Some business credit cards offer introductory 0%-APR periods for purchases and/or balance transfers. These deals can be a great way to finance business expansions or to reduce the interest you're paying on existing debt.
But there's more to these cards than just a limited-time no-interest offer. The ongoing benefits and the rewards you earn on purchases can be just as important to consider. Below, CNBC Select details the best 0%-APR small business credit cards for a variety of needs.
Best 0% APR business credit cards
- Best for travel rewards: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
- Best for no annual fee: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Best for long intro-APR period: U.S. Bank Business Platinum
- Best for welcome bonus: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Best for cash back: U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
Best for travel rewards
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
On the American Express secure site
Rewards
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases up to $50,000 per year, then 1X point per dollar
Welcome bonus
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening
Regular APR
18.49% - 26.49% variable; APRs will not exceed 29.99%
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Credit needed
Excellent
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Straightforward rewards program
Cons
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee
Who's this for? The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns transferrable American Express Membership Rewards points, which makes it an outstanding business travel credit card.
Intro APR offer: The Amex Blue Business Plus card offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening. After that, a variable 18.49% to 26.49% applies.
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Best for no annual fee
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
On Chase's secure site
Rewards
Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
Welcome bonus
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases; N/A for balance transfers
Regular APR
18.49% - 24.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Good/Excellent
Terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Free employee cards
- Simple cash-back program
- Special financing offer for purchases
Cons
- 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Who's this for? The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is an excellent no-annual-fee business credit card to consider if you prefer flat-rate cash-back credit cards.
Intro APR offer: Purchases qualify for a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening, then an 18.49% to 24.49% variable APR applies.
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Best for long intro-APR period
U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card
Learn More
Rewards
None
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles
Regular APR
17.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Balance transfer fee
Either3%of the amount of each transfer or$5minimum, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Extended 0%-Intro APR period
- Intro APR applies to purchases and balance transfers
Cons
- No rewards
- No welcome bonus
Learn More
Who's this for? The U.S. Bank Business Platinum is a no-annual-fee business credit card that stands out for those who need an extended introductory 0%-APR offer.
Intro APR offer: New cardholders receive an intro 0%-APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 months, then a 17.24% to 26/24% variable APR applies. For a balance transfer to qualify for the intro APR, it must occur within 30 days from account opening. A balance transfer fee of the greater of $5 or 3% of the transfer amount applies.
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Best for welcome bonus
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
On Chase's secure site
Rewards
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 (then 1%);2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year (then 1%);1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases; N/A for balance transfers
Regular APR
18.49% - 24.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Good/Excellent
Terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Free employee cards
- Cash back geared toward popular business expenses
- Special financing offer for purchases
Cons
- 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Who's this for? Anyone who wants to rapidly earn points on popular business expenses and is looking for a large intro bonus should consider the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.
Intro APR offer: New cardholders are eligible for an intro 0%-APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then an 18.49% to 24.49% APR applies.
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Best for cash back
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
Learn More
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center, 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants, 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn $500 in cash back. Just spend $4,500 on the account owner's card in the first 150 days of opening your account.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers
Regular APR
19.24% - 28.24% (Variable)
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- $500 welcome bonus offer
- No limit on cash back earned
- Interest-free period for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers
- Annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription services
Cons
- 3% foreign transaction fee
Learn More
Who's this for? The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card earns cash-back rewards where it matters most for small business owners.
Intro APR offer: The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card offers a generous 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable 19.24% to 28.24% APR applies. For a balance transfer to qualify for the intro APR, it must be completed within 30 days of account opening. The balance transfer fee is 3% of the amount transferred with a $5 minimum.
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More on our top 0%-APR business credit cards
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of the few no-annual-fee cards (see rates and fees) that earns flexible travel rewards.
Rewards
- 2X points on the first $50,000 in eligible business purchases per calendar year, then 1X points
Welcome bonus
Earn 15,000 points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first three months of card membership.
Annual fee
$0 (see rates and fees)
Notable perks
Cardholders can take advantage of extended warranty and purchase protection on eligible purchases.
[ Return to card summary ]
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has everything you'd want in a no-annual-fee card, including an elevated rate of return on everyday purchases and a generous welcome bonus offer.
Rewards
- 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025
- 1.5% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $750 bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The Ink Business Unlimited card offers a variety of insurance benefits, including purchase protection, extended warranty protection, car rental coverage and roadside assistance. You can also add employee cards for no additional cost.
Plus, if you have other Ultimate Rewards-earning Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you'll be able to combine your points and transfer the rewards you earn with this card to various airline and hotel loyalty programs.
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U.S. Bank Business Platinum
The U.S. Bank Business Platinum is an ideal fit for business owners who want to cheaply finance an investment in their business or who want to reduce the interest they're paying on existing debt.
Rewards
None
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
This card has few significant perks outside of its 0%-APR offer. However, the offer itself is notable because it's much longer than the other intro-APR periods offered by most business credit cards. It also applies to balance transfers and purchases, whereas other cards only offer an intro 0%-APR on purchases.
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Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card's welcome bonus is incredibly valuable, especially when you consider this card has no annual fee. It also offers useful bonus spending categories for common small business expenses.
Rewards
- 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025
- 5% back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary at office supply stores and on cable, internet and phone services
- 2% back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary at gas stations and restaurants
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $750 bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
In addition to the Ink Business Cash's 0%-intro APR offer, cardholders get these benefits on eligible purchases:
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty coverage
- Rental car collision damage waiver
- Roadside dispatch
- Travel and emergency assistance services
Employee cards are available for no fee.
[ Return to card summary ]
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card not only earns cash back at a generous rate but also has ongoing benefits that make it worth keeping.
Rewards
- 5% back on prepaidhotelsand car rentals booked directly through the US Bank Rewards Center
- 3% back at gas stations, EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn $500 cash back after spending $4,500 on the account owner's card within 150 days of account opening. Spending on authorized user cards will not count toward earning this bonus.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card offers cardholders up to $100 in annual statement credits for recurring software subscriptions. To qualify, you'll need to make 11 consecutive monthly payments for software services from eligible software providers
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How do 0% APR business credit card offers work?
To take advantage of a business credit card's 0%-APR offer, simply make eligible purchases or complete an eligible balance transfer within the offer timeframe. While you'll typically pay a balance transfer fee, you won't pay any interest on balances you carry during the introductory period. This can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest compared to a typical business credit card APR, which can easily exceed 25%.
Aside from saving on interest each month, these credit card 0% intro APR deals have another key feature that makes them less risky than deferred interest financing. With a deferred interest offer, you'll pay no interest during the offer period, but if you don't pay the balance off completely, you'll be retroactively charged for interest that accumulated during the 0%-APR period. That's not the case with these 0%-APR card offers, with these deals you only start accumulating interest after the offer expires.
FAQs
What is a good APR for a business credit card?
Credit card interest rates have been increasing, with some cards charging more than 30%. This makes an APR in the mid to low teens a comparatively good rate.
What credit score do you need for a 0% APR business card?
You'll typically need a good to excellent credit score (670+) to qualify for a 0% APR business credit card.
Do 0%-APR offers hurt your credit score?
A 0%-APR offer can negatively impact your credit score if it causes you to carry a higher balance and increase your credit utilization ratio.
Bottom line
Having a separate credit card for your small business or side hustle makes sense for a lot of reasons. One reason that's easy to overlook is the potential benefit of a 0%-APR offer. These allow you to make purchases or transfer balances and pay no interest for a year or longer. That could save you hundreds or thousands compared to other types of business financing.
Just make sure you have a repayment plan so that you end with a zero balance at the end of the intro period. If you have any lingering balances after the intro period ends, you could face steep interest charges.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit cardlist is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit cardproducts.While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. Seeour methodologyfor more information on how we choose the best 0%-APR business credit cards.
Our methodology
To determine which 0%-APR business cards offer the best value, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of the most popular credit cards available to U.S. business owners. We compared each card on a range of features, including annual fee, employee card fee, rewards, welcome bonus and foreign transaction fees, and we paid special attention to the card's introductory and standard APR.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
Information about the U.S. Bank Business Platinum and U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
