Balance transfer break-even calculator
Compare staying on your current card with moving the balance to a promotional offer.
The fee is recovered in about 2.2 months.
How it works
We simulate your payments over the promo period on both cards. The transfer option adds the upfront fee to the interest charged at the promo rate. The difference is your net savings.
After the promo ends, any remaining balance accrues at the new card’s regular APR, which isn’t included here. Check the offer’s terms.
Example
With the sample inputs shown above (Balance to transfer ($) = 6000; Current APR (%) = 24.99; Transfer fee (%) = 3; Promo APR (%) = 0; Promo length (months) = 15; Monthly payment ($) = 400), the calculator returns: Stay put: $1,215 (Interest · balance after $1,215); Transfer: $180 (Interest + fee · balance after $0); Net savings: $1,035 (Transfer wins).
Things to know
Enter the fee from the offer, the promo length, and the payment you will actually make. If the balance is not paid off by the end of the promo, the remainder accrues interest at the new card’s regular rate, so check that rate in the offer terms.