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Balance Transfer Calculator

Balance transfer calculator (Australia)

Enter your card balances, the 0% period and the transfer fee to see the monthly payment that clears the debt inside the offer, the balance left if you pay less, and whether the fee is worth it. Preset for Australian offers, including revert rates and limit rules.

Saves money$222/mo clears it in timeResults

Results

MeasureWithout transferWith transfer
Months to pay off5136
Total interest$2,513$238
Interest and fee$2,513$338

Based on these numbers, transferring saves about $2,175 compared with paying the same $150 a month without transferring, after the $100 fee and $28 of interest while the transfer posts.

At this payment the balance is not cleared when the intro period ends; the remaining amount is charged at the standard rate.

The standard rate on the new card is higher than the average rate on the current cards, so anything left after the intro period costs more than before.

Payment to clear the balance before the intro period ends
$221.74 a month for 23 months
Interest and fees, without and with the transferTotal interest: $2,513 without transfer, $238 with transfer. Transfer fee: $0 without transfer, $100 with transfer. Interest and fee: $2,513 without transfer, $338 with transfer.$0$1,000$2,000$3,000$2,513$238Total interest$0$100Transfer fee$2,513$338Interest and fee
Without transferWith transfer
Break-even details
Break-even feeAbove 25%The transfer saves money at any realistic fee.
Break-even monthMonth 2The first month in which the interest avoided passes the fee.
Verdict flips at$2,657 a monthAbove this payment the fee outweighs the interest avoided.
Interest avoided during intro$1,673
Interest charged after intro$210On the balance left when the intro period ends.
Saving vs your current payments$2,175Includes the effect of paying more, so it is not used for the verdict.
  • At this payment the balance is not cleared when the intro period ends; the remaining amount is charged at the standard rate.
  • The standard rate on the new card is higher than the average rate on the current cards, so anything left after the intro period costs more than before.
Balance left when the intro period ends
If you payMonthlyLeft at month 23First month's interest after
Your planned payment$150$1,650$30.24
Minimum onlyvaries$4,047$74.17
Clear-in-time payment$221.74$0$0

Opening balance $5,100.00 = $5,000.00 transferred + $100.00 fee. Paying only the minimum clears it in 186 months and costs $5,710 in interest.

Side by side: do nothing, transfer, pay more, personal loan
ScenarioMonthlyMonthInterestFeesCost over 51 months
Keep paying as now$15051$2,513$0$7,513
Balance transfer$15036$238$100$5,338
Same payment, no transfer$15051$2,513$0$7,513
Personal loan$19536$1,739$263$7,002

The last column counts payments made through month 51 plus whatever is still owed at that point, so a route that never clears is charged for the balance it leaves behind rather than looking cheap.

Month-by-month schedule

36 months. Total interest $209.84, total paid $5,309.84.

MonthStartInterestPaymentPrincipalEndMinimum due
1$5,100.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,950.00$51.00
2$4,950.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,800.00$49.50
3$4,800.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,650.00$48.00
4$4,650.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,500.00$46.50
5$4,500.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,350.00$45.00
6$4,350.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,200.00$43.50
7$4,200.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$4,050.00$42.00
8$4,050.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,900.00$40.50
9$3,900.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,750.00$40.00
10$3,750.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,600.00$40.00
11$3,600.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,450.00$40.00
12$3,450.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,300.00$40.00
13$3,300.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,150.00$40.00
14$3,150.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$3,000.00$40.00
15$3,000.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$2,850.00$40.00
16$2,850.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$2,700.00$40.00
17$2,700.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$2,550.00$40.00
18$2,550.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$2,400.00$40.00
19$2,400.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$2,250.00$40.00
20$2,250.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$2,100.00$40.00
21$2,100.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$1,950.00$40.00
22$1,950.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$1,800.00$40.00
23$1,800.00$0.00$150.00$150.00$1,650.00$40.00
24$1,650.00$30.24$150.00$119.76$1,530.24$46.74
25$1,530.24$28.04$150.00$121.96$1,408.28$43.34
26$1,408.28$25.81$150.00$124.19$1,284.09$40.00
27$1,284.09$23.53$150.00$126.47$1,157.62$40.00
28$1,157.62$21.21$150.00$128.79$1,028.83$40.00
29$1,028.83$18.85$150.00$131.15$897.68$40.00
30$897.68$16.45$150.00$133.55$764.13$40.00
31$764.13$14.00$150.00$136.00$628.13$40.00
32$628.13$11.51$150.00$138.49$489.64$40.00
33$489.64$8.97$150.00$141.03$348.61$40.00
34$348.61$6.39$150.00$143.61$205.00$40.00
35$205.00$3.76$150.00$146.24$58.76$40.00
36$58.76$1.08$59.84$58.76$0.00$40.00
Balance over time

Loading chart.

What is different about Australian offers

A worked example

A $6,000 balance at 20.74% p.a., paid at $300 a month, takes about 25 months and costs roughly $1,400 in interest. Moved to a 24-month 0% offer with a 3% fee ($180), the same $300 a month clears $6,180 in 21 months with no interest, saving around $1,200 after the fee. If the card also charges a $59 annual fee, two years of it reduce the saving by $118, still clearly worth it for this balance. With a $2,000 balance at the same $300 a month the debt clears in eight months anyway, so the saving shrinks to about $70 before any annual fee, and a $59 annual fee turns the verdict marginal; the calculator shows the break-even fee for your own figures.

Responsible lending and limits

Since 2019, issuers must assess whether an applicant could repay the full credit limit within three years, which limits how large a balance transfer card can be. If the whole balance does not fit within the limit after the fee, the calculator leaves the remainder on the old card at its rate and includes that in the comparison.

Timing

Transfers usually post within 5 to 10 business days. The promotional period is counted from approval or account opening, and the old card keeps charging interest until the transfer arrives. Keep paying at least the minimum on the old card in the meantime.

Formulas, defaults and known limitations are on the methodology page. The US version of the calculator is on the home page.

Common questions

What rate applies after the 0% period in Australia?

Often the cash advance rate rather than the purchase rate. Several issuers state that any unpaid transferred balance is treated as a cash advance once the promotional period ends, at rates of roughly 21% to 30% p.a. Enter your card's cash advance rate as the "APR after intro" if that is how your offer is written.

Can I keep using the card for purchases during the transfer period?

You can, but purchases will usually be charged interest from the day of purchase, because interest-free days on purchases do not apply while a balance transfer is outstanding. Use another card for spending until the transferred amount is cleared.

How much of my credit limit can I transfer?

Typically 70% to 100% of the approved limit, and the fee counts toward it. If the whole balance does not fit, the calculator shows what stays on the old card and keeps charging interest there.

Is the annual fee included in the calculation?

Not automatically. Many long-promotion cards charge $49 to $69 a year. Treat it as part of the fee when reading the verdict: on a $3,000 transfer a $69 annual fee is the equivalent of an extra 2.3% transfer fee.

Why might offers get shorter after October 2026?

The Reserve Bank of Australia's lower interchange caps take effect on 1 October 2026, reducing issuer revenue. Comparison sites expect promotional periods and fee structures to tighten as a result. Check the current terms rather than a remembered offer.

Sources

  1. ASIC media release 18-257MR, credit card responsible lending (3-year repayment assumption), retrieved 2026-09-02.
  2. NAB, balance transfers and interest-free days (unpaid balance treated as a cash advance after the promotional period), retrieved 2026-09-02.
  3. Finder and Canstar, balance transfer credit card market summaries (promo lengths, fees, revert rates, limits), retrieved 2026-09-02.