Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses
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Starting a small business can be rewarding, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t come with its challenges. When I started a small arts company out of college as a sole proprietor, one of my major concerns was how to pay for expenses as they came up while not always getting income from a project until a month or two later. While a small business loan was an option, I didn’t want to pay interest and determine a lump sum only to need less money or get enough monthly income to cover all the business expenses I’d accrued that month.
A much better solution was opening a credit card for my small business since it offered a lot more flexibility—and some extra perks, too! From a welcome bonus upon account opening to bonus points and miles, there’s a lot that small business credit cards offer that personal loans don’t. For tax purposes, it was better to have a business credit card than use one of my credit cards for the company.
So, how do you find the best credit card for your company as one of the many small business owners in the United States? Whether you have excellent or good credit, here are the best credit card offers for business spending.
Jump To
Overview of the best credit cards for small businesses
Credit card | Best for |
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card | Business owners with well-rounded perks and protections |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | Fee-averse business owners who want access to Chase Ultimate Rewards |
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | Business owners interested in flat-rate cashback and exclusive discounts |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business | Responsible credit users hungry for unlimited cashback |
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | Frequent travelers interested in free nights |
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The best credit cards for small businesses
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
Card Name
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
APR
Flex for Business variable APR: 19.49% - 27.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Good, Excellent
Annual Fee
$195
Special Offer
Earn $1,000 bonus cash back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
Why We Like It
- Bonus cash back.
- Earn cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Card Name
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
APR
18.49% - 24.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400
Special Offer Terms
when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Why We Like It
- No annual fee.
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Card Name
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
APR
18.49% - 26.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Good, Excellent
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Special Offer
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
Why We Like It
- No annual fee.
- Good introductory bonus offer.
Blue Business by American Express BusinessRelated: American Express Credit Cards – Which Is Right For You?
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Card Name
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
APR
26.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Special Offer
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles - equal to $500 in travel
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus offer.
- More than 15 travel loyalty programs where miles can be transferred.
- Instant redemption on miles instantly for any travel-related purchases.
- One statement credit for either TSA PreCheck® or $100 Global Entry application fee.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Card Name
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$195
Special Offer
Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases. Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
Why We Like It
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status.
- Free night reward.
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Summary table of the best credit cards for small businesses
Credit card | Annual Fee | Regular APR | Recommended Credit Score |
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card | $195 | Flex for Business variable APR: 19.49% - 27.49% | 690+ |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | $0 | 18.49% - 24.49% | 700+ |
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | No annual fee | 18.49% - 26.49% | 700+ |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | 26.24% | 670+ |
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | $195 | 20.99% - 29.99% | 700+ |
FAQs
What’s the best credit score to get a business card?
Most of the best business cards require at least a good credit score (meaning 690 or higher) to qualify for them. If you’re concerned about your personal credit history impacting your eligibility, you may want to look at options like Brex, where your startup’s income is considered in your application instead.
Is a business credit card the best way to fund my business?
It depends! If you’re someone who can use a credit card responsibly, will take advantage of bonuses through everyday business use, and doesn’t want to pay interest on a small business loan. A business credit card could be a great choice for your startup.
How many business credit cards should you have?
Generally speaking, keeping the number of business credit cards you have to a minimum for accounting purposes makes the most sense. However, it’s not a bad idea to have a separate card for travel and everyday business expenses, especially if travel perks like TSA Precheck or access to an airport lounge are features you’ll use in your business travels.
Why should (or shouldn’t) you use
The flexibility offered by business credit cards is much better than a small business loan in many cases. In your first year of operation, month-to-month expenses may fluctuate, so covering an unexpected cost with a higher credit limit may be better than going through the application process for yet another loan if you need access to capital quickly.
Like regular consumer credit cards, however, it’s possible to spend beyond your means with a credit card. Responsible credit card use is even more important when the card is connected to your business because it may ultimately be the difference between you being able to keep your doors open and having to shut down. Even if you’ve opened a card on this list with excellent perks, it’s crucial to have a game plan for how to use your business credit card responsibly, rather than chasing perks just to eke out a $200 bonus here or there.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The bottom line
As you can see, corporate cards help with more than just cash flow. From cashback rewards and membership rewards points to higher credit limits, introductory APR, and lounge access, business cardholders can get a lot of value when they take advantage of the right card offers. Perhaps best of all, many qualifying purchases you’ll need to make to earn these sorts of perks are incidental expenses of running a business, such as office supplies or software subscriptions.
Ultimately, the best credit card for you and your company is the one you will use. As such, if any of the above options from our list of best small business credit cards seem to offer your business some extra value, they are probably worthwhile.
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JoyWallet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. JoyWallet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Writer
Brent Ervin-Eickhoff is a Chicago-based writer, stage director, and filmmaker with a background in digital marketing and content creation. In addition to Joy Wallet, Brent has written for Complex, Volkswagen, HowlRound, Picture this Post, and Third Coast Review, among others. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Marketing for Content Creation at Court Theatre at the University of Chicago. Brent graduated from Ball State University with Academic Honors in Writing.
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