Does this include new purchases?

No. It assumes no new purchases or cash advances. Add them separately if needed.

What if my payment is too low?

If the payment can’t cover interest after promo, payoff is effectively infinite. Increase your payment until months/interest show finite values.

Do all issuers apply payments the same way?

No. Some allocate payments to highest APR balances first; others may differ. This model assumes a single transferred balance.

Are annual fees included?

No. Annual fees, late fees, or penalty APRs aren’t included—add them manually if applicable.

Not always. A longer promo or lower fee can beat a shorter 0% offer if you need more time. Compare offers with your payment ability.

finance calculator

Balance Transfer Calculator

Compare staying on your current card vs moving the balance to a promo balance transfer card with a fee, showing payoff time and interest saved.

Results

Transfer fee cost: $150
Months to payoff (current card): 27.00
Total interest (current card): $1,535
Months to payoff (transfer card): 22.00
Total interest (transfer card): $222
Interest saved: $1,312
Months saved: 5.00

How to use this calculator

Enter your current balance and current APR.
Enter the promo APR and promo length for the new card, plus the post-promo APR.
Enter the transfer fee % and your planned monthly payment.
Review payoff months, total interest, and whether the transfer saves money after the fee.

Inputs explained

Current APR: Your existing card’s APR.
Promo APR & months: Intro rate and how long it lasts before resetting.
Post-promo APR: APR after the promo ends—often higher than the intro.
Transfer fee %: Upfront fee charged on the transferred balance.
Planned monthly payment: What you can pay monthly on either card; higher payments increase savings.

How it works

We simulate fixed monthly payments on your current APR until payoff, totaling interest.

For the transfer, we add the upfront transfer fee to the balance, apply the promo APR for the promo period, then the post-promo APR after. Payments stay the same, and we total interest and months to payoff.

Savings = interest on current card − interest on transfer card; months saved = current payoff months − transfer payoff months.

Formula

Monthly interest = Balance × (APR/12)
Promo phase uses promo APR for promoMonths, then post-promo APR afterward
Transfer fee = Balance × Fee%
Interest saved = Interest (current card) − Interest (transfer card)

When to use it

Checking if a 0% intro card saves more than the transfer fee.
Choosing between two promo offers with different fees and promo lengths.
Estimating whether you can pay off before the promo expires.
Avoiding high post-promo interest by sizing your payment correctly.

Tips & cautions

If you can pay off before the promo ends, savings are usually largest—raise the payment to target payoff within promo months.
Compare multiple offers: lower fee vs longer promo vs lower post-promo APR.
Avoid new purchases on the transfer card; they may not share the promo rate and can complicate payments.
Make payments early in the cycle to trim interest accrual, especially after the promo ends.
Assumes fixed monthly payments and no new purchases or cash advances.
Does not model different minimum payment rules between cards.
If your payment doesn’t cover monthly interest after promo, payoff is marked as infinite.
Fees beyond the transfer fee (annual fees, late fees) are not included.

Worked examples

$5,000 @24.99% vs 0%/12mo → 22.99% after, 3% fee, $250/mo

Transfer fee = $150
Current payoff ≈ 29.3 months; interest ≈ $1,660
Transfer payoff ≈ 23.8 months; interest ≈ $557; months saved ≈ 5.5
Interest saved ≈ $1,103 after fee included in balance

$12,000 @21% vs 1.99%/15mo → 24.99% after, 4% fee, $400/mo

Transfer fee = $480
Current payoff ≈ 44.3 months; interest ≈ $8,570
Transfer payoff ≈ 38.4 months; interest ≈ $5,739; months saved ≈ 5.9
Interest saved ≈ $2,831 despite the fee

Deep dive

This balance transfer calculator tests whether a promo APR plus transfer fee beats your current card by modeling payoff time and total interest with your actual payment.

Use it to compare 0% intro offers, see if you’ll pay off before the promo ends, and estimate savings after the transfer fee.

FAQs

Does this include new purchases?: No. It assumes no new purchases or cash advances. Add them separately if needed.
What if my payment is too low?: If the payment can’t cover interest after promo, payoff is effectively infinite. Increase your payment until months/interest show finite values.
Do all issuers apply payments the same way?: No. Some allocate payments to highest APR balances first; others may differ. This model assumes a single transferred balance.
Are annual fees included?: No. Annual fees, late fees, or penalty APRs aren’t included—add them manually if applicable.
Is 0% always best?: Not always. A longer promo or lower fee can beat a shorter 0% offer if you need more time. Compare offers with your payment ability.

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Estimate only. Issuer terms, payment allocation rules, fees, and promo eligibility vary. Confirm offer details before transferring a balance.