Looking to pay off any remaining credit card debt? 📈 Shopping around for the best balance transfer offer can save you thousands of dollars in interest. Below is a freshly updated list of the best 0% APR balance transfer offers. I try to include both the big banks and lesser-known credit unions with easy membership requirements.
Best No Balance Transfer Fee 0% APR Offers
Fairwinds CU Cash Back Card – 0% Introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers and no balance transfer fees. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be an Fairwinds Credit Union member to obtain this card, but membership is open to everyone. You must also keep a nominal $5 in a share savings account. Also earns 1.5% cash back on purchases. No annual fee.
La Capital FCU Rewards Card – 0% Introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers and no balance transfer fee during the first 90 days after account opening. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be an La Capitol Federal Credit Union member to obtain this card, but membership is open to everyone who joins a partner organization for as little as $20 (Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement). You must also keep a nominal amount (usually around $5) in a share savings account. No annual fee.
Navy Federal CU Platinum Card – 0.99% Introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers during the first 60 days after account opening and no balance transfer fees. (This is not 0%, but ~1% is still quite rare in the current interest rate environment.) After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be an Navy Fedral Credit Union member to obtain this card, and membership is limited to those with a military affiliation, although it does include anyone whose immediate family member serves or has ever served in the military. You must also keep a nominal amount (usually around $5) in a share savings account. No annual fee.
Comparing a shorter no-fee balance transfer vs. a longer one with a modest fee. As of January 2024, the average credit card interest rate is roughly 24% APR (!). If you are paying 24% APR, that’s like paying 2% on your balance every month (!). Paying a 3% upfront fee for an 21 month period of 0% would be like paying your current interest rate for 1.5 months and then getting 0% interest for the remaining 19.5 months. That may be preferable to 12 months at 0% with no balance transfer fee, especially if you spread out your payments over the entire period and use that additional time to pay it all off by the end. Here is an example comparison.
- $5,000 balance, 24% APR, 12 month payoff = $472 per month for 12 months. ($5,673 total paid)
- $5,000 balance, 0% APR + No BT fee, 12 month payoff = $417 per month for 12 months. ($5,000 total paid)
- $5,000 balance, 24% APR, 21 months payoff = $293 per month for 21 months. ($6,172 total paid)
- $5,000 balance, 0% APR + 3% BT fee, 21 month payoff = $245 per month for 21 months. ($5,150 total paid)
- $5,000 balance, 0% APR + no BT fee, 21 month payoff = $238 per month for 21 months. ($5,000 total paid) ** not an available offer **
I can see how one might prefer the $245 per month for 21 months, even thought it results in a slightly higher total amount paid than the $417 per month for 12 months. Especially if this creates an attainable plan that the end of 21 months, you are debt-free and you saved over $1,000 in interest ($6,172 vs. $5,150). Even if there was no balance transfer fee for 21 months (which unfortunately isn’t an option), the difference would only be $7 per month.
If you are sure you can pay it all off within the shorter 0% period, then you should pick the no balance transfer fee option.
Best Low Fee, Longer-Term 0% APR Balance Transfer Offers
US Bank Visa Platinum Card – 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 21 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum). Side perk of up to $600 in cell phone protection. No annual fee.
Citi Simplicity® Card – 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from date of first transfer. All transfers must be completed in first 4 months. This unique card has no late fees and no penalty interest rate. You also get 0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum). No annual fee.
BankAmericard Credit Card – 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases and balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening your account. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee. No annual fee.
Wells Fargo Reflect Card – 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 21 months from date of account account opening. Balance transfers must be made within 120 days from account opening There is 5% balance transfer fee (min $5). No annual fee.
Wells Fargo Reflect Card – 0% Intro APR for 18 months for purchases and balance transfers. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) for balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening your account. No annual fee.