Small-business credit cards are increasingly popular business financing options, particularly for entrepreneurs who don’t qualify for traditional business loans or have access to networks filled with deep-pocketed family members, friends, and colleagues. No matter what your business does, a credit card canprobably help — as long as you use credit wisely and avoid making purchases your company can’t afford.
Small-business credit cards typically have higher spending limits and more generous rewards programs than consumer cards. Some have additional benefits, such as low APRs, attractive balance transfer promotions, personalized concierge service, and fringe benefits. However, many also require good or excellent credit to qualify and come with annual fees, and if you’re going to pay that much for a credit card, you should pick the one with the best features for your business.
The Best Small-Business Credit Cards Right Now
These are the best small-business credit cards on the market right now. They include a mix of low-interest credit cards, travel rewards credit cards, cash-back credit cards, and general-purpose rewards cards.
Our Rating
4.5/5
Rewards Rate
Up to 3x
Annual Fee
$95
Employee Card Fee
$0
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Our Rating
4.5/5
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The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a longtime favorite of Chase small-business card users. It offers:
- A generous rewards program that favors travel and everyday business purchases, earning up to 3x the baseline rewards rate on those items.
- An attractive points transfer feature that lets you swap your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for other companies’ loyalty currency at a 1-to-1 ratio.
- No foreign transaction fee on purchases made overseas or from international merchants.
- Perhaps best of all, a massive sign-up bonus worth up to $1,250 in free travel. If you travel a lot for business, that’s hard to resist.
It all adds up to the best overall credit card for small-business users.
Pros
- Up to 3x points on eligible purchases
- Category-leading sign-up bonus
- Transfer points to over 10 travel merchants, potentially multiplying their value
Cons
- Low baseline rewards rate
- No way to earn above the 3x bonus rewards rate
Sign-up Bonus
When you spend at least $8,000 in eligible purchases within 3 months of opening your account, you earn 100,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points. That’s worth $1,250 when redeemed for travel purchases, and $1,000 when redeemed for cash back or general merchandise.
Earning Rewards
Earn 3x points per $1 spent on travel, shipping purchases, telecommunications purchases (such as Internet, cable, mobile phone bills), and advertising, up to $150,000 in combined spending across those categories in each account anniversary year. All other purchases earn unlimited 1 point per $1 spent.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem in any amount for travel, statement credits, gift cards, and more in the Chase Travel portal.
Introductory APR
None.
Additional Benefits
Get cell phone protection (up to $600 per claim) when you pay your cell phone bill in full with your card. Enjoy complimentary loss and damage coverage on rental cars paid in full with this card. And take advantage of trip cancellation and interruption insurance coverage potentially worth thousands per claim.
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Our Rating
4.3/5
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back with no annual fee. Plus, enjoy a sign-up bonus that's relatively easy to earn with a qualifying early spend.
Rewards Rate
Unlimited 1.5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Employee Card Fee
$0
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Our Rating
4.3/5
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The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a no-annual-fee business credit card that echoes the consumer version of the card, which also earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on most purchases.
Ink Business Unlimited accrues cash back via Ultimate Rewards points, which you can redeem for more than just cash and travel. The one-two punch of a no-nonsense rewards program and flexible redemption make it the best flat-rate cash back card for business owners, period.
Pros
- Predictable cash-back rewards with no limits
- Above-average sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Above-average intro purchase APR
Cons
- No intro balance transfer APR
- No way to earn above 1.5% cash back
Sign-up Bonus
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earning Rewards
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases with your card.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem for cash, gift cards, travel purchase, and general merchandise through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
Introductory APR
0% APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then variable APR applies (currently 18.49% to 24.49%).
Additional Benefits
Enjoy value-adds like cell phone protection up to $600 per claim, complimentary loss and damage coverage on rental cars paid in full with this card, and additional travel insurance coverage up to applicable policy limits.
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Our Rating
4.1/5
Earn up to 5% cash back in select purchase categories, over three times as much as the Chase Ink Business Unlimited®. Plus, snag the same generous sign-up bonus with a qualifying early spend.
Rewards Rate
Up to 5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Employee Card Fee
$0
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Our Rating
4.1/5
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The Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a popular business credit card with a generous cash-back rewards program, above-average sign-up bonus, and attractive 0% intro APR promotion.
With the potential to earn up to 5% cash back on select purchases, the ongoing cash-back program qualifies as the best tiered cash-back scheme of any card on this list. It’s a compelling choice if you concentrate your business spending on office supplies, telecommunications, fuel, and dining.
Pros
- Up to 5% back on eligible purchases
- Above-average sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Above-average intro purchase APR
Cons
- Low baseline cash-back rate
- 5% and 2% categories have annual spending caps
- No intro balance transfer APR
Sign-up Bonus
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earning Rewards
Earn 5% cash back for office supply store and communications purchases (including Internet, TV, landline, and cell phone services) and 2% cash back on gas station and restaurant purchases. Purchases in the 5% and 2% categories have a combined $25,000 annual spending cap, after which they earn 1% cash back. All other purchases always earn unlimited 1% cash back.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem for cash, gift cards, travel purchase, and general merchandise through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
Introductory APR
0% APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then variable APR applies (currently 18.49% to 24.49%).
Additional Benefits
Value-adds include complimentary rental car coverage, cell phone protection, and additional travel insurance coverages up to applicable policy limits.
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Best Return on Everyday Business Spending: BMO Harris Business Platinum Rewards Mastercard®
Our Rating
4.0/5
Earn up to 5x points on eligible business purchases, plus get a generous sign-up bonus and pay no interest on purchases for nine months from account opening.
Rewards Rate
Up to 5x
Annual Fee
$0
Employee Card Fee
$0
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The BMO Harris Business Platinum Rewards Mastercard® is a practical credit card for everyday business spending.
Its generous rewards program offers up to 5x points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases and an above-average number of purchase categories that earn above the baseline 1x rate. Points don’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.
Also of note: This card has one of the best sign-up bonus opportunities of any no-annual-fee business card around.
Pros
- Up to 5x points on eligible purchases
- Multiple broad bonus rewards categories
- No annual fee
- Above-average intro purchase APR
Cons
- Low baseline cash-back rate
- No intro balance transfer APR
Products and services are provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. and are subject to bank and credit approval. Terms and conditions apply.
Sign-up Bonus
Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 within 3 months of account opening. Then earn an additional 50,000 bonus points when you spend $50,000 within 12 months of account opening.
Earning Rewards
Earn 5x points on eligible Internet and phone services, 4x points on office supplies and printing, 3x points on gas purchases, 2x points on eligible dining purchases, and 1x point on all other eligible purchases.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem for travel, gift cards, cash, general merchandise, and more through BMO’s rewards portal.
Introductory APR
Enjoy 0% introductory APR on purchases valid for the first nine months from your account opening date, then variable regular APR applies.
Additional Benefits
Enjoy discounts on Intuit Quickbooks and TurboTax to streamline your accounting and simplify your taxes. Plus, save up to 25% at 40,000-plus Mastercard Easy Savings merchants selling gas, meals, office supplies, hotels, and more.
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Our Rating
4.2/5
Earn up to 5x points on eligible business purchases and take advantage of a ton of generous cardholder perks.
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Our Rating
4.2/5
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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a popular business card that’s fantastic for business travelers in particular.
This card’s top travel perks include:
- Up to a $200 statement credit for purchases made with an airline of your choice (enrollment required).
- Complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide through the American Express Global Lounge Collection (enrollment required).
- Reimbursem*nt for TSA Precheck application fees (up to $85) or Global Entry application fees ($100), but not both programs.
- A 35% bonus when using Membership Rewards® points to book travel with your selected qualifying airline, up to 1 million bonus Membership Rewards® points each calendar year.
Pros
- Extensive perks for frequent travelers
- Excellent welcome offer
Cons
- High annual fee
- Low baseline rewards rate
For rates and fees of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this rates and fees page.
Welcome Offer
Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend at least $15,000 in eligible purchases within 3 months of opening your account. Terms apply.
Earning Rewards
Airfare and prepaid hotel purchases booked through American Express Travel earn 5 points per $1 spent. Purchases in key business spending categories and all other purchases greater than $5,000 earn 1.5 points per $1 spent ($2 million annual purchase cap on these purchases applies). All other eligible purchases earn 1 point per $1 spent.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem accumulated points for gift cards, online shopping, travel purchases, statement credits, and more.
Ongoing APR
Your APR on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time will be a variable 19.49% to 27.49% APR, depending on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at time of account opening (terms apply).
Additional Benefits
Enjoy up to up to $400 in annual purchase credits (statement credits) for U.S. purchases with Dell (terms apply and enrollment is required).
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Our Rating
3.9/5
Earn up to 5% cash on eligible Chase Travel purchases and 2.5% cash back on other eligible business purchases. Plus, get a fantastic sign-up bonus with qualifying early spend.
Rewards Rate
Up to 5% cash back
Annual Fee
$195
Employee Card Fee
$0
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Our Rating
3.9/5
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The Chase Ink Business Premier Credit Card is Chase’s newest small-business credit card, and it has the best cash-back rate for larger business purchases.
Earn unlimited 2.5% cash back on individual purchases worth $5,000 or more, a notable improvement on the card’s baseline 2% cash-back rate on smaller purchases.
Pros
- Above-average baseline cash back, especially on big purchases
- Extensive Chase travel benefits
- Above-average sign-up bonus
Cons
- No intro APR promotion
- Limited opportunity to earn more than 2.5% cash back
Sign-up Bonus
Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earning Rewards
Earn unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more, and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem in any amount for cash, gift cards, travel, general merchandise, and more.
Additional Benefits
Enjoy complimentary travel protections, including trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance.
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Our Rating
3.8/5
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases, plus get unlimited physical and virtual cards with no additional fees.
Rewards Rate
Unlimited 1.5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Employee Card Fee
$0
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Our Rating
3.8/5
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Ramp is a simple Visa business credit card that dispenses with the gimmicks — and limits — of other corporate payment products.
Its biggest differentiator is its truly limitless supply of physical and virtual cards. There’s no cap on the number of employee cards you can add and no limit to the number of single-purpose virtual cards you can create (which is useful for security-minded companies with lots of subscriptions and vendors).
Pros
- Create and destroy cards at will
- Sophisticated spending and card controls
Cons
- Mediocre baseline cash-back rate
- No sign-up bonus
Sign-up Bonus
None.
Earning Rewards
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible spending, with no tiers, categories, or multipliers.
Redeeming Rewards
Redeem in any amount for statement credits against prior purchases.
Additional Benefits
Advanced card controls allow you to block transactions at specific vendors, on specific cards, or across your entire employee card network. Plus, you can customize your cards’ branding to add your company logo at no additional cost.
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Our Rating
4.3/5
Earn 3x SkyMiles on Delta purchases.
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Our Rating
4.3/5
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The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is a super-premium business travel card designed for frequent flyers who like to travel in style.
Big spenders make out especially well with this card. Spending on the Card will earn you bonus MQDs to help get you to status faster, making it even easier to ascend the Medallion status ranks and earn coveted Delta perks.
Pros
- Above-average welcome offer
- Lots of potentially valuable Delta perks
Cons
- Low baseline rewards rate
- High annual fee
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this rates and fees page. Terms and limitations apply.
Welcome Offer
Earn 110,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earning Rewards
Earn 3 SkyMiles per $1 spent on eligible Delta purchases. Plus, earn 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after you spend $150,000 in purchases on your card in a year.
Redeeming Rewards
The best way to redeem is for Delta award airfare or fare upgrades. If you don’t have enough SkyMiles to redeem for a full award flight, you can combine SkyMiles and cash to reduce your out-of-pocket airfare cost.
Delta Benefits
Enjoy complimentary Delta Sky Club membership (Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter). Plus, receive complimentary access to the Centurion Lounge or the Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio Partner when you purchase a Delta flight with your SkyMiles Reserve Business card (enrollment required). Qualify for one complimentary companion certificate each year, including on some first-class fares (terms apply). Plus, you may save 15% on Delta award travel with TakeOff15, an exclusive benefit for SkyMiles cardholders — applies only to Delta-operated flight fares, not partner-operated fares or taxes and fees on any award flight.
Additional Benefits
Enjoy main cabin priority boarding, discounted Sky Club access for up to two traveling companions, and 20% off in-flight Delta purchases (terms apply).
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Our Rating
4.3/5
Earn 6x points on eligible Marriott purchases plus bonus points on purchases in other select categories. A very generous limited-time welcome offer further sweetens the deal.
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Our Rating
4.3/5
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The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the business version of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card.
It’s the best business credit card overall for business travelers who regularly stay in hotels thanks to an unusually generous status benefit, multiple opportunities to earn free nights at Marriott properties, and an above-average rewards scheme.
Pros
- Category-leading welcome offer
- Above-average return on spending at Marriott properties
- Automatic Gold Elite Status with card membership
Cons
- Has an annual fee
- Poor point value when not redeemed for award nights
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
Welcome Offer
Earn three Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points for each bonus Free Night Award, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees.
Earning Rewards
Eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels earn 6 points per $1 spent. Eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, on wireless telecom purchases made directly with U.S. providers, and U.S. shipping purchases earn 4 points per $1 spent. All other eligible purchases earn 2 points per $1 spent.
Redeeming Rewards
You can redeem accumulated Bonvoy points for free nights at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. All cardholders in good standing enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and one free night award every year after your account anniversary at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels with redemption levels at or under 35,000 points per night. Terms and conditions apply.
Marriott Benefits
Enjoy complimentary Gold Elite Status as long as your account remains open and in good standing. Plus, get 1 free award night each year after your cardmember anniversary — and when you make at least $60,000 in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year, you receive an additional award night at participating hotels with redemption levels at or under 35,000 points per night.
Additional Benefits
Pay no foreign transaction fees on purchases overseas or with international merchants.
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Methodology: How We Select the Best Small-Business Credit Cards
We use several important factors to evaluate small-business credit cards. Those that score highest on an acceptable mix of factors earn a spot on this list.
Qualification Requirements
Virtually all small-business credit cards assess applicant creditworthiness.
Some are fine with applicants using their personal credit scores to apply, provided they personally guarantee the account.
Other small-business credit cards ask that applicants have a business credit score before they apply. This is something of a catch-22 for new businesses since it’s hard to build credit without a credit history. But there are ways to do it. For more information, read our article on ways to establish business credit fast.
More selective small-business credit cards typically have minimum revenue and time-in-business requirements as well. These standards weed out new or revenueless enterprises.
Personal Guarantee Requirements
If you’re applying for your first small-business credit card, choose one that accepts a personal guarantee. That’s your ticket into the business credit card world and could help you build business credit over time. But beware. If your account becomes delinquent, your personal credit could suffer.
Rewards Program
Most of the credit cards on this list have a rewards program. We evaluate them based on:
- How generous they are overall
- Which spending categories they reward
- Whether they have any caps or restrictions on earned rewards
- How easy it is to redeem
- What you can redeem for
Earning rewards is the reason many small-business owners sign up for small-business cards, so we take this evaluation seriously.
Sign-Up Bonus (Welcome Offer)
Many of these cards offer bonus rewards for new cardholders. Typically, these sign-up bonuses — also known as welcome offers or early spend bonuses — require hefty upfront spending.
But that’s no sweat for capital-intensive businesses. So all else being equal, we prefer business cards with attractive sign-up bonuses.
Interest Rate & Promotions
Carrying a credit card balance is never ideal, but sometimes, you have no choice — especially when you’re building a business and watching absolutely every penny.
With that in mind, we prefer small-business cards with low regular interest rates and long 0% APR introductory promotions. The latter isn’t as common in the business card world as it is among personal cards, but you can still find 0% APR promotions if you know where to look.
Benefits for Business Users
This is where some business cards really shine. From partnerships with popular business vendors (bookkeeping software, digital storage) to cutting-edge spend reporting and analysis tools, the best business credit cards offer thousands of dollars in annual value to dedicated users. We reward them with high placement on this list.
Annual Fee
Sometimes, you have to spend money to make money. The best business credit cards generally have annual fees, but we prefer those that keep them reasonable — a subjective description if ever there were one.
Other Fees
Other business credit card fees include but aren’t limited to:
- Fees for employee cards
- Foreign transaction fees
- Balance transfer fees
- Cash advance fees
- Late and returned payment fees
Most business cards charge at least some of these fees, so there’s really no such thing as a “fee-free” business credit card. But we prefer cards that keep these fees to a minimum.
Small-Business Credit Card FAQs
It’s normal to have questions about credit cards for your small business. Most of the answers are common sense when you think about it, but it’s reassuring to see them in writing.
How Do You Qualify for a Small-Business Card?
Qualifying for business credit cards is a bit different from qualifying for consumer credit cards. Some issuers simply require you to submit a valid Social Security number and affirm in writing that you’ll use the card exclusively for business purposes.
Such laid-back issuers welcome freelancers and solopreneurs. That’s basically anyone who files a Schedule C at tax time, including people who don’t really think of themselves as business owners.
Some issuers are more strict. They request a federal employer identification number (EIN), seek evidence of incorporation, or askforfinancial statements. If you can’t prove you own an incorporated business with legitimate cash flow, you won’t qualify.
Do You Need to Personally Guarantee Your Small-Business Credit Card?
It depends.
You should know before you apply whether you need to personally guarantee your business credit card account. If you don’t have to, you should think very carefully before doing so since it could open you up to considerable personal liability if things go sideways.
That said, you might have no choice. If this is your first business credit card, your business credit history probably isn’t enough to qualify.
Does Using a Small-Business Card Hurt Your Credit Score?
Only if you don’t use it responsibly — or your business falls on hard times. If you keep your credit utilization at a manageable level and pay your bills on time, your small-business credit card could improve your business credit score — or improve your personal credit score if you went that direction.
How High Are Credit Limits on Small-Business Credit Cards?
It depends on several factors:
- Your credit score (personal, business, or both)
- Your business revenue (or personal income, if you’re personally guaranteeing the card)
- Your requested credit limit
- Your time in business
Other factors may come into play as well. The best business credit cards have eye-popping limits, often 20 or 30 times revenue, and business charge cards typically have no preset spending limits at all. But that doesn’t mean they’re appropriate or accessible for your business.
How Much Do Small-Business Credit Cards Cost?
No-annual-fee business cards do exist — there are some on this list. But premium cards charge annual fees ranging from $100 to more than $500.
Final Word
If you still haven’t found a clear business credit card winner, don’t fret. You’re closer to the end of your search than to the beginning.
You just need some perspective. So take a step back and consider:
- Your company’s top spending categories
- How much you spend overall in a typical month or year
- Which benefits you value above all
- Whether you need short-term financing to reach a key milestone
- How many people in your organization are authorized to use a company credit card
Your answers can guide you toward the right card for your needs — or at least a narrower set of potential choices.
The final decision might well come down to gut feeling. But so do plenty of high-stakes business decisions.
For rates and fees of the the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this rates and fees page.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card , please visit this rates and fees page.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
