Best Credit Cards for Big Purchases

Major spending sprees like buying appliances, car parts, or holiday gifts always seem to shock our credit card bills a few times a year. Many times, were not prepared for those expenses and the proof is in the rising debt levels.

So the next time you’re going to make a big purchase, make sure you’re using the right credit card. It could make all the difference in the world, or at least put some extra cash back in your pocket.

In this article, I’ll review the best credit cards for big purchases so you can determine which card to get before that next major shopping trip.

Best Credit Cards for Big Purchases: Overall

Best for Earnings Rewards: Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card

The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card is a great card for big purchases if you want to earn some excellent rewards back. You’ll get 30,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, which ends up being a $300 cash redemption value. If you’re using the card for major purchases, you should be able to tally up $3,000 in no time. Terms Apply.

After the big initial bonus, you’ll get 3X points on:

• Eating out and ordering in
• Gas, rideshares, and transit
• Flights, hotels, homestays, and car rentals
• Popular streaming services

For all other purchases, you’ll get 1X points. There aren’t any limits to the points you can earn, and your points will not expire as long as your account remains open.

On top of all of that, you’ll get an introductory 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, and there’s no annual fee.

For travel, there are absolutely no blackout dates on air travel when you use the Go Far Rewards system to book. What’s also nice is that you can use a combination of points and a payment card. So if your big purchase happens to be a trip, you’re in luck.

Speaking of trips, the card also features no currency conversion fees--so you won’t have to worry about spending in other countries.

You also won’t have to worry about your cell phone getting stolen or damaged while traveling, as you’ll get up to $600 in cell phone protection against theft and covered damages if you use the card to pay your monthly cell phone bill.

Finally, since this is an American Express card, you’ll receive return protection and extended warranties on your big purchase.

Best for a Cash-Back Bonus: Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express

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If you’re looking for a big cash back bonus after you make a large purchase, you’ll want to check out the Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

See Rates & Fees.

You’ll also get a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 Months from the date of account opening (then an ongoing APR of 18.99% - 29.99% Variable applies), which will help ease the burden of a large purchase. Although the card does come with a $95 ($0 intro annual fee in first year) annual fee, the card is designed to earn serious cash back.

Since we all need to buy food, we love this card for its grocery perks. You’ll earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, and 1% back after that) and 6% on select U.S. streaming services. You’ll also get 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Your cash back comes in the form of Reward Dollars and those can be redeemed as a statement credit. Terms apply.

What I love about this card for big purchases is the welcome offer, the intro APR on purchases, and the fact that it’s an American Express card. So, like the Wells Fargo card mentioned above, you’ll get return protection and extended warranties on your purchases.

Read our full Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express Review

Best for a No-Interest Promo: Wells Fargo Platinum Visa Card

*This offer is no longer available to new applicants.

We absolutely love the Wells Fargo Platinum Visa Card if you’re planning to make a massive purchase and need as much time as possible with a promotional rate to pay it off.

When you open a new card, you’ll get an introductory 0% APR for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers, which is the lowest possible promotional rate right now. That should give you plenty of time to pay off your big purchase in full (that’s a year and a half!).

The card also has no annual fee.

While this card doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles you might find on some of the others, it does have some other nice features. You’ll get access to My Money Map, which includes tools that will help you manage your spending and create a budget easily.

You won’t earn a huge sign-up bonus and you won’t earn rewards with regular purchases, but this card can help you either get your existing finances in order (by way of a balance transfer) or help you manage a big expense by letting you pay it off over time.

Best for Small Business Owners to Manage Cash Flow: Brex 30 Card

If you run a small business, you likely have to buy things from suppliers on a regular basis. One of the most important parts of managing a business is managing your cash flow, which means that every day you have before a bill comes due is important.

While there aren’t many business cards that offer long-term 0% APR deals like some personal cards do, there are other options available. For example, the Brex 30 Card offers thirty-day payment terms for everything you buy.

Keep in mind, this card is a charge card, so you cant carry a balance, but having thirty days to pay for anything you buy can be useful for a small business trying to manage its cash flow.

On top of its payment terms, the Brex 30 Card offers other benefits, including lucrative rewards and tools you can use to manage your business’s money more efficiently.

Best for Earning a Travel Bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

If you’re someone who loves to travel, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best cards you can get - period. It comes with an excellent sign-on bonus and the rewards are nearly unmatched. Let’s first talk about the sign-on bonus.

Currently, you can earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®..

Beyond your initial sign-on bonus, you’ll also earn rewards at an accelerated rate. You’ll earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 2X points on other travel purchases, and 3X on dining at restaurants and online grocery purchases. This includes things like airfare, hotels, and any type of restaurant (whether a fancy place or a casual burger joint). All other purchases will earn 1X points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a $95 annual fee.

Learn more here.

Best if You Have Poor Credit: Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Your best bet if your credit is anything less than good would be a secured credit card. Secured cards allow you to get a credit card by putting collateral (money) down. So, for example, if you deposited $500, a bank may give you a $500 credit line. This allows you to build your credit and it keeps the bank safe if you default (they’ll just keep your money).

All that being said, we highly recommend the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card for your big purchase. No, you won’t be making a $10,000 monster purchase like you might be with some of these other cards, but you’ll still be able to get somewhere. If you make the minimum deposit of $49, you’re eligible for a credit line of up to $200. If you make on-time payments for your first five months, you’re eligible for another increase.

The card has no annual fee and is a great way to knock out a major purchase now while also building up your credit.

Best for Making a Large Business Purchase: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

If you own a small business and need to make a big purchase, such as new office equipment, our favorite card is the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card from Chase. This is one of the best business cards available and rivals many traditional credit cards.

First of all, you’ll get a 0% introductory APR for 12 Months upon account opening for purchases, then an ongoing APR of 17.99% - 23.99% Variable applies. This gives you a full year to pay off any major purchases without paying a dime of interest.

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

There is no annual fee on the account, and you’ll get a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no limits on how much cash you can earn. For everyday business purchases, as well as larger expenses, this card is a great deal to earn you cash back on expenses you already have.

Related: Best Credit Cards for Paying Bills

Bottom Line

Have no fear, big spender! The cards listed above cover nearly every situation you may run into. Remember, though, making a big purchase is a major responsibility. If you take advantage of a 0% offer, have a plan to pay it all back, otherwise, you’ll end up in debt. Now the only question remains--what are you going to buy?