The best business credit cards can help you get more out of your everyday expenses. You can earn rewards like cash back or travel miles, build your business credit and get organized with expense tracking tools. When used responsibly, business credit cards can help you save thousands every year.
Business credit cards are very similar to personal credit cards. In fact, you don’t even need a traditional business structure to be approved for a business credit card. Freelancing and even many side gigs can qualify as businesses.
Our experts analyzed 368 business credit cards to find you the best offers – here are the best business credit cards from our partners.
The best business credit cards can help you get more out of your everyday expenses. You can earn rewards like cash back or travel miles, build your business credit and get organized with expense tracking tools. When used responsibly, business credit cards can help you save thousands every year.
Business credit cards are very similar to personal credit cards. In fact, you don’t even need a traditional business structure to be approved for a business credit card. Freelancing and even many side gigs can qualify as businesses.
Our experts analyzed 368 business credit cards to find you the best offers – here are the best business credit cards from our partners.
CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
1%
1% cash back on all eligible purchases after spending $50,000 per calendar year.
At A Glance
Intro Bonus
$300
Earn up to $300 back to boost your business. You can earn up to $100 in the form of statement credits at each of the following merchants: Dell Technologies, DocuSign or FedEx after you make an eligible purchase on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners.
1X
2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
At A Glance
Intro Bonus
$300
Earn up to $300 back to boost your business. You can earn up to $100 in the form of statement credits at each of the following merchants: Dell Technologies, DocuSign or FedEx after you make an eligible purchase on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by CreditCards.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the bank's website for the most current information.
All information about CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business, Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business, Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business, Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business, Ink Business UnlimitedSM Credit Card, Ink Business CashSM Credit Card, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and U.S. Bank Credit Cards has been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Comparing Business Credit Card Offers
For most businesses – from brick and mortar storefronts to “side-hustles” – a business credit card can be a great tool to track spending, save money on interest, and earn rewards.
Before applying, you should understand the application requirements and credit implications. Though business credit cards are very similar to personal credit cards, there are a few key differences to know about. Finally, it’s a good idea to decide what’s important to you – are you hoping to spread out payments for several large purchases? Or do you simply want to start earning cash back on the purchases you’re already making?
Once you’ve decided what you’re looking for, it’s time to start comparing credit cards. At this point, you’ll be ready to make an informed decision with your business’s unique needs in mind.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi: Best for everyday cash back
Our review
Business owners who are already Costco members will love this card’s rewards: 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases (for the first $7,000 in purchases annually, then 1% after that), 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on Costco purchases, and 1% on general purchases. However, be aware that the cash back rewards are only issued once a year in February and are only redeemable at Costco. Read our full review.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Best for business travel
Our review
Some may find that the annual fee and American Airlines exclusivity cut into the overall value of this card, but it’s likely the most lucrative option for those who fly American Airlines often. It’s packed with travel rewards, including 2x AAdvantage® miles on eligible purchases at American Airlines, telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and gas stations. Plus, the welcome bonus is one of the largest among business credit cards: Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first 4 months of account opening. Read our full review.
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business: Best for flat-rate cash back
Our review
For the busy business owner, this is a great combination of value and simplicity. You’ll earn unlimited 2% back on all purchases without tracking spending, transferring rewards or juggling bonus categories. You’ll also enjoy a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. However, don’t overlook the $95 annual fee, which is waived the first year.: Just to break even in year two and beyond, you’d have to spend $4,750 in order to earn $95 in cash back.Read our full review.
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business: Best for no expiration on rewards
Our review
This card offers a competitive 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus no annual fee. Also, the cash back is unlimited, unlike some cards, which have maximum cash back limits. Your rewards won’t expire for the life of the account, and you can set up automatic redemption or redeem cash back in any amount, at any time. The one area that falls short is the sign-up bonus – a meager $200 after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months. Read our full review.
Ink Business UnlimitedSM Credit Card: Best for boosted rewards
Our review
Not only will you earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, but you can also transfer your rewards to a qualifying Chase Ultimate Rewards card and boost their value by 25% when you redeem for travel. It also comes with no annual fee and a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases – it’s 13.24%–19.24% variable after that. On the flip side, some business credit cards offer a higher rewards rate, such as the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. Read our full review.
Ink Business CashSM Credit Card: Best for cash back on office supplies
Our review
It’s one of the only cards that includes a bonus on office supply spending, offering 5% cash back on your first $25,000 in combined purchases at office supply stores, as well as internet, cable and phone services each anniversary year (1% thereafter). If you’re working from home for the foreseeable future, this cash back reward can be a great benefit for providing your employees the services they need to stay productive online. Read our full review.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best for sign-up bonus
Our review
A hefty sign-up bonus of 100,000 points after a $15,000 spend within the first 3 months makes this a stellar business card. And those 100,000 points are worth $1,250 toward future travel when you book through Chase Ultimate Rewards. The rewards rates are pretty great, too: 3X points on all travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services and advertising purchases with social media and search engines on your first $150,000 in combined purchases each year (1 point per dollar thereafter). On the other hand, this isn’t the best credit card for those who want to do a balance transfer or finance a large purchase since it doesn’t offer a 0% introductory APR. There’s also a $95 annual fee. Read our full review.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Best for no annual fee
Our review
A cash back rate of 2% isn’t uncommon among business credit cards, but it is special when paired with no annual fee. Keep in mind, though, the 2% cash back applies only to your first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year (then 1%). This flat-rate cash back card offers some unique features, such as the possibility of spending beyond your credit limit and even earning cash back in those cases. Read our full review.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best for long intro APR period on purchases
Our review
The card offers a 0% introductory APR on new purchases for 12 months (13.24% - 19.24% Variable thereafter), making it useful if you need to finance a large purchase. You’ll also earn 2X points for up to $50,000 a year on business expenses like office supplies and client dinners, and 1 point per dollar thereafter. Read our full review.
Brex Corporate Card for Startups: Best for startups
Our review
One of the most unique business credit cards on the market, the Brex card is truly tailored to meet the needs of startup companies. Earn 7X points on ride-shares, 4X points on travel, 3X points on restaurants, 2X points on software subscriptions and 1X on everything else. While these rates are great, it’s the card benefits that make this card special. Among the Brex card perks you’ll find a fast approval process with no personal guarantee or credit checks required, no annual fee, automated expense tracking, a first-year $5,000 credit for Amazon Web Service and the ability to redeem points for cash back or travel. There is one huge limiting factor, however. You must have a corporate bank account containing at least $100,000 to qualify. Read our full review.
Managing business finances during a crisis
If you’re a small-business owner, you’ve likely experienced some strain in recent months. According to a June 2020 poll by the United States Census Bureau, 82.7% of small businesses have experienced moderate or large negative effects as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of those negative effects may be decreased revenue stream, leading to less cash on hand, missed payments, or the need to borrow money. If you’re looking for ways to stay afloat financially, you have options.
Explore balance transfer and 0% APR credit cards. Whether you’ve already borrowed money or you plan to, a card with a 0% intro APR can save you money on interest, while breaking up the sum into manageable payments.
Apply for an SBA disaster loan. Not all businesses are eligible, but the low interest rates make SBA disaster loans worth looking into.
Apply for a small business grant. Outside of the federal government, private companies and organizations are providing grants to various types of businesses, from freelancers to Facebook advertisers.
Check what kind of relief your credit card issuer is offering. Some issuers are allowing lower minimum payments and interest rates, waived fees, and even payment deferral. To learn more, browse our guide to credit card issuer COVID-19 assistance.
Cash back with high rewards rate on office supplies
5% on office supplies, internet
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
Research methodology: how we picked the best business cards
One of the factors we weighed most heavily when selecting the best business credit cards is rewards categories and rates. Ideally, a business credit card should reward you for the purchases your business makes frequently, whether that’s travel, office supplies, or another category. Introductory period and regular APR were also key factors in our decisions, since many business owners use credit cards to finance larger purchases.
Business credit cards analyzed: 368
Criteria used: Rewards categories, rewards rates, redemption options and flexibility, sign-up bonus, customer service, small business perks, annual fee, other rates and fees, security, credit needed, ease of application
How to choose the best credit card for your business
Credit cards are among the most popular forms of credit for business owners – in fact, it is the most popular among those not applying for a line of credit. Some 47% say they regularly use cards (up from 44%), with the second most common being a loan or line of credit at 42%, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2019 Small Business Credit Survey.
There’s no one-size-fits-all business credit card. Businesses’ credit needs can vary greatly, and business credit cards vary along with those needs. “Choosing the right business credit card depends on what you’re looking for (cash back, free travel, low interest, etc.),” says Ted Rossman, our industry analyst. “There are lucrative sign-up bonuses to be had, and rewards on spending categories tailored for businesses (such as travel, technology, internet, phone, shipping and online advertising purchases).” Here’s what you need to consider in choosing the best card for your needs:
What types of rewards are you interested in?
The next step is to figure out your preference for rewards. With fiscal year 2020 underway, you should think about what the year holds in terms of business spending. Will you be furnishing your home office? What about jumping into online advertising?
Did you or your employees travel often for business, and were you loyal to a particular airline or hotel? You might consider signing up for a co-branded airline or hotel card, which can be extremely rewarding for dedicated customers.
Or, if you want more flexible redemption options, you might consider a flexible points card, such as the Chase Ink Business Preferred card.
If you’re looking for simplicity, a cash back card is probably your best bet – you can redeem your cash back as a statement credit or have it deposited into a bank account without having to worry about how to use rewards points.
Rewards flexibility
It’s important to understand how to earn and redeem rewards with each option you’re considering. You’ll want to know what limitations are in place for redeeming your rewards – while some cards offer the freedom of simple cash back, some cards only offer more rigid redemption options, like gift cards. Cash back is usually the most flexible way to redeem, but gift cards, travel, points and experiences may be just as helpful to some business owners.
Other questions to ask about rewards:
Do rewards expire?
Are there limits on how much cash back you can earn?
What is the minimum redemption amount?
What types of spending do you do?
Once you’ve settled on the type of rewards that you prefer, you should look at how your business allocates its spending, to decide which card will be most rewarding for you:
If you spend a lot at office supply stores, you might look at Ink Business Cash , which offers 5% on the first $25,000 spent at office supply stores and internet.
If you were a frequent traveler and you’re thinking ahead to your future plans, you should look at a card like The Business Platinum Card® from American Express which offers 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
Or, you may earn a higher rewards rate by choosing a flat-rate card that offers the same rewards rate on every purchase.
Your business credit score
Whether your business is just getting started or it’s been operating for years, applying for a business credit card can be an immensely helpful tool in growing your business. When applying, don’t be surprised if your bank or issuer asks to view your personal credit score or your business’s income. Whether or not you get approved for a business card in general can be widely based on your creditworthiness — so before you apply, it’s a good idea to conduct a personal audit of your financial health. Most issuers will require a good credit score (670 and above), while others may even require an excellent score (740 and above). Although there are a small number of cards that require fair credit (580-669), just like a personal card, you may increase your chances of getting approved for a business card with a higher credit score.
Spending limits
Unlike personal credit cards, many business credit cards carry a much higher spending limit. Running a business can, at times, be a costly endeavor and business owners can charge more to their card than consumers with a personal credit line. In fact, the average monthly payments for business owners sits around $2,000, while the average consumer is less than half of that.
Interest rates
The variable interest rate of your business credit card is based on your creditworthiness, just as your personal credit card is. If you have good credit, your interest rate will reflect that. The higher your credit score, the lower your interest rate could be. Similar to personal cards, the interest rates will fall and rise with the Federal Reserve’s prime rate. Due to the current state of our nation’s economy, rate reductions have lowered, which can be welcome news to those who tend to carry a balance from month to month. However, interest is still interest, and the if left to accrue, could become difficult to pay down and could be potentially harmful to your business credit score.
Introductory APR
Investing in your business, though necessary, can be costly. Whether you have a large purchase planned or you want to pay off debt, a business credit card with a 0% introductory APR could help you spread out payments without incurring interest. Some cards have incredibly long introductory periods, such as the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, offering 12 months of 0% interest on purchases (it’s 13.24% - 19.24% Variablethereafter).
Additional benefits
While some benefits can save you money, others are aimed at saving time or headache in an unideal scenario. If you or your employees travel frequently, having no foreign transaction fees or lost luggage insurance may be the most helpful. If you have several employees that will be authorized users, having no fee for employee cards may save the most money.
Some common business credit card benefits you may want to hunt for include:
Travel benefits: no foreign transaction fees, car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside assistance, and travel and emergency assistance
Business management tools: quarterly and year-end summaries, QuickBooks integration ability, no fee for employee cards, ability to set individual spend limits for employee cards
Once you’ve found the best credit card for your business, it’s time to apply. You’ll need to provide some basic information about yourself and your business.
What you’ll be asked when you apply for a business credit card
An EIN or SSN. You’ll need to supply your EIN – the number issued by the IRS to people who have a business located in the United States or U.S. territories. If you’re a sole proprietor without an EIN, you can use your Social Security number instead to apply.
Your business information. You’ll need to supply some basic information about your business: The name of your business (or your personal name, if you’re a freelancer), the type of business (partnership, corporation or sole proprietorship), your role in the business, your business address and phone number, how long you’ve been in business, your number of employees, your annual business revenue, and your estimated monthly spend.
Your personal information. You’ll need to include your personal details on the application as well, including name, address, contact information, Social Security number, birthdate, mother’s maiden name and household income.
Pro tip: Boost your odds of being approved
Having a well-established business, of course, helps your odds, but you may be able to qualify by just supplying the above information. Here are a few other things you can do to boost your chances of qualifying:
Pay down debt
Pay down your existing card debt about 30 days before applying for a new card.
List all of your income
When applying, be sure to list income before taxes, and include income such as pension, alimony and rental income.
Build up your personal credit score first
Having a good personal credit history is the main factor for getting accepted for a business credit card. If your credit score isn’t good, you need to work on building your personal credit before you apply.
Be honest on your application
Don’t make up fake revenue for your business hoping to push your application through. If the bank double checks on your application and finds your application isn’t accurate, you could get rejected.
Start a relationship with the bank
If you already have a relationship with the bank, you have a greater chance of getting accepted for one of their business cards. Start a checking account for your business with the bank and then try applying for one of their cards.
How to get the most out of a business credit card
A business credit card can be a powerful tool for increasing your purchasing power and building your business credit history, but it can also come with serious liabilities. Here are some tips to help you avoid the pitfalls:
Read your card’s terms and conditions
Since business cards aren’t regulated by the CARD Act, you should take a close look at your card’s terms and conditions and monitor any changes to terms and conditions that come in your email. Keep an eye out for changes in interest rates, due dates or fees.
Only use your card for business expenses
Don’t put your personal spending on your business credit card, in part because card issuers discourage it. Also, mingling your expenses makes it harder to track your business spending. Plus, it can make you personally liable if someone sues your company. Finally, if you do happen to incur interest from carrying a balance on a business credit card, be sure to note it on your tax form – it counts as a business expense.
Track your spending carefully
Make 2020 the year to get a handle on business expenses. Use your credit card’s expense reporting features to keep close tabs on your spending. Look for opportunities to cut expenses. Keep in mind that business cards come with high credit limits – usually of $50,000 or higher – which makes them ideal for making large purchases. Some cards, such as the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, even allow you to exceed your credit limit when you need to make a large purchase.
Plan how you’ll pay
Figure out ahead of time what your cash flow is going to be through the month. See if you can negotiate your due date with your credit card issuer so that it falls on a date where you will have funds to pay off your balance. Make large purchases right after your statement closes so you have plenty of time to repay the balance.
Make sure you have a plan in place to repay the amount that you borrow against your credit line, so you can pay it off quickly and avoid high interest fees, penalties or possibly incurring a debt you can’t afford to repay. Avoid carrying a balance past the due date if you can, since the interest can be very costly.
Find new ways to earn and save
Many business credit cards include programs such as VisaSavings Edge, Mastercard Easy Savings and American Express that give you a small discount with a select list of merchants. The number and variety of merchants vary greatly by program. You can get significant savings if you happen to shop frequently with a merchant.
Also, you can use online shopping portals such as Ebates and Swagbucks to earn extra cash back on top of your card rewards. You can also earn bonus rewards through an issuer’s shopping portal, such as the Chase Ultimate Rewards mall.
Manage employees’ cards
Business credit frequently allows you to issue cards from your account to your employees – usually for free, but sometimes for a fee – and to set up individual limits for each card along with account alerts to help you keep a close eye on your employees’ card use. If you or your employees traveled a lot for your business and you’re thinking about future travel plans, you may be able to make good future use of the travel protections that frequently come on business credit cards. Travel protections often include trip cancellation insurance, travel accident trip delay insurance, insurance for lost and delayed baggage and car rental insurance. Once we’re able to start taking business trips again, these perks are worth considering to give you and your employees peace of mind while traveling.
Use your account management features
Take advantage of all the features your issuer offers to simplify your account management. Set up automatic alerts for your card and your employees’ cards, set up autopay to make sure you meet your payment due date and link your account to your accounting software so you can easily download all your expenses. Most business credit cards come with expense-tracking features, such as apps that allow you to snap photos of your receipts and file them on the go, spending reports, yearly summaries and the ability to designate an account manager to manage it all for you.
Understanding and building business credit
There are some differences between personal and business credit, which we go into on this page. Here are some tips on how to build business, understanding what is a good rating, and more.
How to build business credit
To build a credit history for your business, you need to establish that your business is a separate entity from yourself and take steps to make sure that your business’s spending activity is being tracked by business credit bureaus. Here are some steps you can take to create a credit history for your business:
A business checking account will help you establish your business as a financial entity.
Register for a DUN number through Dun and Bradstreet to establish a credit history with them. For Experian and Equifax, establish an LLC so you can get an EIN and set up a phone line with a listed number.
If some of your vendor accounts are not making it onto your credit report, you can use D&B’s Credit Builder service to provide positive payment information to your credit report. You can provide D&B with your vendors’ contact information, then D&B will contact them to verify your payment history.
Building your personal credit score is one of the first steps to building a credit history for your business. A good personal credit score can help you acquire your first lines of business credit.
Apply for a small-business credit card.
So that you make your own payments on time (and minimize your need for cash flow), make sure your own customers are paying you in a timely manner.
Request credit line increases on your existing accounts – this will improve your credit-to-debt ratio and thus your overall credit score.
Check your business credit
Credit scoring for businesses is a bit different (and more complicated) than scoring for consumers. Personal FICO scores range from 300 to 850 while business credit scores use different scales. There are three primary business credit score bureaus and they all structure their ratings differently.
You can find your business credit score by visiting the Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax and Experian websites. Each bureau offers different features.
$39.95 for a one-time pull, or $179 for a year of access
Can you get a business credit card with fair or bad credit?
Though most business credit cards require good to excellent credit, there are a few business cards available for people with fair credit. These cards usually lack the hefty sign-up bonuses and travel perks of other business cards, but they can be useful as stepping stones to better credit and more lucrative business rewards cards down the line.
Currently, one of the easiest business credit cards to get is the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business, a flat-rate cash back card offering 1% cash back on every purchase. While the card has its shortcomings, including a variable APR of 26.99%, which is much higher than that of the average business card, it comes with a number of useful business perks.
You may also consider paying for business expenses with a consumer card designed for people with fair credit or bad credit.
If you’d rather avoid a personal guarantee, one option is the Brex Corporate Card for Startups. Not only is no personal guarantee required to be approved for the card, you don’t even need to go through a personal credit check. Instead, you supply your EIN and link your corporate bank account to the card as a security deposit (you’ll need at least $100,000 in your corporate account to qualify for the card). Brex then sets credit limits dynamically based on the amount of capital you’ve raised, equity in your company and your company’s spending patterns.
CreditCards.com Poll: Over one-third of small businesses relying on personal funds during the COVID-19 pandemic
Our July 2020 Small Business Poll uncovered a worrisome fact – 35% of American small-business decision-makers have tapped into personal funds to finance their businesses since the Coronavirus pandemic struck. That includes those who have dipped into a personal savings account (21%), used a personal credit card (24%) or both (10%).
“It’s commendable how far these dedicated business owners are willing to go in search of their dreams,” says Ted Rossman, industry analyst at CreditCards.com. “I worry, however, about the debt they’re taking on, and how they’re potentially putting their personal finances at risk.”
Also notably, 38% of business leaders have turned to either business or personal credit cards during this time, with 20% of those polled leaning on business cards.
Paying off credit card debt can be stressful, but there’s a way to do so efficiently. Negotiating interest rates and paying more than the minimum are two ways to reduce the total time and amount of money repaid. “Many of the normal debt reduction tools are in shorter supply these days — for instance, 0% balance transfer offers have dried up due to worries about the economy. That’s why it’s so important to be creative and ask for a break,” Rossman added. Another good strategy: If you have multiple cards with balances and are able to put some money toward your debt, prioritize the highest interest rates in order to reduce the total interest expense.
Meanwhile, the single most popular form of funding was Paycheck Protection Program loans from the Small Business Administration, used by 30% of small businesses.
Small business funding sources amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
PPP loan(s)
29.6%
Personal credit card(s)
24.4%
Business savings account(s)
24.4%
Personal savings account(s)
20.7%
Business credit card(s)
20.1%
Other types of loan(s)
29.6%
Unfortunately, the negative effects of the pandemic are ongoing for many small-business owners, many of whom see trouble on the horizon. The majority of small-business leaders (53%) agree that they will need either an increase in sales or some type of assistance just to stay in business this year.
To stay afloat until 2021, small business decision-makers say they will need:
An increase in sales (32%)
Government assistance, such as stimulus funding (19%)
Any type of loan (13%)
“I’m encouraged by the spirit behind these findings. Even in an incredibly difficult year, small businesses remain resilient and optimistic – they’re taking matters into their own hands. They’re important parts of our communities and our economy, and we’re rooting for them,” says Rossman.
Methodology
CreditCards.com commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 499 small-business decision-makers. Fieldwork was undertaken from July 14-20, 2020. The survey was carried out online and meets rigorous quality standards. It employed a non-probability-based sample using both quotas upfront during collection and then a weighting scheme on the back end designed and proven to provide nationally representative results.
Business credit cards are simply credit cards designed for business use rather than personal use. You don’t need to have a formal business structure to get a business credit card – freelancers and those with side gigs can be perfectly eligible. Business credit cards are similar to personal credit cards in many ways, but there are a few key differences. The application requirements are different, the credit limits are usually higher and the legal protections that consumer credit cards provide do not apply.
So why get a business credit card? Because business expenses are tax deductible, it’s a good way for business owners to keep business and personal expenses separate while also earning rewards on common business spending categories, such as office supplies. Also, with business credit cards you’re likely to be able to borrow more money than you would with a consumer credit card.
Don’t confuse small-business credit cards with corporate credit cards. The requirements for getting a corporate credit card are much tougher: A business usually must have several million dollars in annual revenue to qualify.
Business credit cards are simply credit cards designed for business use rather than personal use. While business credit cards function a lot like personal credit cards, they are unique in a few ways.
One major difference to keep in mind is that many small business credit card issuers report your business credit activity to both consumer and commercial credit bureaus. Additionally, unlike consumer cards, business credit cards aren’t protected under the Credit CARD Act of 2009. This means that consumer protections technically don’t apply to business cards, so your APR could change without notice or you could be charged high fees for minor infractions.
Business cards also tend to come with higher credit limits than personal cards and are more likely to offer rewards in business-related spending categories, such as office supplies and phone and internet expenses.
Business credit cards are often used to build a company’s credit history, improve its cashflow and keep business expenses separate from personal charges. They can help you organize expenses, earn rewards and save on interest payments, so even if your business’s spending is modest, choosing the right business credit card can save you large sums of money each fiscal year.
Unless you own a substantially sized business (and sometimes even when you do), you’ll probably be asked to make a personal guarantee on your business credit card application, stating that you are personally responsible for repaying your card debt. This means if you stop making payments on the card because the business fails, the bank can come after you personally to recover the debt.
While business credit cards that don’t require a personal guarantee do exist, they often carry a number of other requirements and limitations. In place of a personal guarantee, you may have to put up business assets as collateral or prove that your company has millions of dollars in revenue or cash reserves.
If you’d rather avoid a personal guarantee, one option is the Brex Corporate Card for Startups. Not only is no personal guarantee required to be approved for the card, you don’t even need to go through a personal credit check. Instead, you supply your EIN and link your corporate bank account to the card as a security deposit (you’ll need at least $100,000 in your corporate account to qualify for the card). Brex then sets credit limits dynamically based on the amount of capital you’ve raised, equity in your company and your company’s spending patterns.
Authors
Laura Mohammad
Laura Mohammad is an editor and writer at CreditCards.com. She regularly covers the best credit cards and works to bring you the most up-to-date analysis and advice. You can reach Laura at laura.mohammad@creditcards.com
Mariah Ackary
CreditCards.com expert Mariah Ackary is passionate about financial literacy for all, especially women. An expert in rewards and small businesses, she does the research to make complicated financial topics more approachable for her readers. Send your questions to mackary@creditcards.com.
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