Balance Transfer Calculator
Compare keeping a credit card balance with moving it to a balance-transfer offer. The estimate includes the transfer fee, introductory APR, post-promotion APR, payoff time and the same monthly payment in both scenarios.
Comparison result
| Result | Keep current card | Balance transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Starting balance used | — | — |
| Payoff time | — | — |
| Interest | — | — |
| Transfer fee | — | — |
| Interest + transfer fee | — | — |
| Total paid | — | — |
How the balance-transfer comparison works
Both scenarios use the same starting debt and monthly payment. The calculator applies one month of interest before each payment and repeats the process until the balance reaches zero.
Monthly interest = outstanding balance × APR ÷ 12
For the transfer scenario, the introductory APR applies for the entered number of payments. The post-promotion APR begins with the following month. The transfer fee is counted as a cost whether it is added to the balance or paid separately.
Payment needed to finish during the promotion
For monthly rate r, transferred principal P and n promotional months:
Payment = P × r ÷ [1 − (1 + r)−n]
When the introductory APR is 0%, the formula becomes P ÷ n. If the fee is financed, it is included in P; if paid upfront, it is outside the monthly-payment calculation.
Checked example
For an $8,000 balance, 24% current APR and a $400 monthly payment, keeping the card takes 26 months and produces about $2,318.98 of interest under this monthly model.
A transfer with a 3% financed fee, 0% APR for 18 months and 22% afterward starts with $8,240. After 18 payments the estimated balance is $1,040. It is paid off in 21 months with about $36.12 of interest plus the $240 fee, for an estimated cost of $276.12.
Estimated savings: $2,318.98 − $276.12 = $2,042.86. The payment required to clear the financed balance within 18 zero-interest months is $8,240 ÷ 18 = $457.78.
What to check in a real offer
- Confirm the fee, amount eligible for transfer and the date by which the transfer must be completed.
- Check whether the promotional rate applies only to the transferred balance or also to purchases.
- Verify when the promotion ends and what APR applies afterward.
- Continue required payments on the old account until the transfer actually posts.
- A late payment or other agreement term may affect promotional pricing.
Limits of this calculator
This is an educational estimate, not a card offer or financial recommendation. It assumes a constant monthly payment, monthly interest equal to APR divided by 12, no new purchases, no cash advances, no late fees and no APR changes other than the entered promotional transition. Issuers often calculate interest from daily balances and may apply payments among APR categories under specific rules.
The balance and payment are limited to 1 billion monetary units; APRs to 0–100%; transfer fee to 0–20%; and the introductory period to 1–60 whole months. The simulation stops at 1,200 months and rejects a payment that does not reduce the balance.
Related calculators
Model a fixed repayment plan with the Credit Card Payoff Calculator, estimate one billing-cycle charge with the Credit Card Interest Calculator, or compare several debts with the Debt Consolidation Calculator.