Best Small Business Credit Cards of July 2022

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You’d be surprised at what qualifies you for a small business credit card. Small businesses aren’t always multi-million dollar operations — whether you’re a freelancer, an Uber driver, a dog-walker, or have any other for-profit side hustle, you can open a small business credit card.

These are some of the very best small business credit cards available right now, as chosen by Insider’s experts.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Best sign-up bonus offer: Chase Ink Business Preferred

Best for premium travel perks: Amex Business Platinum

Best for earning travel points with no annual fee: Amex Blue Business Plus

Best flat-rate cash back with no annual fee: Amex Blue Business Cash

Best cash-back business card with no preset spending limit: Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Best for earning 2x miles on everything: Capital One Spark Miles

Best if you want to maximize Chase points and cash back: Chase Ink Business Unlimited

Best for big spenders: Amex Business Gold

Best for office supplies and wireless: Chase Ink Cash

Best rewards card with a generous intro 0% APR offer: US Bank Triple Cash

Best for customizing rewards: Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Best for fair credit: Capital One Spark Classic for Business

Best if you only use one business credit card: Brex Card

Airline business credit cards

Hotel business credit cards

Compare the best small business credit cards

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (jump to Chase Ink Business Preferred card details »)

If you’re looking to earn valuable, flexible rewards points on your small business spending, the Chase Ultimate Rewards program is among the best options. If you already have one of Chase’s popular personal rewards cards — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® — the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is an ideal business card companion.

Like those cards, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns Ultimate Rewards points, and while you can keep them on that card and separate from the rest of your stash, you can also combine them with the rest of your points. These points can be traded for cash back, transferred to frequent flyer and hotel loyalty partners, or used to purchase travel with a 25% bonus (or a 50% bonus if you move your points over to your Chase Sapphire Reserve®). 

What the experts love: A great sign-up bonus, 3x points on up to $150,000 spent per year in select popular business categories.

What the experts don’t love: You have to spend $15,000 in the first three months to earn the 100,000-point welcome bonus offer, so this offer won’t be ideal for smaller businesses with less spending.

Read more about the Ink Business Preferred: 

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
(jump to Amex Business Platinum card details »)

The small business version of American Express’ famed Platinum Card used to be our pick for the top business card, but the annual fee has since increased and it’s become a bit more of a niche product. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is potentially useful for mid-sized businesses that spend a lot on flights and travel, but less valuable for sole proprietors and very small operations.

The Business Platinum card recently added new benefits, including new 1.5x earning categories and statement credits for wireless, Indeed, and Adobe purchases, in addition to a higher statement credit for Dell. 

What the experts love: You’ll get lots of perks, including statement credits, plus 5x Amex Membership Rewards points on airfare and prepaid hotels when you book through Amex Travel. The card also comes with 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership.

What the experts don’t love: Very high annual fee of $695 (See Rates), plus a high minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus offer. Says Benét Wilson, credit cards editor at The Points Guy, “If you don’t travel a lot, this may not be your best choice since you don’t earn higher points on spending categories most popular for businesses.”

Read more about the Business Platinum card:

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (jump to Amex Blue Business Plus card details »)

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express doesn’t usually have a welcome offer, but right now it’s offering a bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership. It’s a rare points-earning business card that doesn’t charge an annual fee; you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 you spend each calendar year, with no bonus categories to keep track of. 

According to Insider’s points and miles valuations, Amex points are worth 1.8 cents apiece on average, so you’re getting a 3.6% return on all your business spending up to $50,000 each year.

What the experts love: 2x points on up to $50,000 spent per year (then 1x), with no annual fee. “Plus, pay no interest on new purchases for the first year. That’s very helpful for small business owners,” says Sara Rathner, credit card expert at NerdWallet.

What the experts don’t love: “If you’re looking for a lucrative welcome offer to give you an instant points boost, this isn’t the card to give you that,” says Benét Wilson. (The Blue Business Plus card doesn’t usually offer a welcome bonus but is currently offering 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership).

Read more about the Blue Business Plus card:

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (jump to Amex Blue Business Cash card details »)

If you prefer straightforward cash-back earning without having to worry about keeping track of bonus categories, the no-annual-fee American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card should be on your shortlist.

With this card, you earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases, on the first $50,000 spent per calendar year, then 1% back (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars). There’s also a good welcome bonus offer of $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months.

For small businesses with big expenses on the horizon, there’s a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening (then a 14.74% – 22.74% Variable APR) that can help you save some money on interest, as well. 

What the experts love: Earning 2% cash back on all purchases on up to $50,000 spent per year (then 1%) with no annual fee is hard to beat, introductory 0% APR can give you some breathing room.

What the experts don’t love: The card doesn’t always offer a welcome bonus.

Read more about the Amex Blue Business Cash:

Spark 2% Cash Plus
(jump to Capital One Spark Cash Plus card details »)

The Spark 2% Cash Plus earns unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2% cash back on all other purchases. That’s it. No points values or conversions, no redemption minimums. Rewards won’t expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem any amount of cash back. The card has an annual fee of $150, and it currently offers $500 after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 after spending $50,000 in the first 6 months of account opening.

At first glance, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express might seem like a better option, since it earns 2x points and doesn’t have an annual fee. However, keep in mind that while 2x points may be more valuable than 2% cash if you redeem strategically for travel by transferring to partners, you can’t redeem Membership Rewards points outright for cash. You can redeem them for a statement credit, but they’ll only be worth 0.6 cents each. That means that effectively, the Amex card only offers 1.2% “cash” back, compared to the no-strings-attached 2% from the Spark 2% Cash Plus.

What the experts love: You earn the same 2% back everywhere, no preset spending limit since it’s a charge card.

What the experts don’t love: Other business credit cards offer a great return on spending in some purchase categories.

Read more about the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card:

Capital One Spark Miles for Business
(jump to Capital One Spark Miles for Business card details »)

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a great option if you don’t want a complicated rewards credit card strategy but you want choices in how you redeem your miles from the one card you do use. You can transfer them to over a dozen Capital One partners or you can use miles to cover your business’ travel expenses from your credit card statement. Beyond that, you can redeem Capital One miles for cash back or gift cards. So if you don’t want to be locked into just one way to use your rewards, this card could make sense.

What the experts love: “The flat 2 miles per dollar spent that you earn on this card transfer to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners, plus you earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked with the card through Capital One Travel,” says Wilson.

What the experts don’t love: No 0% APR period, not as many perks as some other cards with a similar annual fee

Read more about the Spark Miles for Business card:

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (jump to Chase Ink Business Unlimited card details »)

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a simple one at first glance, earning unlimited 1.5% cash back. However, just like the consumer Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited® cards, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has a trick up its sleeve. Although the card is marketed as “cash back,” it actually earns Ultimate Rewards points that you can redeem for cash (1 point = 1 cent).

That means that you can combine the points earned from the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card with the ones you earn from cards like the Ink Preferred, or the personal Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and either earn a bonus when you redeem them for travel through Chase, or transfer them to travel partners. Combined with an Ink Preferred, you’ll get a guaranteed 1.5–3 points per dollar spent.

The card also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, followed by a 13.99%–19.99% variable APR, so it’s a good choice if you have expenses coming up that you want to spread out over time.

What the experts love: “The current sign-up bonus is worth $750, which is especially impressive for a no-annual-fee card,” says Silbert.

What the experts don’t love: This card isn’t as valuable on its own — you need another Chase card to truly maximize the rewards.

Read more about the Ink Business Unlimited card:

American Express® Business Gold Card
(jump to Amex Business Gold card details »)

If you don’t want to pay the higher annual fee of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Business Gold Card is a good alternative. And depending on your spending habits, the Business Gold could actually be a more rewarding choice, thanks to the ability to earn 4x points on popular business spending categories on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year in the two select categories where your business spent the most each month; then 1x. 

Eligible 4x categories are:

• Airfare purchased directly from airlines
• US gas stations
• US restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
• US shipping providers
• US computer hardware, software, and cloud systems from select technology providers
• US purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)

This card currently comes with a big welcome offer of 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership (worth $1,260 based on Insider’s valuations). Carholders also receive a decent selection of travel and shopping perks, including a 25% points rebate on first- and business-class flights (or economy flights on your selected airline) booked through Amex Travel.

What the experts love: High level of customization when it comes to where you earn the most rewards 

What the experts don’t love: Wilson notes that it’s the only premium Amex card that doesn’t offer a statement credit to offset the annual fee.

Read more about the Amex Business Gold card:

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (jump to Chase Ink Business Cash card details »)

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is another solid Chase entry, and just like with the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, you can pool the “cash” you earn with points from a points-earning card, effectively converting your cash into (potentially) more valuable points.

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is an especially good option if you can maximize its bonus categories, including office supply stores, internet, cable, and restaurants, among others. Cardholders earn 5% cash back (5x points) at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services, and 2% cash back (2x points) at gas stations and restaurants. You’ll earn 5% and 2% in these categories on the first $25,000 in combined purchases each account anniversary year (then 1%), and 1% cash back (1 point per dollar) on all other purchases with no caps.

New cardholders can also take advantage of a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening (then a 13.99% – 19.99% Variable APR), making this card a good choice for big purchases you want to pay off over several months.

What the experts love: No annual fee, you can earn up to 5% cash back 

What the experts don’t love: Not the best option if you don’t spend a lot within the 5% cash-back categories

Read more about the Ink Business Cash card:

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® (jump to US bank Triple Cash Rewards card details »)

If you’re looking for a rewards-earning small-business card with a generous 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers, the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Card is an excellent choice. Cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, followed by a 15.49% – 24.49% (Variable) APR, which is very uncommon on business cards.

The card’s welcome offer and earning aren’t anything to sniff at, either. New cardholders can earn $500 cash back after spending $4,500 on purchases on the account holder’s card in the first 150 days of opening your account (authorized user purchases won’t count, however).

You’ll also earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the US Bank Travel Rewards Center, 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

Another unique feature of the card is an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses like FreshBooks or QuickBooks. If you already subscribe to these services, the statement credit is a nice bonus — and it’s particularly unusual for a no-annual-fee card.

What the experts love: Long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, good bonus and earning rates, software subscription statement credit

What the experts don’t love: Foreign transaction fees

Read more about the US Bank Triple Cash Rewards card:

U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card (jump to US Bank Business Platinum card details »)

While it doesn’t earn rewards or come with a welcome bonus, the U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card might be just what your business needs if you don’t want to get hit with big interest charges on large purchases you can’t pay off all at once.

New cardholders qualify for a 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 20 billing cycles (balance transfers must be made within 60 days of account opening), followed by a 13.49% – 22.49% (Variable) APR.

What the experts love: Ultra-long intro 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers

What the experts don’t love: No rewards, foreign transaction fees

Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
(jump to Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards card details »)

Being able to pick your own bonus categories can go a long way toward helping your small business maximize its spending. The no-annual-fee Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good pick if you want this kind of flexibility, especially if your spending habits tend to change from month to month.

Each month, cardholders can choose to earn 3% cash back in one category from this list:

• Gas stations
• Office supply stores
• Travel
• TV, telecom, and wireless
• Computer services 
• Business consulting services

Otherwise, the card earns 2% cash back on dining purchases and 1% back on all other eligible purchases. Keep in mind the 3% and 2% cash back categories are capped at a combined $50,000 per year in purchases; after than, you’ll earn 1% cash back.

However, if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business customer, you can earn up to 75% more cash back, depending on your rewards tier. At the highest level, you could be earning a whopping 5.25% back in your chosen category.

There’s a good welcome offer of a $300 statement credit after making $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening. Cardholders also receive a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 9 billing cycles, followed by a 12.99% – 22.99% Variable APR.

What the experts love: Ability to customize 3% cash back category each month, good welcome bonus offer

What the experts don’t love: $50,000 annual cap on 3% and 2% categories, foreign transaction fees

Capital One®️ Spark®️ Classic for Business
(jump to Capital One Spark Classic card details »)

Whether you have a new business or just don’t have a ton of credit history, the Capital One®️ Spark®️ Classic for Business could be a good stepping stone. It’s possible to get approved for the card with just fair credit, whereas most other small-business cards that earn rewards require a good or even excellent

credit score

.

The card offers 1% cash back on all purchases, which isn’t spectacular, but as a starter business card it’s not bad. There’s no annual fee or foreign transaction fees, and employee cards are free to add (you’ll earn rewards for their purchases, too).

You’ll also receive a handful of good benefits, including secondary car rental insurance, purchase protection against damage or theft, extended warranty on eligible items, and travel and emergency assistance services.

What the experts love: You only need fair credit to be approved, decent benefits for a starter card, no foreign transaction fees or annual fee

What the experts don’t love: Card only earns 1% cash back across the board, no welcome bonus offer

Brex Card (jump to Brex card details »)

The Brex Card stands out because it doesn’t require any personal guarantees, and it offers strong rewards for customers who make Brex their exclusive corporate card (up to 8x points on rideshare and up to 4x points at restaurants and coffee shops, for example).

You can transfer Brex points to eight airline partners, including JetBlue, or redeem them for cash, gift cards, or statement credits. There’s also a new option to convert Brex points into bitcoin or ethereum — the first-ever cryptocurrency redemption offered by a business credit card.

What the experts love: “Generally with small-business cards, if your business can’t pay the bill, you’re liable to pay it out of your personal accounts. The Brex card doesn’t require this, nor does it require an established personal credit history. It’s a rare card designed for startup founders,” says NerdWallet’s Rathner.

What the experts don’t love: The card is only available to US corporations and other forms of non-individual liability companies, such as LLCs, LLPs, C-corps, and S-corps, plus you must have at least $100,000 in a business bank account to qualify, notes Wilson.

Read more about the Brex Card:

Airline business credit cards

Welcome offer: Varies

If you fly often for work, and you’re loyal to one particular airline, then it could be worth getting an airline’s co-branded credit card. In addition to earning frequent flyer miles on every purchase, you’ll get a variety of perks like free checked bags and priority boarding. 

Each airline credit card has slightly different terms and benefits, but these are some of the best options to consider for your business.

Delta

United Airlines

American Airlines

Southwest Airlines

Alaska Airlines

Hotel business credit cards

Welcome offer: Varies

If you frequently travel for business, a hotel business credit card could also make sense. You’ll earn hotel points on all your spending, and some cards offer complimentary elite status and annual free reward nights.

The benefits and bonuses vary, but here are some top options to consider:

Hilton

Marriott 

Hyatt

IHG

Wyndham

How our experts chose the best small business credit cards

Personal Finance Insider evaluated dozens of business credit cards that are currently open to new applicants, and narrowed the list down based on the following criteria:

For anyone running a business with dozens of employees, keeping your personal and business finances separate is vital. Things can get murky quickly when you’re cutting personal and business checks from the same account — a business credit card will not only help separate expenses, but also help you establish business credit, so that you have flexibility later on with loans and leases. Plus, you can get additional authorized cards for employees as needed.

Before you decide on the right card for your venture, you should have an idea of how your want to redeem your rewards:

• Do you want to earn miles and points for free luxury vacations?
• Do you want to decrease the cost of your business travel?
• Do you want to earn cash back to reinvest in your business?

It’s also important to consider your spending habits and choose a card that earns the most rewards for your usual business expenses.

Small business credit cards frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What’s the difference between a personal credit card and a business credit card?

While personal credit cards are intended for any type of purchase, business credit cards are targeted toward small business owners. That doesn’t mean you need a large established company to apply for a business credit card; even if you’re a freelancer you can get approved for a business card provided you meet the bank’s application requirements.

Business credit cards usually offer different rewards and benefits than personal credit cards. For example, a business card may earn bonus rewards on purchases at office supply stores, and it may offer free cards for employees. Plus, business cards can have higher credit limits than personal credit cards, and in most cases, the activity on a business card won’t affect your personal credit report (although if you default on the business card, the card issuer can still come after you personally).

Who has the best business credit card?

American Express, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and other issuers all offer solid options when it comes to business credit cards. The best choice for you depends on what benefits you value, and how much of an annual fee you’re willing to pay.

If you want a rewards card with all the bells and whistles, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a good choice. If you care less about perks like airport lounge access and annual statement credits, a more straightforward card that earns bonus rewards on all your spending, a card like the Capital One Spark Miles for Business could be a better fit.

How do I qualify for a business credit card?

The good news is that it’s easier to qualify for a business credit card than you may think. If you do any freelancing or a side gig, such as driving for Uber or selling items on eBay, you can typically qualify for a business credit card as a sole proprietor. In this case, you are personally on the hook for your business’ debts.

Small business owners who aren’t sole proprietors can qualify for business cards too. If you have a larger business with employees, you may be asked to include your Employer Identification Number (EIN) on your credit card application.

What do I put on a business credit card application?

If you’re a sole proprietor, you can apply for a business card using your Social Security number. You should put down your legal name as the business name. If you have a business with employees, you’ll need to answer questions about your business size, type, and revenue, in addition to providing your SSN and your EIN (if requested).

What’s the difference between a business credit card and a corporate credit card?

With a business credit card, the primary cardholder is responsible for the debts on the card and for any fees that are incurred. A corporate card is issued by a company to its employees, and the company is responsible for paying that card.

With a corporate card, you generally won’t earn rewards (and you also usually won’t be on the hook for whatever you charge to it), while with a business card in your name, you get to keep whatever rewards you earn through your spending.

Our expert panel for this guide

We consulted top credit card experts from NerdWallet and The Points Guy, a certified financial planner, and our own credit cards editor to inform our picks for the best business credit cards. We also interviewed them about how to find the best small business credit card for you — you’ll find the whole text of our interviews at the bottom of this page.

Business Insider

How our list compares to other publications

Opening a new credit card isn’t a decision you should make lightly — it involves plenty of research and cross-checking top experts’ lists. To help streamline your decision-making process, we’ve compared our list of the best business credit cards to other top publications’ recommendations.

The experts’ advice on choosing the best business credit card for you

We interviewed three credit card experts and one financial planner about what to look for if you’re considering opening a business credit card. You can find the full text of our interviews below (some answers may be lightly edited for clarity).

What features make a business credit card good?

Sara Rathner, credit card expert at NerdWallet: 

The rewards need to be in line with your business’ typical spending. An ultra-high bonus isn’t worth overspending for. And what good is extra cash back if it’s for types of purchases you’ll never make? 

Luis Rosa, certified financial planner:

The ability to easily provide corporate cards to employees with their own spending limits, plus strong sign-up bonuses and cash-back or rewards programs. 

Sarah Silbert, senior reviews editor at Personal Finance Insider: 

A good business credit card will reward your company for the purchases it makes most frequently. It will also offer benefits to make your life easier, such as free employee credit cards and travel perks.

Benét Wilson, senior editor at The Points Guy:

If you spend a lot on specific categories (like travel, office supplies, dining, and internet/wireless), then you want a card that offers top points per dollar spent on them. You want free employee cards and tools that help you balance the books. Plus you need broad options to redeem your points (travel, statement credits, gift cards).

How should someone approach finding the best business credit card for their specific situation?

Sara Rathner, NerdWallet: 

Before applying, know how much you spend, and on what. From there, you can find the cards that reward you the most for what your business already does.

Luis Rosa, CFP:

Benefits will vary from solopreneurs to bigger businesses so make the decision based on spending patterns or anticipated future purchases. 

Sarah Silbert, Personal Finance Insider:

If there are any specific benefits you want from a business credit card, start there. For example, not every business card comes with airport lounge access. If you don’t have any particular perks in mind, consider whether you want to earn cash back or travel rewards — that decision alone will narrow down your options. From there, take a look at the credit card options and evaluate their benefits. If you’re looking at a card with an annual fee, make sure it’s worth it for you. You won’t want to pay hundreds of dollars per year for a card if you never put its luxury travel perks to use.

Benét Wilson, The Points Guy: 

Look for a business credit card that can help you maximize your purchases, separate your expenses and save money on interest each year. Do you prefer earning cash-back rewards, airline miles, hotel points, or transferable currencies? Are you willing to pay an annual fee? What categories does your business spend the most in each year? Do you or your employees travel frequently and if so, would there be a benefit in having hotel elite status or a checked bag allowance when flying?

Is there anything else you’d tell someone looking to open a business credit card?

Sara Rathner, NerdWallet: 

Remember that you’re personally liable to cover any unpaid credit card bills if your business fails. Spend carefully.

Luis Rosa, CFP:

Keep in mind that if you assign employees cards you and the business are still ultimately responsible for the charges on those cards.

Jasmin Baron, CEPF

Editor