Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards for September 2025

If you are carrying a significant balance on your credit card you may be shocked to discover how much money you’re racking up on interest charges alone. If you would like to pay down your credit card debt efficiently then a balance transfer is a smart financial tool to consider. Many balance transfer credit cards offer 0% intro APR for over a year and a half or more, giving you the breather you need to pay down your balance.

Below are the best balance transfer credit cards from our partners on the market for consumers with good to excellent credit.

Detailed Overview: Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

** Information for the following card was not reviewed by Citi or provided by Citi.

What Is a Balance Transfer Card?

Many credit cards offer the ability to transfer balances from one card to another. A “balance transfer card” typically refers to one such card that comes with a low introductory APR period upon account opening.

For example, several credit cards offer 0% intro APR on balance transfers for up to 21 months. They serve the purpose of helping you to escape high interest payments on your other credit cards.

In general, these credit cards don’t tout impressive earning rates or ongoing benefits; their primary purpose is to (temporarily) shelter you from interest fees.

How Much Can I Save With a Balance Transfer Credit Card?

Your potential savings with a balance transfer credit card depends on the amount you’re currently paying in interest. If you’ve got considerable debt, you could save many hundreds of dollars per month.

For example, let’s say:

• You’ve got a $10,000 balance on a credit card that charges 22.12% APR
• You’re only making the $375 minimum payment each month
• You open a balance transfer credit card that offers 0% intro APR for 18 months with a 3% balance transfer fee (then 22.12% APR, just like your first card)

Without changing your monthly $375 payment, then even with the balance transfer fee, your balance will go down $3,045 more than without the transfer! Again, both of these examples are making the same payments. The second one simply takes advantage of the card issuers’ introductory offers to drastically cut credit card debt. The ongoing APR does kick in after your 0% intro APR so the more you can pay down your debt within that intro period the better. A monthly payment of $573 for 18 months would pay off this balance in full (balance transfer fee included).

How To Complete a Balance Transfer

Completing a balance transfer is simple — and there are a few ways to go about it.

You can often request a balance transfer during the application process. You’ll be asked to enter the account numbers of the loans you’d like to transfer to your card, as well as the amount to be transferred.

If your account is already open, you can call the issuer or potentially request one through your card’s online account. You may even receive balance transfer checks that can be used to move money from one credit card to another.

When initiating a balance transfer, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. 

First, You can only transfer as much as your credit limit can hold. If you open a balance transfer credit card and are approved for a $5,000 credit line, you’ll only be allowed to transfer up to $5,000 to the card (minus the balance transfer fee, which will also be charged to your card).

Additionally, you typically cannot transfer a balance between credit cards issued by the same bank. For example, you can’t transfer a balance from one Citi card to another. You should instead apply for a balance transfer credit card issued by Wells Fargo, American Express etc.

Pros and Cons of Balance Transfers

Pros

The purpose of a balance transfer is to pay down your debt faster and reduce your interest charges. It can do this in a few ways.

As covered above, a balance transfer can lower your interest charges. Whether the card you’re transferring to offers a promotional interest-free period or simply a lower regular APR than your current card, a balance transfer can keep you from hemorrhaging money in fees.

You can also transfer multiple balances to a single card as a form of debt consolidation. This will result in one single monthly payment instead of multiple payments. It’ll almost certainly lower your monthly minimum payment overall, meaning you’ll have more money to throw toward your debt.

Cons

There’s really only one “gotcha” when it comes to a balance transfer: The fee you’ll pay for the privilege of initiating the transfer. Not all credit cards charge a fee, but you’ll commonly be charged either $10 or between 3% and 5% of the transferred amount — whichever is higher. Depending on the amount you’re transferring, this could result in hundreds of dollars in fees.

What Is a Balance Transfer Fee?

A balance transfer fee is a sort of processing fee charged by many credit cards that offer the ability to transfer a balance. To be clear, this fee is charged by the card assuming the balance — not the card being relieved of its balance.

Is a Balance Transfer Fee Always Worth It?

To decide if a balance transfer fee is worth it, you should ask yourself one thing: Will the money I save in interest more than offset the money I’ll spend in balance transfer fees?

To answer this question, you should know:

• The amount you’re currently spending on interest payments
• The amount you will spend on interest payments after your balance is transferred to the new card
• The amount of money you’ll lose in fees when moving your debt to your balance transfer card

If you know these three details, simple math will reveal your answer.

How To Compare Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Choose One With the Lowest APR

When choosing a balance transfer credit card, no detail is more important than opening a card with lower APR than the card that currently holds your debt. There’s little sense in transferring a balance if you’re not going to save money on interest (though it may still be potentially worthwhile simply to consolidate your debt for fewer monthly payments).

Your best bet is to go with a card that offers 0% intro APR for an extended period of time.

Rate Shop to Preview Your Credit Limit

You’ll generally only know the exact card terms, including regular APR and credit limit, after you’ve been approved. But some issuers offer “preapproval.” This doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be approved for a card. However, it does come with a peek at the credit line and interest rates you’ll be offered if you decide to apply for the card.

Consider Value After the Intro APR Offer

Balance transfer credit cards are largely a one trick pony. Those that offer the lengthiest intro APR windows often don’t have any valuable benefits. Some don’t even offer a return for your everyday spending.

If you don’t need 21 interest-free months, choose a card that offers a slightly less generous intro APR that earns cash back or travel rewards on your spending. That way you’re not left with a dry husk of a credit card after the promotional APR offer ends.

Methodology

CardCritics™ experts have thoroughly examined all balance transfer credit cards from major issuers and distilled the overwhelming number of options down to the best cards for consumers with good to excellent credit.

• 0% intro APR windows
• Annual fees
• Rewards programs
• Ongoing benefits
• Applicant standards