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Balance Transfer Calculator

See whether a 0% intro-APR balance transfer actually saves you money once the transfer fee and post-intro APR are counted. Enter your numbers and compare side by side.

Your numbers

Compare keeping your current card against moving the balance to a 0% intro-APR card. Everything is calculated in your browser.

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Should you transfer?

A balance transfer saves you about $3,232 and 11 months — even after the $240 transfer fee.
Keep your current card versus transferring the balance.
Keep current cardBalance transfer
Transfer fee—$240
Interest paid$3,797$324
Total cost (fee + interest)$3,797$564
Time to pay off3 years, 4 months2 years, 5 months

Assumes the same fixed monthly payment in both cases and that any balance left when the intro period ends is charged the post-intro APR. Estimates only — read your card's offer terms.

How a balance transfer saves money

A balance transfer moves debt from a high-APR card to a new card with a 0% introductory APR for a set window — often 12 to 21 months. While the promo lasts, every dollar you pay goes to principal instead of interest. The catch is the transfer fee (usually 3–5% of the balance) and the post-intro APR on anything left when the promo ends.

The math that decides it

A transfer is worth it when the interest you avoid during the 0% window is bigger than the fee. That depends on three things: how high your current APR is, how big the fee is, and whether your monthly payment is large enough to clear most of the balance before the promo ends. The calculator above weighs all three and shows the net saving — or net cost — for your situation.

Make the transfer pay off

  • Divide the balance by the number of 0% months — that's the monthly payment that clears it in time.
  • Don't make new purchases on either card; they often don't get the promo rate.
  • Set the payment up automatically so the intro window doesn't slip away.

If a transfer isn't the right fit, compare it with a fixed-rate consolidation loan, or map out a plan across all your balances with the main debt payoff calculator. To understand why high-APR balances grow so fast, read how credit card interest works.

Frequently asked questions

Is a balance transfer worth the fee?
Often yes — most transfer fees are 3–5% of the balance, but moving high-APR debt to a 0% intro card can save far more in interest than the fee costs, as long as you pay it down before the intro period ends. This calculator does that comparison for your exact numbers.
What happens when the 0% intro period ends?
Any balance still owed starts accruing interest at the card’s regular (post-intro) APR. The goal is to clear as much as possible while the promotional rate applies. The calculator charges your post-intro APR on whatever is left after the intro months.
How is the transfer fee charged?
It is added to your new balance up front, usually 3% or 5% of the amount transferred. So a $10,000 transfer at a 3% fee starts as a $10,300 balance. This tool includes the fee in the transfer total.
Does a balance transfer hurt my credit?
Opening a new card adds a hard inquiry and lowers your average account age slightly, but lowering your utilization by spreading the balance can help. The bigger risk is running the old card back up. Treat the transfer as a payoff tool, not a reset.