4 Best No Transfer Fee Balance Transfer Credit Cards - AllCards.com (2024)

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The 2022 holidays were tough on consumers’ credit card balances, with 35% of Americans taking on holiday debt, down just 1% from the previous year. The average consumer borrowed $1,549 for holiday spending, 24% more than the previous year. Transferring credit card debt to a credit card with a 0% APR offer and no balance transfer fee can help you get rid of your debt.

Why is a credit card with no balance transfer fee important? We'll explain how much you save with one of these credit cards below. Here's our list of the best balance transfer credit cards with no transfer fees.

4 Balance Transfer Credit Cards With No Balance Transfer Fees

Transferring a credit card balance from a high-interest credit card to a low- or no-interest credit card can help you pay off your credit card debt faster. There’s just one problem… the balance transfer fee.

Credit card companies typically charge 3% or 4% of the amount transferred as a fee. This fee is then added to your balance on the new card. While this may still be a good deal, an even better deal would be a no-fee balance transfer. But there’s a catch. They are really hard to find.

Most no-fee balance transfer credit cards come from lesser-known credit card companies. We’ve found five options that we think are worth considering. Take a look a the list below and then check out the next section where we explain how a no-penalty balance transfer credit card can save you money.

1. Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card

Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Cardrequires a membership with the Navy Federal Credit Union, but it offers many benefits, especially if you have high credit card balances. With no balance transfer or annual fee, it’s easy to save when using the Navy Federal Platinum credit card, and it doesn’t hurt that its ongoing APR is quite competitive.

• Intro APR – 0.99% introductory APR for the first 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 60 days
• Regular APR – 11.24% - 18.00%
• Balance transfer fee – None
• Welcome bonus – None
• Annual fee – $0

Best For: The Navy Federal Platinum card is a good choice to help you get out of high-interest credit card debt, but it doesn’t offer many perks beyond that, so it’s best for use as a balance transfer card only. You will need to have some connection to the military or the Department of Defense to qualify for membership, such as a family member who served.

2. Wings Visa® Platinum Credit Card

Wings Visa® Platinum Credit Cardis a great option for people with high credit card balances who also belong to the Wings Credit Union. You get 12 months to pay off your balances at 0% APR, and their ongoing APR is competitive too. This credit card doesn’t pay rewards, so it’s not the best option for ongoing purchases, but it may assist you in getting out of debt fast.

• Intro APR – 0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers and purchases
• Regular APR – 13.40% - 18.00%
• Balance transfer fee – None
• Welcome bonus – None
• Annual fee – $0

Best For: Use the Wings Visa Platinum credit card to control your debt, and then move on to another rewards credit card that will pay you cashback for your regular purchases. To be eligible to join Wings Credit Union, you must either live in an eligible Minneosta or Wisconsin county; work in the aviation industry, or be willing to donate $5 to the Wings Financial Foundation.

3. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Inspire Mastercard®

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Inspire Mastercard®is a good option for members of the Schools First Federal Credit Union that have high-interest credit card debt they need to control. The introductory APR isn’t as long as other cards, so keep that in mind if you apply for this card.

• Intro APR – 0% introductory APR for 6 months on balance transfers and purchases
• Regular APR – 13.75% - 17.90%
• Balance transfer fee – $0
• Welcome bonus – None
• Annual fee – $0

Best For: The Schools First Federal Credit Union Inspire Mastercard is best for people with low to moderate credit card debt that want to save on interest to pay the debt off in as little as 6 months. Unfortunately, the card doesn’t have ongoing rewards, so it’s best used strictly as a balance transfer credit card. Schools First Credit Union is a California-based credit union that serves current and retired school employees and their families.

4. Edward Jones World Mastercard®

The Edward Jones World Mastercard® is a rewards credit card is designed for those who invest through Edward Jones. Given the firm's high investment fees, however, we don't recommend it. That being said, if you are a client, the card does come with a no fee balance transfer offer.

• Intro APR – 0% introductory APR for first 12 billing cycles on balance transfers, after that 18.24%
• Regular APR – 18.24%
• Balance transfer fee – 0% on balances transferred within the first 60 days. After that, a balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer amount ($5 minimum) will apply.
• Welcome bonus – None
• Annual fee – $0

Best For: The Edward Jones World Mastercard is best for anyone with an Edward Jones investment account who want to pay off high interest debt with a balance transfer credit card.

Is a Credit Card with No Balance Transfer Fee Better Than a Credit Card With a Long 0% Intro APR?

Many credit cards offer either no balance transfer fee or a long intro APR – not both. So how do you decide which balance transfer card is better?

Balance transfer fees are typically 3 to 5 percent of the balance transferred. If you transfer $1,000, that’s $30 to $50 just to transfer the balance, but you might feel good about the longer introductory APR with no interest.

For example, the Navy Federal credit card has a 0% APR for 12 months and no balance transfer fee, while the Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer offers an 18 months-month 0% introductory APR with a 3% balance transfer fee (minimum $5).

Let’s say you have a $1,000 balance and a minimum $58 payment. Over 12 months, you’d pay down $696 of the debt, leaving $304 subject to interest. With the Navy Federal credit card, you’d pay no balance transfer fee and $16 in interest over the extra six months when the APR would go to its regular rate of say 18%.

With the Citi Double Cash, you’d pay a $30 balance transfer fee, which is more than you’d pay in interest over the extra six months with the Navy Federal credit card.

Now, look at two more balances – $2,500 and $5,000 to see how it works.

With a balance of $2,500, you’d have a minimum payment of $145, paying off $1,740 in 12 months. This leaves $760 subject to interest with the Navy Federal credit card or $40 in extra interest. The Citi Double Cash card would cost $75 in a balance transfer fee or $35 more just to get the extra six months interest-free.

Finally, with a balance of $5,000, you’d have a minimum payment of $290 per month, which means you’d pay off $3,480 in 12 months. For the remaining six months, you’d pay interest on the $1,520 balance, which is $57. If you paid the balance transfer fee on the Citi Double Cash card to get the extra six months of no interest, it would cost $150 or $93 more.

What Kind of Credit Is Needed to Get a Credit Card with No Balance Transfer Fee?

Most no-balance transfer fee credit cards require good to excellent credit, which often means credit scores over 700. However, there are credit cards, especially those from credit unions, that look at factors other than your credit score, allowing you to get approved for a credit card with less-than-perfect credit.

Best Balance Transfer Credit Card w/ a BT Fee

The biggest downside to the available no-fee balance transfer options above is the length of the 0% introductory offer. A 0% APR for 12 months is good. There are other cards on the market, however, that have a longer deal. Some offer 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. There are even cards that offer 0% for 21 months.

Get details of these longer offers here.

In either situation, the most important thing you can do if you’re struggling to pay down your credit card debt and have the quality credit score needed for one of the best balance transfer credit cards above is to apply and transfer the credit card balance with the highest interest rate as fast as you can.

How to Choose a Card

As you consider your options, keep the following in mind:

Balance transfer fees are just part of the equation: While it’s a good feeling to get something for free, the fees are just part of the equation. You should also consider the length of the 0% balance transfer offer.

You may want multiple balance transfer cards: You may need more than one card. This is particularly true if you have a lot of credit card debt to transfer. A single card may not give you the credit limit you need to transfer all of your debt. In this case, you may select no-fee cards as well as longer 0% offers.

Same issuer transfers are not allowed: Most credit card companies prohibit transfers between two of their own cards. Keep this in mind as you are mapping out your strategy.

Credit unions have some excellent offers: Included in our list are cards from credit unions. While you may need to jump through some hoops to qualify, it may well be worth the effort.

Keep balance transfer cards separate: It’s best not to use a balance transfer card for spending. The goal of a balance transfer is to help you get out of debt. Spending more on the cards may derail your efforts.

Have a plan when the 0% offer expires: If you can’t pay off the debt before the end of the introductory offer, have a plan. This may include transferring the remaining balance to another 0% credit card.

FAQs

What is the catch with balance transfer credit cards?

There usually isn’t a catch with balance transfer credit cards as long as you understand the terms. For example, ensure you understand the 0% introductory APR term, which usually lasts 12 months or less. When the 0% APR expires, you’ll pay the regular APR on any remaining balance. Therefore, if you want to get out of debt without paying interest, you must make payments high enough to pay the debt off within the 0% APR term.

How much is too much for a balance transfer?

Your balance transfer limit will depend on your credit limit. Some credit card companies limit your balance transfer amount to a percentage of your total credit limit. But, of course, you cannot transfer more than your credit limit.

Do balance transfers hurt your credit?

Balance transfers may hurt your credit score if you open a new credit card. New credit always dings your credit score slightly. How badly it affects your credit score depends on how you use it. If you close the account the balance transfer card replaces, you might increase your credit utilization rate and hurt your credit. However, using the card responsibly and paying the debt quickly can help your credit score.

How long does a balance transfer take?

A balance transfer can take 5 to 7 business days and sometimes longer. It depends on the credit card companies and how quickly they process the transfer. Some credit card issuers ask for several weeks to process the transfer.

Final Thoughts

Look at the big picture when deciding which balance transfer card is best. We often assume the card with the longer 0% APR balance transfer period is better because everyone thinks paying interest is bad. However, when you look do a few calculations, sometimes paying the interest for a short time and skipping the balance transfer fee is the best option.

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