MoneyGeek's Take

Best Credit Union Credit Cards for Balance Transfer in 2023

The best credit union credit cards for balance transfers come with intro 0% or low APR offers and do away with annual fees. Some of these cards offer rewards/cash back too.

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This article is part of our larger series on Best Balance Transfer Cards

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Last Updated: 3/22/2023

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

A key difference between balance transfer cards from credit unions and those issued by traditional banks is that credit unions tend to limit their intro APR offers to 12 months. However, balance transfer credit union cards typically have lower balance transfer fees. For instance, the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Card charges no balance transfer fees, even during the 0% APR promo period.

Some of the top balance transfer credit union credit cards let you earn rewards or cash back. You can also find ones with spend-based welcome offers. The only card we’ve selected that charges an annual fee is the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card, and the fee is waived for PenFed Honors Advantage Members. Most of these cards come with no foreign transaction fees, making them ideal to use outside of the U.S.

OUR REVIEW AT A GLANCE

Our Top 5 Picks
Summarized List of All Winners
Tips for Comparing Credit Cards

This article is part of our larger series on
Best Balance Transfer Cards

MoneyGeek’s Take: Top 5 Credit Union Cards for Balance Transfers

Quick Summary

The duration of a 0% or low APR offer may vary from one balance transfer card to the next, as might the balance transfer fees you need to pay. In addition, cards from this category come with varied welcome offers. We’ve accounted for these factors when selecting the top five credit union balance transfer credit cards, and we’ve also paid due attention to other aspects such as annual fees, regular APRs and added benefits. You may take a look at other good cards from this segment by scrolling further down the page.

Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum card
A great no-annual-fee balance transfer card for people with average credit
- Fair–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- 9.74% – 18% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- 0% Intro APR, then 9.74% – 18% variable APR thereafterBalance Transfer Offer
- 0%Balance Transfer Fee
We like the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum card because of several reasons. For starters, it comes with a limited-time intro 0% APR offer on balance transfers for the first 12 months, and you don’t have to pay any balance transfer fees. This card also does away with annual fees and cash advance fees.
Using the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum card outside of the U.S. makes sense as it charges no annual fees. While most balance transfer cards require that you have good or excellent credit to apply, Navy Federal Credit Union makes this card available even to people with average credit.
Pros
No annual fees
No balance transfer fees
No foreign transaction fees
Intro 0% APR offer on balance transfers
Available for those with average credit

Cons
0% APR on balance transfers for 12 months
Need to initiate balance transfers within 60 days of getting the card
Penalty APR may apply if you make late or returned payments
No annual fees
Intro 0% APR for 12 months on balance transfers,then a variable APR of 9.74% – 18% after that
No balance transfer fees
Competitive standard APRs
No foreign transaction fees
Complimentary auto collision damage waiver
Travel and emergency assistance
$0 liability policy
Free access to your credit score
May qualify with average credit
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated credit cards at CardRatings.com.
Gold Visa® Card
A good low-APR balance transfer card with no annual fees
- 13.49% – 17.99% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- 0% Intro APR, then 17.99% APR thereafterBalance Transfer Offer
- 3%Balance Transfer Fee
We recommend the Gold Visa® Card to people looking for a no-annual-fee card with an intro APR offer on balance transfers. This card’s 0% APR on balance transfers stays in place for the first 15 months. However, you need to pay a balance transfer fee.
You pay no foreign transaction fees when you use this card outside the U.S. Your PenFed membership gives you access to discounts across various categories such as retail, home and auto.
Pros
No annual fees
0% APR on balance transfers for 15 months
No foreign transaction fees

Cons
Balance transfer fee of 3%
High APR applies on outstanding balances after the promo period
Penalty APR might apply in case of late/returned payments
No annual and foreign transaction fees
No cash advance fees
Intro 0% APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 13.49% to 17.99%
3% balance transfer fee
Competitive standard APRs
Member discounts through partner merchants
Fraud monitoring
$0 liability policy
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated credit cards at CardRatings.com.
Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A great no annual fee gas rewards card
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 5xRewards Rate on Gas
- 3xRewards Rate on Groceries
- 12 monthsBalance Transfer Duration
We recommend the no annual fee Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card to individuals who wish to earn high reward rates on gas purchases. This card offers 5X points per dollar on gas purchases paid at the pump and EV charging stations. You get 3X points at restaurants, supermarkets (including most Walmart and Target locations), and TV, radio, cable, and streaming services. All other purchases earn 1X points.
New cardholders may earn 15,000 bonus points if they spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 90 days. You may use this card to transfer debt from other credit cards by using its 0% APR offer on balance transfers for 12 months. However, a 3% balance transfer fee applies.
This card is perfect for international use as it comes with no foreign transaction fees. Cardholders get access to PenFed Member and Visa Signature discounts.
Pros
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
High rewards for gas and grocery purchases

Cons
High APR
Need excellent credit score to qualify
Mediocre rewards structure for general categories
0% intro APR for balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR of 17.99%
15,000 Bonus Points for spending $1,500 in first 90 days
No annual fee
5X points on gas purchases and 3X points on other bonus categories
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A good no annual fee balance transfer card with cash back
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 1.5% – 2% Cash BackRewards Rate
- 12 monthsBalance Transfer Duration
We think the Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card might work well for people who don’t want to pay annual fees and wish to earn cash back. If you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member, you earn 2% cash back on all purchases. It changes to 1.5% for non-members. If you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days, you receive a $100 bonus statement credit.
You get to redeem the cash back you earn as statement credit, as a deposit into your into your PenFed Checking or Share account or as a scheduled monthly deposit into an account you hold with any other bank or credit union.
This card’s a 0% APR offer on balance transfers stays in place for 12 months. However, you need to pay a 3% balance transfer fee. Using this card outside of the U.S. is perfect given that it does not charge foreign transaction fees. It comes with no cash advance fees.
Pros
No annual fees
No foreign transaction fees
Bonus statement credit
Up to 2% flat cash back rewards rate
Balance transfer promo offer

Cons
Purchase variable APR of 17.99%
Credit union membership required
Balance transfer fee
No annual fees
2% cash back for PenFed Honors Advantage Members
1.5% cash back for non-members
$100 bonus offer statement credit on $1,500 spent within the first 90 days
0% balance transfer promo APR for 12 months, although a 3% fee applies on each transfer
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Alliant Visa® Platinum Credit Card
A good no-annual-fee credit card with an intro 0% APR offer
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- 13.24% – 25.24% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- 12 monthsAPR Offer Duration
- 12 monthsBalance Transfer Duration
We recommend the Alliant Visa® Platinum Credit Card to people who’re looking for cards with intro 0% APR offers. This card’s 0% APR offer applies on purchases and balances transfers, and it stays in place for the first 12 months. If you use this card to transfer a balance from another card, you need to pay a balance transfer fee. What helps is you don’t have to pay any annual fees.
Using this card outside of the U.S. might not be in your best interest as it charges foreign transaction fees.
$0 fraud liability guarantee offers safeguard against fraudulent use of your card. Other benefits include identity theft protection, auto rental collision damage waiver and roadside dispatch.
Pros
No annual fees
0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months
Auto rental collision damage waiver
Roadside dispatch

Cons
2% balance transfer fees
2% foreign transaction fees
Penalty APR may apply in case of late or returned payments
No annual fees
Intro 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 14.49% – 26.49% after that
Competitive standard APRs
Works with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay
ID Navigator by NortonLifeLock protects against identity theft
Complimentary roadside dispatch and auto rental collision damage waiver
$0 fraud liability guarantee
24/7 customer support
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply

Summary of the Best Credit Union Cards for Balance Transfer

The table below breaks down how our top credit union balance transfer cards fare against each other when it comes to the credit score you need to apply, the rewards you stand to earn and the annual fee you might need to pay.

Credit Card
Best For
Avg. Reward Rate
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum card
A great no-annual-fee balance transfer card for people with average credit
$0
Gold Visa® Card
A good low-APR balance transfer card with no annual fees
$0
Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A great no annual fee gas rewards card
$0
Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A good no annual fee balance transfer card with cash back
1.5% – 2% Cash Back
$0
Alliant Visa® Platinum Credit Card
A good no-annual-fee credit card with an intro 0% APR offer
$0
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A good travel rewards card that comes with a possible annual fee waiver
1.5– 4 points
$95
Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature cashRewards Card
A great no annual fee cash back card for average to excellent credit
1.5%–1.75% Cash Back
$0
Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards World Mastercard®
A good no-annual fee cash back card for those with average credit
1.50% – 1.75% Cash Back
$0

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

Credit unions are an ideal place to open a credit card or bank account. They are generally nonprofit, which allows them to offer higher interest rates on deposits and lower rates and fees on credit cards and other loans to their members. -- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com.

How to Compare Credit Union Credit Cards & Intro Offers

There is no single best credit union credit card for balance transfers because all these cards come with their share of advantages and shortcomings. If you wish to make the right selection, it’s important that you take your spending patterns into account and pay attention to a few other important aspects.

Duration of intro balance transfer APR offer

The cards we’ve selected that currently have intro 0% balance transfer APR offers do not charge interest on balance transfers for the first 12 months. This may also be the case with the Alliant Visa® Platinum Rewards Credit Card's intro APR, which can be as low as 0% depending on your creditworthiness and applies on balance transfers as well as purchases.

Balance transfer fees

Depending on the card you get, you might need to pay up to 3% of the transferred balance in fees. The Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Card comes with no balance transfer fees. If you get the Gold Visa® Card, you’ll need to pay a 3% balance transfer fee. The Alliant Visa® Platinum Rewards Credit Card charges a 2% balance transfer fee.

Regular balance transfer APR

This aspect requires your attention if you end up having an outstanding balance from your balance transfer at the end of the promo period. If you think you might need more time to repay your debt, you may consider getting a credit union card that comes with a low ongoing APR on balance transfers. Cards that fit this bill include Navy Federal Credit Union’s Platinum Card, cashRewards Visa Signature Card and cashRewards World Mastercard. Bear in mind that you’ll need excellent credit to qualify for these cards’ lowest rates.

Welcome offer

A number of the top balance transfer credit union credit cards we’ve selected come with spend-based welcome offers. For example, the Gold Visa® Card offers a $100 bonus statement credit if you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 90 days. Both Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards cards, on the other hand, let you earn $200 bonus cash by spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.

Rewards/cash back

With credit union balance transfer cards that offer either cash back or reward points, the cash back/rewards rate varies by card. For example, the Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers up to 5x points on category-based spending, the Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card gives you the ability to earn up to 2% cash back on all purchases, and the Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards Card comes with up to 1.75% cash back on all purchases.

Foreign transaction fee

Pay attention to this aspect if you plan to use your card outside of the U.S. While most of the top credit union balance transfer credit cards don’t charge this fee, the Alliant Visa® Platinum Rewards Credit Card makes for a notable exception.

Annual fee

The only card from this segment that charges an annual fee is the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card. However, PenFed waives this card’s $95 annual fee for existing PenFed Honors Advantage Members.

Added benefits

All these cards come with a $0 fraud liability policy. The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card also offers a $100 annual domestic air ancillary travel statement credit, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit and complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge membership.