A business credit card can offer flexibility and boost your spending power. And if it can earn you a few pounds along the way, well, you’re not going to say no, are you?
There’s a range, albeit limited, of cashback business credit cards on the market that can do just that. These cards tend to have fairly strict eligibility requirements and may come with an annual fee attached. If you’re likely to carry an outstanding balance on the card from month to month, then you’d probably be better off focusing on business cards offering the lowest rates because a cheaper card is likely to save you more than you’d earn in cashback.
But, if your company puts a significant amount on plastic and tends to pay off the card bill in full each month, then one of the cashback deals below could offer a return that’s not to be sniffed at.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).
Approval for any credit card will depend on your status. The APR shown represents 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.
Business cashback credit cards will pay you a percentage of whatever you spend (aka the card’s “earn-rate”) back into your account. The cashback will be transferred automatically, either monthly, quarterly or annually, depending on the card.
Some credit cards place a cap on the amount of cashback you can earn. Others will only pay cashback when you make purchases with specific retailers.
If a number of employees are set up as additional cardholders, you (not they) will stand to earn cashback on all their spend too… and it’s up to you whether you tell them! While this probably sounds like a great deal, if you’re paying an annual/monthly fee for each cardholder, it may not be.
Cashback isn’t seen as income for tax purposes. Rather, it’s seen as a discount, so you don’t need to worry about declaring it.
Look out for introductory “welcome” bonuses or enhanced earn-rates (especially if you’re about to shell out on something), but equally, beware of transactions that aren’t eligible, like cash advances (when you withdraw cash using a credit card).
Get acquainted with the terms of your credit card so you know what purchases will allow you to earn cashback, then complete as many of your business purchases with your cashback credit card as possible.
Don’t fall into the trap of making unnecessary purchases just to chase the cashback. It’s also important not to overspend to the point where you can’t afford to repay your credit card bill at the end of the month. Any interest incurred as a result of doing this is likely to eclipse the cashback earned.
This is pretty cut and dried. You should try to work out what the card will cost you and what it will earn you.
Once you’ve estimated how much your company would spend on the card each month, the first two features you should check are the cashback earn-rate and the annual fee (if there is one). Calculate how much cashback you’re likely to earn per year using our tool below, then subtract the annual fee to get an idea of your annual earnings. If the annual fee eclipses the amount of cashback you’re likely to earn, you’re best off applying for a different card with a lower fee.
It’s highly recommended to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid paying interest. If you’re not planning on doing that, you should compare the interest rate and credit limit on each card to ensure you get a good deal. It’s rare for cashback credit cards to have introductory 0% interest deals attached, but if they do you should make the most of these.
Some credit cards may offer reward schemes that will allow you to earn air miles or points that can be exchanged for retail vouchers. If these rewards are available with retailers that you’d spend money with anyway, these cards might be a better option.
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.
