Going into business is already fraught with risk, and when you throw high-interest credit card debt into the mix, financial risks are heightened. Despite your best intentions as a business owner, your credit card balances can grow, causing interest to cut into much-needed cash flow.

Fortunately, there are financial tools like balance transfer credit cards that are designed specifically for businesses. These cards can help you consolidate high-interest debt and, as a bonus, many of them also have a 0 percent APR promotion for new purchases.

A business balance transfer card works like a regular credit card, but the main benefit is that there’s a limited-time, interest-free term for transferred balances or new purchases. After opening an account, you’ll typically have a short window of time to transfer any balances, and you’ll almost always pay a balance transfer fee on any transfers made. Typically, there are little-to-no credit card rewards or perks with these types of cards since your “net gain” will be more along the lines of interest savings.

If you’re a business owner looking for a business credit card that makes it easier to consolidate and pay off credit card debt, here are some of the best cards in this niche, and input on how they compare to one another, along with tips for choosing a card.

Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card*: Best for rewards flexibility

  • 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for nine months, then a variable APR between Prime + 7.99 percent and Prime + 17.99 percent
  • 4 percent balance transfer fee (minimum $10)

In addition to saving on interest charges for a transferred balance, the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card lets you choose which type of rewards you want to earn on your spending going forward — cash back or points. With the cash back option, you’ll earn 1.5 percent cash back for each dollar you spend. As for Rewards Points, you’ll earn 1X points for every dollar spent as well as a 1,000-point bonus when your company spends $1,000 or more in any monthly billing period.

Besides earning cash back on regular spending, new cardholders can also qualify for a welcome bonus of $300 or 30,000 points (depending on the rewards program chosen) after spending $3,000 within three months of account opening. The Wells Fargo Business Platinum also has no annual fee and no additional card fee for up to 99 employees.

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card*: Best for cash back potential

  • 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, then a variable APR of 18.24 percent to 27.24 percent
  • 3 percent balance transfer fee (minimum $5)

The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card is a great business balance transfer option for those looking to improve their cash back game. Not only does the card come with a zero-interest period on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles (then a variable APR of 18.24 percent to 27.24 percent), but you can also earn substantial cash back. You’ll earn 5 percent cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly through the U.S. Bank Travel Rewards Center; 3 percent cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cellphone service providers and restaurants; and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.

As a first-year welcome bonus, you can earn $500 in cash back after spending $4,500 on the account owner’s card within the first 150 days of account opening. This card also comes with no annual fee and an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses (like QuickBooks).

U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card*: Best for a long 0% intro APR period

  • 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles, then a variable APR of 16.24 percent to 25.24 percent
  • 3 percent balance transfer fee (minimum $5)

The U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card doesn’t offer any rewards, but it does have a notably lengthy promotional APR period for a business card. You’ll have 18 billing cycles to pay off your transferred balance before the regular APR kicks in (a variable APR between 16.24 percent to 25.24 percent).

There’s no ongoing rewards rate or first-year welcome bonus, but if securing as much time as possible to pay off your debt is a top priority, the U.S. Bank Business Platinum is one of the best options currently available. Additionally, note that the 3 percent balance transfer fee (minimum $5) is in line with fees charged by similar cards. This card also comes with no annual fee.

PNC Visa Business Credit Card*: Best for just a balance transfer offer

  • 0 percent intro APR for the first 13 billing cycles on balance transfers made in the first 90 days, then a variable APR of 13.74 percent to 23.74 percent
  • 3 percent balance transfer fee (minimum $5)

If you’re worried about the temptations of receiving both a purchase and balance transfer introductory offer, the PNC Visa® Business Credit Card may be your best bet since there’s no intro APR period for new purchases. As a cardholder, you’ll have 13 billing cycles to pay off debt interest-free, provided you transfer your balance within the first 90 days. After the introductory period, you’ll receive a variable APR between 13.74 percent and 23.74 percent.

This card also comes with no annual fee, no welcome bonus and no chance to earn rewards, which should further reduce the temptation to spend. Further, PNC Bank offers quite a few features that can help you track your business spending, including online account management with spending reports. Business owners can even download transactions into Excel, Quicken or QuickBooks for accounting and expense tracking.

How to choose a business balance transfer card

There are a few questions to ask yourself before applying for a business balance transfer card. We’ve highlighted three below to help make the selection process a tad easier.

How much high-interest debt do you need to pay down?

The first thing you need to do is take stock of your business’s financial needs. If you have a lot of high-interest debt — and credit card debt payoff is your top priority above all else — look for the longest 0 percent APR period available. You may not receive ongoing rewards or a welcome bonus on such cards, but the ability to knock out debt without additional interest should outweigh those drawbacks.

Do you need a promotional APR for larger purchases?

If you have any large purchases on the horizon for your business, such as new machinery or bulk office supply purchases, you should look for a business credit card that offers an intro APR on purchases (in addition to a balance transfer offer). That way, you’ll be able to pay these purchases off over time without accruing interest charges. Of course, be careful not to overspend with your new balance transfer card while you’re in the debt payoff process.

Do the balance transfer terms make sense for your needs?

No matter how much debt you have to pay down, you should pay attention to the terms of the balance transfer. For instance, you should know how much the balance transfer fee is. If the balance transfer fee is too high, it might not justify the savings on interest or make sense to go this route. For example, if you anticipate paying $300 in interest fees until you pay your balance off, but a balance transfer fee would work out to $400, transferring your balance wouldn’t make sense. If you need help crunching the numbers, you can analyze your balance transfer options using Bankrate’s credit card balance transfer calculator.

It’s also good to know how soon after opening your account you’d have to make your transfer to be eligible for the promotional offer, along with what happens to your promotional APR if you miss a payment during the introductory period. Many issuers will charge a penalty APR and end your introductory offer early if you miss any payments.

The bottom line

If you’re hoping to consolidate debt and save money in the process, a business balance transfer credit card is worth considering. The best options in this space offer an introductory 0 percent APR for nine months or longer, although you’ll pay an upfront balance transfer fee to take advantage of the low-interest offer.

As you determine which business card to apply for, remember that even the best small-business credit cards won’t help you out of debt unless you’re dedicated to paying off as much as you can during your card’s introductory period. Make sure you compare the options available right now and have a plan in place to pay down debt before you transfer your balance to a new card.

*The information about the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card, U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card and PNC Visa® Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.