While there are plenty of 0% deals for personal credit card customers, don’t expect to find many business interest-free credit cards. There aren’t a lot to choose from, and the few cards that do exist don’t offer especially long interest-free periods. We’ve uncovered the 0% interest options open to you.
Business 0% purchase credit cards
Just as with personal credit cards, 0% purchase business credit cards charge no interest on new purchases for the length of the introductory period. Whether you’re planning a big purchase (like a new copier) or facing an emergency (like an exploded copier), a 0% purchase card is an affordable way to spread the cost.
It’s easy to find personal credit cards with a 0% period of 10 months or more, but 0% deals on business credit cards don’t normally last longer than 6 months. If you need more time, you may want to consider a different form of business finance. (If your business is a startup, read our guide to find out if you’re eligible for a startup business loan.)
When will I be charged interest on a 0% purchase business credit card?
You’re temporarily off the hook when it comes to interest on new purchases. However, there are still circumstances in which you can be charged interest on this type of card. Specifically:
After the end of the 0% introductory period. Don’t forget that the 0% deal won’t last forever. Once it’s over, whatever is left of your balance will accrue interest at the card’s standard rate.
On cash advances. 0% deals don’t usually apply to cash withdrawals made on your card – known as cash advances. These will usually start accruing interest on the day of the transaction and rates can be higher than the card’s standard purchase rate.
If you don’t meet the minimum payment. Even with a 0% purchase credit card, you still need to make payments every month and meet the minimum payment at the very least. If you don’t, you could be charged a late payment fee, your 0% offer could be withdrawn and your credit score could be impacted.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that 0% purchase business credit cards don’t usually allow balance transfers.
Business credit cards with interest-free days
While few business credit card providers offer 0% deals, almost all offer fairly long billing cycles, of up to 56 days. This means that your January credit card payment won’t be due until towards the end of February, and so on.
In practice, if you buy something expensive on the very first day of your billing cycle (say, 1 November), you could have 55 days to pay it back before it starts accruing any interest. Conversely, if you buy it on the last day of the month (say, 30 November), you’ll still have 25 days before your payment is due. Be aware that interest-free days only apply if you clear your balance in full every month.
While not as long as a 0% deal, this feature can help you even out your business cash flow without costing you a penny.
Long story short, there are currently no 0% business balance transfer credit cards on the market. From our experience, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
However, if you’ve got a bulky balance building up on a business credit card that charges a hefty interest rate, you do have options.
Many business credit cards do allow balance transfers, and some will let you transfer your balance fee-free. This means if you qualify for a card with a lower rate than you’re currently paying, you can move your balance to the cheaper card, without paying a fee. The savings won’t be as impressive as you’d get with a 0% offer, but you could still pay less interest overall. This could also help you to clear your debt faster. Do your maths and make sure you’re definitely moving to a better deal.
Even if you can’t get an interest-free credit card, spending on a business credit card and repaying the balance each month can help you to build up a business credit score. This can help you get access to other types of credit, such as business loans, in the future.”
How do I compare 0% business credit cards?
There aren’t many to choose from, but these are the things you should look for to find the best interest-free business credit card for you:
Length of the 0% period. This is the essential information you need to decide if a credit card will give you enough time to pay back your balance before interest kicks in.
Revert rate. Since business 0% credit card deals aren’t very long, this is a particularly important factor. It tells you how much you’ll be charged in interest once the introductory period is over.
Annual fee. Many business credit cards charge annual fees. Make sure the savings you can make with your card outweigh the cost.
Rewards and perks. Some business credit cards offer reward points or perks, like airport lounge access or travel insurance. They’re worth taking into account, and could make the annual fee better value.
Have you considered a business charge card?
Business charge cards offer short-term, interest-free credit with high spending limits and often appealing benefits. These cards are designed for businesses that have the financial stability to repay the balance in full and on time. Unlike credit cards that offer revolving credit, charge cards apply hefty late fees if you don’t pay the balance in full by the due date.
Similar to an interest-free business credit card, features can include expense tracking tools, supplementary cards, rewards programmes and complimentary extras.
You can use our table below to compare some of the top business charge cards the market has to offer.
Unlike personal credit cards, 0% business credit cards are few and far between. However, that shouldn’t deter you from shopping around to see what deals you can find. Some business credit cards offer lower interest rates than others, while all will offer grace periods of up to 56 days – where no interest is charged as long as you pay off your balance in full.
Frequently asked questions
You will be charged interest at the card’s revert rate. With many cards, this will be quite expensive. If possible, try to clear your balance in full before that happens.
It usually will. You may want to check your card’s terms and conditions to be sure. Moreover, keep in mind that even if it does apply, your card may still charge a foreign currency transaction fee.
You can, in theory. However, as your business grows and you spend more, you may find it beneficial to have a company credit card. It will help you to keep your personal and business finances separate, give additional cards to your employees, and build up a business credit score. You’re also likely to get a higher credit limit on a business credit card than you can on a personal one.
Once you’ve found a business credit card that seems right for you, you can usually apply online.
Business credit cards do tend to come with higher interest rates than personal credit cards. However, as well as the interest-free options we’ve listed in this guide, it’s also possible to find business cards with lower interest rates.
Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Was this content helpful to you?
Thank you for your feedback!
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Rachel Wait, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
Grace was a Finder writer specialising in credit and loans. She's been writing about personal finance for several years and enjoys helping consumers sort the facts from the fluff. See full bio
Find out the cost and car insurance group of a Smart car, and see how much you could pay based on age, location and model.
Feedback
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Advertiser Disclosure
finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
