Anyone looking to consolidate their credit card debt in 2026 will be able to take advantage of some of the longest-ever 0% balance transfer deals, with a growing number of providers pushing for top spot. Data from financial ratings expert Defaqto shows the number of credit cards offering at least 30 months interest free on balance transfers has quadrupled since the start of 2025.
As well as the boost to the number of top cards on offer, the interest-free period on the leading card has also grown, with the market leader now offering more than three years interest free on balance transfers.
One caveat to growing 0% offer periods is that all of the top cards charge a fee to transfer a balance, and the fee-free options have remained static over the last 12 months.
Katie Brain, Banking Expert at Defaqto, said: "Long 0% balance transfer deals can be great news for people looking to reduce the cost of their credit card debt and give themselves time to pay it off without interest. There’s now more choice to suit different budgets and repayment plans."
How good are the current best balance transfer credit cards?
The balance transfer credit card market has improved noticeably over the last year. There are now 12 credit cards offering 30 months or more with no interest on balance transfers, compared to just three cards a year ago. Of those 12, there are currently three cards offering at least three years interest-free on balance transfers. TSB is top of the list with an impressive 38 months, closely followed by Barclaycard and Tesco Bank both offering 36 months. Again, this is a significant change from the same time last year, with January 2025’s top card offering ‘only’ 31 months interest free on balance transfers.
The fee-free market has been more static, with the longest 0% balance transfer deal with no transfer fee being Barclaycard's 14 months, which has been the case for some time. Virgin Money and Santander are the next best, with a 12-month interest free period on balance transfers. This is almost two years less than the leading cards and suggests providers are keen to offer longer interest-free periods to encourage users to pay a balance transfer fee.
Historically, the current range of balance transfer credit cards are not quite record-breaking. Defaqto told us that in 2017, providers were consistently offering customers more than 40 months interest free, with the market leader offering 43 months. However, the last time we saw cards that could match what is currently on the market was all the way back in 2018, when two providers were offering 38-month deals. Interestingly, these came with balance transfer fees of 1.44% or 2.49%, which we would consider very low today. So while we may be moving towards record-levels when it comes to the interest-free period, balance transfer credit cards are significantly more expensive to use than they were when those record-breakers were on the market.
How to get the best balance transfer credit cards
Currently, the best balance transfer credit cards are offered by TSB, Barclaycard and Tesco. You can see the key details in the table below, or check out the full list on our ‘Best 0% balance transfer credit card deals’ page.
| Name of card | Interest-free period | Representative APR (variable) | Balance Transfer fee | Other features |
| TSB Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility | Up to 38 months | 24.90% | 3.49% | 0% interest on purchases for the first 3 months |
| Barclaycard Platinum Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility | 36 months | 24.90% | 3.45% | 0% interest on money transfers for 9 months |
| Tesco Bank Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility | Up to 36 months | 24.90% | 3.45% | Collect Tesco Clubcard points |
There are also fee-free options, though you would have to accept a shorter 0% period. You can see the key details for the top three options in the table below.
| Name of card | Representative APR | Interest-free period | Balance Transfer fee |
| Barclaycard Platinum No Fee Credit Card - Check eligibility | 24.90% | Up to 14 months | No fee |
| Virgin Money Balance Transfer Credit Card - Check eligibility | 24.90% | 12 months | No fee |
| Santander Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card - Check eligibility | 24.90% | 12 months | No fee |
The best way to make sure you qualify for the top credit cards is to check your credit card eligibility online. This will not affect your credit score as there is no ‘hard’ search on your credit file.
How to make the most of a 0% balance transfer credit card
A balance transfer moves the debt you have built up on one credit card over to a different credit card. You effectively pay off your existing debt by creating a new debt on your new balance transfer credit card.
Though balance transfer credit card providers regularly offer limited-time 0% interest deals to encourage new customers to transfer their debt, the introductory rate will eventually end and be replaced by a standard rate, which will be much higher. This means the best way to use a balance transfer credit card is to pay off your outstanding balance before the introductory offer ends. Alternatively, you could try to move your debt to another balance transfer credit card at the end of that period.
The total amount you can transfer to your new balance transfer credit card will be constrained by your credit limit, which is the maximum you can borrow using the card. You will not be able to transfer the full balance you want to transfer if that amount exceeds the credit limit on your new card. Even if it is less, providers will usually limit the amount you can transfer to around 95% of the available credit card balance.
The cost of making a balance transfer is the balance transfer fee, calculated as a percentage of the amount you are transferring. The typical charge is around 3.5%, so a £1,000 balance transfer would cost £35. Always read the terms & conditions of your chosen card provider so that you know how much you are going to be charged. Some providers will not charge a fee at all, but usually balance it out through a much shorter 0% interest free period.
We cover balance transfer credit cards in more detail on our 'What is a balance transfer credit card and how does it work?' page. You could also read our article 'How to do a credit card balance transfer in 5 minutes'.
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