Compare over 100 business credit cards to find the right one for your company.
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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.
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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
Accelerated rewards for business categories such as shipping, advertising, office supplies and travel
Fewer options for flat-rate rewards
Accelerated rewards for categories such as groceries, gas, dining and entertainment
More options for flat-rate rewards
Spending controls
Designed to have employees added to the account
Extensive tools to manage spending, including downloadable purchase records, spending summaries and expense controls
Some issuers, such as American Express, let you set spending limits for authorized users
You can ask your issuer to lower your credit limit, but this could lower your credit score
Build your credit score
Helps you build business credit
May help you build personal credit depending on the issuer, but this usually isn’t the case
Helps you build your personal credit score as long as your issuer reports payment activity to credit bureaus
Doesn’t help you build business credit
Consumer protections
Interest rates can increase at any time
Issuers not required to mail credit card bill at least 21 days before due date
Late fees not capped; no limitations on overlimit fees
Payments above minimum not required to be applied to highest-APR balances
45-day notice for interest-rate increases
Credit card bill must be mailed at least 21 days before due date
Late fees capped; limitations on overlimit fees
Payments above minimum applied to highest-APR balances
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.
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. For example, Capital One has a small business card tailored towards business owners with fair credit. Unsecured cards for less-than-perfect credit may come with lower credit limits, but can be 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.
Can I get a business credit card if I am self-employed?
Yes, with the current shift in the labor markets towards a gig economy, credit card companies including Chase, Capital One, American Express, and many others issue business credit cards to self-employed individuals. I would like to caution that one should keep in mind that different credit card companies have different policies with regard to issuing business credit cards for the self-employed. Depending upon individual needs, one can find the best fit for their business and establish in-depth understanding of what they are signing up for.
My bank required that I submit a business tax ID number in order to get a business credit card. I believe this is typical and helps to validate that the business is legit. Even single-person businesses get tax ID numbers as they create a registration for the business and can help with sales tax exemptions and business income tax deductions. Because my consulting business is an LLC that is treated as a sole proprietorship, the creditworthiness of my business is based on my personal credit score.
Businesses of all sizes can get business credit cards. It’s pretty typical for employees of any size firms to have a business credit card to use for travel and what would otherwise be classified as reimbursable expenses.
What are the benefits of having a business credit card? The biggest benefit that a business credit card has versus a personal one has to do with the amount of credit offered. As you can imagine, one of the biggest and most-frequent business issues, especially in small to mid-size businesses, is cash flow. Some business credit cards offer credit up to $50,000, which allows for a great deal of flexibility for the business owner. Furthermore, if the business pays its credit card debt promptly, it boosts its credit rating which may result in them getting better terms (for example, dating) from its suppliers.
How do you determine if an annual fee is worth paying? People hate annual fees. Since consumers have a huge choice of no-annual-fee cards, why would anyone pay for something that they can get for free? The answer is, it depends.
Premium business credit cards often have perks and benefits that regular cards don’t. You can get higher rewards (cashback) earning rate, sign-up or annual bonuses, travel, dining or entertaining perks, concierge services, additional insurance coverage, or discounts on various shopping categories.
Depending on your lifestyle and spending patterns, it might make perfect sense to pay for a credit card, if you can get more in perks and benefits from it than from a no-annual-fee card. As a business owner, you are more likely to charge higher expenses on your credit card, so, even with an annual fee, the rewards or cashback you reap can be significantly higher.
Why would someone choose a business credit card over a personal credit card?
A business card may come with perks that you can’t find on a personal card (e.g. 5% back at office supply stores).
Also, some business credit card issuers only report to commercial credit bureaus. This means a business credit card application might not affect your personal credit score.
New credit inquiries can impact up to 10% of your score. Avoiding a personal credit inquiry may help when applying for additional loans or personal credit cards.
Why do I need a business credit score, and how is it different from a personal score? Similar to loans for individuals, lenders want to know as much as possible about a borrower before approving a credit card application.
Business credit scores work like personal scores in many ways but different companies monitor them. On-time payments and keeping revolving balances (credit cards, lines of credit) low is key.
However, when you are looking for a credit card for a small business, your personal credit score is likely a factor as well.
M. Nesij Huvaj
Assistant Professor of Management & Entrepreneurship
When is a business card a good idea? Business credit cards can help small businesses track how much they spend, on what, and when. They can also serve as a “cash flow buffer” for most firms that often have to spend now and collect from their customers later. This seemingly free additional spending power and flexibility comes at a high price, though: interest and the risk of unnecessary spending. When businesses cannot pay off their credit card balances in full every period, mounting credit card debt can become a problem itself, much like what consumers face.
Can small business owners use a regular credit card for their business? One needs to keep business and personal accounts separate. A small business owner can use a personal credit card for business purposes, but after evaluating the factors listed below:
Business credit cards may have a higher credit limit and more flexible payment options.
Having a business credit card would help build credit history for your business, which may be used for future financing as the business grows.
Having a separate card for business may allow you to claim costs such as missed payments and interests for your business
Personal credit cards have specific legal protections, such as from future increases in fees and costs.
Personal credit cards usually have more rewards and cashback options, but some business credit cards offer high perks.
Nora Ganim Barnes
Ph.D., Chancellor Professor of Marketing, Director, Center for Marketing Research
Can you get business credit with bad personal credit? The short answer is yes. It’s more difficult, and you’ll have fewer options. You’ll likely have a higher interest rate than someone with better personal credit. The amount/credit limit on some of the business cards you can get may be low. In the end, business cards are personally guaranteed — so if there is default on a business card, you’re liable for it.
What is the difference between a business and personal credit card? Business cards may have larger credit lines, better perks for travel and points, and are a good way to establish business credit. However, they may require an annual fee, have higher interest rates, and may require a personal guarantee of repayment. This means that your use of credit for your business could affect your personal credit score. Personal credit cards don’t usually have annual fees, have a smaller annual percentage rate, and may have a smaller initial credit line. Probably the most important thing to remember about the difference is that business cards can hurt your personal credit but probably not improve it. Where personal credit cards and personal credit can help you establish business credit.
Does a consumer need a business to open a business credit card? No, a consumer doesn’t need to start or own a business of any size (large or small) to apply for and open a business credit card. Business credit card providers, while geared for small business owners, are typically open to providing access to business credit cards to small businesses and individuals. With a good credit score, an individual can be the proud owner of a business credit card.
Megan Horner is editorial director at USA TODAY Blueprint and former head of publishing at Finder, where she lead a team focused on publishing personal finance guides and reviews that help readers make informed financial decisions. She's passionate about helping you find the best financial accounts to meet your needs — whether that's earning great rewards or improving your credit score.
Megan's expertise has been featured on Lifehacker, CreditCards.com, American Banker and news broadcasts across the country. She has a longstanding background in surfacing the best deals and helping people make decisions, including a start as a writer at a comparison website and editing credit card and credit score content at Credit Karma. She earned a degree in English and editing from Brigham Young University. See full bio
Kliment Dukovski was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in investments and cryptocurrency. He's written more than 700 articles to help readers compare the best trading platforms, understand complex investment terms and find the best credit cards for their needs. His expert commentary has been featured in such digital publications as Fox Business, MSN Money and MediaFeed. He’s also well-versed in money transfers, home loans and more — breaking down these topics into simple concepts anyone can understand. In another life, Kliment ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies. See full bio
Kliment's expertise
Kliment has written 88 Finder guides across topics including:
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