Best business credit card with 0% APR in 2021
Business credit cards with 0% APR are great, but business credit cards with 0% APR and other rewards are even better. From cash back to expense management tools, these business credit cards may become an essential capstone to your new or seasoned business.
Business credit cards can help you keep track of your expenses and make essential purchases to help your company become more successful. The best cards offer 0% APR, but it is possible to find ones that offer even more. Whether it’s cash back, fraud protection, automatic expense reports, or bookkeeping integration, you want a card that goes beyond 0% APR.
However, if 0% APR is the only thing you’re after, then you want the card that will give you the most amount of time so you can pay down your debts faster.
To choose the best business credit cards we compared 0% intro APR periods, cash back rewards, and additional management tools.
Get 2% cash back on the first $50,000 each year
If you have a lot of business expenses each year, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card can help you earn a lot of money back. Each year you get 2% cash back on the first $50,000 you spend on eligible purchases. Spend over $50,000, and it drops to 1%. Don’t worry if you don’t reach $50,000 each year because you’ll still get 2% back on the purchases you do make.
If you reach your credit limit, you may still be able to make business purchases with American Express’s ‘Expanded Buying Power.’ You can’t go over by an unlimited amount, but if you’re right on the line of your credit limit, and the purchase will push you past it, you may still be able to complete the purchase. Expanded Buying Power adjusts depending on your payment history, credit record, financial resources, and your monthly use of the card, which means the amount varies with each customer. If it is an important purchase, speak to a customer service representative about your needs.
Blue Business Cash Card comes with a variety of expense management tools, too. For example, you can distribute as many employee cards as you need and can track their spending with summary reports and alerts. You can also designate an account manager to make monthly payments and manage the account on your behalf, and you can have your account synchronized with QuickBooks.
Pros:
- 2% cash back on the first $50,000 every year
- No annual fee
- 0% APR on the first 12 months
- Spend beyond your credit limit if needed with ‘Expanded Buying Power’
- Get $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Cons:
- Cash back drops to 1% after $50,000 each year
- APR may jump to 19.24% after introductory period
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Chase’s Ink Business Unlimited credit card comes with a number of benefits. For starters, there is no annual fee and cardholders get unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases made for their business. Plus, for the first 12 months there is 0% intro APR. After the intro period, it rises between 13.24% and 19.24% depending on your credit worthiness.
Have a lot of employees who need to have their own card? Get as many cards as you need at no additional cost and set spending limits on each one. Plus Chase comes with free fraud protection so you can stay on top of what is going on at all times.
Chase also offers a number of tools to help you manage your business. With the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card it’s easy to separate business and personal expenses as well as integrate your expenses into bookkeeping software such as Quickbooks. You can also get a quick overview of your account’s details by dividing your expenses into quarterly, 6-month, annual, or 24 month reports.
Pros:
- 0% APR for the first 12 months
- $750 cash back bonus if you spend $7,500 in the first three months
- No annual fee
- Employee cards come at no additional cost
Cons:
- Need good to excellent credit
- After 12 months, APR could be 13.24%-19.24%
3% cash back in the category of your choosing
With Bank of America’s Business Advantage credit card cardholders are able to maximize their cash back by choosing which category they want to receive 3% cash back. Additionally, cardholders also get 2% cash back on all dining expenses. Cash back benefits for both 3% and 2% purchases are received on the first $50,000 spent. Thereafter, both categories go down to 1% until the next calendar year.
If you have a business checking account with Bank of America and you qualify for the highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier, you can earn even more with each purchase. Get 5.25% cash back on a category of your choice, 3.5% on dining, and 1.75% on everything else.
Business Advantage also comes with tools to help you manage your business, such as online and mobile access to your account, $100,000 in travel accident insurance, and fraud monitoring. You can also download all transactions and integrate them easily with your bookkeeping software.
One major drawback to Business Advantage is that the 0% intro APR period only lasts for 9 months. If your primary purpose is to use the card as a balance transfer card, you may want to consider another option.
Pros:
- 3% cash back in the category of your choice
- 2% cash back on dining and 1% on every other purchase
- No annual fee
- $300 cash back when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
Cons:
- 0% intro APR for only 9 months
- 4% balance transfer fee
- 3% foreign transaction fee
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
The Capital One Spark Cash Select credit card comes with plenty of reasons for business owners to choose it. For starters, you get $500 cash back after spending only $4,500 in the first three months, and you get 0% APR for the first 12 months.
Though it doesn’t offer as much cash back than some other cards, it definitely has a competitive program. Spark Cash Select comes with 1.5% cash back on your purchases, without any sort of spending cap where it then reduces to 1%. Spark Cash Select card gets you cash back on all purchases regardless of how much you spend every year. This equals real savings. For example, Capital One estimates that if you spend as little as $10,000 a month, you’ll get $1,800 back each year.
You’ll need an excellent credit rating before you apply and your legal business name, address, and business tax ID number. After the 0% intro APR period is over, cardholders will receive a variable APR between 13.24% and 19.24%.
Pros:
- 0% APR for 12 months
- No annual fee
- $500 cash bonus when you spend $4,500 the first 3 months
- Unlimited cash back rewards
Cons:
Unlimited 3% cash back on eligible purchases
The Triple Cash Rewards Card’s most notable feature is that it does not put any caps on the amount of cash back its members can earn. With 3% for gas stations, restaurants, office stores, and cell phone providers, this is a lot of money business owners can receive each year. Plus, you can receive $100 cash back for purchasing eligible software from a software provider, such as QuickBooks.
If you have multiple designated users on the account you can track spending easily either online or via the mobile app. Each U.S. Bank card also comes with 24/7 fraud monitoring and zero fraud liability, which means you are not responsible for any purchases that you or your employees did not make.
With 15 months of 0% APR, no annual fee and cash back rewards that never expire, the Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard is a strong choice for any business owner. Pay down your debt and save up your rewards without worrying so much about deadlines.
Pros:
- 0% APR for the first 15 months
- 3% back at gas stations, restaurants, office stores, and cell phone providers
- 1% back for online shopping
- No annual fee
- $500 cash back if you spend $4,500 within the first 150 days
Cons:
- Balance transfers must be made within 30 days of opening the card to receive 0% APR
How did we choose these products?
To choose the best 0% intro business cards, we looked at a variety of fields.
First we looked at cards that offered longer 0% intro periods. Many cards only offer 0% for six months, but six months can fly by when you’re running a business. We preferred 12 months, but made an exception for Bank of America because of its healthy cash back rewards system.
Next we looked at back bonuses and cash back rewards. The card needed to offer some sort of cash back bonus that was outside of a cash back rewards system.
Lastly, we wanted bookkeeping integration, understanding that there are really great cards out there that don’t presently offer this feature.
Which is the right one for you?
To decide which credit card is the right one for you, determine how long you need the 0% APR intro period to be. You may need the maximum amount of time, or you may only need a few months. The important thing is that you know how long you need.
Next, you will want to consider other perks like cash back bonuses and cash back rewards. If you’re not just looking for the maximum amount of time you can get 0% APR, we recommend having a healthy balance of everything.
Here’s a recap of how each card compares to one another.
|
0% Intro APR Period |
Cash Back Bonus |
Cash Back Rewards |
APR after intro period |
Bookkeeping integration |
|
|
American Express Blue Business Cash Card |
12 months |
$250 after spending $3,000 in first 3 months |
2% on first $50,000 |
13.24%- 19.24% |
Yes |
|
Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card |
12 months |
$750 after spending $7,500 in the first 3 months |
Unlimited 1.5% |
13.24%-19.24% |
Yes |
|
Bank of America Business Advantage Mastercard Credit Card |
9 months |
$300 after spending $3,000 in the first three months |
3% in category of your choosing; 2% on dining; 1% for every other purchase |
12.24%-22.24% |
Yes |
|
Capital One Spark Cash Select |
12 months |
$500 after spending $4,500 in the first three months |
Unlimited 1.5% |
13.24%- 19.24% |
No |
|
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards |
15 months |
$500 after spending $4,500 in the first 150 days |
Unlimited 3% at gas stations, cell phone service providers, restaurants and office supply stores; 1% everywhere else |
13.99%-22.99% |
No |
Will a 0% APR card hurt your credit score?
No, the interest level on a card does not hurt your credit score no matter how high or low it is. However, the amount of debt you have can hurt your credit score, as can late payments. To keep your credit score strong, make sure to always make your payments on time and to pay off your debt as soon as possible.
What is the benefit of 0% APR?
Credit cards come with interest, which means if you have debt on a card you’re paying more than you borrowed if you don’t pay off the balance in full each month. The benefit of a 0% APR card is that you’re only paying off the balance of a card for a specified period of time until APR begins. If your purpose in wanting a 0% APR card is to pay down debt or make a large purchase, then you will want to find a card that offers the most amount of time. Typically, 0% APR periods last somewhere between 6 and 21 months.
Do businesses have credit scores?
Yes, a business can have a credit score. To improve your business’s credit score, you will go about it the same way as you would your own. This means you will want to pay your bills on time, have a low credit utilization ratio, and will want to dispute any inaccurate negative items on your business’s credit report.
Are there alternatives worth considering?
If your primary aim is to find a card that offers a long 0% intro APR card, then you should consider the US Bank Visa Platinum Card because it is one of the only cards on the market to offer 0% APR for 20 months, making it great for transferring balances. Just make sure you transfer everything before 60 days. If you don’t, you’ll pay interest on it even though 20 months haven’t elapsed.
Unfortunately, the US Bank Visa Platinum card doesn’t come with too many other benefits. However, if you’re using it for your business, you can choose your payment date so it coincides with paid invoices. You can also enroll in autopay so you never miss a payment.
Pros:
- 0% APR for first 15 months
- 0% APR applies to both purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
Cons:
- High maximum APR of 24.49%
- Balance transfers must be made within first 60 days for 0% APR
