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Brex 30 Card review
A charge card for startups that doesn’t require a personal guarantee.
finder.com’s rating: 4.9 / 5
★★★★★
- Get this card if you’re a startup and want a hassle-free card without a personal guarantee.
- Pick something else if you want an intro APR period or if you want to carry your balance.
- Apply with a minimum of $50,000 in your business bank account.
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50,000
Points as welcome offer
Up to 8x
Points
$0
Annual fee
New to credit
Recommended credit score
Details
| Annual fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Welcome Offer | Up to $150,000 worth of credits and offers for business services like Amazon Web Services, Slack, Zoom, Google Ads and more |
| Rewards | 8x points on rideshares, 5x on Brex Travel, 4x at restaurants, 3x on software subscriptions and 1x points on all other purchases |
| Purchase APR | N/A |
| Balance transfer APR | N/A |
| Recommended minimum credit score | New to credit |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
Review by
Kliment Dukovski
kliment.dukovski@findercrew.comKliment Dukovski is a credit cards and investments writer. He's written over 600 articles to help readers find and compare the best credit cards. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies.
Expert review
The Brex 30 Card corporate card is a charge card designed for startups. A charge card means you can’t carry your purchases over to the next billing cycle by paying interest, but you have to pay them off fully when due. Because of that, the card has no interest on purchases. It also has no annual fee for your first five cards.
Rewards-wise, you get up to a $150,000 signup bonus worth of services, including credit or discounts for Amazon Web Services, Slack and Zoom, plus you get to earn accelerated points on select categories like rideshares, travel, dining and software purchases. Keep in mind, Brex offers two credit cards: Brex 30 Card and Brex Daily. The main difference between the two are the rewards. Brex Daily is a slightly better option when it comes to rewards, but you can’t choose which card to apply for. Both cards share the application process and based on your company profile, Brex will decide which card you best qualify for.
To apply, you don’t need a personal guarantee or a secured deposit. But you do need to have at least $50,000 in your bank account. Brex 30 Card comes with a credit line 10 times higher than you would with a standard business credit card, which is convenient if you can pay your balance on time.
With the management tools and easy accounting software integration, you can save time on analyzing employee spending and month-to-month reconciliation. But if you’re looking to carry a balance, look for another card.
Finder experts pick Brex 30 Card as a 2021 best product for credit cards.
How do I apply for the Brex 30 Card?
- Click Apply now.
- Fill out the application form with the requested information, including your name, work email and company information.
- Click Create Account.
How long will it take to get my Brex 30 Card?
You can start using your card online as soon as you’re approved. To get the physical card, you’ll have to wait up to five business days.
The perks
No personal liability.
This is one of the rare corporate cards for startups that doesn’t require personal liability, a credit score, social security number or security deposits. Since startups have a high failure rate, this can give you a peace of mind knowing your personal assets won’t be affected in case of default.
High credit limit.
Brex claims you’ll get a credit limit that’s 10 to 20 times higher than with a traditional business card. That’s because your assigned credit line is based on the cash you raised and the equity your company has.
Earn rewards.
Earn 8x points on rideshares — including Uber, Lyft, taxis and scooter — 5x points on flights and hotels booked through Brex Travel, 4x on restaurants, dining and eligible Apple products purchased through the Brex portal, 3x on recurring software like Salesforce, Zendesk and Twilio, and 1x points on everything else you buy. Each point is worth 1 cent when you redeem for gift cards, travel and miles transfer, and 0.7 cents per point for statement credit redemption. You can get 1 cent per point on cash if you combine your Brex card with a Brex Cash account.
Redeem points for crypto.
Brex recently added the ability to redeem your earned points toward two different types of cryptocurrency: Bitcoin and Ethereum. To redeem your points on crypto, you’ll need to first set up a crypto wallet to house your investments. You can choose either cryptocurrency at the time of point redemption, and your redemption will take up to an hour to post to your wallet account. To redeem, click Redeem on your chosen crypto, then view Spend points to choose the number of points you’d like to go toward your crypto. Paste your wallet address in Where to deposit.
Signup bonus.
Most business credit cards offer a signup bonus of up to $2,000. With Brex, you can earn up to 30,000 bonus points if you combine your Brex card with a Brex Cash account. But even if you don’t, there’s still up to $150,000 worth of services, including $5,000 in credit for Amazon Web Services, a 25% subscription discount off of 12 months of eligible Slack plans, 20% discount on annual Zoom subscriptions, 50% off on Dropbox business plans and more.
Easily add new card members.
Quickly issue new cards to your team and set their spending limits.
Use your card immediately.
Upon approval, start making purchases with a virtual card while waiting to get the physical card.
Expense management tools.
Save time and analyze employee spending by automatically transferring your data to your accounting software. Brex integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite and Expensify.
World Elite Mastercard® benefits.
Enjoy security against unauthorized purchases with zero liability and advanced fraud and ID theft protection. You’ll also get global assistance and insurance for travel purchases made with your card.
No annual fee.
Your first five cards have no annual fee. For each additional card, pay $5 per month.
No foreign transaction fees.
If you travel abroad, use this card freely without incurring any foreign transaction fees.
What to watch out for
Can’t choose which card to get.
Brex Card and Brex Daily share the application, meaning Brex will determine which credit card you’ll get.Can’t carry a balance.
Your due date is 30 days after the close of your statement period, and you must pay it in full.
Minimum cash balance required.
You aren’t eligible for the Brex Card card unless you have $50,000 in your bank account.
Crypto redemption worth less than other options.
When you redeem your points on crypto, your points are worth just 0.7 cents each. What’s more, you’ll also incur a network fee when redeeming your points on crypto.
Compare business credit cards
Full list of Brex credit cards
What size business is the Brex Cardcard good for?
Brex is aimed at startups that have at least $50,000 in their bank account. The number of employees doesn’t play a huge role with this card, as you can quickly and easily add new card members. You’ll also have expense management tools at your disposal to save time monitoring employee spending.
| Where you spend | How much you spend annually | Reward points |
|---|---|---|
| Rideshares | $24,000 | 168,000 |
| Dining | $96,000 | 288,000 |
| Travel | $36,000 | 144,000 |
| Software | $50,000 | 100,000 |
| Everything else | $120,000 | 120,000 |
| Total | $326,000 | 820,000 |
Suppose your startup has 20 employees, you have five Brex Card cards and you don’t have a Brex Cash account. If your annual spending looks similar to our example, you would earn 820,000 points, which are worth $8,200 in travel, gift card and miles transfer, or $5,740 in statement credit. If we add the $150,000 worth of bonuses offered by Brex, the rewards you get beat any standard business card.
Note that your rewards will vary based on how much you spend and what you redeem them for. This example is based on our own calculations.
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the card, you must provide:
- Your name and work email.
- Company name and website.
- How your company was funded and your role in the company.
What credit score do I need?
You don’t need to provide your credit score to apply for the card. Instead, Brex looks at your investors, your cash balance and spending patterns. And according to that, they set up your credit limit and provide you with your card.
Brex 30 Card reviews and complaints
One of the features that customers especially like is that they aren’t personally liable. Others like the fast application process, the Amazon Web Services credit and the easy integration with accounting software.
As of October 2020, Brex has earned an A+ from the BBB, though it is not yet accredited.
I got the card. Now what?
- Pay on time. You have 30 days to pay your balance. If you don’t, Brex may close your account.
- Customer service. For any questions, call 833-228-2044 and Brex support will help you.
Bottom line
If you’re a startup with high income or investment capital and you’re looking for a hassle-free card without personal guarantee, the Brex Card corporate card could be a solid choice.
The card comes with efficient monitoring tools, a robust signup bonus and if you make Brex Card your exclusive business card, you can enjoy a high cashback rate on rideshares, travel, dining and software.
However, if you’re not sure this is the right card for your business, look for a standard business credit card and compare your options.
Frequently asked questions
Images: Brex
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