Compare 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards (2024)

Calculate what balance transfer card to look out for

Here’s how a balance transfer might lead to your score being lowered:

• Applying for any credit, including a balance transfer card, will temporarily reduce your score. However, your score should bounce back quickly – just try not to apply too often in a short space of time
• You may decide to cancel your other cards after transferring your balance, as having too much available credit can look bad to lenders. But this may reduce your score in the short-term, since lenders typically like to see old, well-managed accounts in your credit history. However, your score will bounce back over time, especially as your new credit card ages. Learn more about using credit cards here.

Here’s how a balance transfer might lead to a better credit score:

• Paying your debts off can boost your score. A 0% balance transfer card can help you save money on interest, and you can use these savings to pay off what you owe quicker. This will reduce the amount you’re using of your available credit, helping improve your score.
• Increasing your available credit, so that you use a smaller proportion of it, can improve your score. For example, if your old card had a credit limit of £2,000 per month, and you used up £1,000 per month, you would’ve been using 50% of your available credit. But if you transfer your £1,000 debt to a new card with a £4,000 limit, you’ll only be using 25% of your available credit. Using less of your available credit can improve your Experian Credit Score.

Before deciding to get a balance transfer card, weigh up the pros and cons. How much money will you save overall? Applying for new credit can cause your credit score to briefly drop – are you prepared to accept the risk of damage to your score? If you’re planning to apply for a loan or mortgage soon, a lower score could reduce your chances of approval – however, you may decide the risk is worth the money you save.

Balance transfer fees

When you first get a balance transfer card, you’ll normally have to pay a fee to the provider. This tends to be 2-3% of the balance you’ve transferred, but it can be higher, especially if the promotional period is quite long. Make sure you compare deals and read the terms carefully before picking a card.

Losing the promotional rate

If you get a balance transfer card, try to pay back at least the minimum amount required each month. Otherwise, you may lose the promotional rate, which could end up making things more expensive.

After the 0% promotional period finishes, you'll start being charged interest at the card's standard rate. Check the terms and conditions to see how much this is. It’s usually a good idea to pay off your debt before the rate goes up.

Paying interest on new purchases

Be wary of spending money with your balance transfer card. Before using it to buy something, check the terms and conditions to see if you’ll be charged interest on purchases. It’s often the case that the 0% rate is only applied to balance transfers, and not to new debt created on the balance transfer card. If you want to use your card for both balance transfer and purchases, you could consider getting a dual credit card.

• Research your options. With Experian, you can compare credit cards from across the UK market. But remember, we’re a credit broker, not a lender† we can help you find deals, but only the lender can offer you credit
• When you’ve found a deal you like the look of, read about the features and terms carefully, and make sure you can afford the repayments
• When applying for a card, keep in mind that lenders reserve the right to offer you an interest rate that’s different to the one advertised. Many banks now offer 0% balance transfer cards, but those with the longest promotional periods may not be available to everyone
• Check your eligibility rating when you compare cards with Experian. This helps you understand your chances of approval before applying, which is useful since credit applications can damage your score
• If you’re not eligible for the card you want, review your Experian Credit Score. This can help you get an idea of where you stand with lenders. If your score is low, you may want to check your Experian Credit Report to find out what’s affecting your score, so you can fix the issue

Is there a limit on how many balance transfers you can do?

No. You can transfer over as many credit and store card debts as you like. But how much debt you can transfer over is determined by your credit limit, current balance and offers available to you. The maximum amount you can transfer is normally up to 90% of your credit limit – so if your credit limit is £2,000, the most you can transfer over is £1,800.

There tends to be a time limit for transferring balances at 0% – typically you have between 60 to 90 days.

In theory, you can transfer a credit card balance multiple times, transferring from one balance transfer card to the next. In practice, you’d need to make sure your credit score was high enough to be accepted for new cards.

Can I get a balance transfer card with bad credit?

A lower credit score doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get a balance transfer card, but your options may be limited.

If you have a ‘Poor’ or ‘Very Poor’ Experian Credit Score, for example, you may get:

• A smaller 0% length (for example, nine months instead of 18 months)
• A smaller credit limit (the amount of debt you can put onto the card)
• A higher APR (the interest rate you’ll pay if you haven’t cleared the card or shifted the debt before the 0% period ends)

If you are looking for credit, such as a balance transfer card, make sure you use comparison sites to check your eligibility first.

At Experian, we show your eligibility rating against every credit card result, as well as if you’re pre-approved for any cards. (Pre-approval is dependent on the information you’ve provided us – such as your address, salary and job status – being accurate. Other conditions may also apply, such as passing the lender’s fraud and identity checks).

What happens to m old credit card after a balance transfer?

Once your debts have been moved, you’ll need to decide what to do with your old cards, as these won’t be cancelled automatically.

You might choose to keep them open while your new card matures, because losing old, well-managed accounts can temporarily hurt your score. However, keep a close eye on old cards to protect them from fraud, and be careful not to spend on them as you’ll be charged your old interest rates.

Be aware, too, that the balance on your old card may not be zero – even if you’ve transferred all your debt to your new balance transfer card. How can this be the case? It’s because of something called ‘residual interest’ (also sometimes called ‘trailing interest’).

What on earth is residual interest, you ask? It’s the interest that builds up between the date of your billing statement, and the date you paid the balance off ‘in full’. (It helps to remember that interest is usually calculated daily – so you still owe those days of interest that have been added between the day your statement was printed and when you paid off the balance).

So even if you’ve paid off your statement balance and believe you no longer owe anything on that credit card, don’t ignore any subsequent bills – make sure you check them in case any final residual interest needs to be cleared.

Managing your credit card: 5 things to remember

It’s important to manage your credit card well, as this can help protect your credit score and keep your finances in order. Here are our top five tips:

1. Make the minimum repayments required every month. Otherwise, you may be charged fees and even lose the promotional interest rate. Missed and late payments are also recorded on your credit report for at least six years, which can have a negative effect on your score
2. Check the terms before you purchase anything on your card
3. Consider setting up direct debits to help you pay on time
4. Make budgeting easier by scheduling your direct debits on your pay day
5. If you can’t avoid a missed payment, contact the lender as soon as possible to discuss your options – you may be able to minimise the damage to your credit history

We're a credit broker, not a lender.