If you don't want to go for a Barclaycard balance transfer credit card, these are the alternatives that offer the best deals.
Barclaycard has consistently topped the best buy tables when it comes to 0% balance transfer credit card deals for a long time now.
If you are looking for the longest possible 0% period, then you can avoid interest on your credit card debts for an incredible 33 months with the Barclaycard Platinum 33 Month credit card, with a 2.99% transfer fee. And you can get a smaller fee of 2.68% with its Platinum 32 Month credit card.
However, these cracking cards won’t be for everyone…
When Barclaycard isn’t best for you
There are a couple of reasons that Barclaycard’s top deals might not be right for you. For starters, as with most table-topping offers, they are only available to borrowers with excellent credit ratings.
The second reason is that you can’t transfer debt between cards from the same provider. So if you’re sitting on £5,000 of debt on your existing Barclaycard, you can’t simply get a new Barclaycard to move it over to. If you want to get a decent 0% deal, you’ll need to move over to a new lender.
The best non-Barclaycard balance transfer credit cards
While Barclaycard still boasts some of the best lengthy 0% balance transfer cards around, the good news is there’s still plenty of choice if you’re looking for a non-Barclaycard deal.
|
Credit card |
0% period on balance transfers |
Balance transfer fee |
Cost of transferring £2,000 balance |
Representative APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
32 months |
2.65% |
£53 |
18.9% |
|
| MBNA 32-Month Platinum | 32 months | 2.7% | £54 | 18.9% |
|
Bank of Scotland Platinum 32 Month Balance Transfer MasterCard |
32 months |
2.8% |
£56 |
18.9% |
|
32 months |
2.8% |
£56 |
18.9% |
|
|
32 months |
2.9% |
£58 |
18.9% |
|
|
31 months |
2.89% |
£57.80 |
18.9% |
|
|
30 months |
2.5% |
£50 |
18.9% |
|
|
MBNA Fluid 29 Month Balance Transfer |
29 months |
2.9% |
£58 |
18.9% |
|
29 months |
2.99% |
£59.80 |
18.9% |
|
|
29 months |
3% |
£60 |
18.9% |
That’s 10 non-Barclaycard balance transfer credit cards, all of which offer 29 months or more before you have to worry about interest being charged, a remarkable array of options.
I don’t need that long!
When picking a 0% balance transfer credit card, it’s not just the length of the 0% deal that should be considered. You also need to look at the balance transfer fee too.
By going for a card with a much shorter 0% period, you can significantly cut the size of the fee you pay. And if you only have a relatively small debt, that you can clear in under 18 months, that could leave you better off overall.
Barclaycard has a 0% card that doesn’t charge a transfer fee at all, offering you a six month 0% period. It also has a card that offers 25 months of 0% interest, for a transfer fee of just 1.5%.
Let’s take a look at the best of the rest when it comes to cheap balance transfers, all of which have a fee of 1% or less.
|
Credit card |
0% period on balance transfers |
Balance transfer fee |
Representative APR |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10 months |
0% |
18.9% |
|
|
10 months |
0.4% |
18.9% |
|
|
10 months |
0.4% |
18.9% |
|
|
Bank of Scotland Platinum 10-Month Balance Transfer & Purchase Card |
10 months |
0.4% |
18.9% |
|
12 months |
0.5% |
18.9% |
|
|
12 months |
0.5% |
18.9% |
|
|
15 months |
0.55% |
|
|
|
15 months |
0.65% |
15.9% |
|
|
15 months |
0.8% |
17.9% |
|
|
15 months |
0.8% |
17.9% |
|
|
17 months |
0.9% |
18.9% |
*Must hold a Nationwide current account
Balance transfer best practice
A 0% balance transfer credit card can be a fantastic, debt-busting tool. However, it takes some discipline to make the most of it. If you don’t manage to pay off your debt by the end of the 0% period, and have continued spending like mad on your normal credit card, you could find yourself in even bigger debt problems.
So work out exactly how much you need to pay each month in order to clear the balance by the time the 0% deal concludes and set up a standing order for that amount. And if you can’t afford that, make sure you pay as much as you possibly can.
Borrowers currently have the widest range of amazing 0% deals to choose from, but there’s absolutely no guarantee there will be anywhere near as many deals available to move your debt to once your 0% deal comes to an end.
More on borrowing:
The best cashback credit cards
The best 0% purchase credit cards