Best business credit cards with a 0% intro APR

The Bank of America content was last updated on April 3, 2023.

Choosing a credit card with a 0 percent introductory APR can be a great move for a small business or even a startup. You can pay off large purchases over time without worrying about accruing interest — allowing you to truly invest in your business.

If you have a large business purchase looming ahead that you want to finance, there are plenty of great small-business credit cards that offer 0 percent interest on new purchases for the first few months of card ownership.

As always, your interest rate at the end of the 0 percent introductory rate period will depend heavily on your business credit profile, so it’s important to pick a card that serves you well during and after the intro period ends. Here are our picks for the best 0 percent APR business credit cards on the market.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card: Best for office supplies

Why we picked it: The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers one of the longer introductory periods on the market — 0 percent APR for the first 12 months on purchases (17.99 percent to 23.99 percent variable APR thereafter). Plus, it comes with a competitive earning rate that makes it a particularly good choice for small-business owners who need to stock up on office supplies.

The Ink Business Cash Card offers plenty of potential value for cardholders with a 5 percent cash back on internet, cable, phone services and office supplies; and 2 percent cash back on gas and dining. We should note that you’ll earn 5 percent and 2 percent in those bonus categories on up to $25,000 in purchases per year, respectively.

Pros

• No annual fee
• Variety of ways to redeem cash back, such as statement credits, Amazon purchases, direct deposits and more
• Works great alongside other Chase Ultimate Rewards cards
• $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months

Cons

• 5 percent and 2 percent bonus categories each have an annual $25,000 spend limit
• Low cash back rate on general purchases

Who should apply: If you spend a lot of money on office supplies or frequently charge client dinners to your card, you’ll be pleased with all the cash back the Ink Business Cash Card racks up.

Who should skip: Cardholders who spend more than $25,000 in the card’s bonus categories should look at other cards. Those who tend not to spend on office supplies, internet or dining should also avoid this card.

American Express Blue Business Cash Card: Best flat-rate cash back card

Why we picked it: The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers an intro APR of 0 percent on new purchases for the first 12 months of account opening (17.99 percent to 25.99 percent variable APR thereafter). Unlike the Ink Business Cash, it offers the same 2 percent cash back on all purchases, on a maximum of $50,000 per calendar year (1 percent thereafter). The Amex Blue Business Cash also comes with a welcome offer of a $250 statement credit if you spend $3,000 in the first three months from account opening.

Pros

• Travel insurances like baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, etc.
• Business perks like expense tracking tools and Working Capital Terms
• Free employee cards
• Flexible credit limit

Cons

• 2 percent cash back capped at $50,000 in purchases per year
• Relatively small welcome bonus
• Can redeem cash back only as statement credit

Who should apply: If you have purchases to make for your business across a wide variety of categories, this flat-rate cash back card might give you more rewards than a bonus category card.

Who should skip: Business owners who easily spend more than $50,000 should find a card with no spending limit. If you also prefer to redeem your rewards as something other than statement credit (travel, merchandise, gift cards, etc.) you should consider another card.

Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card: Best card with no spending cap

Why we picked it: Look no further for a business card with no spending cap than the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, which offers the same 12 months interest-free for new purchases (17.99 percent to 23.99 percent variable APR thereafter) as the Ink Business Cash. But unlike its sister card, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited offers a flat rate of 1.5 percent unlimited cash back on all purchases.

Though slightly lower than the Amex Blue Business Cash, this earning rate is still great for cardholders who don’t weigh their spending heavily to one particular category. For a business credit card with no annual fee, it’s a pretty generous earning scheme.

Pros

• Earn unlimited cash back
• $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months
• Rewards don’t expire; no blackout dates
• May transfer points to other Ultimate Rewards cards

Cons

• Lacks perks like travel insurance or access to business tools

Who should apply: If you easily spend more than $50,000 per year on your business, the unlimited cash back might make more sense for you. The card’s flat rate is also good for businesses that make purchases in all sorts of categories, not just a small handful.

Who should skip: Cardholders for whom a spending cap is not a problem, and who would like to earn more rewards per dollar on their purchases.

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best for travel points

Why we picked it: If points are more your speed than cash back, the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers the same generous rewards rate as the Blue Business Cash — with one key difference. Rather than cash back, cardholders earn 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on the first $50,000 in spending each year and 1 point per dollar on all purchases thereafter.

Plus, the Amex Blue Business Plus offers the same lengthy introductory interest rate, 0 percent APR for 12 months from account opening, on new purchases — making it a top-notch card for financing large purchases in the first year (after that, the APR is 17.99 percent to 25.99 percent variable).

Pros

• Earn Membership Rewards points
• Offers many different redemption options
• Points don’t expire
• May transfer points to Amex travel partners

Cons

• $50,000 annual spending cap
• Fees for transferring points or booking airfare with American Express Travel

Who should apply: Cardholders whose businesses require them and their employees to travel a lot. It’s also great for existing Membership Rewards enthusiasts, since your rewards pool to a primary account under your name instead of on separate card accounts.

Who should skip: If you prefer cash back rewards or most of your business expenses go toward your office or storefront, this card probably isn’t for you. Businesses that easily spend over $50,000 a year should look for a card that earns unlimited rewards.

Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards: Best for flexibility

Why we picked it: The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card is great for those who spend mostly on office supplies and gas, but not all year. With 3 percent cash back on a category of your choice (gas, office supplies, travel, TV/telecom and wireless, computer service and business consulting services) and 2 percent cash back on dining, this card provides great rewards on some of the most popular categories for small businesses. However, there is a $50,000 combined yearly cap on the 3 and 2 percent categories.

And it comes with a 0 percent intro APR on new purchases, as well as balance transfers, for nine billing cycles, with a 16.99 percent to 26.99 percent variable APR thereafter. That, plus its $300 statement credit if you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days, makes the Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards quite a deal, particularly since it charges no annual fee.

Pros

• Can change choice category up to once a month
• No expiration on cash back as long account stays open
• Increase cash back rate by up to 75 percent with Preferred Rewards for Business

Cons

• $50,000 annual cap on 2 percent and 3 percent categories
• Limited redemption options

Who should apply: Cardholders who already have a business checking account with Bank of America will get great value if they qualify for a Preferred Rewards tier. The card is also great for users who don’t mind a relatively short introductory APR period and will enjoy the flexibility of the choice category.

Who should skip: If you spend widely across various categories not included in the card’s available choice categories, a flat-rate card may suit you better. Businesses that spend well over $50,000 a year should keep shopping as well.

Comparing the best 0 percent APR business credit cards

It can be difficult to choose between all the different cards, especially since they all seem so great. Check out the chart below to see how they compete side by side.

How to choose a 0 percent APR business credit card

A 0 percent APR has can be appealing to a small-business owner, especially if you anticipate a large purchase like a refrigerator, an industrial printer or 10,000 screen-printed t-shirts. However, you should also ensure that the rewards rate on the card closely matches your spending habits. This will boost your ability to draw plenty of value out of the cards even after the intro APR ends. Be sure to check the following before signing on the dotted line:

• Rewards structure: Which sounds better, bonus categories or flat rate? This could very well depend on the nature of your business. If all your spending is focused on just a few categories, a bonus category business card may be better. For businesses that spend across different categories, a flat-rate card would do well.
• Cash back or points: More incoming cash is always a good thing for any small business. However, if your business requires a ton of travel, points (or miles) may suit your purposes better.
• Spending cap: Again — a spending cap could really reduce the value your business card brings. Business owners who know they spend more than $50,000 should steer clear of cards with spending caps so they don’t miss out on any rewards they would earn otherwise.
• Extra perks: Does your business need a connection to QuickBooks, roadside assistance or free employee cards? Business credit cards often offer helpful benefits to oil the gears and aid your business in running smoothly, so be sure to choose a card with the perks you need.

Bottom line

Business credit cards with 0 percent intro APR are a valuable resource, as they can improve your cash flow while enabling you to rack up rewards on all of your business purchases, rather than using a personal credit card. By choosing a card with a 0 percent introductory APR, you can pay off large purchases or debt over time without accruing interest — saving yourself money to reinvest in your business.

Furthermore, business credit cards with 0 percent APR periods can help you build business credit without interest charges like you would have on other business credit cards.

Methodology

CreditCards.com’s editors considered dozens of cards on the market and weighed a variety of factors to determine the best business credit cards with a 0 percent intro APR. We looked at 0 percent intro APR periods, regular APRs and whether the offer extended to balance transfers or new purchases. We also examined card features like annual fees, rewards structures and spending caps to narrow down the pool of cards. We reviewed these characteristics to decide which may suit specific types of business owners.