The 10 Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Available Now

By Gabrielle Olya

November 4, 2021

PeopleImages / Getty Images

If you currently have credit card debt, a balance transfer card may help you to reduce your interest rate, lower your payments and help you pay the debt off sooner. A recent GOBankingRates survey found that 15% of Americans have $5,001 or more in credit card debt, so a balance transfer card may be helpful in these cases. However, it’s important to pay attention to balance transfer fees, how long an introductory APR lasts and what the APR will be after that point when deciding which balance transfer credit card to choose.

Important: Why It’s a Bad Move To Use the Same Credit Cards Indefinitely

GOBankingRates identified the best balance transfer cards by looking at these factors and more, including length of the 0% APR for purchase period, balance transfer rate, annual fees, purchase APR and any perks associated with a card that might extend its value past the promotional APR period. Here are GOBankingRates’ picks for the Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards available now.

Our Top Balance Transfer Card

Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Card

Why we like it: The Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum card stands out among other balance transfer cards due to its lack of a balance transfer fee, which is uncommon among cards in this category. The card also offers no annual fee and a 0% promotional APR on balance transfers for 12 months. And while the card doesn’t offer a promotional APR for purchases, the regular starting APR is way below the national average for credit cards that incur interest.

Benefits

• No balance transfer or annual fee
• Low APR for balance transfer and regular purchases for those who qualify
• 12 month 0% intro APR period for balance transfers

Drawbacks

• Must be eligible for membership in Navy Federal Credit Union to get the card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Navy Federal’s application page).

Read our full review to find out more about this card’s offerings.

Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards 2021

Keep reading to see the rest of the Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards of 2021.

Union Bank^® Platinum™ Visa^® Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Union Bank’s application page).

Learn more about this card to determine if it’s right for you.

SunTrust Cash Rewards Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to SunTrust’s application page).

Discover what else this card has to offer.

M&T Visa^® Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to M&T Bank’s application page).

Check out more about this credit card.

KeyBank Latitude^® Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to KeyBank’s application page).

Find out all the details about this card.

BB&T Bright Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to BB&T Bank’s application page).

Read more about this card’s offerings.

M&T Visa^® Credit Card with Rewards

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to M&T Bank’s application page).

Is this card right for you? Keep reading to find out.

M&T Visa^® Signature Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to M&T Bank’s application page).

Discover what other benefits this credit card has to offer.

TD First Class^SM Visa Signature^® Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to TD Bank’s application page).

Find out more about the perks and benefits of this card.

Bank of America BankAmericard^® Credit Card

How To Get This Card:

You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Bank of America’s application page).

Learn more about what this card has to offer.

FAQs About Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about balance transfer credit cards.

How does a balance transfer work?

Balance transfers can save you money and consolidate your payments. When you make a balance transfer on a credit card, you are transferring debt — or a balance — from another loan or credit card. This allows you to pay off your balance without incurring interest. However, you must be careful when choosing a balance transfer credit card because it might come with fees and a high interest rate.

Do balance transfers affect my credit score?

Balance transfers have a minimal impact on your credit score. It’s what happens before and after the transfer that can affect your credit score. If you open a new credit card account to transfer your balance to, you will have what’s known as a “hard inquiry” on your credit report. This can cause your score to drop by a few points because it’s an indication that you’re looking to acquire more credit.

The point of a balance transfer is to pay less interest so you can pay off your balance sooner. If you do this, preferably before the introductory balance transfer rate expires, your credit score will improve over the long term.

Explore more answers to your top questions about balance transfer credit cards.

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Alicia Bodine, Karen Doyle and Barri Segal contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates identified the best balance transfer credit cards by analyzing cards offered by all banks with over $100 billion in total assets as well as the three largest credit unions across the following factors: (1) length of 0% intro APR for balance transfers; (2) length of 0% APR for purchases; (3) balance transfer rate; (4) balance transfer fees; (5) annual fees; (6) purchase APR; and (7) any perks associated with a card that might extend its value past the promotional APR period. All fees and rates are subject to change at the credit card issuers’ discretion. Some offers might not be available on the credit card issuers’ websites, depending on how you access the web page. All data was sourced from each financial institution’s website or promotional material and is accurate as of Aug. 4, 2021. Please verify terms and conditions before opening an account. To be considered, the intro APR on balance transfers had to be 0%.

About the Author

Gabrielle Olya

Gabrielle joined GOBankingRates in 2017 and brings with her a decade of experience in the journalism industry. Before joining the team, she was a staff writer-reporter for People Magazine and People.com. Her work has also appeared on E! Online, Us Weekly, Patch, Sweety High and Discover Los Angeles, and she has been featured on “Good Morning America” as a celebrity news expert.