
0% Balance Transfer & Spending Cards
Get up to 26 months 0% on both with one card
Most credit cards are good for new spending OR cutting the cost of existing debt. But some offer cheap intro rates on both. Lenders have tightened acceptance criteria in light of financial concerns from coronavirus, but our Balance Transfer & Spending Eligibility Calculator will show the cards you have the best odds of getting before you apply.

Who's this guide for? Anyone with existing card debt, who wants to transfer a balance and spend at 0% on the same card.
Not what you want? Other related best-buy guides...
0% money transfer cards | 0% spending credit cards | Balance transfer cards | Debt help | Credit cards explained
What is a 0% all-rounder credit card?

Most 0% credit cards are good for new spending OR cutting the cost of existing debt, but an all-rounder card offers 0% intro rates for a number of months on both.
You can usually get a longer 0% period with a dedicated balance transfer card, though if you have a need to borrow further (eg, a planned, affordable, one-off purchase, such as replacing a broken fridge) then an all-rounder card offers one fewer application hitting your credit file, protecting your creditworthiness.
Watch out for cards with two different 0% lengths
Certain cards have, for example, 20 months 0% on spending and 16 months 0% on transfers. In this case, after 16 months you'd start paying interest on any amount left that you'd transferred. It's therefore best to clear the card by the shortest 0% period, so you don't get caught out.
However, if you can't, any repayments you make has to go towards paying off the most expensive debt first, so this will at least clear first.
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The five golden rules
Before applying for a 0% balance transfer & spending card, ensure you read the five golden rules.
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See which credit cards you've the best chance of getting, in your own personal best-buy table.
Usually, applying is the only way to know if you'll be accepted for a credit card. Yet that marks your credit file, affecting your ability to get future credit. To help, our tool uses a 'soft search' to find your chances of acceptance before applying.
Check your chance of acceptance
Best Buys: Longest 0% 'all-rounder' cards
You'll pay a one-off fee for transferring a balance, so it's best to go for the card with the lowest fee in the time you're sure you can repay it. If unsure, play safe and go long.
Important. These include 'up to' cards, so poorer credit scorers may get a shorter deal than advertised – unless you're showing as pre-approved in our eligibility calculator. This is the best route as it shows which cards you're most likely to be accepted for.
Top 0% balance transfer & spending cards for new cardholders
LENDER | 0% LENGTHS + FEE (i) | APPLY |
Longest 0% periods + 0.5% cashback on spending, but has £3/mth fee – a Marmite card that's good for large transfers (approx £2,600+), but costly for smaller ones. After the 0%, it's 21.7% rep APR, though ditch it then to avoid the fee. Full card spec | ||
- 26mths 0% - £3/mth fee |
Check eligibility | |
Apply* | ||
![]() Virgin Money |
Decent 0% periods – all accepted get the full 20mths at 0%. After the 0% it's 21.9% rep APR. Full card spec | |
- 20mths 0% - 2.9% fee |
Check eligibility | |
Apply* | ||
![]() TSB |
Long 0% periods, though it's 'up to' 20mths. So some accepted may get 15 or 10mths at 0%. After the 0%, it's 19.9% rep APR. Full card spec | |
- Up to 20mths 0% - 2.95% fee |
Apply | |
|
Long 0% periods + poss £37.50 in bonus Nectar points, though it's 'up to' 20mths at 0%. So some accepted may get 12mths at 0%. It gives 750 Nectar points for each £35+ spend at Sainsbury's (excl fuel) in the first two months (max 7,500 points, worth £37.50). After the 0%, it's 21.9% rep APR. Full card spec | |
- Up to 20mths 0% - 3% fee (min £3) |
Check eligibility | |
Apply* | ||
M&S Bank |
Free '£30' plus all accepted get 18/16mths at 0% – though be careful of the different lengths. Get £25 cashback on £100+ spent within 90 days and collect 500 M&S points on a no-min spend at M&S via a coupon it sends, worth £5 in M&S vouchers. The card has a 19.9% rep APR. Full card spec | |
- 18mths 0% (spending), 16mths 0% (transfers) - 2.9% fee (min £5) |
Check eligibility | |
Apply* | ||
The next best 0% all-rounder cards. Here are quick details of four alternatives. | ||
MBNA 0% only on purchases/ transfers in the first 60 days |
Up to 20mths 0%, 2.99% or 3.49% fee 20.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
Apply* | ||
Barclaycard | 18mths 0%, 2.9% fee 21.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
Apply* | ||
HSBC (ii) | 18mths 0%, 2.9% fee (min £5) 22.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
Tesco Bank | Up to 15mths 0%, 1.99% fee 20.9% rep APR |
Check eligibility |
Apply* |
Important: (i) Fee as a percentage of debt shifted. To get the 0% and fee, you must usually do the balance transfer within 60/90 days of opening. You can't transfer a balance between cards from the same bank/group. (ii) HSBC has asked we send people to our eligibility calc, to reduce demand on it at this crucial time.|Representative APR (variable) after the 0% period is stated above – your balance transfer interest may be different.|See all official APR examples.
Cashback sites may pay you for signing up
As an extra boon, members of specialist cashback websites can be paid when they sign up to some financial products. Do check it's exactly the same deal though, as terms can be different. And remember that cashback is never 100% guaranteed until it's in your account.
There's full help to take advantage of this and pros and cons in our Top Cashback Sites guide.
0% 'all-rounder' cards Q&A
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