Balance Transfer Savings Calculator

When to round up

The fee is the greater of the percentage amount and entered minimum, rounded to cents. This is a monthly-interest model for one balance, not an issuer statement; daily balance methods, allocation rules, new purchases, fees, missed payments, variable rates, and deferred interest are excluded.

When to use this calculator

• Comparing a transfer fee with possible interest savings
• Testing promotional and post-promotion APR terms
• Checking whether the same payment plan repays both options

Tips for better estimates

• Copy the transfer fee, limit, promotion length, and later APR from the offer disclosure.
• Compare both paths with the same affordable payment schedule.
• Confirm whether the fee is financed and whether any deferred-interest or allocation rule applies.

How this calculator is reviewed

This page is checked for inputs, formulas, examples, assumptions, topic fit, and related links. For this calculator, the review also covers current and transfer balances, both APR paths, staged payments, percentage and minimum fees, financed-fee treatment, promotion timing, post-promotion APR, allocation rules, and deferred-interest exclusions.

The sample result is covered by automated tests, and the page links to related calculators and, where available, supporting guides so readers can check the assumptions before acting. If a formula, label, or assumption looks off, send the page URL and your inputs through the contact page.

How this estimate was built

This page simulates both card paths month by month with the same staged payment schedule. It rounds monthly interest to cents, applies the larger of the percentage and minimum fee, and compares full-payoff finance cost only when both paths repay.

Worked example

Example inputs: Balance to transfer: $5000; Current card APR: 24 %; Promotional transfer APR: 0 %; Promotional payments remaining: 12 payments; Payment during promotion: $300 /month; APR after promotion: 22 %; Payment after promotion: $300 /month; Transfer fee: 3 %; Minimum or fixed transfer fee: $0; How the fee is paid: Added to transferred balance. With those values, the calculator returns $899.36 lower modeled finance cost with the transfer. The current-card path estimates $1,143.33 of interest. The transfer path estimates $93.97 of interest plus a $150.00 fee under the entered terms. This monthly model excludes deferred interest and issuer-specific allocation.

Example scenarios

• For a $5,000 balance at 24% APR, a 3% financed fee is $150 and opens the transfer path at $5,150.
• With 12 payments at 0%, then 22% APR, and $300 monthly payments, the modeled current-card interest is $1,143.33 while transfer interest is $93.97.
• After the $150 fee, that example has $899.36 lower modeled finance cost. Daily balance methods, deferred interest, new purchases, and issuer allocation are excluded.

Quick reference chart

Common planning mistakes

Ignoring the transfer fee, comparing different payment plans, assuming 0% lasts through an entire statement month, omitting the post-promotion APR, and confusing promotional APR with deferred interest.

Cite or embed this calculator

If this calculator helps a blog post, classroom resource, forum answer, seasonal guide, or local planning page, link to the canonical calculator URL so readers can run their own numbers and check the assumptions.

EverydayCalc.org, "Balance Transfer Savings Calculator", last updated July 9, 2026, https://everydaycalc.org/calculators/balance-transfer-savings-calculator/