The Top Balance Transfer Card of December 2025: 0% Intro APR for 21 Months

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Citi is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money.

Paying off credit card debt can feel like swimming upstream. You can make payments each and every month yet still go deeper into debt due to the high interest rates.

The average American household has over $9,300 in credit card debt, according to research by Motley Fool Money. So if you could use some help paying off your cards, you're not alone.

A balance transfer card might help you turn things around. These credit cards let you press pause on interest charges for a year or more, so you can pay off your debt faster -- and save money in the process.

And there's one card that we recently named the Best Balance Transfer Credit Card for 2026, with 0% intro APR for nearly two years.

The Citi Simplicity® Card

There are two big reasons why this card is our top choice for balance transfers.

1. Excellent balance transfer terms

The Citi Simplicity® Card, from our partner, offers 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers. That's one of the longest intro APR periods available today. After the intro period ends, a 17.74% - 28.49% (Variable) APR applies.

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). That's on the low end; many balance transfer cards charge 5% right off the bat.

2. No annual fee, late fees, or penalty APR

It costs nothing to carry the Citi Simplicity® Card. And if you miss a payment, you won't get hit with a late fee or a higher interest rate.

That's a rare and generous perk.

Note, you will pay interest charges if you carry a balance after the 0% intro APR period ends -- just like any other balance transfer card.

Award Icon 2026 Award Winner
4.90/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.90/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 12 months on Purchases

Balance Transfers: 0%, 21 months on Balance Transfers

Regular APR

17.74% - 28.49% (Variable)

Rewards

N/A

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Welcome Offer

N/A

  • This is one of our favorite cards for balance transfers. It has 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and a discounted intro balance transfer fee for the first four months. That combo makes it one of the most generous balance transfer offers we’ve seen. But it doesn't have much ongoing value after the intro 0% APR period ends.

    Read Full Review
    • Great intro APR
    • No annual fee
    • No late fees
    • No penalty APR
    • Choose your own payment date
    • No rewards
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
    • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months and on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 17.74% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
    • 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).
    • Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock

How much interest could you save?

Let's say you owe $6,000 on a card charging 21% APR, and you can put $300 per month toward it (without making any new purchases).

With your current card:

  • It'd take you 25 months to pay it off
  • You'd pay $1,450 in interest

If you transferred your balance to the Citi Simplicity® Card:

  • You'd pay 0% interest for 21 months on Balance Transfers, so every dollar of your payment would go toward the principal
  • You'd wipe out the balance in 21 months -- four months faster
  • You'd avoid all of that $1,450 in interest
  • The intro balance transfer fee would cost you $180

Net savings: $1,270

A few things to know before you apply

Here are a few quick tips to get the most value out of the Citi Simplicity® Card:

  • Transfer your balance(s) within four months. After that, the transfer fee goes up to 5% (minimum $5).
  • Keep making on-time payments and use the 0% intro APR period to eliminate your balance, not add to it.
  • The Citi Simplicity® Card is great for balance transfers -- and that's about it. Once you've paid off your balance, you may want to look for a card with more perks and rewards. Still, it has no annual fee, and keeping the account active and paid off can help your credit score.

Also keep in mind that most balance transfer cards require at least a "good" credit score (670+) for approval. If your score isn't quite at this level yet, you may have to improve your credit score and try again later.

Nearly two years to breathe and reset

If you're feeling buried under high-interest debt, you don't have to dig out the hard way. With 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers, no late fees, no penalty APR, and no annual fee, the Citi Simplicity® Card offers an easier, more stress-free path to becoming debt-free.

Ready to crush your credit card debt? Click here to learn more and apply for the Citi Simplicity® Card now.

Our Research Expert