Best balance transfer cards of July 2026

Some Chase cards are currently not available on CNBC Select but you can check out our marketplace to compare offers from other issuers including American Express and Citi.

Credit cards often carry the highest interest rates among common credit products, with the average interest rate hovering around 21%, according to the Federal Reserve. As such, carrying a balance from month to month can quickly lead to crushing debt.

If you're trapped in a credit card debt cycle, signing up for a new card with an introductory 0% APR period could be the way out. These cards pause interest for up to 21 months, allowing you to pay down the principal.

Below, CNBC Select reviews the best balance transfer cards and shares what you need to know about using a balance transfer card. See our methodology for information on how we chose these options.

Best for balance transfer and purchase APRs

Who's this for? The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has one of the longest introductory APR periods on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers.

Balance transfer offer: Qualifying balance transfers you make within 120 days of account opening qualify for a 0% intro APR for 21 months, followed by a variable 17.49%, 23.99% or 28.24% APR. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate, and the balance transfer fee is 5% with a $5 minimum.

Best for benefits

Who's this for? At first glance, highlighting the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card for its benefits may not feel right because the list isn't that long. However, when you compare it to other cards with 21-month intro APRs, it stands out because it actually has benefits. You can earn a $20 annual statement credit after using your card for 11 consecutive months, and you can earn 4% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked through the U.S. Bank Travel Center.

Balance transfer offer: For a limited time, you'll receive a 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 21 billing cycles, then a variable 16.99% to 27.99% APR applies. To qualify for the intro APR, you must transfer the balance within 60 days of account opening. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer, with a $5 minimum.

Who's this for? The Slate® Credit Card is a good option if you're looking for a path to a higher credit limit. You'll be automatically considered for a credit line increase starting at six months, or sometimes even earlier.

Balance transfer offer: New cardmembers can take advantage of 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on both purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% to 28.24% applies. There will be a transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Best for transferable rewards

Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best cash-back cards, on top of featuring a generous balance transfer offer. Plus, it earns cash back as Citi ThankYou® Points, which gives you access to Citi's travel partners.

Balance transfer offer: With the Citi Double Cash Card, you can enjoy a 0% intro APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers you complete in the first four months of account opening. After the intro APR expires, a variable 17.49% to 27.49% APR applies. There's an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) within the first four months, then the balance transfer fee increases to 5% of any amount you transfer ($5 minimum).

Best for intro transfer fee

Who's this for? The Citi Simplicity® Card has a generous intro APR period on balance transfers and a lower intro balance transfer fee than other options on this list.

Balance transfer offer: When you transfer a balance to the Citi Simplicity Card from the date of account opening, you'll receive an intro 0% APR on that balance for 18 months (17.49% to 28.24% variable APR after). An intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum) applies to transfers you make in the first four months. After that, a fee of 5% ($5 minimum) applies. The intro fee is lower than the balance transfer fee for some cards that offer a similar 0% APR period.

Best for bonus categories

Who's this for? The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns a bonus cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail purchases and U.S. gas stations. It also comes with some helpful statement credits.

Balance transfer offer: This card has an *introductory 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening (19.49% to 28.49% variable APR thereafter). *There's a balance transfer fee that's either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer (whichever is greater), and transfers must be requested within 60 days of account opening (*see rates and fees).

Best for flat-rate cash back

Who's this for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent cash-back card to consider if you want to earn rewards while paying down your credit card debt.

Balance transfer offer: You can transfer balances and receive an intro 0% APR for the first 15 months, then a variable 18.24% to 27.74% APR applies. An intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum) applies for the first 60 days. After that, the balance transfer fee increases to 5% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum).

Best for Capital One miles

Who's this for? The Capital One VentureOne is a solid no-annual-fee travel credit card that doubles as a balance transfer card. You'll earn at least 1.25X Capital One miles on every purchase, plus 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Balance transfer offer: Take advantage of a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a variable APR of 18.49% to 28.49%. There's an introductory 3% fee for balances transferred within the first 15 months, after which the fee increases to 4%.

A balance transfer credit card lets you move your credit card debt from one card to another. The best balance transfer cards offer limited-time no-interest periods for these transfers, which help you save on high-interest debt for a set amount of time (typically anywhere from six to 21 months).

Completing a balance transfer is usually fairly easy. Sometimes you can even transfer a balance when you apply for the card. Regardless of when you complete a transfer, you'll also typically pay a balance transfer fee of 3% to 5% of the amount you transfer.

Another trade-off is that cards with the longest intro APR periods tend to offer lower rewards than the best rewards credit cards on the market. If you want a card with an exceptionally long intro APR, you probably won't earn as many rewards.

Using your card's balance transfer offer is fairly straightforward. You can typically opt to transfer balances during your application or after you receive your card. However, there are a few things to remember before taking advantage of a balance transfer offer.

Pay attention to fees

Most balance transfer cards charge a balance transfer fee. This fee is usually 3% to 5% of the amount you transfer (for example, transferring $5,000 with a 3% fee will cost $150). It's charged to the balance transfer card, not your original card.

These fees can quickly add up, and you should factor in this cost when determining if it makes sense to get a balance transfer card.

Know the restrictions

There are a few limitations to be aware of before you apply for a credit card with a balance transfer offer.

First, you can't make transfers between cards from the same bank. If you have a Chase credit card, for example, you can't transfer that debt to another Chase card; you'll need to apply for a card from a different bank than the one you want to transfer debt from.

You also typically have limited time to complete your transfer. If you wait too long to make a transfer, you may miss the 0% APR period or the lower intro balance transfer fee.

You'll also want to be aware of any limits on the amount of debt you can transfer. Card issuers typically cap the amount you can transfer to a percentage of your credit limit or a specific dollar amount. Issuers may also factor the balance transfer fees into this limit.

See if you qualify for the card

Balance transfer cards usually require good or excellent credit (or a FICO Score of 670 and up). That means qualifying for a balance transfer card can be more difficult if your credit is subpar.

Using a balance transfer credit card to consolidate and pay off credit card debt is a great strategy to save on interest charges. However, it also needs to be paired with an overall strategy for paying down your debt.

As you consider what type of balance transfer card makes the most sense for you, you'll want to do the math to weigh the costs and benefits. Balance transfer cards can earn rewards or even offer upfront bonuses, but the cards with the best intro APR periods typically don't offer rewards. However, the money you save on interest can easily offset any rewards you miss.

Calculate how much you'll save

The bigger the balance you want to transfer and the longer the zero-interest period, the more you save. Looking at what you'll save isn't always as simple as reviewing your current credit card balance and interest rate.

One caveat is how much of your balance you can transfer to a 0% APR card. If you have a large amount of credit card debt, an intro APR offer can be quite valuable. However, the benefit is limited by your balance transfer card's credit limit and any transfer limits imposed by the card issuer.

Know all the costs

Using a balance transfer offer can save you money, but it's not free; you'll need to make sure the benefits outweigh the costs.

Most top balance transfer cards have no annual fee, but you should check before applying. Assuming the card you're applying for doesn't have an annual fee, pay attention to the card's balance transfer fee, as well; it can easily add up to hundreds of dollars when transferring a significant balance.

While it's possible to find a credit card that doesn't charge a balance transfer fee, such cards are harder to come by and may not offer strong rewards. For example, neither the Choice Rewards World Mastercard® nor the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card charges a fee, but both cards require membership to their respective credit unions. Anyone can join by becoming a member of the Computer History Museum or the Financial Fitness Association during the application process.

Another way to avoid balance transfer fees is to spend on a card that offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and use that money to pay off your debt on another credit card. This way, you're not directly transferring the balance from one card to another, but instead using your interest-free period to pay down the debt that's charging you interest. Just keep in mind that you'll have to pay down your 0% APR card, ideally before the period ends; otherwise, you'll start paying interest on its balance.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best balance transfer credit cards.

To determine which cards have the best value for 0% APR balance transfer offers, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.  

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back). 
 
When choosing the best 0% intro APR balance transfer credit cards, we focused on cards that offer longer intro APR periods. We also placed a special emphasis on balance transfer fees and whether the cards offered intro APRs for purchases, balance transfers or both. 

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.

*Information about the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.