This balance transfer calculator helps you compare the total cost of keeping your current credit card balance versus transferring it to a new card with a promotional rate. Whether you're carrying high-interest debt or evaluating a balance transfer offer you received in the mail, this tool shows your potential savings in real dollars.
Enter your current balance, interest rate, and monthly payment, along with the new card's terms—including the promotional period length and any balance transfer fees. The calculator instantly shows how much you could save, how long it'll take to pay off your debt, and whether the transfer makes financial sense for your situation.
Understanding Your Results
After you run the numbers, the calculator shows three key pieces of information: your estimated savings, total costs for each scenario, and months to pay off your debt.
Your Savings Number represents the total amount you'd save by transferring your balance instead of keeping it on your current card. For example, if the calculator shows $3,935 in savings, that's like getting 13 months of $300 payments back in your pocket. This accounts for both the interest you'll avoid and any transfer fees you'll pay upfront.
Total Cost Comparison breaks down what you'll pay in each scenario. Your current card total includes all the interest that will accrue if you keep making your current monthly payment. The balance transfer card total includes the transfer fee (typically 3-5% of your balance) plus any interest you'll pay after the promotional period ends.
Months to Pay Off tells you how long it'll take to eliminate your debt with your current monthly payment. Here's what matters: if your calculator shows it'll take longer than the promotional period to pay off the balance, you need to increase your monthly payment—otherwise, you'll start accruing interest at the new card's standard rate, which could be just as high as what you're paying now.
A good rule of thumb: divide your total balance (including the transfer fee) by the number of promotional months. That's the minimum you should pay monthly to clear the debt before the 0% rate expires.
What is a Balance Transfer?
A balance transfer moves your existing credit card debt from one or more cards to a new card, usually one offering a promotional 0% APR for a limited time—typically 12 to 21 months. During this promotional period, you pay no interest on the transferred balance, which means every dollar of your monthly payment goes toward reducing what you owe instead of paying interest charges.
Credit card companies offer these promotions to attract new customers. They're betting that some people won't pay off their balances during the promotional period, at which point the remaining debt starts accruing interest at the card's standard APR (usually 18-25%). For you, this creates an opportunity to save significantly on interest if you have a realistic plan to pay off the debt during the promotional window.
The catch is that most balance transfers charge a fee—typically 3-5% of the amount you're transferring. So if you're moving $10,000, you might pay $300-500 upfront. The calculator helps you see whether the interest savings outweigh this fee.
When a Balance Transfer Makes Sense
A balance transfer typically works best when you're carrying $5,000 or more in high-interest credit card debt and can commit to paying it off during the promotional period.
The sweet spot scenarios:
You have a significant balance at a high interest rate (20% or above). The higher your current rate and the larger your balance, the more you'll save. Someone with $10,000 at 24% APR who transfers to a card with 12 months at 0% could save nearly $4,000 compared to keeping their current card.
You can afford to increase your monthly payment if needed. If paying off your balance in 12-18 months requires a monthly payment you can realistically manage, a balance transfer often makes sense.
You're disciplined about not adding new charges. Balance transfers work best when you stop using credit cards for new purchases until the transferred balance is paid off.
Maybe not worth it if:
Your balance is small (under $2,000). The savings might only be a few hundred dollars, which may not justify the credit inquiry and administrative hassle.
You can't pay off the balance before the promotional period ends. This is the balance transfer trap—you'll start paying high interest on whatever remains, potentially wiping out your savings.
You're planning to apply for a mortgage or car loan soon. The hard inquiry and new account will temporarily affect your credit score, which could impact your loan terms.
How to Use This Calculator
1. Enter Current Card Details Input your current balance, interest rate (APR), and the monthly payment you're currently making. If you're not sure of your APR, check your latest credit card statement—it's usually listed prominently on the first page.
2. Add New Card Terms Enter the promotional period length (how many months of 0% APR), the interest rate that kicks in after the promo ends, and the balance transfer fee (usually 3-5%). If you're evaluating a specific card offer, these details should be in the promotional materials.
3. Review Your Comparison The calculator shows your estimated savings, total costs for both scenarios, and how long it'll take to pay off your debt. Pay special attention to whether your current monthly payment is enough to clear the balance during the promotional period.
4. Calculate Your Target Payment If the promotional period is shorter than your current payoff timeline, divide your balance (plus the transfer fee) by the number of promotional months. This tells you what you need to pay monthly to avoid interest charges after the promo ends.
Balance Transfer Fees Explained
Most balance transfer offers charge a fee of 3-5% of the amount you're transferring. This might sound like a lot—and on a $10,000 balance, it could be $300-500—but it's almost always worth paying if you're carrying high-interest debt.
Here's the math: if you have a $10,000 balance at 24% APR, you're paying about $200 per month in interest charges alone. A 3% transfer fee costs $300 upfront, but you'll save that $200 monthly in interest. The fee pays for itself in less than two months, and every month after that is pure savings.
No-fee balance transfers do exist, but they're rare and usually come with shorter promotional periods or higher post-promo interest rates. For most people, paying the fee is the better deal because the savings from a longer 0% period outweigh the upfront cost.
The calculator automatically factors in the transfer fee when showing your potential savings, so you're seeing the real number—not the theoretical savings that ignore the cost of transferring.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not paying off the balance before the promotional period ends is the biggest mistake people make. Here's why this matters: if you still owe $5,000 when your 0% rate expires, that balance immediately starts accruing interest at the new card's standard APR—often 20-25%. Set up autopay for your target monthly amount to avoid this situation.
Making new purchases on your balance transfer card can backfire. Many cards apply your monthly payment to the promotional balance first, meaning new purchases accrue interest immediately at the higher standard rate. Use a different card (or cash) for any new purchases until your transferred balance is paid off.
Missing a payment during the promotional period can be catastrophic. Some cards will revoke your 0% rate if you're late even once, jumping you immediately to the standard APR on the entire remaining balance. This is why autopay is critical.
Closing your old credit card immediately after transferring the balance can hurt your credit score by reducing your available credit and increasing your credit utilization ratio. Unless the card has an annual fee, keep it open but don't use it.
Transferring a balance within the same bank usually doesn't work. Most issuers won't let you transfer a balance from one of their cards to another, so check whether your current card and the new card are from the same bank before applying.
The good news is all of these mistakes are easy to avoid with a realistic payoff plan and autopay setup.
How Balance Transfers Affect Your Credit Score
Applying for a new balance transfer card creates a hard inquiry on your credit report, which may temporarily lower your score by 3-5 points. This is normal and the effect fades within a few months as long as you manage the new account responsibly.
What often helps your score: Successfully paying down your balance improves your credit utilization ratio—the percentage of available credit you're using. If you transfer a $10,000 balance from a card with a $10,000 limit (100% utilization) to a new card with a $12,000 limit, your overall utilization drops significantly. Since utilization accounts for about 30% of your credit score, this can actually boost your score over time.
What to watch: Opening a new account lowers your average account age slightly, which can have a minor negative effect. However, this is usually outweighed by the utilization improvement if you're carrying high balances.
The best approach: don't close your old card after transferring the balance (unless it has an annual fee). Keeping it open maintains your total available credit and helps your utilization ratio, which benefits your score more than the small ding from the hard inquiry.
Practical Examples
Example 1: Clear Win Scenario
Your situation: $10,000 balance at 24% APR, currently paying $300/month
If you keep your current card:
- Total interest paid: $6,644
- Time to payoff: 55 months
- Total amount paid: $16,644
If you transfer to a card with 12 months at 0%, then 25% APR:
- Transfer fee (3%): $300
- Total interest + fees: $2,709
- Time to payoff: 43 months (same $300/month payment)
- Total amount paid: $12,709
Result: You save $3,935 and pay off your debt 12 months faster.
In this case, the balance transfer is absolutely worth it. You're essentially getting a year of payments for free, even after paying the transfer fee.
Example 2: Marginal Savings
Your situation: $2,000 balance at 18% APR, currently paying $150/month
If you keep your current card:
- Total interest: $245
- Time to payoff: 14 months
If you transfer to a card with 12 months at 0%, then 22% APR:
- Transfer fee (3%): $60
- Total interest + fees: $75
- Time to payoff: 14 months
Result: You save about $170.
Here, the savings exist but aren't huge. If you could pay an extra $50/month instead, you'd clear the balance in 12 months and save the hassle of applying for a new card and the temporary credit inquiry. For smaller balances like this, sometimes just paying more monthly is the simpler solution.
Example 3: The Balance Transfer Trap
Your situation: $8,000 balance at 22% APR, currently paying $100/month
The problem: With only $100 monthly payments, you'd need 155 months to pay off this balance on your current card—but a 12-month promotional period won't help much either.
The math:
- To pay off $8,000 (plus 3% fee = $8,240) in 12 months, you'd need to pay $687/month
- If you only pay $100/month during the 12-month promo, you'll still owe $6,840 when the 0% rate expires
- That $6,840 then starts accruing interest at the new card's standard APR (often 25%), which might be higher than your current 22%
Result: You could end up paying more than if you'd stayed with your current card.
This is the balance transfer trap. If you can't realistically pay off the balance before the promotional rate ends, you might not save anything—or could even pay more. Be honest with yourself about what you can afford monthly before transferring.
Example 4: Multiple Cards Strategy
Your situation: Three credit cards totaling $15,000
- Card A: $7,000 at 26% APR
- Card B: $5,000 at 21% APR
- Card C: $3,000 at 18% APR
Strategy: If your new balance transfer card has a $12,000 limit, transfer the highest-rate cards first.
Prioritization:
- Transfer all of Card A ($7,000 at 26%) - saves $1,820 per year in interest
- Transfer $5,000 of Card B (21%) - saves $1,050 per year in interest
- Keep Card C and pay it down aggressively
When you have multiple cards, always transfer the highest-interest balance first. Each $1,000 transferred from your 26% card saves you $260 per year, while transferring from your 18% card only saves $180 per year.
Example 5: Breakeven Analysis
Your situation: $5,000 balance at 20% APR, evaluating a card with a 3% transfer fee
The calculation:
- Your current card costs about $1,000/year in interest (20% of $5,000)
- Transfer fee: $150 (3% of $5,000)
- Monthly interest on current card: $83
Breakeven timeline: $150 fee ÷ $83 monthly savings = 1.8 months
Result: Your transfer fee pays for itself in less than 2 months. After that, every month at 0% is pure savings.
This is a helpful way to think about whether the fee is worth paying. If you're getting a 12-month promotional period and break even in under 2 months, you're getting 10+ months of genuine savings.