Balance Transfer Credit Card

Balance transfers are, in effect, the same as debt consolidations as you can transfer balances from multiple credit cards onto just the one credit card which usually charges a much lower introductory interest rate. These lower interest rates are used by banks to tempt people into switching banks, but if you’re smart you can use it to your advantage.

If you can pay off your balance transfer in this time then you may just be able to save yourself a lot of money! But here’s a word of warning: don’t be fooled by low introductory rates that increase to really high interest rates – these will not save you money unless you can pay it off within the introductory time frame.

So, its fair to say that it pays to do a bit of number crunching when making a decision. We found that the introductory rates didn’t always equate to less interest being paid. As a result, we took into account both rates and fees over a year for a range of balances to work out which would be the cheapest.

Check out our reviews below to see which Balance transfer credit card works for you.

Editor's Choice - Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Balance Transfer Credit Card Reviews

Suncorp Clear Options Standard Credit Card

FEATURES SUMMARY

  • Annual fee: Low annual fee
  • Purchase rate: Low p.a. purchase rate
  • Cash Advance rate: Low p.a. cash advance rate
  • Balance Transfer rate: N/A
  • Interest-free days: N/A
  • Extras:
    • Fraudshield
    • Phone/Internet banking


Suncorp Standard Credit Card

With an annual fee ($0 for the first year) the Suncorp Standard credit card starts out looking pretty good, but how does it fare with the rest of its features?

Well, if you have a tendency to need cash from your credit card every now and then, then the Suncorp Standard credit card is a pretty handy option to have, with an  interest rate p.a. on cash advances.

Most banks try to discourage this kind of behavior on a credit card by hiking up the cash advance rate, however Suncorp has chosen not to. Just be warned, it’s not quite a low enough rate for it to become an affordable regularity.

You will just need to be very careful about purchases as you will incur interest charges as soon as you buy.

Purchases on this credit card incur an even lower interest rate p.a., which is fairly average considering there are no interest free days to fall back on if you can’t make your bill payments each month.

This means that this card is potentially more hassle than it is worth when there are other cheaper cards out there.

See our top credit card picks in the Editor’s Choice category

Bankwest Zero MasterCard

FEATURES SUMMARY

  • Annual fee: Low annual fee
  • Purchase rate: Low p.a. purchase rate
  • Cash Advance rate: Low p.a. cash advance rate
  • Balance Transfer rate: Low balance transfer rate
  • Interest-free days: Up to 55
  • Extras:
    • Phone/Internet banking
    • Up to 3 free additional cardholders


BankWest Zero Mastercard

Thanks to its name, it’s fairly obvious that the main feature of the Bankwest Zero MasterCard is the $0 annual credit card fee. But wait, just like Transformers, there’s more to this ‘no annual fee’ credit card than meets the eye.

When you first look at the Bankwest Zero Mastercard as a whole it would be fair to say it sits in the middle of the range, but looking at individual features makes this card is very enticing.

With a $0 annual fee and the fact that even with a higher balance (at least a few thousand dollars) after the introductory interest rate has expired, you’ll pay less interest than a lot of other credit cards in the low annual fee category.

For the first 12 months, all balance transfers are subject to a very low interest rate, after which they increase. This is also the interest rate for purchases and cash advances which is probably one of the lowest cash advance rates around. Team this with an interest free period of up to 55 days and you’ve got yourself a bargain.

When you look at the bigger picture it’s not an exceptionally low ongoing interest rate (as there are others that are lower), but it is the lowest interest rate around on a card with no annual fee and it actually works out being one of the cheapest over a 12 month period.

But as usual it depends on your needs and spending habits. The low introductory interest rate means that you will end up spending less in interest than a lot of other cards on the market, and it includes a double-whammy of no annual fee.

So if you’re looking for a card that is cheap and doesn’t muck around with extra benefits and features then this is the best credit card for you. We think it’s a great low annual fee credit card, only just missing out on a top 3 placing.

See our top credit card picks in the Editor’s Choice category

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Disclaimer - Information found on this website is current and up to date at the time of publishing, with reasonable efforts being made to maintain its accuracy. The Credit Card Guide features a limited selection of the credit cards available in Australia and recommends seeking independent financial advice to suit your circumstances. At times we receive a small commission from some credit card companies if you sign up after clicking the "Apply Online" buttons on this website. The content is provided as general information and should not be taken as professional financial advice.