Glen Luke Flanagan is a former deputy editor on the credit cards team at Forbes Advisor. Prior to joining Forbes Advisor, he covered credit cards as a senior writer for LendingTree. He’s passionate about helping people understand personal finance so.
Glen Luke Flanagan ContributorGlen Luke Flanagan is a former deputy editor on the credit cards team at Forbes Advisor. Prior to joining Forbes Advisor, he covered credit cards as a senior writer for LendingTree. He’s passionate about helping people understand personal finance so.
Written By Glen Luke Flanagan ContributorGlen Luke Flanagan is a former deputy editor on the credit cards team at Forbes Advisor. Prior to joining Forbes Advisor, he covered credit cards as a senior writer for LendingTree. He’s passionate about helping people understand personal finance so.
Glen Luke Flanagan ContributorGlen Luke Flanagan is a former deputy editor on the credit cards team at Forbes Advisor. Prior to joining Forbes Advisor, he covered credit cards as a senior writer for LendingTree. He’s passionate about helping people understand personal finance so.
Contributor Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
| Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel Rewards
Updated: Dec 15, 2023, 2:54pm
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Editor’s Note: This card is no longer available to new applicants.
If you’re looking for a credit card with no balance transfer fee and well over a year of 0% APR, the Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card * merits your consideration. It doesn’t have any other bells and whistles worth mentioning, but since holders of this card avoid the 3% to 5% balance transfer fee that most cards charge, it’s a powerful tool for getting rid of high-interest credit card debt.
The information for this card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
More HighlightsCredit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Typically, if you want to do a balance transfer to a card offering a 0% intro APR period, you’ll have to pay a fee of 3% to 5% of the amount transferred. There are a few cards out there that charge no balance transfer fee, but many require you to qualify for credit union membership.
The Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card stands out for having no balance transfer fee for making a transfer within the first 60 days of opening the account and not having restrictive membership requirements to apply for the card. It also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening, followed by a regular 11.49% – 22.99% variable APR. A $0 introductory balance transfer fee applies for transfers completed within 60 days of account opening. After that, a fee of 3% or $10, whichever is greater applies.
Why you can trust Forbes Advisor
Our credit card editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the credit card methodology for the ratings below.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Citi Double Cash® Card On Citi's Website Welcome Bonus Earn $200 cash back Annual Fee Credit Score Excellent, Good, Fair Regular APR 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card On Citi's Website Welcome Bonus Annual Fee Credit Score Excellent, Good Regular APR 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
The Union Bank Platinum offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening, followed by a regular 11.49% – 22.99% variable APR. A $0 introductory balance transfer fee applies for transfers completed within 60 days of account opening. After that, a fee of 3% or $10, whichever is greater applies.
Interest Rates
Fees
If you need a longer 0% intro APR period and you’re willing to pay a balance transfer fee, consider the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card over the Union Bank Platinum. The Reflect offers a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. A 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% variable APR applies thereafter. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro APR and a balance transfer fee of 5%, min $5 applies.
While the Wells Fargo Reflect doesn’t offer rewards or a welcome bonus, it excels in its niche—with nearly two years of 0% APR, it’s one of the best options around if you need a long time to pay down high-interest debt from another card.
There’s no annual fee, and you can get up to $600 of cell phone protection if using this card to pay your bill (subject to a $25 deductible and two claims may be made per year).
Looking for a balance transfer card with a long intro period and valuable rewards to keep in your wallet long after you’re done paying off the transfer? The Citi Double Cash® Card fits the bill. It offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). Once you’re done paying off your credit card debt, keep this card in your wallet for the flat-rate rewards. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off.
This card charges no annual fee. However, unlike the other cards mentioned, the Double Cash has no intro APR on purchases.
The Chase Freedom Flex® offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% applies. Balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) of the amount of each transfer applies.
Note that while the intro APR periods are the same length as those of the Union Bank Platinum Visa, and the Freedom Flex charges a balance transfer fee while the Union Bank card does not for balance transfers completed within the first 60 days of account opening. For consumers purely focused on balance transfers, the Platinum is clearly the better option.
However, if you’re planning a big purchase, the Flex offers a welcome bonus of $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Plus, it comes with generous ongoing rewards at no annual fee: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Last but not least, the Flex offers a long list of benefits, including cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and more.
If you’re looking for a credit card with more than a year of 0% intro APR and no balance transfer fee, the Union Bank Platinum might be your best choice. Cards that don’t charge a balance transfer fee are rare, and those that exist often have credit union membership requirements.
That said, the Union Bank Platinum offers a somewhat short intro APR period compared to competing balance transfer cards. If you think you’ll need a longer time to pay off your credit card debt, consider options such as the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card or the Citi Double Cash® Card instead.