Best balance transfer credit cards: 0% APR, 24 months

Looking for a balance transfer credit card to help pay down your debt more quickly? We’re constantly checking for new offers and have selected the best deals from our database of over 3,000 credit cards. This guide will show you the longest offers with the lowest rates, and help you manage the transfer responsibly. It will also help you understand whether you should be considering a transfer at all.

Best balance transfer deals$0 Intro Balance Transfer Fee, 0% Intro APR

Longest 0% deals

Low rate balance transfers

For fair credit scores

Learn MoreChecklist before you transfer

Comparison tools

Questions & Answers

on American Express’s secure website

Terms Apply

Annual fee$0

Intro Purchase APR0% for 15 Months

Intro BT APR0% for 15 Months

Balance Transfer Fee$0 balance transfer fee.

Regular Purchase APR14.24%-25.24% Variable

Rewards Rate2x points at US supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x), 1x points on other purchases.

There’s a new offer for the [card.913.name] that includes an extended intro period now at an intro [card.913.balanceTransferIntroRate] on balance transfers and purchases ([card.913.purchaseGoToRate] APR after the promo period ends) and a [card.913.balanceTransferFee] (For transfers requested within 60 days of account opening.) This offer is in direct competition with other $0 intro balance transfer fee cards like [card.151.name].In addition to the intro periods, you can benefit from a rewards program tailored to U.S. supermarket spenders where you earn [card.913.rewardsRateDesc]The intro offers, coupled with the rewards program make [card.913.name] the frontrunner among balance transfer cards, outpacing competitors. This card presents cardholders with the unique opportunity to transfer a balance and make a large purchase during the intro period, all while earning rewards on new purchases. To qualify for this card, you need [card.913.creditNeededLabel] credit.

15 month 0% intro APR with $0 intro transfer fee[card.151.name] – [card.151.purchaseIntroRate], $0 Introductory BT Fee

With [card.151.name] you can save with a [card.151.balanceTransferFee] You can also save with a [card.151.purchaseIntroRate] and a [card.151.balanceTransferIntroRate], and [card.151.annualfee] annual fee. Plus, see monthly updates to your FICO® Score and the reasons behind your score for free.

You can get longer transfer periods by paying a fee (either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater), so this deal is generally best if you have a balance you know you‘ll pay in full by the end of the promotional period. And don’t expect a huge credit line with this card, so it may be best for smaller balances you can take care of quickly.

Also keep in mind you can’t transfer a balance from one Chase card to another, so this is good if the balance you want to move is from a bank or credit union that’s not Chase.

Tip: You have only 60 days from account opening to complete your balance transfer and get the introductory rate.

Long 0% intro APR with no intro balance transfer fee(For Excellent credit)BankAmericard® Credit Card – 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles, $0 Intro BT Fee

There is an introductory 0% APR for your first 15 billing cycles for purchases and for any balance transfers made within 60 days of opening your account. After that, a Variable APR that’s currently 13.24% to 23.24% will apply.

You need excellent credit to get this card and you can only transfer debt that is not already at Bank of America.

You can get longer transfer periods by paying a fee, so this deal is generally best if you have a balance you know you’ll pay in full by the end of the 15 month promotional period.

Tip: You can provide the account number for the account you want to transfer from while you apply, and if approved, the bank will handle the transfer.

These deals listed below are the longest balance transfers we have in our database. We have listed them by number of months at 0%. Although you need good credit to be approved, don’t be discouraged if one lender rejects you. Each credit card company has their own criteria, and you might still be approved by one of the companies listed below.

Decent 0% intro balance transfer period[card.722.name]: Intro APR of [card.722.balanceTransferIntroRate], [card.722.balanceTransferFee] BT fee.

This is a basic balance transfer deal with an above average term. If you don’t have credit card balances with Discover, it’s a good option to free up your accounts with other banks. With this card, you also have the ability to earn cash back, and there is no late fee for your first missed payment and no penalty APR. Hopefully you will not need to take advantage of these features, but they are nice to have.

Tip: Complete your balance transfer as quickly as possible for maximum savings.

Longest 0% intro balance transfer cardCiti® Diamond Preferred® Card– 21 Month Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro for 21 months, 3% balance transfer fee

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card– 21 Month Balance Transfer Offer offers the longest intro period on our list at intro 0% for 21 months on balance transfers made within 4 months from account opening. There is also an intro 0% for 12 months on purchases. After the intro periods end, a 14.24% – 24.24% variable APR applies. The balance transfer fee is typical at 3% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum. This provides plenty of time for you to pay off your debt. There are several other perks that make this card great: no annual fee, Citi® Private Pass®, and Citi® Concierge.

Tip: Complete your balance transfer within four months from account opening to take advantage of the 0% intro offer.

If you think it will take longer than 2 years to pay off your credit card debt, you might want to consider one of these offers. Rather than pay a balance transfer fee and receive a promotional 0% APR, these credit cards offer a low interest rate for much longer.

The longest offer can give you a low rate that only goes up if the prime rate goes up. If you can’t get that offer, there is another good option offering a low rate for three years.

Long low rate balance transfer cardUnify Financial Credit Union – As low as 6.24% APR, no expiration, no BT fee

If you need a long time to pay off at a reasonable rate, and have great credit, it’s hard to beat this deal from Unify Financial Credit Union, with a rate as low as 6.24% with no expiration. The rate is variable, but it only varies with the Prime Rate, so it won’t fluctuate much more than say a variable rate mortgage. There is also no balance transfer fee.

Just about anyone can join Unify Financial Credit Union. They’ll help you figure out what organization you can join to qualify, and you don’t need to be a member to apply.

Tip: If you’re credit’s not great, this probably isn’t for you, as the rate chosen for your account could be as high as 18%.

Long low rate balance transfer cardSunTrust Prime Rewards – 4.50% variable APR for 36 months, $0 intro BT fee

If you live in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., or West Virginia you can apply for this card without a SunTrust bank account.

The deal is you get the prime rate for 3 years with no intro balance transfer fee. That’s currently 4.50% variable, though your rate will change if the prime rate changes, either up or down, and you have 60 days to complete your transfer with no fee. After that, it’s $10 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater. Also beware the prime rate deal isn’t for new purchases, so only use this card for a balance transfer.

Tip: You have only 60 days from account opening to get the intro $0 transfer fee.

In order to be approved for the best balance transfer credit cards and offers, you generally need to have good or excellent credit. If your FICO score is above 650, you have a good chance of being approved. If your score is above 700, you have an excellent chance.

There are balance transfers available for people with scores below 650. The offer below might be available to people with lower credit scores. There is a transfer fee, and it’s not as long as some of the others available with excellent credit. However, it will still be better than a standard interest rate.

For less than perfect creditAspire Credit Union Platinum – 0% intro APR for 6 months, 0% intro BT fee

You’ll be able to check with several banks what cards are pre-screened based on your credit profile, and you might be surprised to see some good deals you didn’t think were in your range. That way you can apply with more confidence.

Tip: Only Aspire’s Platinum MasterCard has this deal. Its Platinum Rewards MasterCard doesn’t have a 0% offer. And if you transfer a balance after 6 months a 2% fee will apply.

Never use a credit card at an ATMIf you use your credit card at an ATM, it will be treated as a cash advance. Most credit cards charge an upfront cash advance fee, which is typically about 5%. There is usually a much higher “cash advance” interest rate, which is typically above 20%. And there is no grace period, so interest starts to accrue right away. A cash advance is expensive, so beware.

Always pay on time.If you do not make your payment on time, most credit cards will immediately hit you with a steep late fee. Once you are 30 days late, you will likely be reported to the credit bureau. Late payments can have a big, negative impact on your score. Once you are 60 days late, you can end up losing your low balance transfer rate and be charged a high penalty interest rate, which is usually close to 30%. Just automate your payments so you never have to worry about these fees.

Get the transfer done within 60 daysMost balance transfer offers are from the date you open your account, not the date you complete the transfer. It is in your interest to complete the balance transfer right away, so that you can benefit from the low interest rate as soon as possible. With most credit card companies, you will actually lose the promotional balance transfer offer if you do not complete the transfer within 60 or 90 days. Just get it done!

Don’t spend on the cardYour goal with a balance transfer should be to get out of debt. If you start spending on the credit card, there is a real risk that you will end up in more debt. Additionally, you could end up being charged interest on your purchase balances. If your credit card has a 0% balance transfer rate but does not have a 0% promotional rate on purchases, you would end up being charged interest on your purchases right away, until your entire balance (including the balance transfer) is paid in full. In other words, you lose the grace period on your purchases so long as you have a balance transfer in place.

Don’t try to transfer between two cards of the same bankCredit card companies make balance transfer offers because they want to steal business from their competitors. So, it makes sense that the banks will not let you transfer balances between two credit cards offered by the same bank. If you have an airline credit card or a store credit card, just make sure you know which bank issues the card before you apply for a balance transfer.

And you might find even though their rates aren’t 0%, you could afford the payment and get a plan that takes care of your debt for good at once.

Here is a simple test. (This is not 100% accurate mathematically, but it is an easy test). Divide your credit card interest rate by 12. (Imagine a credit card with a 12% interest rate. 12%/12 = 1%). In this example, you are paying about 1% interest per month. If the fee on your balance transfer is 3%, you will break even in month 3, and will be saving money thereafter. You can use that simplified math to get a good guide on whether or not you will be saving money.

And if you want the math done for you, use our tool to calculate how much each balance transfer will save you.

However, if your debt is already with Chase, or you think it will take years to pay off your debt, you should consider a longer duration offer or a personal loan. You can find 21 month offers with 3% fees and 24 month offers with 4% fees. Your savings over the two years would likely be substantial, even when you include the cost of the fee.