Best Small Business Credit Card of 2023
Finding the best small business credit card comes down to comparing several factors, including:
- Credit Score
- Card Benefits
- Fees (e.g., APR, transaction fees, etc.).
In this review, we examine the best small business credit cards of 2023 and break down what makes them the best options for small businesses.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from Divvy and build your business credit quickly.
Small Business Credit Cards in 2023
In our approach for finding the ideal business credit card, we compared:
- Annual fees
- APR, transaction, and penalty fees
- Welcome offers
- Rewards and points
- Number and quality of other benefits
Our best business credit cards:
Pros:
- High welcome offer
- High number of security measures, more than just the “standardized” liability protections
- Flexible point rewards system
- 3x points offered on select business categories for startups, including SEO and social media advertising.
- High spending limit before point rewards diminishes (i.e., $150,000 per year.).
- No foreign transaction fee
Cons:
- Higher transaction rates and fees, although still quite low.
- High annual fee, although not the highest.
- High spending mandate in order to receive welcome offer
Welcome offer: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases. This needs to happen within three months from account opening (i.e., $1000 cash back or $1,250 in travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, etc.).
Annual fee: $95
APR:
- Standard APR: 16.24% to 21.24%
- My Chase Loan APR: 16.24% to 21.24%
- Balance Transfer APR:16.24% to 21.24%
- Cash Advance APR: 25.24%
Transaction fees:
- Balance transfers: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash advances: $15 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Foreign transactions: none
Penalty fees:
- Late payment: $40
- Return payment: $40
- Return check: None
Rewards and benefits:
- 3x points: Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories:
- Shipping purchases
- Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
- Internet, cable, and phone services
- Business expenses on travel
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Keep in mind that your points will never expire as long as your account remains open.
- Free employee cards
Point Redemption:
- Points can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel experiences, and much more through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Keep in mind that your points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel.
Security features:
- Purchase and fraud protection
- Custom account alerts
- Cell phone protection
- Extended warranty protection
- Roadside dispatch support
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Get an Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Pros:
- No annual fee
- Decision made in as little as 30 seconds
- Highly applicable: Accepted at 99% of places in the US that accept credit cards
- Relationship Care Service: 24/7 call support
- Global Assist Hotline: Eligible for legal, medical, and coordination assistance any time you travel more than 100 miles from home
- 90 day APR-free period option.
Cons:
- Higher APR than a few other providers on this list, but not the highest
- Low welcome offer, however at no financial opportunity cost
- Annual cost can be very cheap or very expensive depending on personal or business prime subscription, as well as on the number of users.
Welcome offer: $125 Amazon.com gift card following account opening.
Annual fee: None
APR:
- Standard APR: 14.49%-22.49%
- Cash advances APR: 25.24%
- Penalty APR: 29.49%. This is applied if you:
- Make a payment that is returned
- Make two or more later payments within a 12 month period
- Do not make a minimum payment by the closing date of the billing period that it is due
Transaction fees:
- Cash advance: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction fees: None
Penalty fees:
- Late payment: Up to $39
- Overlimit: None
- Returned payment: $39
Rewards and benefits:
- 5% cash back or 60 Day Terms on combined purchases at:
- Amazon Business
- AWS
- Amazon.com
- Whole Foods Market
- 2% Cash back at US restaurants, US gas stations, and wireless telephone services — if purchased directly from US providers
- 1% on all other purchases
- Can choose for 90-day 0% APR financing on Amazon purchases instead of earning rewards.
Financial features:
- Amazon Business Enhanced Data Views
- Amazon Shop with Points
Management features:
- Account Manager
- Business card service for employees
- QuickBooks software integration
- Account notifications service
- Year-end summary report
- Mobile app
Security features:
- Extended Warranty
- Purchase and dispute protection
- Baggage insurance
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
Get an Amazon Business Prime American Express® Credit Card
Pros:
- No annual fee
- Highest number of features
- Third-party integration accountancy tools
- Up to 7x points on purchases
- 1.5x on general spending when paid off weekly
- Rewarding referral scheme (i.e., $100 prepaid Visa gift card per referral.).
- Special offers and discounts program
- No limitations on high-reward categories (e.g., a maximum annual spending limit, etc.).
- Low credit approval mandate
Cons:
- No welcome offer
- Situational: Rewards scheme can be a benefit or a disadvantage; not the best for users who settle their dues on a bi-weekly or monthly basis.
- Situational: 7x and 5x rewards are limited to specific categories (e.g., restaurants and hotels, etc.). These may not be as relevant for some businesses.
Divvy offers more than just a business credit card, providing a “financial platform” that aims to holistically enhance businesses’ financial profiles.
This means that Divvy’s credit card membership offers a much more wide-range of features in comparison to other providers on our list of the best business credit cards for small business owners.
Such features include:
- Expense tracking in Xero, Quickbooks, and other accounting software
- Automatic bill pay feature
- Special discounts (e.g., $150 on Google ads, etc.)
- Two small business credit cards: One focused towards credit score building, the other tailored towards already established business owners.
Divvy’s unique reward points system makes it an ideal option for the small business owners that are happy to settle their dues on a weekly basis. This is because they can earn unrivaled cash back rates (e.g., 7x in restaurants, 5x in hotel expenditure, 1.5x in general spending, etc.).
Welcome offer: None
Annual fee: None
APR: Divvy does not offer a standardized APR range. Each business is offered different terms based on their credit score and financial history.
Rewards and benefits:
- Reward points offered on every single purchase
- Expense tracking in Xero, Quickbooks, and other accounting software
- Fast credit score building
- Additional rewards if you pay your bill in full on a weekly basis
- Free spend management software
- Special offers: Includes $150 off Google Ads, discounts on Uber Eats, Fedex, Adobe CC, and much more.
Security features:
- PCI compliance
- Multi-factor authentication
- Face and tough logins
- SOC2 Type 1 report
- Fraud protection
Other features:
- Send ACH and wires for free
- Automatic bill pay feature
- Free spend management software
- Mobile app
Get a Divvy® Credit Card
Pros:
- No APR for first 12 months
- No annual fee
- Relatively low APR when applicable
- Very high number of security features, more than the “standard” that is expected
- Referral scheme
- Free business card service for employees
Cons:
- Higher transaction rates and fees
- High penalty fees
- 3% on all foreign transactions
Welcome offer: $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is given in the form of 75,000 points.
Annual fee: None
APR:
- Introductory APR: 0% for the first 12 months of account opening, after that, varies between 13.24% and 19.24%.
- My Chase Loan APR: 13.49% to 19.49%
- Cash advance APR: 25.24%
- Default APR: Up to 29.99%: This is only applied to your account if you:
- Fail to make a minimum payment by the date and time that it is due, or
- Make a payment that is returned unpaid
Transaction Fees:
- Balance transfers: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Cash advances: $15 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Foreign transactions: 3% of the amount of each transaction in US dollars
Penalty Fees:
- Late Payment: $40
- Return Payment:$40
- Return Check: None
Other rewards and benefits:
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Free business card service for employees
- Referral scheme: 20,000 points per business
Security features:
- Purchase and fraud protection
- Custom account alerts
- Cell phone protection
- Extended warranty protection
- Roadside dispatch support
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Points do not expire as long as your account remains open, however, keep in mind that you will immediately lose all of your points if your account’s status changes.
Get a Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Pros:
- American express travel features
- 25% airline bonus
- Quickbooks software integration
- Mobile app availability
- Rewarding point rewards scheme
- Financial flexibility (e.g., pay over time, no preset spending limit, etc.).
- Very high spending limit before point rewards diminished (i.e., $150,000 per year.). Ideal for small businesses.
Cons:
- Very high annual fee
- Point rewards limited to select categories.
- 1x on eligible purchases that are not among preset categories
Welcome offer: 70,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first three months from account opening. This equates to around $920
Annual fee: $295
APR:
- Standard APR: 14.49% to 22.49%
- Penalty APR: 29.49%. This will be applied to your account if you:
- Make 2 or more late payments in any 12-month period
- Make a payment that is returned
- Do not pay a minimum payment by the closing date of the billing period that it is due.
Transaction fees:
- Foreign transactions: None
Penalty fees:
- Late payment: $39 or 2.99% of any past due, depending on which is greater
- Returned payment: $39
Rewards and benefits:
- 4x Membership Rewards points on the top 2 categories where your business spent the most each billing cycle from the list below:
- Airfare purchased directly from airlines
- US purchases for advertising in select media
- US purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware
- US purchases at gas stations
- US purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- US purchases for shipping
- Pay Over Time Option: Can choose to pay over time with interest if that is more convenient from a liquidity standpoint
- No preset spending limit: Flexible spending unlike a traditional credit card. The amount you will be able to spend over your credit will actively change and depend on many factors (e.g., purchases, payment history, creditworthiness, etc.).
25% Airlines Bonus
- Book your American Express Travel using points, and can get 25% of those points back.
- Applicable to first class, business class, or economy as long as it is in a “qualifying” airline. You can get a maximum of 250,000 points back per calendar year per account.
Management features:
- Account Manager
- Business card service for employees
- QuickBooks software integration
- Account notifications service
- Year-end summary report
- Mobile app
Travel and security features:
- The Hotel Collection
- Global assist hotline
- Baggage insurance
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
- Trip delay insurance
Other features:
- Extended Warranty
- Purchase protection
- Dispute resolution
- Amex offers
- Relationship care
Get an American Express Business Gold® Credit Card
Pros:
- No annual fee
- 0% APR for the first 12 months
- No category restrictions on point earning
- Quickbooks integration
- 2x points are not restricted by any categories.
- Cash back in the form of a statement credit
Cons:
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee: May be irrelevant depending on your business.
- Relatively high spending mandate in comparison to other cards
- Low welcome offer
- Points reduced to 1x after the first $50,000 of expenditure in each calendar year.
- No specific category with very high point rewards.
Welcome offer: $500 cash back in the form of a statement credit. This is divided in the form of two separate $250 statement credit receipts. Keep in mind that you will need to spend a total amount of $15,000 within the first year of your card membership in order to receive both.
Annual fee: None
APR:
- Standard APR: 0% APR for the first 12 months, between 13.49% and 21.49% after that
- Penalty APR: 29.49%. This will be applied to your account if you:
- Make 2 or more late payments in any 12-month period
- Make a payment that is returned
- Do not pay a minimum payment by the closing date of the billing period that it is due.
Transaction fees:
- Balance transfer: $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer depending on which is greater
- Foreign transactions: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Penalty fees:
- Late payment: Up to $39
- Overlimit: None
- Returned payment: $39
Rewards and benefits:
- 2 points for every $1 you spend on any category, no restrictions.
- After spending over $50,000 per calendar year, this changes to 1 point for every 1$ you spend
- Expanded Buying Power
- 1 extra point for each dollar spent on travel through eligible purchases made on American Express Travel
- Exclusive access to ticket pre-sales and cardmember only events
- Pre Approved loans ranging from $3,500 to $25,000
Security features:
- Baggage insurance: Up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: Note that not all vehicle types or rentals are covered.
- Extended Warranty
- Purchase protection
- Dispute resolution
- Amex offers
Other features:
- Account Manager
- Employee Cards
- QuickBooks software integration
- Account notifications service
- Year-end summary report
- Mobile app
Get an American Express Blue Business Cash® Credit Card
Pros:
- Takes roughly 10 minutes to apply. You can get your decision within seconds
- Ability to set individual spending limits on employee business cards
- No annual fee
- Relatively low spending mandate in order to get welcome offer
- No transfer or international transaction fees
- Cash back offered regardless of category of purchase
Cons:
- Not the highest number of features
- Not the highest welcome offer. Having said that, it does come at a low opportunity cost
- Fewer integrations than other providers on the list
- Rewards program is rewarding but no high scheme offered in any specific category
Welcome offer: $500 cash when you spend $4,500 in the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0
APR:
- Purchases and transfers: 13.49%, 16.49%, or 19.49% based on creditworthiness.
- Cash advances: 27.24%
- Penalty APR: 29.65%
Transaction fees:
- Transfer: No fees
- Cash advance: $10 or 3% of the total amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Penalty fees:
- Late payment: Up to $39
Rewards and benefits:
- 1.5% cash back for your business on all other eligible purchases. This is not restricted by any category, and so should include most everyday business purchases that you need to make.
Other features:
- Automatic payments
- Annual summary reports
- Account managers
- Virtual card numbers
- Purchase history
- Payment due date flexibility
- Free employee cards
Security features:
- $0 fraud liability
- Fraud alerts
- Security alerts
- Extended warranty and protection
- Card lock
- Virtual card numbers
Get an Capital One Cash Spark Cash Select® Credit Card
Pros:
- Annual fee redeem rewards
- Very generous reward points program
- No foreign transactions
- High welcome offer, at a very reasonable spending mandate
- Account anniversary year bonus
Cons:
- Higher end when it comes to annual fees
- Areas where most points can be gained may be irrelevant for some businesses (e.g., travel, hotels, etc.).
- Higher transaction and penalty fees
Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of your account opening. This equates to around $1,120.
Annual Fee: $199
APR:
- Standard APR: Between 15.99% and 22.99%
- My Chase Loan APR: 16.24% to 23.24%
- Balance transfer APR: 16.24% to 23.24%
- Default APR: Up to 29.99%. This is applied if you either:
- Fail to make a Minimum Payment by the date and time that it is due
- Make a payment that is returned unpaid
- Minimum Interest charge: None
Transaction fees:
- Balance transfers: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, depending on which is greater.
- Cash advances: $15 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, depending on which is greater.
- Foreign transactions: None
Penalty fees:
- Late payment: $40
- Return payment: $40
- Return check: None
Rewards and benefits:
- 9,000 points every account anniversary year
- 4 points for every $1 your business spends on eligible purchases in Southwest Airlines®
- 3 points for every $1 you spend on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners
- 2 points for every $1 you spend on social media and SEO advertising
- 2 points for every $1 you spend on cable, internet, and phone services
- 2 points for every $1 you spend on local transit and commuting
- 1 point for every $1 you spend on all other eligible purchases.
Security features:
- Lost luggage reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per passenger
- Baggage delay insurance
- Extended warranty protection
Other features:
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- Four upgraded boardings per year when available
- Contactless
Get a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Business Credit Card
Should I Get a Business Credit Card for my Small Business?
Even the best business card comes with its fair share of benefits and drawbacks.
You should consider these carefully before deciding whether it makes financial sense for your business - and personal credit score - to apply for one.
Pros
- Credit: Having a business card can be a great way to build your business credit. This will then allow you to qualify for larger business loans with better terms.
- Approval rating: In comparison to qualifying for bank loans, it is much easier to qualify for a business card. A business credit card can also be more favorable from a financial resources point of view.
- Safety: Credit cards offer increased protections to consumers (e.g., no liability for theft, free replacement, rental car insurance, travel insurance, etc.). Keep in mind that fewer consumer protections are offered to users with business credit cards in comparison to personal credit cards.
- Financial Rewards: Businesses can benefit from additional perks and financial rewards. This includes automatic payments, cash back opportunities, no transaction fees, legal and medical assistance, etc.).
- Employee Cards: Can distribute cards to your employees in order to benefit from more perks (e.g., reward points, airline miles, etc.).
- Corporate Veil: If you own a formal business structure (e.g., LLC, corporation, etc.), you will benefit indirectly from owning a business credit card because it can act as proof that you are treating your business as a separate entity to yourself. This can help you maintain your LLC’s corporate veil.
Cons
- Employee credit cards: Even though you are entitled to all the perks that arise as a result of your employees’ expenditure, you are also responsible for all of the charges they make when using a business card.
- High interest rates: This will depend on your credit card, but business credit cards can mandate higher interest rates in comparison to personal credit cards.
- Annual fees: These can be quite expensive for small and starting businesses, although options with no annual fees can be found for the vast majority of small businesses with a reasonable credit history.
- Personal guarantee requirement: In order to qualify for most reputable business credit cards, you will be required to issue a personal guarantee. A personal guarantee means that you will need to submit your Social Security number and past credit history to your provider. This means that any missed or late payments will harm your personal credit score in conjunction with your business’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best credit card for small business?
When it comes to traditional business credit cards, the best choice for small businesses according to our research is Chase Ink Business Preferred®.
This is because Ink's credit card membership offers:
- A very rewarding welcome offer
- High number of security measures
- A flexible point rewards system
- Very high spending limit before point rewards diminishes (i.e., $150,000 per year.)
- High credit limit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Low annual fee
How can I check my credit score?
You can check your credit score through one of the three primary creditors’ websites, or through a website that shares your scores from all three agencies.
Did you know? You are legally entitled to one free personal credit score report every year.
If you want to check your business credit record, you can purchase a report from Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, or Equifax. These usually range between $30 and $150.
Do I need a business credit card as an LLC?
No. Even though you are required to set up a separate bank account (e.g., business checking account, etc.) for your LLC business, you are not required to own any business credit cards.
Having said that, this is often good practice — particularly when replacing the use of your personal credit card — because it acts as proof that you and your business are operating as separate legal entities.
This can ensure that you do not lose your limited personal liability by piercing your LLC’s corporate veil.
Note: Interested in applying for a business credit card? See our guide on how to establish business credit.
What is the best business credit card for building credit?
One of the best business credit cards for building credit is Divvy. This is because Divvy approves almost every business and interest rates are set based on individual credit profiles.
For more information, see our article on the 4 Best Credit Cards for Building Business Credit.
What is the best credit card from American Express?
The best credit card from American Express when it comes to small businesses is the Business Gold credit card.
This is because its card membership offers the following benefits for small businesses:
- American express travel features
- 25% airline bonus
- Quickbooks software integration
- Mobile app availability
- Financial flexibility (e.g., pay over time, no preset spending limit, etc.).
- Rewarding point rewards scheme
- Very high spending limit before point rewards diminished (i.e., $150,000 per year.).
If your personal credit history and/or business credit history supports it, you may also want to consider:
- American Express Business Platinum Card: Keep in mind that this entails a very high annual fee.
- Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card