Fee vs avoided interest
A 3% fee on $5,000 is $150 upfront. If your current card is 24.99% APR, you'd pay roughly $1,562 in interest over 15 months on that same balance — net savings ~$1,412.
Balance transfer fee calculator
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%
%
Transfer fee
$150
3% of $5,000
Interest avoided
$1,562
Over 15 months at 24.99% APR
Net savings
$1,412
Breakeven: month 2
Net savings assumes you'd otherwise carry the same balance on your current card for the full promo window. To actually capture the savings, you need to pay the transferred balance to zero before the 0% APR ends — otherwise the leftover gets hit with the new card's go-to APR.
Calculations are estimates for educational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Actual payoff timelines, interest charges, and credit outcomes may vary.
How the math works
The fee is real — the savings depend on what you would have paid.
Breakeven is the key number
Breakeven = the month where avoided interest equals the fee. At 24.99% APR, a 3% fee breaks even in under 2 months — anything past that is pure savings.
Watch the promo deadline
The savings only land if the balance hits zero before the 0% APR ends. Use the payoff calculator below to back into the monthly payment you need.
5% fee changes the math
A 5% fee almost doubles the breakeven. It can still be worth it on high APRs and long promos — run the numbers with your specific card.
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