What are interest-free days?

A period, often up to 44 or 55 days, where purchases attract no interest, as long as you pay the closing balance in full by the due date.

Does every purchase get 55 interest-free days?

No. The maximum applies to purchases early in the statement cycle; later purchases get fewer days. The “up to” figure is the best case, not the average.

What happens if I don’t pay in full?

You generally lose the interest-free benefit until the balance is cleared, and interest is usually charged from the purchase date (some cards charge from the statement date). Paying the full closing balance preserves the benefit.

Do interest-free days apply to cash advances?

No. Interest-free days apply to purchases; cash advances typically attract interest immediately, often at a higher rate.

How can I make sure I keep the interest-free benefit?

By paying the full closing balance every statement. A direct debit for the full amount means it is never missed.

Compare Credit Cards with the Longest Interest-Free Days

The advertised interest-free days are a maximum, counted from the start of the statement period rather than from the day you buy something. You only get them if you clear the closing balance in full each month; carry a balance and interest usually applies from the transaction date. Purchase rates here start at 7.49% p.a. with Unity Bank's Low Rate Visa Credit Card.

Rates checked against every provider’s own published data on 19 Oct 2026

	Interest-free days	Actions
Summerland Bank	Purchase rate—	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Summerland Bank Low Rate Credit Card	Benefit from a low interest rate on purchases.
Auswide Bank	Purchase rate9.74%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Auswide Bank Low Rate Visa Credit Card
Bankwest	Purchase rate12.99%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Bankwest Bankwest Breeze Platinum Mastercard	Intro 0% for 24 months on balance transfers	A credit card with our lowest ongoing rate.
Unity Bank	Purchase rate7.49%	Interest-free daysUp to 50 days	Compare Unity Bank Low Rate Visa Credit Card	Our award-winning Low Rate Visa Credit Card features one of the lowest ongoing purchase rates in the market. And with up to 50 days interest free and a low annual fee, it all adds up to great value.
Greater Bank	Purchase rate9.95%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Greater Bank Visa Credit Card	Low rate, low fee, personal credit card
BankSA	Purchase rate9.99%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare BankSA VISA Business	Business only	A low interest rate on purchases to help manage your business cash flow
Coastline Bank	Purchase rate10.24%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Coastline Bank Visa Credit Card
Community First Bank	Purchase rate9.99%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Community First Bank Nsa Credit Card	A low rate credit card with up to 55 days interest free on purchases. Half the annual fee goes to National Seniors Australia to help with their work on advocacy and financial literacy
Australian Mutual Bank	Purchase rate11.50%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Australian Mutual Bank Credit Card	Intro 7.90% for 6 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 11.50%	Use your credit card for shopping, travelling overseas or even to consolidate other credit or store card debt.
Firefighters Mutual Bank	Purchase rate11.50%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Firefighters Mutual Bank Credit Card	Intro 7.90% for 6 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 11.50%	Use your credit card for shopping, travelling overseas or even to consolidate other credit or store card debt.
BCU Bank	Purchase rate11.95%	Interest-free daysUp to 52 days	Compare BCU Bank Classic Credit Card	Our Classic Credit Card offers a competitive rate, up to 52 days interest free, and is protected by Visa's Zero Liability policy.
Beyond Bank Australia	Purchase rate12.49%	Interest-free daysUp to 62 days	Compare Beyond Bank Australia Low Rate Credit Card	Intro 0% for 12 months on balance transfers	Enjoy the benefits of our Low Rate Credit Card and receive up to 62 days interest free days on purchases or take advantage of our balance transfer offer.
Bank of Melbourne	Purchase rate13.99%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Bank of Melbourne Vertigo	Intro 0% for 20 months on balance transfersFeatures: Rewards	An everyday card with a low rate on purchases, and a low monthly card fee.
Hume Bank	Purchase rate11.95%	Interest-free daysUp to 55 days	Compare Hume Bank Visa Value	Our most popular card: no mess, no fuss, and no nasty surprises.

How interest-free days work

Interest-free days are a window, often up to 44 or 55 days, during which purchases attract no interest, provided you pay your closing balance in full by the due date. The longer the interest-free period, the more breathing room between buying and paying.

Why “up to 55 days” isn’t always 55

The maximum applies only to purchases made at the start of a statement cycle; something bought near the end of the cycle gets far fewer interest-free days. The “up to” figure is the best case across the billing period, not what every purchase receives.

Paying in full to stay interest-free

Interest-free days only apply if you pay the closing balance in full each statement. Carry any balance and you typically lose the interest-free benefit until it’s cleared, with interest charged from the purchase date. A direct debit for the full closing balance keeps the benefit intact.

How interest-free-days cards compare

The maximum interest-free days, the annual fee and the purchase rate (for months a balance carries over) are the figures that separate them. Cards can be compared side by side, and the full market is on the credit cards hub.

Glossary

The key terms you’ll meet when comparing these products, reading product disclosures or talking to a provider.

Term	What it means
Annual fee	The yearly fee for holding the card, sometimes waived in the first year or reduced for higher spend.
Balance transfer	Moving debt from one card to another, often at a low or 0% introductory rate for a set period.
Closing balance	The total owing on your statement; paying it in full by the due date preserves your interest-free days.
Earn rate	How many reward points you earn per dollar spent, which can vary by spend category.
Foreign transaction fee	A fee, often around 3%, on purchases made overseas or in a foreign currency.
Interest-free days	A period (often up to 44 or 55 days) where purchases attract no interest, provided you pay the closing balance in full.
Minimum repayment	The smallest amount you must pay each statement period to keep the account in order; paying only this means interest accrues.
Purchase rate	The interest rate charged on purchases that aren’t paid off by the due date.
Rewards points	Points earned on spending that can be redeemed for flights, gift cards, cashback or merchandise.
Statement cycle	The billing period for your card; when in the cycle you buy affects how many interest-free days a purchase gets.

Term

What it means

Annual fee

The yearly fee for holding the card, sometimes waived in the first year or reduced for higher spend.

Balance transfer

Moving debt from one card to another, often at a low or 0% introductory rate for a set period.

Closing balance

The total owing on your statement; paying it in full by the due date preserves your interest-free days.

Earn rate

How many reward points you earn per dollar spent, which can vary by spend category.

Foreign transaction fee

A fee, often around 3%, on purchases made overseas or in a foreign currency.

Interest-free days

A period (often up to 44 or 55 days) where purchases attract no interest, provided you pay the closing balance in full.

Minimum repayment

The smallest amount you must pay each statement period to keep the account in order; paying only this means interest accrues.

Purchase rate

The interest rate charged on purchases that aren’t paid off by the due date.

Rewards points

Points earned on spending that can be redeemed for flights, gift cards, cashback or merchandise.

Statement cycle

The billing period for your card; when in the cycle you buy affects how many interest-free days a purchase gets.

Common questions

Rates and fees are sourced from each provider’s CDR Product Reference Data as of the date shown. They are general information only. Not credit advice. CompareThat is not a credit provider. Payment can change where a product appears, never which products we show.