U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card review: The breakthrough best pick for balance transfers

Although the Shield Visa card’s intro APR offers are slightly longer than the previous 21-month max available on other cards, the extra time can make a difference if you want to keep your monthly payments lower or need as much time as possible to settle your credit card debt.

Here’s a look at your remaining balance — with interest — after 18, 21 and 24 billing cycles based on the average $6,730 credit card balance, the average approximate 20 percent card APR, our Minimum Payment Calculator and the $281 monthly payment required to pay off the balance in 24 billing cycles. Otherwise, you’d need to pay $374 each month to clear your balance in 18 billing cycles, or about $321 each month in 21 billing cycles.

The U.S. Bank Shield Visa is naturally an excellent choice if you want as much breathing room as possible to pay off your balance and any future purchases without the threat of snowballing interest. Plus, its humble rewards program, annual statement and cellphone insurance give it a little bit more value to power past rival cards.

Intro APR offer: Record-breaking intro APR lengths

Fewer and fewer cards have been offering 21-month intro APRs over the past few years, which could be a challenge with the sky-high interest rates and record levels of credit card debt. In fact, Bankrate’s 2025 Credit Card Debt Report found nearly half of Americans are saddled with credit card debt. The new U.S. Bank Shield Visa Card goes against the grain with its record-breaking 0 percent intro APR for 24 billing cycles — and on both purchases and balance transfers no less (then a 17.74 percent to 28.74 percent variable APR; transfers must be within the first 60 days).

With how credit card balances have skyrocketed since 2021, the Shield Visa card re-energizes the balance transfer market with intro APR offers and features that better fit the current climate than competing cards.

Ongoing APR: Low for a balance transfer card

Balance transfer cards aren’t known for particularly low ongoing interest rates, but the U.S. Bank Shield Visa card may be able to help minimize the cost if you may need to occasionally carry a small balance for a month or two. The card’s 17.74 percent to 28.74 percent variable ongoing APR could be well below the average interest rate (currently hovering around 20 percent), and it’s one of the lower ranges available from a card with long-lasting intro APR offers.

After the intro APR offers end, you’ll also have the option to possibly save more money with a fixed-fee U.S. Bank ExtendPay installment plan on purchases of $100 (or up to 50 percent of your credit line). Many issuers provide similar buy now, pay later options, but the U.S. Bank Shield Visa card’s program has a leg up if you qualify for its $0-fee, three-month ExtendPay Plan perk. Use it carefully, though, since this benefit is only available once per calendar year, at least two months after your intro APR offers end and while your balance isn’t overlimit or overdue.

Rewards: Earns cash back — unlike rival cards

The 4 percent cash back is a stellar reward rate, but it will only yield decent cash back if you regularly use it on prepaid flights, hotels and rental cars through the U.S. Bank Rewards Center. The Shield Visa doesn’t earn the usual 1 percent back on general purchases that most rewards cards earn, so this rewards rate only comes into play when you’re traveling — which may not be a priority if you need an extra-strength debt consolidation card like the Shield Visa.

Here is how much cash back the 4 percent cash back on eligible prepaid travel translates into based on the average cost of a vacation in the U.S.for two people (rounded up to the nearest dollar):

Still, a cash back program is a notable edge over rival balance transfer cards with at least 21-month intro APR offers. Few balance transfer-focused cards earn rewards to begin with, and the closest rewards options — the Discover it® Chrome and the Citi Double Cash® Card — don’t have intro APRs that are nearly as competitive.

Perks: Potential savings after the intro APRs

There aren’t many features beyond the exceptional intro APRs, light rewards and alternative payment plans, but that’s common among balance transfer cards. The modest annual statement credit and cellphone protection are more than the competition offer, though.

It’s not much, but the $20 statement credit after 11 consecutive calendar months of purchases can be some extra pocket change each year. The cellphone protection you can get from consistently paying your monthly phone bill with the card could be much handier. However, it’s worth noting that the single $600 claim per 12-month period and $100 deductible are much weaker than the coverage the discontinued U.S. Bank Visa Platinum card offered: two $600 claims in the same period, minus a $25 deductible. The competing Wells Fargo Reflect® Card also provides stronger coverage on par with the U.S. Bank Shield Visa card’s predecessor.

Although the U.S. Bank Shield Visa may have one of the longest intro APR offers available, there are a few reasons you might opt for another card.

Rates and fees: Hefty transfer fee for big balances

Like many balance transfer cards, the U.S. Bank Shield Visa is easy to manage since there’s no annual fee and no penalty APR. However, there is a 3 percent foreign transaction fee and up to $41 fee for late and returned payments you’ll need to watch out for. Those fees are typical, though, and avoidable if you’re careful. 

On the other hand, the 5 percent balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) could be a deal-breaker depending on the size of your balance. Many balance transfer cards with 21-month intro APR offers charge a 5 percent transfer fee, but a few options with shorter intro APRs on purchases and/or balance transfers have a 3 percent balance transfer fee. It’s a bit disappointing to see the U.S. Bank Shield Visa card jump to this higher fee since the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum was perhaps the only card with intro APRs that lasted 21 billing cycles on both purchases and balance transfers that still charged a 3 percent transfer fee ($5 minimum; 17.74 percent to 28.74 percent variable APR after intro offers end). 

However, if you need more than 21 months to pay off your balance, the 5 percent transfer fee may be a better deal than the extra interest you would owe. However, if you’re able to pay off your balance within 18 months, a card with a 3 percent balance transfer fee would save you more money.

Welcome offer: No bonus rewards

Balance transfer cards with at least 21-month intro APR offers usually don’t provide sign-up bonus rewards, and the U.S. Bank Shield card is no exception. However, it’s worth mentioning that the few other rewards-earning balance transfer cards come with welcome offers, such as the Citi Double Cash® Card and the Discover it® Chrome. Still, these cards don’t keep interest at bay as long as the U.S. Bank Shield Visa can.

This probably isn’t a deal-breaker if you’re focused on paying down your balance, especially if your situation calls for long-lasting intro APRs. After all, sign-up bonuses encourage more spending at the outset. On the other hand, a welcome offer could help recoup the cost of a balance transfer fee.

Your main focus should be whittling down your balance with the U.S. Bank Shield Visa, but its modest 4 percent back on eligible Rewards Center travel can be pooled with other U.S. Bank cash rewards cards if you’re looking for more long-term value after your debt is paid off. 

Depending on your spending habits, it might be worth partnering with another rewards U.S. Bank card like the U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card*, U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card or U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card.

Although the U.S. Bank Shield Visa has the longest intro APR offers on the market for purchases and balance transfers, depending on your spending, other cards could be more cost-effective thanks to a lower balance transfer fee or stronger rewards program.

The U.S. Bank Shield Visa not only redefines what makes a leading balance transfer card, but it also provides a better solution for the growing challenge of credit card debt than long-standing cards. It could be the right fit if you:

• Want the longest timeframe possible to pay off your balance.

• Would like to divvy your balance into the lowest monthly payments you can.

• Want more perks to help you manage your balance after the intro APRs end.

• Prefer even modest rewards to give your balance transfer card more long-term value.

*The information about the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card, U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card , BankAmericard® Credit Card, and the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

Our proprietary card rating system takes into account a mix of factors when scoring balance transfer and low-interest cards, including each card’s introductory APR, intro APR period length, ongoing APR, balance transfer fee, perks and more.

While balance transfer and low-interest cards share a similar ratings rubric, we weigh features differently based on how a card is categorized. We categorize cards that carry an especially long intro APR offer on balance transfers as dedicated balance transfer cards, while cards that offer an especially low ongoing APR are considered general low-interest cards. 

Based on its features, we assigned this card a primary category of balance transfer and tailored our ratings accordingly. 

We analyzed over 100 of the most popular balance transfer and low-interest cards and scored each based on how its key features stacked up against those of other cards in its category. 

Here’s a breakdown of what gave this card its score: