If you’ve racked up credit card debt that you want to clear cheaply, a balance transfer credit card can be a great option.
These cards allow you to pay no interest on debt for up to 29 months (at the time of writing), meaning you can focus on whittling away what you owe rather than lining the bank’s pockets any further with hefty interest payments.
The catch with many of these cards – especially those with the longest 0% windows – is that you’ll be charged a fee up front, which can be anywhere up to 3% of the total balance your switching.
So on a £2,000 transfer, you’ll have up to £60 added to what you owe.
Definitely cheaper than simply paying interest, but still a sizeable sum of money.
A savvier option
If you want the cheapest possible option, you should look to the few genuinely fee-free balance transfer credit cards on the market.
Santander’s Everyday Credit Card (representative APR 20.9%) is one such option, offering the longest 0% period of 18 months.
While it's true that the 0% window is far shorter than the longest balance transfer offers, if you don’t manage to clear your debt in full in that time you can simply shift to another fee-free card when the offer expires without incurring any costs during that time.
If you are interested in this card, it's worth stressing that it's really only available to those with an excellent credit rating. You should consider using an eligibility checker to work out your chances of being accepted without leaving a mark on your credit score.
How it compares to the 'top' cards
If you really just want to choose the longest balance transfer offer, or simply want to see how the Everyday card compares, here it is along with the top 0% cards by duration at the time of writing.
|
Credit card |
0% period on balance transfers (months) |
Balance transfer fee |
Cost of transferring £1,000 balance |
Representative APR after 0% period ends |
|
M&S Transfer Plus Credit Card* |
29 |
2.75%, min £5 |
£27.50 |
21.9% |
|
Virgin Money 28-Month Balance Transfer Card |
29 |
3% |
£30 |
21.9% |
|
Sainsbury’s Bank Balance Transfer Card** |
Up to 29 |
3% or 4% (min £3)** |
£30 or £40* |
21.9% |
|
Santander Everyday Credit Card |
18 months |
0% |
£0 |
20.9% |
*0% on all balance transfers made within the first three months of account opening
**Balance transfer fee depends on individual circumstances and applies to transfers made at application
Our verdict
If you have an excellent credit rating, the Santander Everyday credit card really is one of the top options out there for clearing debt cheaply.
It might fall well short of the longest 0% balance transfer offers, but the option to buy yourself more than a year and a half to clear your debt without paying a penny in fees or interest is compelling.