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Our picks for the best balance transfer cards for good credit typically offer intro APR periods of 15 months or more. The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card(Rates and fees) and Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card are two of our top options because their intro APR offers are some of the longest available.
However, those cards don’t earn rewards. If you want to strike a balance between using intro APR offers and earning rewards, consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
Let’s dig into the details of each card to see which might be the best for you.
Key takeaways
- The best balance transfer offer periods tend to last at least 15 months, but you can find longer offers of 18 months or more.
- We think the Wells Fargo Reflect and Citi Diamond Preferred are two of the best balance transfer cards because of their long intro APR periods.
- If you also want to earn rewards, consider a card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
- To qualify for one of the best balance transfer credit cards, we recommend having a good or excellent credit score. A good credit score is at least 670 in the FICO scoring range.
- Keep in mind that your credit score alone doesn’t guarantee approval. Credit card issuers typically consider additional factors when determining your creditworthiness.
6 of the best balance transfer cards for good credit
- Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
- Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
- Citi Simplicity® Card
- U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Compare the best balance transfer cards for good credit
| Card | Intro APR on balance transfers | Recommended credit | Annual fee |
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0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers (then 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% Variable)) | Excellent, Good | $0 |
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0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers (then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)) | Excellent, Good | $0 |
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0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.99% (Variable)) | Excellent, Good | $0 |
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0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable)) | Excellent, Good | $0 |
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0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable) | Excellent, Good | $0 |
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Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
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0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 29.74% (variable)) | Excellent, Good | $0 (terms apply) |
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Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
- Long intro APR offer on qualifying balance transfers
- $0 annual fee
- No rewards program
The Wells Fargo Reflect makes sense if you want a long intro APR period on qualifying balance transfers.
Why we like it
The Wells Fargo Reflect has a $0 annual fee and provides 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers (then 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% Variable).
Compared to other balance transfer cards, that’s one of the longest intro APR offers available. This can give you plenty of time to pay off existing credit card debt before the intro APR period ends.
Plus, the Wells Fargo Reflect provides cell phone protection, which is a benefit not commonly found on other credit cards.
What we don’t like
The Wells Fargo Reflect doesn’t provide any rewards such as cash back, points, or miles for the purchases you make.
Learn more in our Wells Fargo Reflect review.
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
- Long intro APR offer on balance transfers
- $0 annual fee
- No rewards program
The Citi Diamond Preferred is one of our favorite cards for long intro APR periods on balance transfers.
Why we like it
The Citi Diamond Preferred has a $0 annual fee and provides 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers (then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)). If you want a long introductory APR period for balance transfers, it doesn’t get much better than this.
What we don’t like
You can’t earn any rewards with the Citi Diamond Preferred. That means no cash back, points, or miles when making purchases.
Learn more in our Citi Diamond Preferred review.
Citi Simplicity® Card
- Long intro APR offer on balance transfers
- $0 annual fee
- No rewards program
The Citi Simplicity is a no-stress credit card with a long intro APR offer on balance transfers.
Why we like it
The Citi Simplicity has a $0 annual fee and provides 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.99% (Variable)). In addition, you don’t have to worry about late fees or a penalty APR rate.
What we don’t like
Benefiting from the Citi Simplicity’s lengthy APR offer on balance transfers comes with the downside of not earning rewards on your purchases since it has no rewards program.
Learn more in our Citi Simplicity Card review.
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
- Long intro APR offer on balance transfers
- $0 annual fee
- No rewards program
The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card provides an exceptional intro APR on balance transfers.
Why we like it
The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card has a $0 annual fee and provides 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable)).
Cardholders can also take advantage of cell phone protection by using the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum to pay monthly cellphone bills.
What we don’t like
The U.S Bank Visa Platinum doesn’t provide any rewards for making purchases.
Learn more in our U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card review.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Welcome offer
- Elevated rewards rate
- $0 annual fee
- Foreign transaction fees of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is an excellent card if you want to earn valuable rewards and take advantage of intro APR offers.
Why we like it
The Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee and provides 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable).
You can also earn rewards with the Freedom Unlimited. You earn 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
New cardmembers can earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
What we don’t like
This isn’t the best card for making foreign purchases, as you have to pay 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
Learn more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
- Generous welcome offer
- Elevated rewards rate
- $0 annual fee (terms apply)
- Foreign transaction fees of 2.7%
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card is an excellent card for taking advantage of everyday rewards and intro APR offers.
Why we like it
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday has a $0 annual fee (terms apply). It provides 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 29.74% (variable)).
You can also earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year on purchases in each category, then 1%); and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases.
New cardmembers can earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
What we don’t like
You have to pay a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on applicable purchases.
Learn more in our Amex Blue Cash Everyday review.
How to choose the best balance transfer cards for good credit
Consider these factors when you’re comparing credit cards to help you choose the right balance transfer card for you.
1. Credit score recommendations
You typically need at least a good credit score to qualify for any of the cards on this list. That means having a 670 or higher FICO score.
Keep in mind that your credit score is only one factor that credit card issuers take into account when determining your creditworthiness. They tend to also look at your total income, debt, and credit payment history.
2. Intro APR offers
When determining whether an intro APR offer on balance transfers is good, consider the intro APR rate, intro APR period, and balance transfer fee.
- Intro APR rate: The best rate is 0%, which means you won’t pay interest for the length of the intro APR period.
- Intro APR period: Anything under 12 months is shorter than average, while anything above is longer than average. The longest credit card balance transfer periods are typically 18 to 21 months.
- Balance transfer fees: The average balance transfer fee ranges from 3% to 5%. To help save money, try to get a 3% or lower fee.
Keep in mind
The time a balance transfer takes varies by card issuer and could range from a few days to a few weeks. Remember to factor this variable amount of time into your plans if you want to do a balance transfer.3. Annual fees
You likely want to avoid a card with an annual fee if you’re planning to do a balance transfer to help pay down a credit card balance. After all, having an annual fee is like adding money to your existing debt. Fortunately, most balance transfer cards don’t charge this fee.
4. Earning potential
Many of the best balance transfer cards don’t earn rewards, but these cards tend to have the longest intro APR offer periods.
However, you can find plenty of rewards cards that also provide intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers. The difference is that these intro APR offer periods tend to be shorter.
There’s no right or wrong answer for which type of card to go with as it depends on your specific situation and preferences. We prefer having the balance of both intro APR offers and rewards since you could still be earning rewards on a card long after you’ve taken advantage of an intro APR offer.
5. Perks and benefits
Available card benefits vary by card issuer, so it’s worth comparing different cards to see if there’s a valuable perk to tip the scales in favor of one card over another. Some specific benefits you might keep an eye out for include:
- Purchase protection
- Cell phone protection
- Extended warranty coverage
- Travel insurance
FAQ
Do balance transfers hurt my credit score?
A balance transfer has no direct impact on your credit score. However, an indirect way for a balance transfer to hurt your credit score is when you open a new credit card account. There’s typically a hard inquiry when you apply for a new balance transfer card, which could have a small impact on your credit score.
Keeping a balance on your balance transfer credit card also increases your credit utilization, which is the ratio between your used credit and your available credit. Higher credit utilization may have a negative impact on your credit score.
Is a credit card balance transfer a good idea?
Moving your credit card balance using a balance transfer from one card with a high APR to one with a 0% intro APR can be a good idea. But you should plan to pay off your balance during the 0% intro APR offer period. Additionally, for this strategy to make sense, you need to save more money on interest than the fee you pay for the balance transfer.
To learn more, check out our ultimate guide to balance transfers.
What is the downside of a balance transfer?
Some of the potential downsides of balance transfers include:
- You have to pay a balance transfer fee that typically ranges from 3% to 5%.
- You could indirectly impact your credit score when you open a new credit card account or increase your credit utilization.
- Your APR rate increases after the introductory period, which will charge you interest on your remaining balance.
- You typically need at least a good credit score to qualify for balance transfer credit cards.
Best balance transfer cards for good credit: bottom line
The best balance transfer cards tend to have long intro APR offer periods that last at least 15 months. That’s why we recommend cards with lengthy intro APR periods, such as the Wells Fargo Reflect and Citi Diamond Preferred.
But we also think there’s a case for cards that provide both intro APR offers and earning potential, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited. With these cards, you get a balanced approach to doing balance transfers and earning rewards on all your eligible purchases.
For more info about balance transfer cards, check out our list of the best balance transfer credit cards.
Methodology
To determine the best balance transfer credit cards for people with good credit, we compiled a list of credit cards that offer introductory APR on balance transfers.
Then, we evaluated each credit card based on several factors, including recommended credit scores, annual fees, and additional benefits such as rewards rates and welcome offers. We kept in mind that every person has unique needs and preferences. Therefore, we included credit cards that could offer value to individuals with varying needs.
Keep in mind that our recommendations don’t follow a certain order and aren’t meant to be a complete list of all available options. Instead, we aim to provide a useful starting point for someone who is looking for a balance transfer credit card.
Extra Long Intro APR on Purchases & Qualifying Balance Transfers
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Current Offer
Benefit from a long introductory APR period on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Annual Fee
$0
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