Rolling your credit cards into one consolidation loan
A credit card consolidation loan pays off several cards at once, and you repay one lender at one fixed rate. It only helps if that rate and fee beat what the cards charge.
A credit card consolidation loan swaps several high card rates for one fixed rate. Bank loans averaged 11.9% versus 22.36% for cards in August 2026 (Federal Reserve G.19).
The first thing to do is call a specialist. They go through your cards for free and compare the loans that fit your amount.
Why cards are the right debt to consolidate
Revolving balances charge some of the highest rates you pay, and they have no end date. Each account charges its own rate and grows again with every new purchase.
The CFPB says paying more than 60 days late lets the card company raise the rate on the whole balance (CFPB). A fixed loan has one rate, one due date and one payment. That payment cannot be raised.
Balances above 30% of a card’s limit also pull down your credit score (MyCreditUnion.gov). Paying every card to zero with one loan fixes that in one step.
Credit card consolidation loan rate versus card rate
On $14,000 at an average of 24%, paying $420 a month costs about $9,302 in interest before the balances are gone. One loan at 11.9% over four years costs about $3,663 in interest (Federal Reserve). The lower rate creates that whole gap.
A loan at 25% over four years costs about $8,282 in interest. That still beats paying $420 a month on the cards.
But that loan payment is $464, which is more than the $420 you pay now. The shorter four-year term causes the higher bill. So a loan can save interest and still raise your monthly payment.
Call and the specialist runs your real cards through the numbers, or enter them in the consolidation calculator.
Balance transfer or loan
A promo card charges a low rate, even zero, for a set number of months. After that, the regular rate starts.
The CFPB says the transfer fee still applies on a zero-percent offer (CFPB).
A transfer wins if you can clear the balance before the promo ends. A loan wins if you need three or four years. Read the full side-by-side on loan or balance transfer.
The steps
Start by calling a specialist on our line with each card’s balance, rate and minimum in hand. The specialist checks where your credit stands.
Then they compare soft-pull prequalified offers for your amount. Together you weigh the APR, fee and term, and you pick one offer.
The lender pays the cards directly, or you pay them the day the money lands. Set the new payment on autopay. Leave the cards open and empty.
Calculator
Our debt consolidation loan tool takes up to four cards and puts both sides in one table.
For a single card, the credit card payoff calculator shows how long your current payment takes. Call and the specialist checks the results with you.
Related topics
Before you borrow
Does credit card debt consolidation hurt your credit?
A little at first. The hard inquiry and the new account each pull your score down a bit. Then cleared cards drop your balances to a small share of your limits, one of the biggest parts of a score.
Is it good to consolidate your credit card debt?
Yes, when the loan rate is well under your card rate and you stop adding to the cards. Moving from 24% to 11.9% is a clear win. Moving from 24% to 23% and paying a fee is not.
How long will it take to pay off $20,000 in credit card debt?
Paying $600 a month at 22.36% takes about 53 months. One loan at 11.9% over four years costs about $526 a month. It ends in 48 months.
How do you get rid of $30,000 in credit card debt?
A loan fits if your score gets you a rate under your cards. If it does not, the specialist walks you through a nonprofit debt management plan. Settlement only makes sense if you are already far behind.
Turn your cards into one payment
You carry several card balances, each with its own rate, due date and minimum. At 24%, $14,000 paid at $420 a month costs about $9,302 in interest before it is gone. Call now and a specialist goes through your cards for free and compares the loans that fit today.