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- Longest 0% balance transfer cards - which is best?
Longest 0% balance transfer cards - which is best?
There are plenty of 0% balance transfer cards offering interest free periods of more than three years
Are you paying interest on your credit card balance? A 0% balance transfer card, which enables you to defer paying interest on your debts for a set period, often in exchange for an upfront transfer fee.
38 and 39 months balance transfer cards
These cards are currently offer the longest period you can go without paying interest on your transferred card debts.
MBNA
As well as 0% balance transfers MBNA offer 0% on money transfers, allowing you to borrow cash with 0% interest for a 4% upfront fee, but the 0% period for money transfer is a shorter 20 months.
Limited offer - available until 12 February 2016
Cost of 2.98% fee for £1,200 balance transfer: £35.76
Cost of 4% fee for £1,200 money transfer: £48
No transfers from: MBNA credit cards
Halifax
Halifax, the only thing to bear in mind is the 3% upfront transfer fee that will be refunded within 90 days to make it effectively 2.75%.
Cost of 2.75% fee for £1,200 balance transfer: £33
No transfers from: Halifax or Lloyds Banking Group
37 months balance transfer cards
Interest free periods of over three years for balance transfer cards became common over the course of 2015.
But is the longest 0% period always the best choice? You could consider a card that offer a shorter 0% balance transfer period, but don't charge you a transfer fee.
Barclaycard
Barclaycard traditionally lead the balance transfer market, but lately have been facing stiff competition. They currently offer the lowest fee for a 0% balance transfer of over three years.
Cost of 2.19% fee for £1,200 balance transfer: £26.28
No transfers from: Barclaycard credit cards
Virgin Money
Virgin are offering a balance transfer period of 37 months 0% interest and you can also borrow cash interest free with 37 months 0% on money transfers.
Cost of 2.59% fee for £1,200 balance transfer: £31.08
Cost of 4% fee for £1,200 money transfer: £48
No transfers from: Virgin Money cards
How much could you save?
Use our calculator below to enter your card balance and interest rates to see how much you could stand to save with a 0% balance transfer card.
Credit card calculator
Use the credit card calculator to help work out the costs of owning a credit card.
Are the cards with the longest 0% period the best?
Not necessarily, which card is best for you depends on how long you will take to pay off your card debts.
If you can pay them off within one or two years, there are balance transfer cards with 0% periods between 6 and 24 months that charge no transfer fees, such as the Santander 123 card or Bank of Scotland 20 Months Balance Transfer Card.
This means, if used wisely, the right balance transfer card could make your card debts cost nothing at all.
Compare balance transfer credit cards
Find a balance transfer credit card and stop paying expensive interest payments on your balance.