Credit cards with flexible payment options

Sometimes, it’s not always possible to pay off large purchases at once. That’s why having a credit card with flexible payment options can come in handy. While credit cards with flexible payment options often make it attractive to pay early, they usually give you extra time to pay off eligible purchases.

What are credit cards with flexible payment options?

Typically, these are cards that offer an incentive — like bonus rewards — to pay off purchases, but also let you pay later if you wish.

Flexible payments are usually most useful in two respects:

• If you have a charge card.
  With this card type, you typically must pay off your card bill in full each month. With flexible payments, you may get extra time to pay off purchases.

• If you want the choice between earning bonus rewards and paying no interest on eligible purchases.
  Some cards let you pay off certain purchases within a specified period to earn a bonus rewards rate. Alternatively, you can forgo those rewards and take longer to pay off those purchases with no interest.

How to get credit cards with flexible payment options

American Express is the largest provider of cards with flexible payment options. If you want flexible payment options for a personal card, consider a charge card from the provider.

You may qualify for Pay Over Time, also known as “Pay it Plan it.” This program lets you pay for select purchases over several months. Typically, your account must have been open and in good standing for at least 12 months.

Flexible payment options for Amex business credit cards

You’ll find more flexible payment options for Amex business cards, such as:

Compare credit cards with flexible payment options

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Name	Product	Filter values	Rewards	Purchase APR	Annual fee
American Express® Gold Card			3x points on directly-booked flights; 4x at restaurants; 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 annually (then 1x points)		$250	Apply now View details	Earn up to 4x points on select purchases, a bevy of travel perks, and a welcome offer worth up to $600 with this upper-mid tier travel card. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com			See terms	See issuer's website	See terms	See offer View details	Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How can I use Amex credit cards with flexible payment options?

Here’s a primer on Amex’s three options for flexible-payment shopping, which include Pay Over Time, Plum Card benefits and Amazon bonus rewards.

Pay Over Time

Pay Over Time is available upon invitation for Amex’s personal and business charge cards, which include:

Please note: All information about the American Express Green cards has been collected independently by Finder and these cards are not available through this site.

With Pay Over Time, you can pay off eligible purchases over $100 beyond your statement due date.

Just like with a normal credit card balance, you’ll accrue interest on your Pay Over Time balance until you clear it.

And similarly to a card with a credit limit, there’s a dollar limit to your Pay Over Time balance. Amex may deem certain charges ineligible for Pay Over Time, even if they wouldn’t put you over your limit.

The Plum Card® from American Express benefits

The Plum Card® from American Express is a charge card, so typically your card bill is due in full each month. However, the card has two special benefits that kick in after your statement closing date:

• Early-pay discount.
  On eligible charges you pay off within 10 days of your statement closing date, you’ll receive a 1.5% discount (see rates & fees).

• Extra days to pay.
  Make at least the minimum payment by the due date. You’ll have until your next due date to pay off your new balance, accruing no interest.

An effective 1.5% rewards rate is fairly common among business cards. But extra days to pay before accruing interest is a feature that sets The Plum Card® from American Express apart.

Amazon bonus rewards

The Amazon cards’ payment flexibility revolves around their top bonus-reward categories.

Choose between two options with the Amazon Business American Express Card:

• Earn 3% back on US purchases at Amazon Business, Amazon Web Services, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market on up to $120,000 annually, reverting to 1% back.
• Receive 60 days from the date of each qualifying purchase in those bonus categories to pay before accruing interest (see rates & fees).

With the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card — which requires you to have an Amazon Prime or Business Prime membership — you can also choose between two options:

• Earn 5% back on US purchases at Amazon Business, Amazon Web Services, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market.
• Receive 90 days from the date of each qualifying purchase in those bonus categories to pay before accruing interest (see rates & fees).

Who gets to use credit cards with flexible payment options?

Because you, the primary cardholder, make payments on your account, you get the benefits of the flexible-payment options. Typically, your main choices revolve around earning rewards, saving on interest or getting more time to pay off purchases.

Bottom line

Cards with flexible payment options can give you extra time to pay off purchases or offer incentives for paying early. Many of them are charge cards offered by American Express.

Frequently asked questions

• Which providers offer charge cards?

  In the US, American Express is the only major provider of charge cards.

• Can I receive a penalty APR for failing to make payments on Pay Over Time balances?

  Yes. Treat your Pay Over Time balance like a normal credit card balance. For the penalty APR that you might receive for failure to pay on time, check your card’s terms and conditions.

• Does American Express offer normal credit cards?

  Yes. Beyond charge cards, Amex also offers credit cards that you can carry balances on for as long as you’d like.