4 Excellent Balance Transfer Credit Cards of 2025
Balance transfer credit cards provide valuable breathing room for those managing high-interest payments, featuring promotional 0% APR periods that temporarily pause interest accumulation. Below, you'll find a selection of the best balance transfer cards with competitive introductory offers, reasonable transfer fees, and additional rewards programs that continue delivering value long after the promotional period ends, helping you make progress toward your financial goals.
Best Overall Balance Transfer Credit Card which comes with No annual fee
Our choice for: Balance transfer and interest savings
MBNA True Line® Mastercard®
MBNA True Line® Mastercard®
go to MBNA's website
Welcome Bonus*
0% rate on balance transfers for 12 months (3% fee and not available in Quebec)†
Rewards Rate*
0%
Annual Fee*
$0
Interest Rates
12.99%* / 24.99%*
Even though this card offers no benefits or rewards, the amount you can save on interest is substantial, making it an excellent option for reducing your monthly payments.
Pros
- Great to reduce monthly interest payments during the promotional period.
- Low purchase interest rate for people planning to put some balance on their credit card.
Cons
- A flat fee has to be paid on the balance to make the transfer happen.
- Not a good card other for purposes other than balance transfer.
Rewards*
- No rewards earned on purchases.
- Standard Annual Interest Rates of 12.99% on eligible purchases, 17.99% on balance transfers✪, and 24.99% on cash advances.
- You could get a 0% promotional annual interest rate (“AIR”)† for 12 months on balance transfers✪ completed within 90 days of account opening, with a 3% transfer fee. This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.
- Use available credit on your credit card to transfer funds right to your chequing account.
- Around-the-clock fraud protection.
Benefits*
Details*
Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car in Canada and US and 5% internationally
Eligibility*
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
N/A
The MBNA True Line Mastercard stands out in the Canadian market by offering an unmatched 0% promotional interest rate (with an initial transfer fee) on balance transfers for a full 12 months.
Best Balance Transfer Credit Card for Long Pay Period
Scotiabank Value® Visa* Card
Scotiabank Value® Visa* Card
go to Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus*
0.99% interest on balance transfers for 9 months + first year fee rebate
Rewards Rate*
0%
Annual Fee*
$29 $0
Interest Rates
13.99%* / 13.99%*
This is a great card for those who carry a balance every month and want to take advantage of much lower interest rates compared to most other cards. It also comes with a great introductory balance transfer rate for a limited number of months.
Pros
- A great low introductory interest rate on balance transfers
- Only 13.99% interest rate on purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances.
Cons
- No rewards on daily purchases
- Limited insurance
Rewards*
This card does not earn rewards on purchases but instead offers much lower interest rates.
Insurance*
Coverage*
Balance Protection
optional
Benefits*
Details*
Car Rental Discount
Avis car rental discount up to 25% worldwide
Eligibility*
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
N/A
The Scotiabank Value Visa Card stands out with its 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for the first 10 months, which later transitions to a competitive 13.99% permanent rate, all while charging one of the lowest transfer fees at just 2%. Despite having no rewards program, this card offers valuable perks including balance protection insurance and Avis car rental discounts, with the annual fee completely waived during the first year of membership.
Best Balance Transfer Credit Card with rewards
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
go to Tangerine's website
Welcome Bonus
10% Cash Back up to $100 value
Rewards Rate
0.5% - 2%
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
20.95%* / 22.95%*
While we think Tangerine isn't the best single credit card to own, it's still a valuable card to have in your arsenal for maximizing your rewards. It offers one of the highest cashback rates for pharmacy and recurring bill payments, areas where your other credit cards might not provide significant rewards. This card only requires a Fair credit score, making it an excellent choice for people who don't have a high credit score yet.
Pros
- Allows you to change the categories, and you get a 2% reward depending on how your spending is changing every 90 days.
- 2% cashback on recurring Transactions and pharmacy purchases. One of the highest cashback rates on these categories among credit cards in Canada.
- Has cashback on Furniture and Home Improvement categories. Two categories that are not covered by any other card in Canada.
- Easy credit score requirements needed for this card.
- Overall, it is a good no-annual-fee cashback credit card, especially if you have a Tangerine Savings account.
Cons
- Insurance coverage is the most basic.
- Very low cashback rate on the other categories not selected.
Rewards
- 2% on the choice of two categories chosen from the 10 offered by Tangerine (Grocery, Restaurants, Gas, Entertainment, Furniture, Hotel-Motel, Drug Store, Reoccurring Bill Payments, Home Improvement, Public Transportation and Parking).
- Have your cash back Reward deposited in a Tangerine Savings Account and get a third 2% Money-Back Category.
- 0.5% cashback on all other credit card purchases.
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Eligibility
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
N/A
If you are looking for a card that earns you rewards and also has a balance transfer bonus, the card above is what you are looking for.
Best Card with low interest
Our choice for: Luxury Travel + No FX Fees
Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card
Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card
3.8
go to Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus*
Up to 80,000 Scene+ points ($800 value)
Rewards Rate*
2x Points
Annual Fee*
$399
Interest Rates
9.99% / 9.99%
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express is the perfect choice for those seeking a super premium credit card without steep income requirements. With a high flat rate of rewards on all purchases, extensive insurance coverage, and flexible travel redemption options, it offers full-featured perks that cater to frequent travelers and savvy spenders alike.
Pros
- Low Interest Rate: Offers a competitive interest rate of 9.99%.
- Strong Rewards: Earn 2x Scene+ points on all purchases.
- Airport Lounge Access: Enjoy 10 complimentary lounge visits, including Plaza Premium Lounges, through Priority Pass (membership required).
- Comprehensive Travel Insurance: Includes extensive coverage for travel-related needs.
- Flexible Travel Rewards: Points can be redeemed for travel bookings with any provider.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: Shop internationally without extra charges.
Cons
- High Annual Fee: The annual fee is steep compared to similar cards offering similar perks.
- Limited Premium Perks: Lacks top-tier travel benefits like free checked baggage and priority boarding.
Rewards*
- Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
- Earn additional benefits + up to 4x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia
Insurance*
Coverage*
Emergency Out of province Medical
$2M, Up to 31 daysEmergency Medical Over 65
$2M, Up to 10 days
Trip Cancellation
$2500/person, $10000/trip
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1000/trip
Trip Interruption
$5000/person, $25000/trip
Baggage Delay
$1000 After 4 hoursFlight Delay
$1000/person
Travel Accident
$500K/person, $1M/occurrence.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$65K up to 48 days
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000/occurrence
Mobile Device Insurance
$1000Purchase Protection
120 daysExtended Warranty
Up to a year
Benefits*
Details*
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Airport Lounge - Plaza Premium
10 visits, 4 visits for secondary card (combined with the Priority pass)Airport Lounge - Priority Pass
10 visits, 4 visits for secondary card (combined with the Plaza Premium)
American Express® Experiences
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Concierge Services
Discount
Discount on PriorityPass Membership.svg)
Status lift
Hertz #1 Club Gold Member
Extra points
Extra 4 Scene+ points per Canadian dollar spent on hotel and car rental bookings made through Scene+ Travel using your Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
Eligibility*
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
$12,000 personal or $12,000 household
If you want low interest over the long run beyond just a promotional balance transfer period, this card is an excellent choice that also earns you great rewards and benefits.