Most 0% cards charge a one-time fee to move your balance. Here's how to work out what it costs — and whether the savings still come out ahead.
A balance transfer fee is a percentage of the amount you move, charged once when the transfer goes through. It's typically 3% or 5%, and it's added to your new balance rather than billed separately.
The quick math is simple:
What the fee looks like at common balances:
| Balance moved | 3% fee | 5% fee |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $60 | $100 |
| $5,000 | $150 | $250 |
| $10,000 | $300 | $500 |
The fee only matters relative to the interest you'd otherwise pay. Take a $10,000 balance at 21% APR that you carry for 18 months:
The takeaway: a bigger fee with a longer 0% window can beat a small fee with a short one. Our calculator does this comparison across real offers so you don't have to.
It's a percentage of the amount you move — usually 3% or 5%. On a $5,000 transfer, a 3% fee is $150 and a 5% fee is $250. The fee is added to your new balance up front.
A lower fee is cheaper on day one, but it isn't the whole picture. A card with a 5% fee but a longer 0% period can still save you more than a 3% card with a shorter promo. Compare the fee against the interest each card lets you avoid.
Only if you have a small balance, a low current rate, or you'd have paid the debt off quickly anyway. For most people carrying high-interest debt, the interest avoided is far larger than the one-time fee.
A few no-fee balance transfer cards exist, but they often have shorter 0% periods. Whether they beat a low-fee card with a longer promo depends on your balance and how fast you can pay it down.
Plug in your balance and we'll show you exactly how much a balance transfer could save you, with the best card offers ranked for your situation.
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