John S Kiernan, Managing Editor
@John
The best completely free balance transfer credit card is the CorTrust Bank CorPlatinum Credit Card because it doesn’t charge an annual fee or a transfer fee, and it offers an intro APR of 0% for 6 months. The card has a regular APR of 13.49% - 20.49% (V), which you’ll need to avoid to keep your transfer free. You can avoid the regular APR by paying off your entire balance during the intro period.
Keep in mind that it’s difficult to find a balance transfer credit card that not only has a 0% intro APR but also charges no annual fee and no balance transfer fees. Now, banks tend to offer either no balance transfer fee credit cards or 0% balance transfers, but not both. If you have at least good credit, though, you’ve got some good options to choose from.
Notable Balance Transfer Credit Cards
Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 6 months
Balance Transfer Fee: $0
Regular APR: 13.49% - 20.49% (V)
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Good
Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 12 months
Balance Transfer Fee: $0
Regular APR: 12.25% - 17.99% (V)
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Excellent
Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 21 months
Balance Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, and 5% ($5 min) for each transfer after that
Regular APR: 17.99% - 28.74% (V)
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Good
Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Balance Transfer Fee: 3%
Regular APR: 14.99% - 24.99% Variable
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Excellent
Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 18 months
Balance Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer
Regular APR: 17.99% - 27.99% (V)
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Good
Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 18 billing cycles
Balance Transfer Fee: 3% (min $5) on transfers made within the introductory offer (5%, min $5 after)
Regular APR: 18.24% - 28.24% (V)
Annual Fee: $0
Credit Score: Good
You can also check out our editors’ latest picks for the best balance transfer credit cards on the market to see which one suits your needs best.
Just remember that no balance transfer is guaranteed to be free. If you get the right card and repay what you owe by the time regular rates take effect, you’ll have yourself a free transfer. But if you have a balance remaining at that point, or you miss a monthly minimum payment along the way, you’ll end up owing interest.
Popular Balance Transfer Credit Cards from Our Partners
-
0% for 21 Months from Account Opening
-
No Balance Transfer Fee
-
Cash Back
Jack Bennett, Member
@jbennett_23
Navy Federal has a card that’s close. Free isn’t always better though. When I was paying off my debt, I needed all the time I could get. You might try asking a bank or credit union with a longer 0% offer to waive the fee to win your business. If you ask nicely, you might buy yourself a free transfer.
Robert KK, Member
@robkim_ca
Nothing is completely free…if you go with a lower balance transfer fee, the cost is in the length of the 0% APR (it will be a lot shorter). You’ll probably save more with a longer 0% period since interest rates are a lot higher than 3-5 percent.
Audrey HH, Member
@audrey_h_gc
As an online shopping addict who’s juggled balances before, here’s the real tea:
- Navy Federal Platinum: 0.99% APR, no fee (if you can join)
- First Tech Choice Mastercard: Rare 0% APR + no fee (credit union)
- Citi Double Cash: Sometimes has no-fee promos (check your mail!)
Credit unions are your best bet for low/no fees - big banks always get their cut somehow.
Sarah Johnson, Member
@sarahj_sun
I agree with the CorFirst recommendation. There aren’t many options. In a lot of cases, a card with a fee and a longer 0% period will save you more.
Sophia Lee, Member
@sophlee
Honey, let me save you some trouble - truly free balance transfers (no fee and 0% APR) barely exist. The best you’re going to do is:
- Navy Federal Platinum: 0.99% APR for 12 months and no transfer fee (must qualify for NFCU membership).
- First Tech Choice Mastercard: Occasionally offers 0% APR + $0 fee (credit unions are your friend with this type of thing!).
- Citi Double Cash: Sometimes runs promos with 0% APR + no fee (check your mail - they targeted me last year).
Even a 3% fee can be worth it if the 0% period is long enough (like Wells Fargo Reflect’s 21 months). Just pay it off before the promo ends!
Denis Smith, Member
@denis_smith
Nah, most times it's going to be either an interest rate, or a fee.
People also ask
What is the best 0% balance transfer credit card?
The best balance transfer credit card is not one-size-fits-all, as the answer depends on how much you owe, how quickly you’ll be able to repay it and what your credit score is. Those factors will tell you which cards are attainable and help you figure out how much each will save you. But we can certainly point you in the right direction.
Best 0% Intro APR Balance Transfer Credit Cards
What are the pros and cons of balance transfers?
The pros of balance transfers include saving money on interest, consolidating debt, and possible improvement in credit score in the long run. On the other hand, some of the cons of balance transfers are balance transfer fees, high regular APRs, and above-average score requirements. Generally, when you transfer a balance, you’re shifting high-interest debt to a credit card with a lower interest rate.
Pros and Cons of Balance Transfers
| Pros ... | Cons |
Which issuers offer no balance transfer fee credit cards?
The credit card issuers that offer no balance transfer fee credit cards are Capital One, Navy Federal Credit Union, SunTrust, Arvest Bank and BBVA. Chase and American Express previously offered the best credit cards with no balance transfer fees, but those offers are no longer available.
The best no balance transfer fee credit card right now is the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Card because it’s a rare example of a card that has...
read full answer by Gina Marte, WalletHub AdvisorDid we answer your question?
Important Disclosures
Ad Disclosure: Certain offers that appear on this site originate from paying advertisers. For full transparency, here is a list of our current advertisers.
Advertising impacts how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear and their prevalence). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.
Advertising enables WalletHub to provide you proprietary tools, services, and content at no charge. Advertising does not impact WalletHub's editorial content including our best picks, reviews, ratings and opinions. Those are completely independent and not provided, commissioned, or endorsed by any company, as our editors follow a strict editorial policy.