Our pick for businesses: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
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- Huge $750 cash bonus after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months
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Business credit cards
Compare over 100 business credit cards to find the right one for your company.
Compare business credit cards
Use our table to compare business credit cards and find the most useful option for your company's needs. To start, select your credit score, select the features you want and the rewards type. Finally, select a specific card issuer if you have one in mind and browse through the selection of cards.
The best business credit cards of 2023
If you’re still not sure which business credit card is right for you, take a look at our curated list of top picks to narrow your search. Finder’s credit card experts spent hundreds of hours to bring you the best business credit cards.
7 factors to consider when comparing credit cards for businesses
Think about your business spending and cash flow when weighing business card factors that include:
- Annual fee. Consider how much you’re willing to pay to use a business credit card each year, and determine if any perks are worth the price.
- Personal guarantee requirement. Most business credit cards require a personal guarantee. This means you are personally liable if you fail to pay your credit card balance. Some credit cards, though, let you get the card without a personal guarantee.
- Promotional interest rate. An intro purchase APR can help you avoid paying high-interest rates on big items or balances you transfer from other cards.
- Cash back and rewards. Choose a business credit card that can earn rewards on what you buy most. Look for cash back, miles or points in categories that fit your needs.
- Foreign transaction fees. A card that waives foreign transaction fees can be a great travel card option for businesses that require international trips. Many providers charge up to 3% for each purchase made outside the States or online at foreign merchants.
- Signup bonus. The business card market is fierce, with many providers offering generous bonuses to entice you to choose theirs over competitors. Most come with spending requirements that are easy to meet with regular use.
- Premium benefits. Rewards aren’t the only perks. You could get access to priority airline boarding, waived bag fees and other luxury travel extras. Just make sure your business can take advantage of what your card offers.
How a business credit card works
A business credit card is just like a regular credit card but with tools specifically designed to help you streamline and manage your business spending. These tools can range from rewards or cash back for business expenses like office supplies or travel perks for employees on the move.
Also, set spending controls for each employee and monitor their card activity. This can help you streamline your finances and avoid card misuse.
Here’s how to get started with a business card:
- Compare and apply for a card. Look for a card that fits your needs, whether that’s a high rewards rate, an intro APR or a balance transfer offer.
- Start earning rewards. If you opened a business card with rewards, use it on business expenses to start earning rewards.
- Build business credit. As you pay your card off in full and on time, you’re starting to build business credit for your business.
Pros and cons of using a business credit card
Pros
- Rewards. Consider where your business spends most money and look for a card that highly rewards those categories. Get more than one card to cover multiple categories if you think one card doesn’t cut it. Combine cards that reward office supplies, gas purchases or travel.
- Intro APR period. Some cards offer a 0% intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both. Consider whether this is a perk you’ll use. Balance transfers are typically a great choice for paying off older debt, while 0% APR on purchases is basically an interest-free loan, which can help you stack up inventories and pay them off for a year or more without interest.
- Separate business from personal spending. Business expenses are often tax-deductible. But if you’re mixing office supplies purchases with groceries on one card, it may be hard to separate your expenses. A business card can be used exclusively for your business-related purchases.
- Simplified bookkeeping. If your business is growing and you’re providing credit cards to your employees, getting a business credit card will help streamline your finances, add purchasing limits to employee cards and simplify expense monitoring. All these tools are often a complimentary feature of most business credit cards.
- Establish business credit.
Looking long term, establishing business credit could be an important step for your future business endeavors. With solid business credit, you can get better loan terms should you need money. But to build business credit, you need a business credit card.
Cons
- Annual fee. Most business cards don’t charge an annual fee, but some do. If you’re looking to get a card with the most perks and highest rewards, you’ll have to pay an annual fee.
- Personal guarantee. To get a business credit card, typically you need a personal guarantee. This means your personal assets are at risk in case your business fails. Luckily, some business credit cards let you get the card without a personal guarantee. But you can’t carry your balance with these cards.
- High interest rates. Carrying your credit card balance without a 0% intro APR period comes with high-interest rates. This can be more expensive than getting a business loan. However, you can avoid paying interest if you always pay your balance before its due.
- Foreign transaction fees. Some business credit cards come with a 3% fee for every transaction made abroad or online with foreign retailers. This may not seem like a lot, but it can quickly add up. For example, if you buy inventories for $10,000 from a foreign country using your credit card, you would pay a $300 fee.
Some consumer protection laws don’t apply to business credit cards
Here’s one reason you might use a personal credit card over a business card: Personal cards have more consumer protections from the Credit CARD Act of 2009. These are a few advantages they have that business cards don’t:
- Notifications for interest rate increases. With a personal card, your provider must notify you at least 45 days in advance if it will increase your interest rates. With a business card, it can increase your interest rates at will.
- Minimum grace period. If a personal card has a grace period on interest, the period must be at least 21 days. With business cards, the period can change each month.
- Caps on late fees. For personal cards, there are caps on late fees. These caps don’t exist for business cards, meaning providers can charge heavy fees if you pay late.
If you want a business card, gauge your ability to pay off your debt. The better prepared you are, the more likely you’ll be able to roll with the punches if your provider changes your card terms.
6 differences between a business credit card and personal card
| Business credit card | Personal credit card | |
|---|---|---|
| Credit limit | Typically higher credit limits, depending on creditworthiness | Typically lower credit limits, depending on creditworthiness |
| Rewards |
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| Spending controls |
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| Build your credit score |
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| Consumer protections |
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| Personal guarantee | Likely requires a personal guarantee | Personally responsible for debt incurred, along with any cosigners |
Steps to establish business credit
Establishing business credit involves a few steps, but it can be relatively simple. Follow these instructions and you’ll be well on your way to getting your business credit scores.
1. Establish your business entity and essential details
The first step to getting your business credit is to legally separate your personal and business finances. Do this by establishing a limited liability company (LLC), a C corporation or an S corporation. If you’re not sure which to choose, read our guide on how to settle on the right business structure.
After you’ve incorporated, it’s time to get a few more details squared away before you can start building business credit:
- Get a federal tax identification number (EIN).
This number acts like a Social Security number for your business. Banks require this number when you apply for a business credit card in the name of your corporation or LLC. Registration is free — visit the IRS website to apply for an EIN. - Open a bank account.
You’ll need to get a business checking account and make sure you pay all business expenses from this account. Some banks offer bonuses when you merge your credit card rewards with a business checking or savings account. - Get a business address and phone number.
This will help you solidify your business as a separate entity. To establish your business credit, you’ll want your company to be listed in directories such as the Better Business Bureau and Yellow Pages. And with a business phone number, you’ll establish a trade credit relationship with your phone line, which will be reported to the credit bureaus.
2. Open business credit files
There are three main commercial credit bureaus: Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Equifax. Each evaluates your business credit by compiling information from legal filings, public records and creditors who work with you. Then, they give you numerical business credit scores — typically 0 to 100, with the higher end meaning higher creditworthiness.
You’ll want to establish credit files with each of them:
- For Dun & Bradstreet: Register for a free D-U-N-S number, which is a nine-digit identifier that helps lenders and suppliers gauge your business’ financial stability. It’s what identifies your Dun & Bradstreet business credit file.
- For Experian and Equifax: Simply open accounts with creditors that report to these bureaus. In time, your credit files will appear automatically.
3. Start building business credit
Here are two of the easiest and most common ways to start building business credit:
- Open a business credit card.
Get a credit card that reports to the business credit agencies and start making payments. This is one of the major steps in improving your business credit. Consider a business card for no-credit applicants if you have a limited credit history. - Establish tradelines with vendors and suppliers.
Tradelines are credit accounts on your credit report, and they’re important because they give a history of your credit management. Work with your suppliers and vendors to establish relationships and build your credit. You can also ask them to report your payments to a business credit bureau. Dun & Bradstreet needs at least three tradelines to give you a PAYDEX business credit score.
Net-30 accounts — that is, those that give you 30 days to pay off purchases — are often good avenues to establish tradelines. These include vendors such as Uline, Summa Office Supplies, Quill, Grainger and Crown Office Supplies.
Our pick for a business credit card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Once you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months you have the card, you'll earn $750 bonus cash back.
- On the first $25,000 you spend on combined purchases at office supply stores and on cable, internet and phone services each account anniversary year, you earn 5% cash back.
- When you spend the first $25,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants, you earn 2% cash back after each account anniversary year. All other purchases earn you 1% cash back.
- Any card transactions you make will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring with Fraud Protection.
- Zero Liability means you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Pay no annual fee.
- Redeem rewards through Chase Ultimate Rewards® for cash back, gift cards, travel and more.
- Member FDIC
4. Pay on time and watch your credit utilization ratio
Each credit agency evaluates a different mix of factors when determining your credit score. However, one of the easiest ways to consistently grow your score is by making payments on time.
Late payments negatively affect your business credit. To avoid that, set alerts or automate your credit card payments. If you consistently pay early and in full, Dun & Bradstreet will likely assign you a perfect score.
The balances you carry on your business credit cards can also affect your credit score. Keep an eye on your credit utilization ratio — that is, watch your balances relative to your total credit. The higher the ratio is, the higher risk credit agencies will assign to you defaulting on your debt. It’s generally recommended to keep your credit utilization ratio under 25% to 30%.
5. Borrow from lenders that report to credit bureaus
If you’ve got a perfect payment history, working with lenders that report to business credit bureaus can further help you establish your business credit. Before applying or a loan, check with the lender that your payment history will be reported to the credit agencies.
Also, try not to borrow more than you can pay off. Same goes for your credit card limit — don’t use it all at once if you can’t pay it off. With timely payments and responsible borrowing practices, your business credit will improve.
6. Maintain your business information and public record
Open new credit accounts responsibly, and pay off what you owe. Update your information with all three of the largest business credit bureaus since you don’t know which bureau a lender will pull your credit from.
Aside from payment history, credit bureaus keep public records, such as bankruptcies, liens and judgments. These records factor into your business scores as well, and can stain your business credit for up to 10 years. Avoid them as much as possible and you’ll help protect your fast-growing track record.
How to get a business credit card with no credit
If you’re worried you can’t get a business card with no or bad credit, first be clear on which type of credit you lack — personal or business credit.
No business credit score
You can likely still get an unsecured business credit card without a business credit score. A provider will look at your personal credit score when deciding whether or not to approve you.
No personal credit score
It’s more difficult to get an unsecured business card without a personal credit score or with bad credit. A provider might not check your personal credit if you have strong business credit.
If you don’t immediately need a business credit card, start building your personal credit with a credit-building card. Once you improve your personal credit score, you can apply for most business credit cards.
Can I get a business credit card without a Social Security number?
- It’s difficult to get a business card without a Social Security number, but it’s not impossible. Here’s how to do it:
- Get an ITIN — an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
- With your ITIN, you can get an EIN — an Employer Identification Number.
- Look for a business card you can apply for with your EIN instead of your Social Security number.
Are there any small business cards with no credit check?
A majority of business credit cards will check your personal or business credit before you can qualify. However, the Brex for Startups card is a new card that won’t check your personal credit. Instead, this card checks your personal income and other financial factors to determine eligibility.
How to find business credit cards with easy approval
There are a fair number of business cards for bad credit that you might find more obtainable than other business cards. Still, here are a few tips to find one you’re most likely to qualify for.
- Take advantage of your personal credit score. If you have an excellent personal credit score and act as a guarantor for your company’s debts, you can get easy approval for most business credit cards.
- Get a secured credit card. If your credit score isn’t perfect, your best option for easy business card approval is to get a secured business card. Your deposit acts as your credit line, which gives you full control over your purchasing power. Also, most secured cards can help you build your credit and upgrade to an unsecured card down the road.
- Get an unsecured card for low-credit borrowers. Capital One offers the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business to those with less-than-perfect credit. It’s an unsecured card that usually comes with a low credit limit, but it’s a great step toward building your credit and getting a better card in the future.
- Get a prepaid business card. If you don’t want to be the personal guarantor for your business or you don’t want your card activity to reflect on your personal credit, opt for a prepaid card. Fund your account via ACH or wire transfers and set category and spending limits. But you won’t build your business credit with these cards.
Should I get a business credit card or use my personal card?
There are plenty of benefits to using a business card instead of a personal card. A business card can help you separate your personal spending from your business spending. While it may be tempting to rely on your personal credit card for business expenses — especially when you’re only starting out — this can have several unintended consequences. For example, separating your personal spending from your business spending can help you easily differentiate expenses and sort deductions come tax season.
Plus, a separate credit card for your business helps protect your personal assets if your business is incorporated and you find yourself facing a lawsuit. And even if your business isn’t entirely official, a business card offers other perks too:
- Build business credit
- Higher credit limit
- Rewards on business-related purchases
- Simplified bookkeeping and credit card tax deductions
- Expense management tools
Can I get a business card before my company is official?
Yes. In fact, freelancers and private contractors are eligible for business credit cards as long as they can prove their income.
While different card providers have different eligibility criteria, you should be prepared to offer the following information when you apply for a business credit card:
- Name of your business
- Industry type
- Business tax ID number
- Time in business
- Number of employees
- Annual revenue
- Estimated monthly expenses
- Total annual income
- Social Security number
- Personal credit history
What’s the difference between corporate and small business cards?
The size of the company these cards are meant for is the main differences between corporate and small business credit cards. This table explains a few other key differences.
| Corporate credit cards | Small business credit cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Who are they for? | Issued to large companies and corporations with more than $1 million in revenue. | Designed for the small business owner with one or two employees with access to a company credit card. |
| Who is liable? | The company is entirely liable for all debt. Before issuing the card, the bank reviews the company’s finances and uses some of its assets as collateral. However, some banks will tailor cards allowing you to choose your liability options. | In most cases, you’re personally liable for any debt you incur on these business cards. |
| Do they report to personal credit? | No. Your personal credit won’t be affected. Instead, all card activity is reported to business credit bureaus. | Depending on which card you choose, the bank may report to personal and business credit bureaus. Your personal credit can take a hit if your business runs into financial trouble. |
Who else can use corporate credit cards?
Corporate cards aren’t always limited to private entities. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations could find these cards helpful as well.
When should startups reconsider their credit cards?
What’s suitable for your business in its infancy may not work long-term — especially if your business experiences rapid growth or a sudden change in trajectory. One reason you may want to consider swapping card providers is if your business has outgrown your current card’s credit limit. Or perhaps your business checking account is stationed with another bank and there are perks or incentives for combining your accounts.
A practical way to evaluate whether your current card serves the needs of your company is by reviewing your business expenses and spending habits. Does your current card offer perks and rewards that benefit your business? Would it be possible to snag a lower APR by switching providers?
Just because a particular card worked for your startup doesn’t mean it will continue to work for your business two, three, five or ten years down the road. The bottom line? Don’t be afraid to switch it up.
Compare cashback business cards
Here’s a quick side-by-side look at some of the cashback business cards available.
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