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BankAmericard® review: Is it the missing piece to your debt repayment strategy?

Get one of the longest intro APR offers out there on both purchases and balance transfers.

 /  7 min
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At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for . The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

Snapshot

5.0

Bankrate rating
Info
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Bottom line

This card’s substantially long intro APR period can help you pay off debt while saving potentially hundreds of dollars or more in interest charges. However, if you can pay your debt off in 15 months or less, better options with more long-term value may be out there.

Image of BankAmericard® credit card
Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site

Best Balance Transfer Card With A Low Ongoing APR

BankAmericard® credit card

Rewards rate

N/A

Annual fee

Intro offer

N/A

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info

BankAmericard® Overview

If you want to pay off your credit card debt with a balance transfer card, the BankAmericard credit card is a great choice. You can take advantage of its special introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers, and depending on the ongoing APR (or interest rate) you qualify for, the BankAmericard could also be a great low-interest credit card.

If you need maximum time to pay off debt without added interest, the BankAmericard may help you more than many other balance transfer cards. However, once your intro APR period ends, the card won’t have a lot of value. If you’re able to pay your debt off in less time, a cash back card with an intro APR period may have better long-term value.

  • Credit Card Cash Back

    Rewards

    • The BankAmericard does not offer rewards

    Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive 
    See our expert analysis

  • Credit Card Apr
    0% APR offer
    • 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 21 billing cycles
    • 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers for 21 billing cycles on transfers made in the first 60 days
    • 3 percent balance transfer fee applies
    • 15.74 percent to 25.74 percent ongoing variable APR

    Expert Appraisal: Good
    See our expert analysis

  • Credit Card Search

    Rates and fees

    • No annual fee 
    • 3 percent balance transfer fee
    • 3 percent foreign transaction fee 
    • No penalty APR

    Expert Appraisal: Good
    See our expert analysis

  • Congrats
    Other cardholder perks
    • BankAmeriDeals
    • Free monthly FICO® Score
    • Museums on Us®

    Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
    See our expert analysis

BankAmericard pros and cons

Pros

  • Checkmark

    Intro APR offer applies to both purchases and balance transfers

  • Checkmark

    Ongoing APR is lower than most rival cards’ rates

  • Checkmark

    Does not charge a penalty APR

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer rewards or waive late fees, hampering its long-term value

  • Not ideal for purchases abroad due to foreign transaction fee

  • Limited benefits outside of standard Bank of America cardholder perks

Why you might want the BankAmericard

For anyone focused on securing maximum time to pay down debt, the BankAmericard is one of the best cards available. Its long intro offer applies to both purchases and balance transfers and the ongoing interest rate is more forgiving than many other cards on the market.

Intro APR offer: One of the longest intro APR offers available

The main draw for the BankAmericard is its stellar intro APR offers on both purchases and balance transfers. The longer an intro APR offer is, the more time you’ll have to pay off your balance without added interest — potentially saving you hundreds of dollars. If you need to finance a large purchase or manage a debt-payoff strategy, the BankAmericard gives you breathing room to handle what you need. 

Just make sure to pay off your balance before the intro APR period ends to maximize this benefit. Bankrate’s balance transfer calculator can help you nail down how much you have to pay each month to meet that goal.

Interest rate: Lower-than-average ongoing interest rate

As Fed rate hikes continue, credit card interest rates are reaching record heights. With the current average interest rate for credit cards hovering just over 20 percent, the ongoing 15.74 percent to 25.74 percent variable APR on the BankAmericard could offer a welcome reprieve. While the lingering value post-intro APR offer is slim with this card, it could serve as a low-interest credit card going forward and still save you some money overall. 

Why you might want a different balance transfer card

While the BankAmericard does allow people to focus on paying down debt during the intro APR period, the value beyond that is pretty limited. The card doesn’t offer rewards and will cost you extra if you use it abroad.

Rewards: No rewards or welcome offer 

You won’t get cash back or points and miles for your spending with the BankAmericard. However, the BankAmericard isn’t trying to be your go-to option for rewards. That said, once your intro APR offer ends, it could be hard to justify keeping the BankAmericard. Any balance transfers you make after the first 60 days will be subject to the ongoing APR (15.74 percent to 25.74 percent variable) and you won’t have much incentive to make new purchases since you won’t get rewards.

Fees: Foreign transaction fee

If you plan on getting a new card to use abroad, the BankAmericard probably isn’t the best choice. The 3 percent foreign transaction fee will add onto the cost of any purchase you make, so it won’t be the most cost-effective card for your wallet in this scenario.

Perks: Limited useful benefits 

There are only a few noteworthy cardholder perks on the BankAmericard. The most interesting is the Museums on Us® program, which grants you free general admission to museums during the first weekend of every month. All you have to do is show your Bank of America card and a valid photo ID at any of these 225 cultural institutions and save some money on a fun weekend trip. Otherwise, Bank of America’s BankAmerideals (a standard credit card shopping portal) and free monthly FICO® score are both common credit card features that hardly standout.

We tried it: Here’s what our experts say

Our editor, Ashley Parks, recently got the BankAmericard to help pay off some of her travel card debt.

 “I really wanted a card that would force me to focus solely on paying down debt. I didn’t want rewards or welcome offers to distract me, so the BankAmericard gave me exactly what I needed. I also already bank with Bank of America, so it’s easy to manage all of my accounts in one place with its mobile app. While I know the card won’t have much value once the intro period is over, I do intend to keep the card open to add a nice boost to my available credit and lengthen my credit history.”

How the BankAmericard compares to other balance transfer cards

The BankAmericard is a great option for paying off debt or financing a big purchase, but it’s not your only option. Depending on what you need, you may prefer a card without a foreign transaction fee or one that earns rewards. Here are a couple of different options to consider.

Image of BankAmericard® credit card
Bankrate Score
Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site

Annual fee

$0

Intro offer

N/A

Rewards rate

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Citi Simplicity® Card
Bankrate Score
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site

Annual fee

$0

Intro offer

N/A

Rewards rate

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Discover it® Balance Transfer
Bankrate Score
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site

Annual fee

$0

Intro offer

Cashback Match™
Info

Rewards rate

1% - 5%
Info

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info

Who is the BankAmericard right for?

There are a couple types of consumers who will benefit the most from the features offered by the BankAmericard. 

Bankrate’s Take — Is the BankAmericard worth it?

The BankAmericard credit card is a strong choice if you need one of the longest intro APR periods available to pay down your balance. While it doesn’t earn rewards or carry many features that distinguish it from other balance transfer cards with similar intro APR offer lengths, the BankAmericard could be worth keeping even after your balance is paid thanks to its potentially low ongoing APR.

Dig deeper: Why I love the BankAmericard

Frequently asked questions

Written by
Ashley Parks
Credit Cards Editor

As a Bankrate credit cards editor, Ashley Parks is fascinated by the ways people can make credit cards work for them when armed with the right knowledge.

Edited by Credit Cards Editor
Reviewed by Editor

* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.