Capital on Tap’s business Visa card offers credit facilities of up to £250,000, no charges on FX transactions and the option of 2 generous rewards schemes.
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Capital on Tap Business Credit Card review
- Representative example:
- When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 35.15% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 35.2% APR (variable).
- Interest-free each billing period
- Up to 42 days
- Earn rate
- 1 point per £1 spent
- Foreign transaction charge
- 0%
Our verdict
Business credit card challenger Capital on Tap aims to help small businesses to thrive.
Finder Awards 2023 winner
Innovation Award
Specifically designed with small businesses in mind, you can use it for cashflow flexibility, with its fee-free money transfers to your nominated bank account. Plus, you can enjoy sub-£250k funding and collect rewards on all your day-to-day business spending. On top of this - and unusually for a credit card - the new Preloading feature lets you top up your credit balance with your own funds, enabling you to boost your spending power beyond your credit limit.
Those features, in combination with a slick application experience and interface, have allowed Capital on Tap to go from strength to strength while helping more than 200,000 UK businesses. Another thing that Capital on Tap can rave about is that the eligibility criteria is more lenient than many of its rivals, and you get a near-instant decision.
As a business owner, it’s always a nice bonus when you’re rewarded for your hard work. If you successfully apply for the Capital on Tap Business Credit Card, you’ll automatically be signed up for its fee-free card with free rewards - allowing you access to 1% uncapped cashback on your everyday business spending and access to exclusive business offers. But, if you’re itching to add a few more rewards perks to your package, you could opt for the Business Rewards scheme for £99 per year, which will get you all the benefits of the free rewards scheme, plus the option to redeem points for Avios flight points and a generous sign-up bonus.
So what’s not so hot? Capital on Tap’s rewards programmes goes head-to-head against American Express, and credit where credit’s due (sorry), Amex offers a more extensive and elaborate rewards and perks package on the more expensive cards in its range. By contrast the Capital on Tap rewards scheme is simple and automatic, which many will prefer, and as a Visa card, it is more widely accepted.
As with any financial decision, make sure you can afford the repayments on any debt you accrue and aim to clear your balance in full each month to avoid interest altogether, as this will almost certainly outweigh the value of the cashback or points you earn.
Overall, Capital on Tap is doing a great job of persuading SMEs that you don’t have to just settle for a bolt-on credit card from your regular bank, and with its fee-free spending abroad, it’s certainly worth considering.
Pros
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Capital on Tap offers out-of-the-box integrations with Xero, Quickbooks, FreeAgent, Sage and KashFlow.
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You get up to 42 days to spread the cost of purchases (provided you pay off your balance in full each month). Plus, this even applies to non-sterling transactions, which isn't always the case.
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The Capital on Tap app (which is fun to say) for Android or iPhone is a quick and easy way to log in to your online portal and offers the same functionality. It can be used by both the main account holder and supplementary cardholders, but as you might expect, the main account holder will be able to access more features.
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You can get unlimited additional cards at no additional cost for employees and partners.
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There are no currency conversion charges when you use your card overseas. You’ll just be charged the Visa conversion rate.
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Applicants with low credit scores may be eligible.
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You can opt for the fee-free deal or shoulder a small annual fee of £99 p.a. to access more lucrative rewards.
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You can top up your credit balance with your own funds to use alongside your credit limit and earn cashback on the full amount you spend.
Cons
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Although there are no fees for cash withdrawals, you will be charged interest from the moment you get your cash. Interest is charged daily and calculated monthly for the amount of time you borrow the funds, which means it can become expensive.
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The free transfers out from your Capital on Tap account must be to your linked business account (this will be the account that your direct debit for repayments is taken from).
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Transfers to your business bank account always incur interest from the day of the transaction (your usual "up to 42 days" interest-free won't apply to this part of your balance, in the same way as cash withdrawals).
Details
Product Overview
| Issuer | Capital on Tap |
| Network | Visa |
| Representative APR | 35.2% |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Purchases | 35.15% |
| Purchases interest-free period | Up to 42 days |
| Cash advances | 35.15% |
| Minimum credit limit | £1,000 |
| Maximum credit limit | Subject to status: £250,000 |
| Additional cards available | Unlimited free company cards for employees and partners, with the ability to set individual spending limits on each card. |
| Incentive | Earn 1 point for every £1 of card spend. Redeem 1 point for 1p (1% cashback) |
| Additional Rewards Info | Earn 1% cashback for every £1 spent. Upgrade to Capital on Tap Business Rewards Card for £99 pa to choose between earning cashback or Avios and receive 10,000 bonus points when you spend £5,000 on your card in your first 3 months. |
| Potential costs | 4.5 ★★★★★ |
| Doing its job | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
| Extras | 5.0 ★★★★★ |
| Overall Finder Score | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
Fees and charges
| Minimum monthly payment | 10% or £100 (whichever is greater) |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 0% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 0% |
| Cash advance fee | 0% |
| Late payment fee | £0 |
| Duplicate statement fee | £0 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £0 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
What is Capital on Tap?
Capital on Tap is a digital lender based in the UK that offers business credit cards designed for small businesses with credit facilities of up to £250,000. It isn’t a bank, but it holds a regular licence restricted to business lending and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Since launching in 2012, Capital on Tap has acquired more than 200,000 business customers across the UK, providing more than £2 billion to help companies grow.
In 2021, it launched across the pond in the US, after securing £450m in funding from the likes of BNP Paribas and HSBC.
Compare Capital on Tap credit cards
Table: sorted by interest rate on purchases
1 - 2 of 2
Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
What are the Capital on Tap rewards options?
Capital on Tap offers 2 rewards schemes for its Business Credit Card. The standard option comes without any monthly or yearly fees and allows you to earn 1% cashback on your business spending. Or you can opt to upgrade to the Business Rewards scheme, which costs £99 per annum per year and lets you choose between earning cashback or Avios points. Plus, if you’re a new Capital on Tap customer, you could be eligible for 10,000 bonus points when you spend £5,000 in your first 3 months.
What is Capital on Tap’s Preloading feature?
Capital on Tap has recently launched a “first of its kind” Preloading feature that makes the card a hybrid debit/credit product. It allows you to top up your credit balance with your own funds and then use those funds alongside your existing credit limit. This means you’ll have greater flexibility in managing your cash flow.
For example, let’s say you need to pay £80,000 for something, but your credit limit is only £60,000. You could top up your balance with £20,000 to bridge the gap and make your transaction. What’s more, you’ll earn 1% cashback on the entire £80,000 transaction, boosting your rewards even further.
You can also use the Preloading feature to prepay pending balances immediately to free up credit.
To use this feature, log in to your account, sign the Preloading agreement and then head to the “Payments” tab in your account and click “One-off Payment Details”. You can add Capital on Tap as a payee in your online banking and then make the transfer.
How does Capital on Tap work?
- Apply online. Once you have compared a range of business cards, you can apply for a Capital on Tap Business Credit Card online without affecting your personal credit score. Capital on Tap aims to let you know if you’ve been accepted within 2 minutes.
- Create an online account. Once approved, you’ll have access to the online portal, which allows you to keep track of your card’s spending, and you can also manage your funds through Capital on Tap’s app. You can transfer funds via the online portal from day one.
- You get the card. Your physical Visa card will be posted to you. Capital on Tap says it should arrive within 2 working days. But the good news is you won’t have to wait for your card to arrive to access the credit facility – you can log in and move funds from day one. You can also generate virtual cards from day one for making purchases online.
- Spend money and pay it back. You can use your card for payments, to transfer funds directly to your high street bank account and also to withdraw cash from ATMs (maximum 2 transactions at £400 a day). Capital on Tap then collects repayments via direct debit or manual repayments through the online portal. If you clear your balance in full each month, you’ll also enjoy up to 42 days of 0% interest on your purchases each billing cycle.
- Earn cashback/Avios. Every time you use your card (subject to a few exceptions, like cash advances), you’ll earn cashback or points to redeem for Avios, depending on what rewards scheme you opt for.
Am I eligible for a Capital on Tap card?
You may be eligible for a Capital on Tap Business Card if you meet the following criteria:
- Your business turnover is at least £2,000 per month
- You and your business are based in the UK
- Your business is active on Companies House
- Your business is registered as a private limited company (Ltd) or limited liability partnership (LLP)
- You have no unsatisfied county court judgments (CCJs) against you or your business in the past year (a CCJ is the court order you get if you fail to repay money you owe)
- Your business is not a charity, trust, fund or Royal Charter
- Your business is not a public limited company (PLC)
- Your business is not dormant, dissolved or an inactive company
- You are not a sole trader
How do you manage your Capital on Tap card(s)?
As soon as you are accepted, you can access your online portal, where you can make transfers and view your transaction history. As the main account holder, you can see all the transactions made by the staff you’ve issued additional cards to and will be responsible for any late or missed repayments. You can also set each cardholder an individual spending limit. It’s good to note that any points or rewards earned from staff spending will belong to the main account and not the individual cardholder.
Additional cardholders can access their own version of the portal where they can activate their card, view their transactions only, change their PIN, etc.
The app for Androids and iPhones is essentially another (quicker) way to access the online portal, so it can be used by the main account holder and additional cardholders alike.
Repayment options
When it comes to repayments, you can choose how much you repay from the following options:
- The full outstanding balance
- The minimum payment (10% of your outstanding balance, or £100 – whichever is greater)
- A fixed amount of your choosing (provided it’s above the minimum payment)
You can make manual repayments using a debit card via the online portal or alternatively set up a direct debit. A direct debit is a great idea because it protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, getting hit with a penalty fee or losing any promotional rates as a result. You can set up a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card.
You can’t change your repayment day once you have set up your direct debit, but you can opt into weekly full balance repayments if you want to pay more frequently. If you opt for weekly repayments, Capital on Tap will set up a direct debit every Monday, and payment will be taken every Thursday.
If you wish to talk to a Capital on Tap team member directly about your repayment options, call 0208 962 7401. You could face a charge if you miss a repayment.
Choose from the following direct debit options for your monthly repayments:
| Minimum amount | Fixed amount | Fixed percentage | Full amount |
|---|---|---|---|
Capital on Tap customer reviews
Capital on Tap scored moderately well compared to its competitors in our 2024 customer satisfaction survey, with 90% of its customers stating they would recommend the business card provider to a friend. Several customers commented on how easy it was to use the card, while others highlighted a good level of customer service. One respondent said of Capital on Tap: “They have always been very helpful with any questions we’ve had and all the payments are quick.”
On Tustpilot, the company gained a score of 4.7 out of 5, with customers finding the application process easy and being impressed by the customer service (updated March 2024).
| Trustpilot | Apple App Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
★★★★★ 4.7 out of 5 |
★★★★★ 4.8 out of 5 |
★★★★★ 4.9 out of 5 |
★★★★★ 4.7 out of 5 |
Bottom line
If you’re looking for a versatile everyday credit card for your business, the Capital on Tap Business Credit Card is a very respectable option. The card – designed with small businesses in mind – lets you earn uncapped 1% cashback while not charging any annual or monthly fees, making it a fairly cost-effective way of helping improve your business’s cash flow, provided you pay off the balance in full each month.
It also stands out for offering you the chance to boost your credit limit with your own funds, while still getting cashback on the full purchase price.
Whether you’re planning to head overseas, you’ve got the reassurance of knowing that non-sterling transactions won’t incur any fees, instead being converted at the standard Visa exchange rate. And, if you’re looking to boost your rewards pot even more, you could upgrade to the Business Rewards scheme for £99 per year, allowing you to redeem your points for Avios. Plus, if you’re a new Business Rewards customer, you could be eligible for the 10,000 points sign-up bonus. But, if you are all about chasing those rewards, this card does come up short against Amex’s competitive programmes, so make sure you compare all your options before you apply.
If you’re thinking about getting a business credit card and aren’t sure which one to pick, take a look at our business credit card comparison page.
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We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
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