Is Amex Pay It Plan It worth it?

Pay It Plan It can be worth it for the right situation. Pay It does not charge fees and allows you to select specific purchases (under $100) to pay off, up to 5 per day, at any time during your statement period. Plan It does charge a fixed monthly fee on each payment during the payback period. The fee amount, however, is disclosed clearly upfront to help you decide if this payment plan option makes sense for you and your budget.

Do I earn rewards on Amex Pay Over Time purchases?

Yes, purchases earn rewards regardless of any payment plan you select.

Does Amex Pay It pay off the selected purchase?

No. When you select a purchase under $100 to pay via the Amex app, you are simply paying that specific amount towards your balance, not paying off the purchase itself.

How does Amex Pay Over Time work?

When you activate Pay Over Time, eligible purchases are automatically added to your Pay Over Time balance. You have the flexibility to pay off your balance in full or carry over a balance and be charged interest. You won’t be charged interest on Pay Over Time purchases that are paid off in full each statement period. Terms apply.

Can I use Pay Over Time for authorized user purchases?

Yes. Since you’ll find the Pay Over Time feature on several Amex business cards, authorized user purchases, such as employee purchases, can also qualify for Pay Over Time.

Home›
Credit Cards

Amex “Pay Over Time” vs. “Pay It Plan It” Explained [Detailed Guide]

Updated: May 5, 2025, 9:57am CDT

Edited by:

Jump to Section

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
Options for Repaying a Purchase
Pay Over Time — How It Works
Pay It Plan It — How It Works
How to Find Out if Your Cards are Eligible
Everything Else You Need to Know
Amex Payment Plans Summary
Alternatives to Amex Payment Plans
Final Thoughts

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Key Takeaways

Pay Over Time lets you choose to pay eligible purchases in full or with interest up to your Pay Over Time limit. Purchases exceeding that limit must be paid in full each statement period.
Pay It Plan It allows you to make smaller payments through the Amex Mobile app or set up payment plans for purchases of $100 or more, with a set fee for repayment over time.
It’s best to pay off your card balance each statement period to avoid fees and interest, but if you need a payment plan, carefully review the costs associated with the plan you choose.

Normally, the best practice for utilizing any rewards-earning credit card is to pay off your entire balance each statement period. Not carrying over a monthly balance is the primary way to avoid interest charges that can negate the value of any rewards you’ve earned.

However, in the real world, things happen. A large appliance breaks down, tuition is due, the car needs unexpected repairs, or other emergencies can arise causing a need to pay back a large expense over time.

If you currently have an American Express card, chances are you’re familiar with the requirement of having to pay off your balance each statement period on many of the offered card products. Other cards allow you to carry over a balance and be charged interest.

Today we’re going to talk about Pay Over Time and Pay It Plan It®, American Express payment plan options that allow you to control how you make payments on your Amex card account.

Options for Repaying a Purchase

Instead of paying off your statement in its entirety at the end of any given billing period, American Express offers 2 options for paying back qualifying purchases over time and 1 convenient option to make smaller payments throughout any given statement period.

Before we dive deeper into how all of these options work, here’s a quick overview to lay the groundwork.

Pay Over Time — Decide whether you want to pay eligible purchases in full each month—or pay over time with interest. Eligible charges can be included in the Pay Over Time balance, up to the Pay Over Time Limit. Pay Over Time only applies to eligible charges meeting minimum transaction amounts.
Pay It Plan It — Pay It Plan It is really 2 payment options. Pay It^® allows you to use the Amex Mobile app to make payments for selected purchases under $100 up to several times during a billing cycle. Plan It^® applies to purchases $100 or greater and allows you to select a payment plan that includes a set plan fee. There is no sign-up, application, or enrollment required for the Plan It feature for Amex Payment Flexibility.

Now let’s look at how each of these options functions, how to activate these payment plans, and the economics of each.

Bottom Line: American Express has 2 options for repaying your purchases over time. Pay Over Time allows you to decide whether you want to pay eligible purchases in full each month—or pay over time with interest. Pay It Plan It offers the option to make several smaller payments each month via the Amex Mobile app or select payment plans for purchases $100 or more to be repaid over time with a set fee.

Pay Over Time — How It Works

Amex Pay Over Time — You’ll find Pay Over Time on several personal and select business cards. Image Credit: Amex

With Pay Over Time (the new name for the former Pay Over Time Direct), you have options. You get to decide whether you want to pay eligible purchases in full each month—or pay over time with interest

Enrolling — There’s no need to register as eligible cards are automatically enrolled. You do have to activate the feature, but once activated, qualifying purchases are automatically added to your Pay Over Time balance.
Fees — Interest will be added to each payment.
Plan Limits — Your Pay Over Time limit will be stated on your account. Any purchases above that amount will be due in full each statement period.
Authorized User Purchases — Authorized user purchases also qualify for Pay Over Time.

Hot Tip: Watch your emails for Pay Over Time incentives. You may be eligible to receive 10,000 Membership Rewards points for enrolling in Pay Over Time.

Pay It Plan It — How It Works

Pay It Plan It is really 2 features having different applications.

Pay It

Pay It allows you to make several small payments each month to your account without incurring any fees. The Pay It feature is available on the American Express Mobile app. To use Pay It, simply login to the app, select a qualifying purchase you want to pay (designated with the Pay It icon), then submit the payment.

You can make up to 5 Pay It transactions per day.

Pay It payments do not pay off the selected purchase but reduce your balance by the amount of that purchase.

Amex Pay It — Use the Amex Mobile app to make several small payments to your account each month without fees. Image Credit: Amex

Plan It

For purchases of $100 or more, you have the option to select a Plan It repayment plan for that purchase. You can have up to 10 active Plan It plans active at any 1 time.

It’s easy to calculate and build a Plan It payment plan that fits your budget. Fees are clearly disclosed upfront allowing you to make an educated decision on which plan makes sense for you.

Amex Plan It — Plan It allows you to customize your repayment plan. Image Credit: Amex

Bottom Line: Pay It Plan It is really 2 payment options — 1 for purchases under $100, and the other for purchases of $100 or more. Select Pay It to pay off small purchase amounts several times each statement period. Use Plan It for creating a custom payback plan for purchases $100 or more.

How to Find Out if Your Cards are Eligible

Not every Amex card has the Pay Over Time or Pay It Plan It features. Some cards have 1 feature and not the other. Additionally, not all customers will qualify for these features even if the payment plans are available on that particular card type.

Here are a few of the cards you can expect to have these payment features:

Pay Over Time

You’ll find the Pay Over Time feature on several American Express personal and business cards:

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

U.P. Rating

This cash-back card offers a capped 3% at U.S. supermarkets, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

This cash-back card offers a capped 3% at U.S. supermarkets, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases!

Welcome OfferEarn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$200

Annual Fee

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable,0% on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cash-back credit cards, there are dozens of options to choose from. So what sets the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express apart from the rest?

This card is excellent at earning cash-back on your everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. online retail purchases. So if you regularly spend money on everyday purchases, this could be the perfect card to add to your wallet.

Pros & Cons

Pros

3% back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
3% back on purchases at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
3% back on purchases on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.

Cons

Rewards are not flexible and can only be redeemed for cash-back. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
No Annual Fee.
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 20.24% to 29.24% variable APR.
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday^® Card. Enrollment required.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable,0% on purchases for 15 months
Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

ELEVATED OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Business Gold Card

U.P. Rating

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

American Express^® Business Gold Card

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Welcome OfferEarn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $2,200

Annual Fee

$375

APR

18.49% - 29.24% Variable,0% on purchases for 6 months from date of account opening

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.

The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x points per dollar spent on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
- Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
- Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, plus TV and radio)
3x points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection

Cons

$375 annual fee (rates and fees)
No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
0% Intro APR ¤ for 6 months from the date of account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time, then a 18.49% to 29.24% variable APR.*
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.*
Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
The Business Gold Card comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and White Gold. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
*Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

APR: 18.49% - 29.24% Variable,0% on purchases for 6 months from date of account opening
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Pay It Plan It

You’ll find the Pay It Plan It option on several personal Amex cards including these 2 popular cards:

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome OfferYou may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

$695 annual fee (rates and fees)
Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel^® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel^®.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club^® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
$199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card^®.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Apply and find out if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of as high as 175,000 points with the Amex Platinum. Welcome offers may vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome OfferYou may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

$325 annual fee (rates and fees)
No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Apply and find out if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer as high as 100,000 points with the Amex Gold card. Welcome offers may vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

American Express Corporate cards, American Express cards that are issued by financial institutions other than American Express, and prepaid product cards are not eligible for Pay It Plan It.

To find out if your cards are eligible, log in to your American Express card accounts online. The Plan It icon will be clearly visible on your home page.

Bottom Line: Pay Over Time and Pay It Plan It are not available on all Amex cards and also not available to every cardholder. To find out if you have these payment options, log in to your online Amex card account and you’ll see the affiliated options on the home page for each card.

Everything Else You Need to Know

Not all payment options are available on all cards and not all cardholders qualify for these payment plans.

Additionally:

You’ll earn all applicable rewards for purchases made. Selecting a payment plan does not affect rewards-earning.
Once you’ve set up a plan, you cannot cancel it. You must pay off the entire balance to terminate the plan.
Pay It payments always apply to the minimum amount due first.
Some accounts may require a purchase to be over $200, $500, or $1,000 in order to qualify for Pay Over Time.

Amex Payment Plans Summary

Let’s look now at how these payment options compare, the requirements, and the unique features of each payment plan.

SCROLL FOR MORE

Feature	Pay Over Time	Pay It	Plan It
Enrollment	Activate the payment plan for eligible purchases to then be moved automatically to your Pay Over Time balance	No enrollment required; qualifying purchases are automatically eligible
Payment Options	Pay the balance in full, the minimum payment due, or anything in-between	Select a purchase under $100 and pay for it.	Pay the balance in full, the minimum payment due, or anything in-between
Payback Period	Not specified	N/A	Up to 24 months
Fees and Interest	Interest applied to each payment	No additional fees or interest	Fixed monthly fee, disclosed in advance
Card Eligibility	Some consumer cards and select Amex business cards	Most consumer cards are eligible
Purchase Eligibility	All eligible purchases	Purchases under $100	Purchases $100 or more
Maximum Limit	Either your credit limit or a limit set by Amex based on your history	Limit of 5 payments per day	95% of your previous balance on the last billing statement or 95% of your current credit limit, up to 10 plans active at 1 time
Who is Eligible	Cardholder and authorized users	Cardholder

Alternatives to Amex Payment Plans

Couple in Kitchen — Large purchases can be paid back over time with no interest on a card with a 0% APR. Image Credit: Sears

The Introductory 0% APR for Purchases Option

If you’re planning a large purchase that will need to be paid back over time, considering a card with an introductory 0% APR may be a desirable alternative to using a payment plan that charges fees or interest.

A card that offers 0% APR for purchases allows you to repay the purchase back over time without incurring any interest charges. The length of the 0% APR repayment period varies by card.

Once the 0% APR period expires, you will be charged the current interest rate on balances that remain outstanding. Terms apply, so you’ll want to check the pricing for each card prior to applying for any card.

An Option for Chase Cardholders

If you’re a Chase cardholder, you’ll also want to check out My Chase Plan for repayment of eligible purchases over time.

You’ll find the following features of the My Chase Plan benefit:

Payment plans can be 3 to 18 months depending on the size of the eligible purchase, account history, and creditworthiness.
Purchases of $100 and over are eligible.
There is a fixed monthly fee applied to each plan payment.
You can estimate how much each payment will be using the online tool prior to making a purchase.

If you want to learn more about the best Chase credit cards for earning rewards, our article lists some of the most popular options.

Bottom Line: Prior to utilizing a payment plan that charges fees and interest, consider a card that offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases. For Chase cardholders, compare payment options and costs to determine which fits your repayment needs — Amex or Chase.

Final Thoughts

The best practice is to pay off your card balances each statement period to avoid fees and interest charges. However, this may not always be possible. If you need to use a payment plan to repay your balance, or a specific purchase, over time, pay close attention to how much the plan you select will cost you.

Pay Over Time offers flexibility for your major purchase or that of an authorized user to be paid back over time.

Pay It can help you whittle away at your balance with small frequent payments when you have a few extra dollars and avoid having a large balance to pay at the end of a statement period.

Plan It can be useful and more cost-effective for paying back a large purchase over time versus carrying a balance on your card and incurring interest charges.

As an alternative to Amex payment plans that charge fees/interest, if you can qualify for a card that features an introductory 0% APR period for purchases, this may be a cost-effective option for a large purchase or purchases.