A business credit card can make it easier to manage your business expenses and help grow your business, but with the right card, you may even be able to save money. Business credit cards with intro 0% APRs allow small business owners to make essential purchases or pay down debt over time without accumulating interest.
How Do 0% APR Business Credit Cards Work?
With these cards, credit card issuers typically offer 0% interest for a limited period of time: 6–12 months is typical. After that introductory period ends, the interest rate will revert to a higher variable rate APR. Any remaining balance, as well as new purchases, will accrue interest at that new rate as long as there is a balance on the card. (Most cards offer a grace period so you can pay the balance in full each billing cycle to avoid interest charges.)
What to Keep in Mind With 0% APR Intro Offers
Make sure you understand the terms of the offer to make an informed decision.
- Some 0% intro offers apply to new purchases, some apply to balance transfers, and some apply to both.
- In the case of balance transfers, there is often a one-time balance transfer fee, usually ranging from 3-5% of the amount transferred.
- The 0% intro period typically lasts for several months after account opening (not when you make a purchase), or as soon as you make a balance transfer if that’s the type of offer you’re using.
- If the card offers free employee cards, the 0% offer will typically apply to those purchases as well.
How Do 0% APR Business Credit Cards Help Small Business Owners?
Low-rate business credit card offers can help business owners in several ways. They can:
- Provide startup financing. It’s often hard for new businesses to qualify for small business loans, and these cards can provide crucial startup capital at a low cost.
- Finance large purchases for a short period of time. Depending on the intro APR period, you may have several months or over a year to pay for a large purchase without incurring interest. This may give you time to earn revenue on that investment to help pay back the debt, or simply free up cash flow for other purposes.
- Help build business credit. Almost all business credit cards report to at least one business credit reporting agency, and on time payments can help build good business credit scores.
- Separate personal and business credit. Most business credit cards don’t appear on the cardholder’s personal credit reports unless they don’t pay back the balance. This can help protect the business owner’s personal credit from high debt utilization.
- Track business expenses. Using a business credit card to pay for business expenses helps keep your business finances organized, and can make tax time easier.
- Earn rewards and perks. If your 0% APR card also earns rewards, like cash back or rewards points, or perks like car rental insurance, you can really come out ahead.
How to Get the Most Value Out of a 0% APR Business Credit Card
The best way to take advantage of an introductory APR offer is to pay off the total balance by the end of the promotional period to avoid additional interest charges. To do that you’ll need to factor in the length of the promotional period, your spending needs, and your monthly budget, when deciding how much to borrow.
For example, a $5,000 purchase on a card with a 9-month 0% APR offer would require a monthly payment of at least $556, while the same purchase, when made on a card with a 12-month 0% APR offer would require a monthly payment of $417 to pay it off before the offer expires.
A good strategy to ensure you pay off the balance off before the 0% offer expires is to set up automatic payments.
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Is a 0% APR Business Credit Card Right for You?
There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing a small business credit card, and the interest rate is just one of those. Ultimately you want to choose a card (or two) that best fits your business needs. If your goal is to maximize rewards, for example, you may want to look for a rewards credit card with excellent sign-up bonuses or welcome offers.
That said, there’s no reason why you can’t consider a rewards credit card for everyday purchases you’ll pay off in full, and a separate low-rate credit card for times when you need to carry a balance and pay over time. There are rewards cards that offer business owners unlimited cash back, and additional bonuses for business purchases from gas stations, office supply stores and from phone service providers.
You’ll also want to understand how your credit history will impact the cards you can get. Most issuers of both personal credit cards and small business credit cards will check the applicant’s personal credit score to determine creditworthiness. (Note that if you provide your social security number on the application, it’s likely there will be a personal credit check.)
If you have what’s considered average or fair credit, you may find it’s harder to find a 0% APR business credit card, but it’s worth checking reviewing business cards designed for borrowers with fair credit.
A few issuers check business credit instead of personal credit, so if you have poor credit but strong revenues and business credit, you may want to look into one of those cards instead. These cards may require your business to be incorporated and you should get an Employer Identification Number before you apply.
Best 0% APR Business Credit Cards
Here are some of the top business credit cards offers with 0% intro APRs:
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
- 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
- $0 annual fee
- Rewards points
American Express offers business owners a slew of business credit cards, many with top-rated rewards programs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers new users an intro APR of [offermeta id="10185" field="Intro APR"] (17.49% - 27.49% Variable after that) and there is $0 annual fee.
The foreign transaction fee is 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
If you don’t want to be pinned down by category limits and plan to spend less than or close to $50,000, this card can provide the financing window you need along with a solid rewards rate.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
A great business card for flexible spending and travel rewards points.
Pros
- Competitive intro APR offer and rewards rate
- No annual fee
- For a limited time, earn Membership Rewards® points on initial spending.
Cons
- Foreign transaction fee.
Intro APR
Purchase APR
Annual Fee
Welcome Offer
2. Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
This Chase Ink card also has a good combination of benefits:
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
- Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee is $0
The ongoing cash back reward includes high cash back rates in bonus categories. Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn. The purchase rate is 18.49% - 24.49% Variable.
*All information about the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav. This card is not currently available through Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
All information about the Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav. This card is not currently available through Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
Pros
- All information about the Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav
- This card is not currently available through Nav
- To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
Cons
- All information about the Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav
- This card is not currently available through Nav
- To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
Intro APR
Purchase APR
Annual Fee
Welcome Offer
3. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Another card from the line of Chase Ink Business cards, this one offers 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months. Otherwise the purchase rate is 18.49% - 24.49% Variable. Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
This card offers a flat rate cash back reward rate. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business.. The annual fee is $0.
*All information about the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav. This card is not currently available through Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
All information about the Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav. This card is not currently available through Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
Pros
- All information about the Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav
- This card is not currently available through Nav
- To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
Cons
- All information about the Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card has been collected independently by Nav
- This card is not currently available through Nav
- To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
Intro APR
Purchase APR
Annual Fee
Welcome Offer
4. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
- Intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
- $0 Annual Fee
- Cash Back Rewards
If you’re interested in receiving 0% APR financing while earning cash back rewards, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card could be one of the best credit cards for your business. This card offers new applicants an APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that, the APR of 17.49% - 27.49% Variable will apply to any remaining balance.
Welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
Regular rewards rate: Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
There’s $0 annual fee for this card, but it does have foreign transaction fees of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
5. U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card
This business credit card offers the longest 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers available now. It lasts for the first 18 billing cycles, and after that a variable APR, currently 16.99% - 25.99% (Variable)*, applies. It also has no annual fee. While it doesn’t offer rewards, it features employee card spending controls and expense management tools.
*All information about the U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card has been collected independently by Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
6. U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards VISA® Business Card
Get a 0% intro APR period of 12 months for purchases and cash advances along with cash back rewards, and a variable rate after that.
Earn up to 3% cash back on select categories (gas and EV charging stations, office supply store, cell phone service providers and restaurant purchases) and 1% cash back on everything else. There is also a $100 annual software credit.
Plus, there is currently a welcome bonus. Earn $750 cash back if eligible Net Purchases totaling $6000 or more are made to the card within 180 days from account opening.
There is no annual fee.
*All information about the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards VISA® Business Card has been collected independently by Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
7. Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
- 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases
- $0.00 annual fee
- Rewards points
Not interest in cash back? Prefer to earn points for travel and take advantage of 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases? You may want to consider the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card.
With this card, you can expect an APR of 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases (17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR on purchases after that), and with the online offer you can earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases.
On an ongoing basis, the rewards rate is a solid 3 points for every $1 spent for travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center and 1.5 rewards points for every $1 spent on all purchases.
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card is a great option for Bank of America customers who also want to take advantage of a travel rewards program.
Intro APR
Purchase APR
Annual Fee
Welcome Offer
8. Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
Get 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases with a purchase rate of 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR on purchases after that. The annual fee is $0.00. There’s also a welcome offer of a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
The ongoing rewards rate is 1.5% cash back on all purchases.. However there is a foreign transaction fee of 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each transaction.
Intro APR
Purchase APR
Annual Fee
Welcome Offer
9. Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
Get 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases. The purchase rate is 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR on purchases.
The annual fee is $0.00 and the welcome offer is a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
Where this card really shines is with its flexible cash back rewards program.
Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (for the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter), 2% cash back on dining purchases (for the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter), and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
10. Bank of America® Platinum Plus® Mastercard® Business card
- 0% for 7 billing cycles on purchases
- $0.00 Annual Fee
While it's not the longest intro APR offer, Bank of America customers may appreciate the opportunity to receive a 0% for 7 billing cycles on purchases. The purchase rate is 15.49% - 26.49% Variable APR on purchases. While this card doesn’t offer rewards for spending, it does feature a welcome offer: $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
Features include cash flow management tools and integration with the Bank of America mobile app. There’s $0.00 annual fee for this card.
How to Qualify for a 0% APR Business Credit Card
Qualifying for a business credit card with 0% APR financing is much like qualifying for other small business cards. When you apply for one of these cards, the card issuer will likely check your personal credit history, credit score and require a personal guarantee.
With 0% APR business cards, you’ll need to have good or excellent credit to apply, these offers are created to attract the most qualified applicants.
What Does 0% APR Mean?
APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate, and it’s the most common way of measuring and comparing interest rates for credit cards and other types of consumer loans, as well as some small business loans. A 0% APR rate means that interest charges won’t accrue on that particular balance for a limited period of time (provided the account remains in good standing).
Once the 0% APR promotional rate expires, the standard rate will apply to any remaining unpaid balance.
Also note that 0% APR promotional rate may apply to new purchases, balance transfers or both, depending on the terms of the offer. Otherwise, you’ll still incur interest at the standard rate on other balances.
0% APR Business Credit Cards vs. Small Business Loans
A business credit card may be an excellent choice for short-term financing for your business. But if you need longer term financing, or a large amount of financing, you may be better off considering other small business loans. There are many options, but two of the most popular include:
A line of credit. This financing is similar to a credit card in that you only borrow the amount you need, when you need it. Some lines of credit offer interest-only payments for several years (during the “draw period,”) followed by a period of time where you repay the debt.
A term loan. This type of financing offers a fixed amount of money with a specific repayment schedule. You may have a longer time to repay the loan than with a line of credit. Payments may be larger than your required credit card payment, but you won’t stretch out the debt for decades the way you can if you just make the minimum payment on a credit card.
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Reduce the pain in financing with streamlined applications, instant offers and approval rates that are 3.5X higher than industry averages.
FAQs About 0% Intro APR Business Credit Cards
Can I Use My 0% APR Personal Credit Card for Business Purposes?
You can – but that doesn’t mean you should. When you swipe your credit card, no one is likely to question whether it’s for a truly personal or business purchase. As long as the purchase doesn’t appear to be fraudulent, and you’re under your credit limit, it should go through.
But there are some potential problems with using a personal credit card in your business.
- Debt on your personal credit card will appear on your personal credit reports. High balances can result in a high credit utilization ratio that can lower your credit scores. In this scenario, your business debt can hurt your personal credit scores, which in turn can make it harder to apply for better financing.
- You won’t build business credit with a personal credit card. Most small business credit cards report to business credit bureaus, and on-time payments can help good business credit scores.
While these offers are appealing, if you’re using a credit card to finance business purchases, it’s best to stick with a business credit card. Keep your personal finances and business finances separate.
Is a Balance Transfer With a 0% APR Good?
Using a credit card with a 0% intro APR can be a great way to pay for purchases over time. Pay off your balance before the introductory rate expires and you can benefit from interest-free financing.
Unlike other types of financing, these cards are available to startups, as long as the owner qualifies. Most cards require good to excellent personal credit scores and sufficient income from all sources.
Can I Use My Business Credit Card To Pay off Personal Debt?
Unless you used your personal credit card to finance business purchases, you should not use a business credit card to pay off personal debt. Your cardholder agreement likely states that your card is to be used for business purposes only.
What credit score do you need for 0% APR?
Can I get 0% APR with a 750 credit score?
What is a purchase APR?
Is 0% APR worth it?
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Gerri Detweiler
Education Consultant, Nav
Gerri Detweiler, a financing and credit expert, has been featured in 4,500+ news stories and answered 10,000+ credit and lending questions online. In addition to Nav, her articles have appeared on Forbes, MarketWatch, and Startup Nation. She is the author or co-author of six books, including Finance Your Own Business, and she has also testified before Congress on consumer credit legislation.