Best balance transfer credit cards for fair credit of July 2024
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“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 4:14 p.m. UTC June 27, 2024
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Balance transfer credit cards can help you pay down existing card balances while avoiding interest charges for an extended period. Many balance cards require a good credit score or better to qualify. You can still find balance transfer credit cards for fair credit, but options are limited.
The best balance transfer credit cards for fair credit offer introductory APRs for extended periods without interest charges. Balance transfer cards typically don’t have an annual fee. Some balance transfer credit cards earn rewards and offer other cardholder benefits.
While these cards offer 0% APR, there is a cost involved. Card issuers typically charge a fee on balance transfers, generally 3% to 5% of the transfer amount. Compare balance transfer fees to your current card’s APR to determine the cost savings of a balance transfer.
We analyzed a broad swath of balance transfer cards for fair credit with intro APRs, from a variety of issuers, to curate a list of the very best. Here are our selections.
Best balance transfer credit cards for fair credit
- Citi Double Cash® Card*: Best overall.
- Citi Custom Cash® Card*: Best balance transfer card for fair credit with adaptable rewards.
Why trust our credit card experts
Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 80+ cards analyzed.
- 5+ data points considered.
- 5-step fact-checking process.
Best overall
Citi Double Cash® Card
*The information for the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best balance transfer card for fair credit with adaptable rewards
Citi Custom Cash® Card
*The information for the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Compare the best balance transfer credit cards for fair credit
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
The information for the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
The Citi Double Cash® Card * The information for the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers one of the longer intro APR offers, especially among cards for fair credit. It offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed in the first four months. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Beyond its intro APR offer, Citi Double Cash offers a simple but valuable cash-back rewards structure of 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24 and no annual fee. Finding a balance transfer card that’s accessible to those with fair credit can be challenging and the Citi Double Cash’s rewards structure makes it a good choice long past the end of the introductory period.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- Welcome bonus: $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
- APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed in the first four months. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
The information for the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
The Citi Custom Cash® Card * The information for the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. features a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and from the date of the first transfer for balance transfers within the first four months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer with a $5 minimum. Plus, the card earns rewards of 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/25. The highest rewards category adapts to your spending habits, allowing you to maximize your monthly rewards potential.
There are very few cards on the market designed for applicants with fair credit that also allow balance transfers. This card’s rewards make it a standout among other balance transfer cards that have little to offer beyond an introductory APR offer.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/25.
- Welcome bonus: $200 cash back, in the form of 20,000 ThankYou® points, after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
- APR: 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and from the date of the first transfer for balance transfers within the first four months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer with a $5 minimum.
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. Factors we considered when selecting the best balance transfer credit cards for fair credit includes:
- Accessibility to those with fair credit.
- Length of the balance transfer offer.
- Balance transfer fees.
- Annual and any other fees.
- Rewards and other card benefits that give the card staying power after the intro offer.
Should you get a balance transfer credit card for fair credit?
Taking advantage of the best balance transfer offers generally requires having good or excellent credit, which is widely accepted as a FICO Score of 670 and above. Card issuers rely on hard credit inquiries and information provided during the application process to determine eligibility for credit cards. If a lack of credit or past mistakes have wreaked havoc on your credit score, qualifying for a balance transfer card can be challenging.
That doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Some issuers offer balance transfer cards with lower credit requirements to help you pay down card debt. A balance transfer card with a lengthy introductory 0% APR period is an excellent option If you’re trying to pay off debt from existing card balances.
Most balance transfer cards charge a fee for transferring a balance. As mentioned, the fee generally ranges from 3% to 5% of the total balance you’re transferring. To determine whether it’s worth transferring a balance, calculate the APR you would pay on your current card compared to the balance transfer fee on a new card.
Guide to balance transfer credit cards for fair credit
A balance transfer credit card allows you to move an existing balance from one card to another. Typically, balance transfer cards come with an offer of 0% introductory APR for a promotional period. Intro APR offer periods generally last at least six months but some offer up to 21 months of 0% intro APR.
Finding a balance transfer card that allows you to qualify with fair credit is rare, but they do exist. If you have fair credit, finding a good balance transfer card can relieve some of the stress of paying off credit card debt, knowing you have time to make payments without worrying about the balance growing from mounting interest charges each month.
Balance transfer credit cards for fair credit are suitable for anyone in that credit range who currently carries card balances over each billing period. Despite transfer fees, balance transfer cards can save money and allow you to pay off credit card debt more quickly since all of your payments will go towards the principal rather than being siphoned off towards interest charges.
When choosing a balance transfer credit card for fair credit, consider the fee you’ll pay to transfer a balance. Also, consider the length of the introductory period and the card’s regular APR once the initial period ends. Read the fine print to determine if there are any additional stipulations of which to be aware before you open a balance transfer card. Other factors to include in your decision include annual fees, other fees, rewards and other card benefits and perks.
What is a balance transfer and how does it work?
A balance transfer allows you to move an outstanding balance from one credit card to another. Card issuers typically charge a fee for transferring a balance. Balance transfer fees can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total balance transferred or the greater of the two options.
During a balance transfer, one card issuer typically sends payment to another issuer to cover the outstanding balance. The card issuer may ask you to submit a transfer request during the application process. In some cases, the issuer provides balance transfer checks to pay card balances.
Other options include requests within your online card account or by phone. Once payment is complete, the transferred balance amount is added to the balance of the card receiving the transfer. Continue to make payments on your current account until the balance transfer posts to your account.
Alternative options for fair credit
A balance transfer can help consolidate debt or pay off an outstanding balance, but it may not be the best option for everyone. If you don’t qualify for a balance transfer credit card or are looking for other options, consider the following alternatives.
- Personal loan: Some lenders offer personal loans for individuals with fair credit. Typically, these loans carry higher interest rates than loans for good to excellent credit, but they could still be lower than what you’re paying on a credit card. They come with fixed interest rates, so your payments stay the same throughout your loan period.
- Credit counseling: Nonprofit credit counseling organizations may offer free initial consultations where a counselor reviews your situation and provides potential debt payoff options.
- Debt payoff plans: Consider using debt payoff plans like the debt snowball or debt avalanche methods. The debt snowball method focuses on quick wins by paying off the debt with the lowest balance first. The debt avalanche method focuses on paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first.
Understanding your credit score
Several factors contribute to your credit score. FICO Scores are the most popular scoring model and most used by lenders, but other models exist. Scores are typically calculated using five categories.
- Payment history: Your payment history accounts for 35% of your score. Making consistent, on-time, full payments can help boost your credit score while missing or late payments can hurt your score.
- Credit utilization: Credit utilization is how much available credit you use. It makes up 30% of your credit score. Keeping your credit utilization relatively low can help improve your credit score.
- Credit age: Your credit age accounts for 15% of your score and includes the average age of your credit accounts. It also factors in your oldest and newest credit accounts.
- Credit mix: Credit mix makes up 10% of credit scores and refers to whether your credit is all the same type or a mix of credit cards, installment loans, retail accounts and other account types.
- New credit: New credit looks at how many new credit accounts you’ve opened in a short time and counts towards 10% of credit scores.
Not all credit scores are built the same. Here’s the difference between FICO Scores and VantageScores.
Tips for building credit
Fair credit can keep you from qualifying for certain credit cards and other financial products. Here are some tips to employ to build your credit over time.
- Pay your bills on time: Payment history is the largest contributor to your credit score. An easy way to ensure your payments are always on time is to set up automatic payments.
- Pay off debt: Whether with a balance transfer card or other methods, paying off debt can reduce your credit utilization and boost your credit score.
- Get a secured credit card: If you don’t qualify for a balance transfer credit card, consider using a secured credit card to access credit and build a positive payment history. Secured credit cards are secured through a refundable security deposit, not a credit inquiry. Card issuers may offer ways to eventually upgrade to an unsecured credit card and get your deposit back through responsible use.
- Dispute credit report errors: Check your credit reports to ensure the information is accurate. Dispute any errors or mistakes which could be negatively affecting your credit.
- Become an authorized user: If you don’t qualify for a credit card on your own, consider becoming an authorized user on someone else’s card. Typically, you would do this with a family member or friend with a good credit history. Becoming an authorized user allows you to piggyback and benefit from their positive payment history.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Several components make up credit scores. Your credit utilization, credit age, payment history, credit mix and new credit can all affect your credit score.
Balance transfers can change these factors, especially if you open a new credit card account, and cause your score to increase or decrease. Ultimately, the best plan for financial health is to pay off the transferred balance through on-time payments, which can help boost your score.
You can use balance transfers to pay off outstanding debt balances on other credit cards. Some issuers allow you to use balance transfer convenience checks to pay off different types of debt, like auto or home loans or to cover other financial needs. Check with your issuer regarding guidelines and restrictions with balance transfers. Be aware that in all cases, you can’t use a balance transfer to pay off another card balance from the same issuer.
Card issuers typically do not disclose credit requirements to qualify for credit cards or balance transfers. You may be eligible for the cards on our list and a balance transfer with fair credit, which is considered a FICO Score ranging from 580 to 669. Generally, you need good to excellent credit to qualify for most balance transfer credit cards.
Card issuers reserve the right to deny balance transfer requests. A card issuer may deny a balance transfer request for several reasons, including not meeting its credit or other qualification requirements. You could also be rejected if you request to transfer more than the issuer allows or more than your credit limit.
*The information for the Citi Custom Cash® Card and Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
