diamond Preferred: 16.49% to 27.24% becomes 16.74% to 27.49%. Simplicity: 17.49% to 28.24% becomes 17.74% to 28.49%. Citi’s pricing disclosure states the rates are based on a 7.0% prime rate and discloses the margins: 9.74% to 20.49% on Diamond Preferred, 10.74% to 21.49% on Simplicity. Same cause as the Chase entry. Introductory periods, fees, the four-month deadline and the $0 annual fee are unchanged. |
| October 30, 2026 | American Express | Two changes on Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred. First, the 0% period is no longer a fixed term. Amex now states 0% for 6 to 18 months, with the length set at approval based on creditworthiness, and says it may be as short as 6 months. Our September record showed 15 months and 12 months. Second, the eligible transfer amount is now “not more than $15,000,” up from $7,500. The 3% fee, 60-day deadline, $100 minimum, APR range and annual fees are unchanged. Amex’s APRs were already at the post-increase figures in September. |
| October 30, 2026 | Wells Fargo | No change to published terms. Wells Fargo’s product pages show APRs consistent with 7.00% prime: the terms and conditions pages disclose margins of 10.74%, 17.24% or 21.49% on Reflect and 11.74%, 17.74% or 21.74% on Active Cash. Those same terms pages still cite prime at 6.75% and show figures 25 basis points below the product pages. The product pages are current. Recorded so a reader who finds the lower figures on wellsfargo.com knows why they differ. |
| October 30, 2026 | U.S. Bank | No change. The Shield disclosure, dated 10/2026, confirms 17.24% to 28.24% after 21 billing cycles, a 60-day deadline, a 5% fee with $5 minimum, and no annual fee. |
| September 25, 2026 | U.S. Bank | The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum has been replaced by the U.S. Bank Shield Visa Card as the bank’s balance transfer product. The former Visa Platinum product page now resolves to the Shield card. Terms recorded above are the Shield’s. |
Two of these entries are worth reading before you compare cards anywhere. Every variable APR on every card here moved up 25 basis points in mid-September when prime changed, and as of October 30 a good deal of published material, including some of the issuers’ own secondary pages, still shows the old figures. And American Express no longer commits to a 0% period length before approval, which makes its cards harder to compare on the one term most people shop by. The U.S. Bank entry from September still applies: material listing Visa Platinum terms describes a card that no longer carries that name.
How we verify this
- Every figure comes from the issuer’s own rate and fee disclosure or application terms, read directly. We do not take terms from other comparison sites.
- APRs are checked two ways: as the issuer displays them, and as the issuer’s disclosed margin plus the current prime rate. When the two disagree, we publish the displayed figure and say so in the margin table.
- Each issuer carries the date we last read its disclosure, shown at the top of this page.
- Where an issuer does not publish something, we say it is not published rather than estimating it.
- When a term changes against what we previously recorded, it goes in the change log with the date we observed it.
- We do not publish terms for issuers we have not verified. Coverage here is narrower than on larger sites, deliberately.
Card terms change without notice, and an issuer can alter an offer between our verification date and your application. Confirm current rates and fees on the issuer’s own application page before making a credit decision.
Citing this page
Journalists, researchers and writers are welcome to cite this data. Please include the verification date for the issuer in question, since terms move.
“Balance Transfer Terms Tracker.” BalanceTransfers.com. https://www.balancetransfers.com/balance-transfer-terms-tracker/
If you find a term here that does not match an issuer’s current disclosure, tell us and we will check it. Corrections are logged above.
Common questions
Which card has the longest 0% balance transfer period?
Four tie at 21 months or billing cycles: Citi Diamond Preferred, Wells Fargo Reflect, U.S. Bank Shield and Chase Slate. Diamond Preferred is the cheapest of the four, at a 3% introductory fee against 5% for the other three, provided the transfer is completed within four months of opening the account.
Which issuer gives the longest window to make the transfer?
Wells Fargo, at 120 days from account opening on both Reflect and Active Cash. Citi allows four months. Chase, U.S. Bank and American Express each allow 60 days.
How do I do a balance transfer with Citi?
Two ways, per Citi’s disclosure. Request it with the application, in which case Citi holds it for at least 14 days after the account opens and you can change or cancel by phone during that time. Or, after the card arrives, call the customer service number on the back of the card. Either way, the transfer must be completed within 4 months of opening to get the 0% rate and the 3% fee, the total including fees must be less than your available credit, and it cannot come from a Citi or Citi-affiliate account.
How often does Citi offer balance transfers?
Citi does not publish a schedule. Its disclosure says balance transfers are made available at Citi’s discretion, and the published 0% offer is for new accounts only. An existing cardholder’s offers, if any, appear in the Citi account.
What is the largest balance I can transfer?
Chase and American Express both publish a $15,000 ceiling. Chase counts it within any 30-day period across requests; American Express sets your eligible amount after approval, so $15,000 is the most it will be. Wells Fargo, Citi and U.S. Bank do not publish a dollar figure and limit transfers to your available credit. In every case the fee counts against that limit.
Is a 3% fee always better than 5%?
No. The fee is charged once and the 0% period determines whether you finish in time. On a $6,000 balance the difference between 3% and 5% is $120, while the difference between a 12-month and a 21-month card is about $215 every month. Work out the payment you can sustain first, then compare fees among the cards that fit it.
Why does this page track fewer cards than other sites?
Because we only publish terms we have read in the issuer’s own disclosure and can date. Adding issuers we have not verified would make the table longer and less reliable, which defeats the purpose of the page.
Sources
- American Express rates and fees disclosures, Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred, americanexpress.com
- Wells Fargo credit terms and conditions, Reflect and Active Cash, wellsfargo.com
- U.S. Bank Shield Visa Card offer disclosures, usbank.com
- Chase card application and pricing disclosures, chase.com
- Citi card application and pricing disclosures, citi.com
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidance on balance transfer fees and promotional rates
Issuer detail pages: Chase, Citi, American Express, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank. To work out what a transfer would cost you, see calculating a balance transfer fee.