According to

Americans have an average of $5,525 in credit I have card debt. Experian. Secured debt, including mortgage debt, is usually considered “good debt” because it is backed by an asset that should increase in value over time. Secured debt such as mortgages and auto loans also tend to be offered at competitive interest rates, so slowly paying off these loans is a reasonable choice.

However, credit card debt can be particularly troublesome because it partially accrues exorbitant interest. The rate at which a credit card can be charged. With that in mind, many consumers are turning to a particular type of credit card (called a balance transfer credit card) and completely exploring its uses.

If you're in debt and need to get an edge on your repayments, a credit card that offers a 0% initial APR for a limited time can help. Read on for the best credit cards that can help you pay off your credit card debt faster and at a lower cost.

BankAmericard Credit Card: Best APR Referral Offer

• Reward Rate: None
• Purchase Introductory APR : 21 Billing Cycle Introductory APR 0%
• Balance Transfer Introductory APR: 21 Billing Cycle Introductory APR 0% of Balance Remittances
• Normal APR: 15.74 percent to 25.74 percent variation
• Balance transfer fee: 3 percent (minimum $10 )
• Welcome Bonus: None
• Annual Fee: $0

BankAmericard® credit cards offer Both Balance Transfers offer the longest 0% first-year APR period in the market (and then a variable APR of 15.74% to 25.74%). There are no ongoing rewards or welcome bonuses with this card, but there are also no annual fees or penalty APRs. However, you can take advantage of some BankAmericard benefits, including zero fraud liability, free access to FICO credit scores, and the potential to earn rewards through Bank of America's supplemental BankAmeriDeals program.

Remember. To take advantage of the Introductory Balance Transfer APR, you must transfer the balance to your card within the first 60 days of your card membership. In addition, a standard 3% balance transfer fee (minimum $10) applies.

BankAmericard® credit card information was last updated on December 15, 2022.

Citi Double Cash Card: Great for Cash Back Rewards

• Rewards Rate: Unlimited 1% Cash Back
• <Purchase Introductory APR: None
• Balance Transfer Introductory APR: 0% Introductory APR for 18 months
• Regular APR: 17.74% to 27.74% fluctuation
• Balance transfer fee >: 3% initiation fee (minimum $5) for transfers completed within the first 4 months, then 5% fee (minimum $5) thereafter
• Welcome Bonus: None
• Annual Fee: $0

The Citi® Double Cash Card is essentially a 2% cashback card with no balance transfer. It's a great cash back card regardless of the starting APR offer because of its long APR. Please note that the balance must be transferred to the card within the first 4 months. Otherwise, the balance transfer fee will increase from 3% to 5%.

Other Citi Double Cash Card benefits include a range of protections — $0 Fraud Liability, 24 Hour Fraud Protection, Citi Identity Theft Solutions and Lost Wallet Service — and Citi Entertainment access to.

Citi Simplicity Card: Best for Delinquency Protection

• Reward Rate: None
• Purchase Introduction APR: Account Opening 12 months from the date of purchase implementation APR 0%
• First year APR for balance transfers: 21 months for balance transfers made within the first 4 months First year APR 0%
• Normal APR: 17.74% to 28.49% variable
• Balance transfer fee: First 4 3% initiation fee (minimum $5) for transfers completed within 1 month, then 5% fee (minimum $5)
• Welcome Bonus: None
• Annual fee: $0

The Citi Simplicity® Card stands out because there are no late fees for late payments. , and the card also refrains from charging penalty APRs after late payments. These two features make it a great option for anyone looking to use their cards responsibly.

Also consider that you must transfer your balance within the first 4 months to get a 0% initial APR offer and a 3% initial balance transfer fee. Otherwise, you will lose the interest-free offer and pay a variable annual interest rate ranging from 17.74% to 28.49% and his 5% balance transfer fee.

Other basic Citi Simplicity benefits include: $0 fraud liability, identity theft protection, and account activity alerts.

Wells Fargo Reflect Card: Great for encouraging timely payments

• Reward rate : None
• Introduction APR for Purchases: 0% Introductory APR for 18 months from account opening (up to 21 months with minimum on-time payments during introductory period)
• Balance Transfer Introductory APR: 0% annual introductory rate for 18 months from account opening for eligible balance transfers (up to 21% for minimum on-time payment during introductory period) monthly)
• Normal Annual Interest Rate: 17.24% to 29.24% variable
• Balance Transfer Fee: 3 for the first 120 days % initial balance transfer fee (minimum $5) followed by 5% fee (minimum $5)
• Welcome Bonus: None
• Annual Fee: $0

With the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, you pay less by using the card responsibly (i.e. by making your payment on time). , you can get an extra three months to pay off your debts and new purchases. Plus, if you transfer your balance within the first 120 days, you'll get a 3% discount on the balance transfer fee.

Like most cards on this list, you won't get rewards or a first-year welcome bonus, but Wells Fargo Reflect's handy perks include Visa Traditional benefits and cell phone benefits. protection and so on. For the latter, you can receive up to $600 per claim (up to two claims per year) for damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with a qualifying Wells Fargo card ($25 deductible).

U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card: Honorable Mention

• Reward Rate: None
• Purchase Introductory APR: 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles
• Introductory APR for Balance Transfer: 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles (first 60 days)
• Normal APR: 18.74% to 28.74% fluctuation
• Balance transfer fee : 3% (minimum $5)
• Welcome Bonus: None
• Annual Fee: $0

The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum card deserves its place on our list of the best cards for paying off debt, as it offers an initial APR of 0% on both purchases and balance transfers over an 18 billing cycle (and then , variation APR from 18.74% to 28.74%). percent). Additionally, the 3% balance transfer fee (minimum $5) is low.

Plus, this card offers cell phone protection against damage and theft (up to $600 per eligible claim, up to 2 charges per year, $25 deductible), Visa fraud protection, and credit score free access.

To pay off debt How to Choose the Best Credit Card

Using a credit card to pay off your debt may seem counterproductive, but the 0% entry terms offered by some balance transfer cards can help. , this strategy could be a smart move. After all, not having to make monthly interest payments makes paying off the full amount of your credit card a lot easier, which can save you a lot of money, even after accounting for direct debit fees.

If you're looking for a card that offers 0% referral APR for a limited time, the following tips will help you find the right card:

• 0% referrals APR for a purchase, balance transfer, or both that determines whether a It's easy to see that some cards only offer introductory APRs for balance transfers, while others include purchases as well. If you want to save money on card purchases for a limited time, look for options that offer 0% initial APR on both.
• Calculate how long it will take to pay off your debt. Compare the length of available referral offers. Bear in mind that the longest zero interest rate period in the market he is 21 months. If you need as much time as possible to pay off your credit card debt, look for the longest offer you can realistically qualify for.
• Determine if you want to earn rewards. Not all balance transfer cards offer perks. If you want to get rewards with a 0% annual interest credit card, you probably can, but it usually ends up with a short introductory offer.
• Compare our rates. Compare the cards in terms of fees, including annual fees, debit fees, and late fees. Also, be aware of the ongoing fluctuating APR. Also remember that any debt remaining at the end of the introductory period will accrue interest at this rate.

Conclusion

If you have the opportunity to avoid interest for a year or more, paying off your debt will be much easier. After all, the average credit card interest rate is over 19%, and avoiding this additional monthly charge means every dollar you spend on your credit card goes directly to the principal balance.

That said, it may be helpful to use our credit card repayment calculator to calculate how long it will take to pay off your debt. Just in case, compare with our list of recommended balance transfer credit cards before you apply.