Here Are Our 3 Balance Transfer Cards for August 2026: Pay No Interest for up to 21 Months
The average credit card interest rate is 21%, according to Motley Fool Money research. That means a $10,000 balance accrues roughly $2,100 in interest every year — not great.
Luckily, there’s a solution: A top balance transfer credit card, which lets you pay 0% interest for a limited time — currently up to 21 months.
Whether you want solid rewards and perks or just the longest 0% runway possible, one of the cards below has you covered. Here are our three favorite balance transfer cards available this month.
1. Wells Fargo Reflect® Card: Get nearly two full years of breathing room
Want the longest savings runway possible? The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card (rates and fees) is for you. It comes with 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, after the intro period, a 17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR kicks in — the longest window on this list, and pretty much the longest you’ll find anywhere. The balance transfer fee is 5%, min: $5.
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has a $0 annual fee, though you’ll need to complete your transfer within 120 days of opening the account to qualify for the intro rate.
The balance transfer fee is on the higher end, but it’s worth it if you need the extra time to pay off a big balance. Open the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card today and you’d have until roughly May 2028 to pay off your balance without paying a dime in interest.
That’s exactly why Motley Fool Money named it the Best 0% Intro APR Credit Card for 2026.
The trade-off: You won’t earn any rewards with the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card while you’re paying off your balance. And the only notable perk here is $600 of cellphone protection when you pay your bill with your card.
But if minimizing interest is your only goal, the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is the way to go.
2. Citi Double Cash® Card: Best if you want to keep earning once you pay off debt
The Citi Double Cash® Card is the right choice if you want a long introductory 0% window and a solid flat earning rate.
The Citi Double Cash® Card offers 0% intro APR for 18 months on Balance Transfers, and earns 2% cash back on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. There’s no 0% window on new purchases, though, so this is a balance-transfer-only play. After the intro period, a 17.49% – 27.49% (Variable) APR applies.
The card has no annual fee, and it comes with a lower balance transfer fee: There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
The interest-free window is three months shorter than the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card’s — but, as one of the top cash back cards, you’ll actually want to keep using this card once your balance is gone. Don’t take that for granted.
3. Chase Freedom Flex®: Best if you want rotating 5% categories
Want a different rewards-earning option? Consider the Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees), which offers 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. A 18.24% – 27.74% Variable APR applies at the end of the intro period.
Again, that’s not quite the longest savings window you’ll find. But the Chase Freedom Flex® also earns:
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back on dining and drugstores
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Those are pretty strong earning rates. I love getting 3% back on dining year-round — but the rotating 5% is definitely the highlight for most. This quarter’s categories include gas stations, EV charging, public transit, select live entertainment, and United Way donations.
This card also has an intro balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days.
That’s the shortest 0% window of the three, although you’re still getting more than a year of breathing room. If you can pay off your debt in a year and a half or less, I say go with the Citi Double Cash® Card or this card.