Balance Transfer vs. Personal Loan: Which Should I Choose?
Updated
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When it comes to consolidating debt and lowering your interest expense, credit card balance transfers and personal loans can be two excellent and similar options.
However, like most financial products, both balance transfers and personal loans have pros and cons to consider. For example, while balance transfers may have a 0% intro APR, they often come with a fee and have relatively short promotional periods.
With that in mind, here's a guide to help you decide which is the best choice to help you take control of your debt.
It used to be rather difficult to obtain a personal loan, especially if you didn't want to pledge collateral. That's changed in recent years, as many online lenders and traditional banks have rapidly expanded into the unsecured personal loan market.
In most cases, you can check your ability to obtain a personal loan without initiating a hard credit inquiry, meaning that it won't affect your credit score to see if you qualify and what your interest rate might be. You can find personal loans in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 from a variety of lenders.
TIP
When you're looking for a personal loan, focus on lenders offering low interest rates and fees. These hidden costs can eat into your budget if you're not careful! For a list of our experts' favorite lenders, check out our best personal loan lenders page.
There are many situations when using a personal loan to borrow money may be ideal, such as:
But personal loans are not a good option for every circumstance. Here are some of the drawbacks of personal loans:
A personal loan is likely the best choice for borrowers who aren't certain of their ability to pay off their debt within a year, or who may be tempted to simply make the minimum payments on a balance transfer credit card. Personal loans can also be excellent ways to get a quick boost to your credit score, as it's a more favorable form of debt than credit cards in the eyes of the FICO scoring formula.
And finally, personal loans can be the best choice if you have more than just credit card debt to consolidate or pay off. For example, if you have:
You can obtain a $25,000 personal loan to take care of all of these things at once, as loans in this amount are offered by virtually every personal lender on our radar. It might be tough for the average person to find a balance transfer credit card with a $25,000 limit.
Get the best rates and terms to fit your needs. Here are a few loans we'd like to highlight, including our award winners.
| Lender | APR Range | Loan Amount | Min. Credit Score | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apply Now for Discover Personal Loan
Powered by Credible
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5
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 |
7.99% - 24.99%
|
$2,500 - $40,000
|
660
|
Apply Now for Discover Personal Loan
Powered by Credible |
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5
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 |
11.49% - 20.49%
|
$2,000 - $30,000
|
740
|
|
Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
4.0/5
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 |
6.70% - 35.99%³
|
$1,000 - $50,000¹
|
300
|
Transferring a balance to another credit card can be a quick and easy way to pay off debt, as the process generally involves filling out a credit card application and some information about your existing credit card accounts. There are some excellent 0% intro APR balance transfer offers on the market right now, and you can read our updated list of the best balance transfer credit card offers to see what's currently available.
Like personal loans, there may be certain circumstances that make a balance transfer an ideal fit:
Also like personal loans, balance transfers do come with their own set of drawbacks:
It makes the most sense to take advantage of a balance transfer offer if your debt is relatively small and you're confident that you can pay it off in its entirety before the 0% intro APR period ends. Sure, you can theoretically obtain another balance transfer at that point, but it's not a smart idea to count on it.
Plus, balance transfers can be great if you want the flexibility to make new purchases, as many credit cards with balance transfer offers also have excellent 0% intro APR periods for new purchases.
We have a free balance transfer calculator to aid you in your decision.
It's certainly possible to use both methods of debt consolidation to your advantage. For example, let's say that you have $20,000 in high-interest credit card debt, but you know that there's no way you can pay it off during a 0% intro APR window with a balance transfer credit card.
You could choose to transfer a manageable amount of the debt onto a balance transfer credit card with a 0% intro APR, and then obtain a personal loan for the rest. This way, you're avoiding interest on as much of your debt as possible, but without the risk of a high credit card interest rate kicking in on the rest before you can pay it off.
The point is that while both methods have pros and cons, you don't necessarily have to choose one or the other. The best solution to your debt management could be some combination of the two.
Here are some other questions we've answered:
Looking for a personal loan but don’t know where to start? Our favorites offer quick approval and rock-bottom interest rates. Check out our list to find the best loan for you.
Balance transfers aren't necessarily bad for your credit when used correctly. A balance transfer can help you pay off your debt quicker, which can help increase your credit score over time. However, a balance transfer could potentially harm your credit score initially, especially if your balance transfer results in the credit card being nearly maxed out.
Personal loans can be a good option for transferring credit card balances, especially if you need a longer time horizon to pay it back than the card's 0% intro APR period.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
Citi® Personal Loan Disclosure
Terms, conditions, and fees for accounts, products, programs and services are subject to change at any time. You must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age in Puerto Rico). Co-applicants are not permitted. Existing Citi deposit and credit card customers who have been a Citi customer for less than 12 months are not eligible for a Citi® Personal Loan.
If you apply online, you must agree to receive the loan note and all other account disclosures provided with your loan origination in an electronic format and provide your signature electronically.
Rates as of 12-01-2024. Your APR may be as low as 11.49% or as high as 20.49% for the term of your loan. The lowest rate quoted assumes excellent credit and a loan term of 24 or 36 months. Your APR will depend on a variety of factors including your creditworthiness, term of loan, and existing relationship with Citi. Citi offers personal loans with a period of repayment between 12 and 60-month terms. For example, if you borrow $10,000 for 36 months at 15.99% APR, to repay your loan you will have to make 36 monthly payments of approximately $351.52.
There is a 0.5% APR discount if you enroll in automatic payments at loan origination. Additionally, existing Citigold and Citi Priority customers will receive a 0.25% discount to the APR. If you are in default, your APR may increase by 2.00%. Rates subject to change without notice.
To check for offers you may qualify for, Citi conducts a soft credit inquiry. If you are presented with an offer and choose to proceed with the application process, Citi will conduct a hard credit inquiry which may have an impact on your credit score.
Citi® Personal Loan proceeds cannot be used to pay for post-secondary education expenses or for business purposes. Credit cards issued by Citibank, N.A. or its affiliates, as well as Checking Plus and Ready Credit accounts, are not eligible for debt consolidation, and Citibank will not issue payoff checks for these accounts. If you are unsure of the issuer on the account, please visit https://www.citi.com/affiliatesproducts for a list of Citi products and affiliates.
If you are approved for a personal loan with Citi, you can get your funds the same day with a Citi deposit account, or up to 2 business days for a non-Citi account when using direct deposit. Or, you can select to receive a check by mail in approximately 5 business days.
Personal loans are made available by Citibank, N.A., Equal Housing lender
*Upstart Loan Disclaimer
¹ Your loan amount will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will qualify for the full amount. Minimum loan amounts vary by state: GA ($3,100), HI ($2,100), MA ($7,000).
³ The full range of available rates varies by state. A representative example of payment terms for an unsecured Personal Loan is as follows: a borrower receives a loan of $10,000 for a term of 60 months, with an interest rate of 18.60% and a 8.51% origination fee of $851, for an APR of 23.07%. In this example, the borrower will receive $9149 and will make 60 monthly payments of $258. APR is calculated based on 5-year rates offered in December 2024. There is no downpayment and no prepayment penalty. Your APR will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will be approved.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
Citi® Personal Loan Disclosure
Terms, conditions, and fees for accounts, products, programs and services are subject to change at any time. You must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age in Puerto Rico). Co-applicants are not permitted. Existing Citi deposit and credit card customers who have been a Citi customer for less than 12 months are not eligible for a Citi® Personal Loan.
If you apply online, you must agree to receive the loan note and all other account disclosures provided with your loan origination in an electronic format and provide your signature electronically.
Rates as of 12-01-2024. Your APR may be as low as 11.49% or as high as 20.49% for the term of your loan. The lowest rate quoted assumes excellent credit and a loan term of 24 or 36 months. Your APR will depend on a variety of factors including your creditworthiness, term of loan, and existing relationship with Citi. Citi offers personal loans with a period of repayment between 12 and 60-month terms. For example, if you borrow $10,000 for 36 months at 15.99% APR, to repay your loan you will have to make 36 monthly payments of approximately $351.52.
There is a 0.5% APR discount if you enroll in automatic payments at loan origination. Additionally, existing Citigold and Citi Priority customers will receive a 0.25% discount to the APR. If you are in default, your APR may increase by 2.00%. Rates subject to change without notice.
To check for offers you may qualify for, Citi conducts a soft credit inquiry. If you are presented with an offer and choose to proceed with the application process, Citi will conduct a hard credit inquiry which may have an impact on your credit score.
Citi® Personal Loan proceeds cannot be used to pay for post-secondary education expenses or for business purposes. Credit cards issued by Citibank, N.A. or its affiliates, as well as Checking Plus and Ready Credit accounts, are not eligible for debt consolidation, and Citibank will not issue payoff checks for these accounts. If you are unsure of the issuer on the account, please visit https://www.citi.com/affiliatesproducts for a list of Citi products and affiliates.
If you are approved for a personal loan with Citi, you can get your funds the same day with a Citi deposit account, or up to 2 business days for a non-Citi account when using direct deposit. Or, you can select to receive a check by mail in approximately 5 business days.
Personal loans are made available by Citibank, N.A., Equal Housing lender
*Upstart Loan Disclaimer
¹ Your loan amount will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will qualify for the full amount. Minimum loan amounts vary by state: GA ($3,100), HI ($2,100), MA ($7,000).
³ The full range of available rates varies by state. A representative example of payment terms for an unsecured Personal Loan is as follows: a borrower receives a loan of $10,000 for a term of 60 months, with an interest rate of 18.60% and a 8.51% origination fee of $851, for an APR of 23.07%. In this example, the borrower will receive $9149 and will make 60 monthly payments of $258. APR is calculated based on 5-year rates offered in December 2024. There is no downpayment and no prepayment penalty. Your APR will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will be approved.
