Best 0% APR balance transfer cards in 2026
If you're carrying a balance on a credit card at 22% APR, you're bleeding money. A 0% balance transfer card moves that debt to a new card with no interest for 12–30 months. You pay a 2–3% transfer fee, and then every penny you pay goes to clearing the debt, not the interest.
It's the single most effective debt-clearing tool available to UK consumers. We compared every major 0% balance transfer deal.
24 months 0% on balance transfers with a 2.5% transfer fee. That gives you two years of interest-free repayment. The fee is mid-pack, but the length of the 0% period is what matters.
How balance transfers work
- You have debt on Card A at 22% APR.
- You apply for Card B with a 0% balance transfer offer.
- Card B pays off Card A and moves the debt.
- You pay a transfer fee (2–3% of the balance).
- You now have 12–30 months of 0% interest to clear the debt.
The key numbers:
- 0% period length — longer = more time to pay
- Transfer fee — usually 2–3% of the balance transferred
- Credit limit — needs to be high enough to take your balance
- Monthly payment — you still need to make minimum payments
The winner: Chase Slate
- 0% period: 24 months on balance transfers
- Transfer fee: 2.5%
- Interest after 0% period: 21.9% APR
- Min monthly payment: 1% of balance or £5
The math on £3,000 of debt:
- Transfer fee: £75 (2.5% of £3,000)
- Monthly payment to clear in 24 months: £128/month
- Total cost: £75 (the fee) — that's it. No interest.
Compare that to leaving it on a 22% card: you'd pay £1,200+ in interest over the same period. The transfer fee is a rounding error.
The runner-up: HSBC Balance Transfer Card
HSBC offers 22 months 0% with a 2.3% transfer fee. Slightly shorter 0% period but a lower fee. If you can clear your debt in 18–22 months, HSBC is marginally cheaper due to the lower fee. If you need the full 24 months, Chase is better.
The debt-builder: Barclaycard Balance Transfer
18 months 0% with a 1.9% transfer fee. The shortest 0% period but the lowest fee. If you're confident you can clear £3,000 in 18 months, this is the cheapest option. If you're not sure, take the longer 0% period — the safety margin is worth more than saving 0.5% on the fee.
What to avoid
Spending on a balance transfer card. The 0% applies to the transferred balance, not new purchases. New purchases are charged at the full APR. Never, ever spend on a balance transfer card.
Missing a payment. One late payment and the 0% offer is void. Set up a direct debit for at least the minimum payment immediately.
Balance transfer to the same bank. You can't transfer a balance from one Barclaycard to another. You need to move between different banks.
The honest advice
If you have credit card debt, do this today. Not next week. Today. The 0% balance transfer is the cheapest, most effective debt-clearing tool available, and millions of UK consumers don't use it. A £3,000 balance on a 22% card costs you £550/year in interest. A balance transfer costs you £75 once. The maths is that simple.
The only reason not to: if your credit score won't get you approved. In that case, focus on overpaying your existing card's minimum payment and apply again in 6 months.