Balance transfer calculator

Updated 7 November 2026 · ClearCost UK · 4 min read

A 0% balance transfer card lets you pay off a card without interest for a set period, usually for a fee of 3% to 5% of the balance. On a £5,000 balance at 24.9% APR, moving it with a 3% fee and 18 months at 0% could save about £1,351 if you pay £250 a month.

When a balance transfer saves money

A transfer helps most when you can clear most of the balance during the 0% period. The fee is a one-off cost added to the balance, so it pays off only if the interest you avoid is bigger than the fee.

£5,000 balance, 3% fee, 24.9% APR

0% period	You pay a month	Time to clear if you move	Cost of moving (fee + interest)	Interest if you stay	You save
12 months at 0%	£150	43 months	£1,347	£3,594	£2,247
12 months at 0%	£250	22 months	£393	£1,527	£1,133
12 months at 0%	£400	13 months	£157	£849	£692
18 months at 0%	£150	39 months	£723	£3,594	£2,871
18 months at 0%	£250	21 months	£176	£1,527	£1,351
18 months at 0%	£400	13 months	£150	£849	£699
24 months at 0%	£150	36 months	£363	£3,594	£3,231
24 months at 0%	£250	21 months	£150	£1,527	£1,377
24 months at 0%	£400	13 months	£150	£849	£699

No new spending. After the 0% period the rate is 24.9%.

Check before you apply

The transfer fee and how long the 0% period lasts.
The rate that applies after the 0% period, and what happens to any balance left.
Whether new purchases on the card are charged interest straight away.
Whether you are likely to be accepted: each application leaves a mark on your credit file.
Never miss a payment: it can end the 0% offer.

0% interest cards: how they work

A 0 percent interest card charges no interest on purchases, balance transfers or both for a set period. After the offer ends the standard rate applies to what is left, so clearing the balance before then is the point. The calculator above shows how much a 0% balance transfer could save.

Sources and further reading

Questions people ask

Is a balance transfer worth it?

It is worth it if the interest you avoid during the 0% period is more than the transfer fee, and if you can clear the balance, or most of it, before the period ends.

What is a typical balance transfer fee?

Usually 3% to 5% of the amount moved. Some cards charge no fee but offer a shorter 0% period.

Results are estimates for information only, not financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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