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Best Small Business Credit Cards

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by Sam Lipscomb | Updated Feb. 28, 2023

Overview of the Best Small Business Credit Cards

Many small businesses in various stages of growth often have different financial needs for success. If you're running a seasonal business, you might need significant capital upfront to ensure success when demand finally comes in. On the other hand, if you're running an eCommerce business, shipping and online advertising might be more top of mind. Many small business credit cards have recently begun to offer features designed precisely for the purpose of alleviating the stress of running a business. These cards aim to make it easier for you to get access to short-term capital, get rewards or cash back for common business purchases like shipping, advertising, and utilities, among other benefits. Given the myriad types of businesses out there, it's very difficult to say any one credit card will fit all of your needs. Using our credit card rewards evaluation model, we've compiled the following list of the best small business credit card offers that will help improve your bottom line by giving you access to the tools and features you really need. See More



Best Small Business Credit Card for Signup Bonus

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  • When you spend $15,000 in your first 3 months from account opening, earn 100,000 bonus points. If you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards towards travel, this would be equal to $1,250!
  • Earn 3 points per dollar spent on the first $150K in combined purchases on travel and select business categories each anniversary year
  • All other purchases earn one point per dollar with no limit to the amount you can earn
  • Receive 25% more points when you redeem for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • Points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, cash back + more. Plus, your points don't expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing
  • No foreign transaction fees if you need to travel overseas on business
  • Receive additional cards for your employees at no additional cost
  • There is an annual fee of $95

Annual Fee

$95

Purchase Intro APR

N/A

Balance Transfer Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

16.24% - 21.24% Variable

Details

With the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, you’ll earn 3x points on many different types of purchases. These include travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. This 3x points multiplier applies to $150,000 in combined purchases every calendar year. After you reach $150,000, you’ll earn 1x points like you do on all other purchases.

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card comes with a welcome bonus offer of 100,000 points if you use your card for $15,000 on purchases within your first three months as a cardholder. Points are available to transfer to a variety of travel programs, but they’re worth 25% more when redeemed directly through Chase Ultimate Rewards. When using the card, cardholders also have access to certain travel and purchase protections, such as rental car insurance. The card has a $95 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.

Why We Like It

You’d be hard pressed to find a business card on the market that offers a better welcome bonus offer than the 100,000 points you can earn with the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. This bonus, coupled with the fact that you’ll earn 3x points on a variety of purchases, ensures that you can build up a sizable stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Add in the card’s generous travel and purchase protections, along with the fact that the annual fee is a relatively manageable $95 and it’s easy to see why this is our top pick for a small business credit card.

Best Small Business Credit Card for 0% APR

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  • Earn a welcome bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards® points in the first 3 months with the card after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases
  • Earn 2x points on up to $50,000 in eligible business purchases each year, 1x points after that. Points don't expire as long as your account is open and in good standing
  • Flexibility to buy above your credit limit and earn additional points. Credit limit adjusts with your payment history, credit record, use of the card, financial resources disclosed to American Express, and other factors. Terms Apply
  • 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months. After that, you will receive a variable APR of 15.49% - 23.49% based on your creditworthiness or other factors determined at card opening
  • There is no annual fee to keep and maintain your account.
  • There is a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on each transaction made abroad.
  • Terms Apply

Annual Fee

$0

Purchase Intro APR

0% on Purchases for 12 months

Balance Transfer Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

15.49% - 23.49% Variable

Details

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, boasts a 0% introductory APR period that applies to all purchases over your first 12 months with the card. For context, this is one of the best offers out there for a business card with a rewards program. After this introductory offer expires, your variable rate will be 15.49% to 23.49%, depending on your creditworthiness.

With this card, cardholders can earn 2x points on up to $50,000 in purchases each calendar year. All other purchases, and other purchases beyond that $50,000 limit, earn 1x points. Membership rewards points can be redeemed for a variety of purposes, including travel. There is no annual fee for this card and extra employee cards come at no extra cost. Terms Apply.

Why We Like It

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, is a great option for any business looking to take advantage of a 0% intro APR rate on purchases. By adding a solid rewards system on top, the card becomes an even better choice. Make sure you take full advantage of the offer to earn 2x points on the first $50,000 in purchases each year. If you can do so, the rewards benefits for this card will prove to be much better than most of the competition.

Best Small Business Card for Cash Back

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  • Earn up to a $1,000 early spend cash bonus: $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months with the card
  • Earn 2% cash back - no matter the purchase and no limit to the amount you can earn
  • There is no preset spending limit, the card will adapt to your needs based on credit profile, spending behavior and payment history
  • Every year that you spend $200,000 or more, earn a $200 cash bonus
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One travel
  • Add a card for your employees for free and earn cash back from their purchases
  • There is a $150 annual fee
  • There is no APR for the card because your balance is due in full each month.

Annual Fee

$150

Purchase Intro APR

N/A

Balance Transfer Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

N/A

Details

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a simple card that lets you earn cash back for your business. The card earns unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, and cardholders can also earn up to $1,000 as an early spend bonus. You will earn $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months with the card. Plus, you’ll earn an additional $200 in cash back after spending $200,000 on the card in a calendar year. The card has a $150 annual fee now, and it’s important to note that it’s a charge card. That means you won’t be able to carry a balance like you can with traditional credit cards.

Why We Like It

If you’re looking to get money back for purchases rather than rewards, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, could be well worth it. However, you still have the option to convert your cash back to Venture miles or Spark miles, so you’ll have plenty of options. While some other business cards offer the 2% cash back rate this one does, these rates can sometimes be capped at a certain amount every year, leaving you with less value once you’ve hit the limit. This card, on the other hand, offers unlimited 2% cash back, so there’s no need to keep track of a limit. While there’s a $150 annual fee for this card, the early spending bonus opportunity can cover almost seven years of annual fees. And with the opportunity to earn a $200 bonus when you spend $200,000 on the card in a calendar year, you can earn at an even higher rate than usual. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a great cash back option for any business.

Best Small Business Credit Card for Startups

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  • Earn 25,000 rewards points and get waived card fees for life upon card signup, which is equal to $250+ value
  • There is no credit check needed or security deposit required
  • $50,000 bank balance required if professionally invested, if not a $100,000 bank balance is required to qualify for this business card. Credit limits are 10-20x higher than a traditional small business card
  • Choose how you want to earn points. Either Remote work rewards: 7x on Collaboration Tools, 3x Food delivery, 2x Recurring software, 1x Everything else OR, Classic Rewards: 7x on Rideshare, 4x on Travel, 3x on Restaurants, 2x on Software Subscriptions and 1x on all other transactions
  • Built in expense management and instant virtual cards
  • Enjoy no foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad

Annual Fee

No Fees for Life*

Purchase Intro APR

N/A

Balance Transfer Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

N/A

Details

The Brex for Small Businesses, is interesting because, unlike most credit cards, it doesn’t require a hard credit check for approval. Instead, the issuer looks at your business’ finances as a whole, taking into account factors like its revenue streams, investors, profitability, cash balances and anything else that could determine how likely you are to repay your balance. There’s no security deposit needed either.

The Brex Card is only available to businesses who have $50,000 if professionally invested or $100,000 balance in a company bank account if not. You’ll also receive signup offers worth thousands of dollars from companies like Salesforce, AWS and Slack. The card also helps you build your business’ credit, even though you don’t need a hard credit check for approval.

The benefits don’t stop there, though. The card earns 7x points on eligible rideshare purchases, 4x points on eligible travel purchases, 3x points at restaurants, 2x points on recurring software subscriptions and 1x points on everything else. Note that you can be approved for an even higher multiplier on all other transactions when you’re approved. Points can be transferred to six partner airlines, though they’re also redeemable directly through Brex. Additionally, credit limits with Brex are typically up to 20 times higher than those of some other business credit cards. The card carries no annual fee or foreign transaction fees.

Why We Like It

Brex offers a unique business credit card. If you have the bank balance to get approved, it should be a great option for those interested in a holistic business package. Not only does the card have a great signup bonus, solid bonus categories and high credit limits, it also does not require an annual fee. Add in that Brex seamlessly integrates with business programs like Quickbooks and it’s easy to hand out and track employee cards, and you’ll see why it’s seen as one of the best cards on the market for startups.

Best Small Business Card for Travel

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  • Earn a welcome bonus of 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on qualifying purchases, within your first 3 months of Card Membership
  • 0% intro APR for 12 months from the date you open your account on eligible Pay Over Time purchases. After that, your variable APR will be 15.74% to 23.74% based on your creditworthiness and other factors determined when you open your account.
  • Earn 5x points for flights and prepaid hotels that you book on amextravel.com and 1x point on eligible purchases
  • Earn 1.5x points on eligible purchases at electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, US construction material & hardware suppliers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 and up everywhere else, up to $2 million of purchases in these categories per year.
  • Over $1,000 in value per year for statement credits on specific purchases with your card, including up to $120 on wireless telephone purchases, up to $360 with Indeed, up to $150 with Adobe, and up to $400 with Dell Technologies. Enrollment is required.
  • Receive an airline fee credit of up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year - toward baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline
  • There is an annual fee of $695
  • Terms Apply

Annual Fee

$695 Annual Fee

Purchase Intro APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Balance Transfer Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

15.74% - 23.74% Variable

Details

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express earns cardholders 5x points on airfare and hotel purchases made through amextravel.com. Most other eligible purchases earn 1x points, though some purchases earn 1.5x points on eligible purchases at electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, US construction material & hardware suppliers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 and up everywhere else, up to $2 million of purchases in these categories per year. The card also features a welcome bonus offer of 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on qualifying purchases, during your first three months of card membership.

Cardholders can also receive up to $400 in statement credits for U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies each year. The card also boasts up to $200 in airline fee credits each year. You can also get a Global Entry or TSA Precheck® statement credit. (Enrollment is required)

This card grants cardholders access to Amex’s concierge service, Global Lounge Collection and Global Dining Collection. Cardholders also receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status (enrollment required). There are no foreign transaction fees, but there is a very high annual fee of $695. Terms Apply.

Why We Like It

While The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the highest annual fees on the market, high-spending businesses with an eye for redeeming points and perks will certainly be able to get a ton of value out of this card. Features such as complimentary Hilton and Marriott elite status and access to Amex private collections can make the card well worth it already. You can also knock the effective annual fee down if you properly take advantage of all of its credits. With the plethora of luxury travel perks combined with the high welcome bonus and high earning rates, it’s easy to see why this card is the best for a business that has executives or employees that travel often.

Best Small Business Credit Card for Airlines

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  • Earn a bonus of 65,000 American Airlines miles when you spend $4,000 in purchases over your first four months with the card
  • First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights
  • Save 25% on in-flight Wi-Fi on American Airlines with your card
  • Receive Preferred Boarding on American Airlines flights
  • Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases at car rental merchants, gas stations, telecommunications merchants, and cable and satellite providers. Earn 1 mile per dollar everywhere else
  • Earn 1 mile per dollar spent on other purchase. Plus, earn 1 loyalty point for every eligible dollar earned from purchases
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees

Annual Fee

$99, waived for the first 12 months

Purchase Intro APR

N/A

Balance Transfer Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

16.74% - 25.74%Variable

Details

With the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard (a SmartAsset advertising partner), you can immediately earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first four months following your account’s opening. When you fly American Airlines, you’ll also receive your first checked bag for free, preferred boarding and 25% off in-flight purchases of WiFi when you use your card. If you spend $30,000 or more on the card each cardmembership year and cardmembership is renewed, you will also earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate, which is good for a second ticket on any itinerary you buy for just $99 plus taxes and fees.

The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard also earns 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, as well as purchases with cable and satellite providers, gas stations, telecommunications merchants and car rentals. All other purchases earn 1x miles. The card has a $99 annual fee, which is waived for the first year, and there are no foreign transaction fees.

Why We Like It

The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard, is one of the the top co-branded airline business cards on the market today. Not only does it boast solid bonus categories, but you have the opportunity to earn a significant stash of 65,000 miles after spending a reasonable $4,000 over your first four months of having the card. The card’s other perks, including the companion certificate, are more than enough to fully offset or outdo the annual fee.

Methodology SmartAsset has developed a quantitative and independent system for evaluating the relative value of a credit card offer versus other offers in the marketplace. Our system evaluates cards based exclusively on their features, such as their rewards earning rate (if applicable), fees, perks, and rewards program redemption options. The annual rewards values on this page are calculated using annual spending assumptions in various categories such as, but not limited to, gas, restaurants, airfare, and US supermarkets. These spending assumptions are built on research that SmartAsset has conducted on existing small business credit cardholders. Our promise with our credit card recommendations is that we will always strive to have the most comprehensive, accurate, and objective method of evaluating credit card offers. Any recommendations are solely determined by the result of this research and model, and is never influenced by any fees, commissions, or other forms of compensation that SmartAsset may receive from credit card issuers for leads generated on our website.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by the credit card issuer. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer.

Advertiser Disclosure: The card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which SmartAsset.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). SmartAsset.com does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace.

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