Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Review for 2023
Tricia has nearly two decades of experience in commercial and federal government lending. Her expertise is highlighted throughout small business loan content on Fit Small Business.
Nancy Fernandez is a Credit Card and Insurance Expert at Fit Small Business, specializing in business credit cards and business insurance.
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card is designed for business owners who prefer to earn fixed-rate, unlimited rewards. It has no annual fee, a low ongoing annual percentage rate (APR), and Visa-specific benefits, including extended warranties, purchase protection, and travel assistance.
If you wish to compare one card over another, select a maximum of three cards on this page and click Add to compare to view the details in a side-by-side comparison.
Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card
BEST FOR:
Those who prefer unlimited fixed-rate rewards
Intro APR
0%
Regular APR
17.74% to 26.74% variable
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Good
- 2,500 bonus rewards Points awarded after first purchase
- Earn 1.5 points for every eligible net $1 you spend
Pros
- Sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Unlimited rewards
Cons
- Short interest-free financing option on purchases and balance transfers
- Rewards expire within 5 years
- Online reporting with spend analysis: Offers a free online tool that lets you generate credit card spending reports on a monthly, quarterly, annual, or year-to-date basis
- Fraud protection: Associated Bank will notify you of any unusual card activity to prevent fraudulent transactions
- Travel and emergency assistance: Call Visa’s 24-hour Visa Assistance Center at (800) VISA-911 to report a lost or stolen card and request an emergency card replacement.
Intro APR
0%
Regular APR
17.74% to 26.74% variable
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Good
- 2,500 bonus rewards Points awarded after first purchase
- Earn 1.5 points for every eligible net $1 you spend
Pros
- Sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Unlimited rewards
Cons
- Short interest-free financing option on purchases and balance transfers
- Rewards expire within 5 years
- Online reporting with spend analysis: Offers a free online tool that lets you generate credit card spending reports on a monthly, quarterly, annual, or year-to-date basis
- Fraud protection: Associated Bank will notify you of any unusual card activity to prevent fraudulent transactions
- Travel and emergency assistance: Call Visa’s 24-hour Visa Assistance Center at (800) VISA-911 to report a lost or stolen card and request an emergency card replacement.
How We Evaluate Points Rewards Business Credit Cards
When grading points rewards business credit cards like the Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card, we first consider the ongoing and introductory rewards. We also rate the annual fee, introductory and ongoing APRs, and additional card features.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 20 | 30 |
Introductory Rewards | 10 | 20 |
Annual Fee | 15 | 15 |
Features | 15 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 5 | 10 |
Ongoing APR | 8 | 10 |
Total Score | 73 | 100 |
Who the Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Is Best For
- Those who prefer unlimited fixed-rate rewards: It offers fixed-rate points for all purchases, regardless of spending categories.
Check out our recommended alternatives below if this card doesn’t fit the bill.
Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Fees
APR
- Introductory APR on purchases: 0% for the first six billing cycles after opening an account.
- Introductory APR on balance transfers: 0% for the first six billing cycles for balances transferred within 186 days from account opening
- Ongoing APR on purchases and balance transfers: 17.74% to 26.74% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate
- Cash advance APR: 29.74% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate
- Penalty APR: 30.99% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate. This will be applied to your account if you:
- Made payments five calendar days late twice or 30 calendar days once, or
- Made a returned payment, or
- Exceed your credit limit twice in 12 consecutive months
Penalty APR will apply until you make six consecutive minimum payments when due and don’t exceed your credit limit during that time period
Fees
- Annual: $0
- Balance transfer and convenience check cash advance: Either $5 or 3% of the amount transferred, whichever is higher
- Foreign transaction: Either 2% of each foreign transaction in United States dollars or 3% of each foreign transaction in a foreign currency
- Cash advance, cash equivalent advance, and cash advance ATM: Either $10 or 4% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Late payment:
- $19 on balances up to $100
- $29 on balances from $100 up to $250
- $39 on balances of $250 or more
- Returned payment: $35
- Overlimit: $39
Your due date is at least 24 to 30 days after the close of each billing cycle.
Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Rewards
- 2,500 bonus points after making your first purchase, redeemable for $25 cash back, merchandise, gift cards, or travel savings
- 1.5 points for every dollar you spend, with no caps or limits on the points you can earn
You can redeem your points as a cash deposit to an Associated Bank checking or savings account or as a statement credit to your credit card account. Points earned will remain in your account for five years until the end of the quarter in which they were earned. When you redeem points, the earliest earned points are used first.
How To Make Payments on the Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card
- Online: Log in to your account at www.myaccountaccess.com to make an online payment.
- Auto Pay: Schedule an automatic monthly withdrawal from a checking or savings account.
- Phone: Call (866) 552-8855.
Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Features
- Online reporting: This free online tool comes with Spend Analysis and lets you generate credit card spending reports on a monthly, quarterly, annual, or year-to-date basis. You can also download an annual account summary of up to 36 months and view your expenses by total spending, average ticket, or merchant.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver insurance: You’re eligible for auto rental collision damage insurance when you rent a car using this card. You can decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver option and receive coverage for collision damage or theft through Visa.
- Fraud protection: Associated Bank will notify you of any unusual card activity to prevent fraudulent transactions. If your card is lost or stolen, zero fraud liability protects you from fraudulent use of your card or account information, and you won’t be responsible for any unauthorized purchases.
- Extended warranty and purchase protection: Visa offers an extended warranty that doubles the manufacturer’s warranty on purchases made with this card. Purchase protection covers your new purchases for 90 days against damage and theft.
- Travel and emergency assistance: Call Visa’s 24-hour Visa Assistance Center at (800) VISA-911 to report a lost or stolen card and request an emergency card replacement.
Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Alternatives
PNC points® Visa® Business Credit Card
PNC points® Visa® Business Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Those who need to carry a balance
Intro APR
0% on balance transfers and purchases for the first nine billing cycles after opening an account
Regular APR
14.74% to 23.74% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good to Excellent
- Unlimited 5 points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, with no spending categories to keep track of and no limits on the amount of points earned.
Pros
- Low ongoing APR
- Unlimited five points for every dolar spent on business-related purchases
- No annual fees
Cons
- Short interest-free financing option on both purchases and balance transfers
- Points expire on the 48th month after the month in which they were posted to your points account
- Only available if you have an existing online bank account with PNC Bank or if you’re an existing PNC depositor
- Overdraft protection: You can use this card as overdraft protection for your PNC business checking account. This can help prevent overdrafts if your checking account doesn’t have sufficient funds to cover your check transactions.
- Cash Flow Insight®: This lets you monitor and plan your cash flow, send invoices via email, get paid online, and manage payables. It has a Spend Analysis tool that will automatically assign business categories to your credit card transactions so that you can track your expenses and plan a budget for your future business needs.
- Purchase security: Items purchased with this card are covered by purchase security. Visa® will replace, repair, or reimburse you for eligible items in the event of theft or damage within the first 90 days of purchase.
- Extended protection: If you purchase an item with this card, you’re covered with extended protection. This coverage doubles the original manufacturer’s written US warranty up to a maximum of one additional year on warranties of three years or less.
Intro APR
0% on balance transfers and purchases for the first nine billing cycles after opening an account
Regular APR
14.74% to 23.74% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good to Excellent
- Unlimited 5 points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, with no spending categories to keep track of and no limits on the amount of points earned.
Pros
- Low ongoing APR
- Unlimited five points for every dolar spent on business-related purchases
- No annual fees
Cons
- Short interest-free financing option on both purchases and balance transfers
- Points expire on the 48th month after the month in which they were posted to your points account
- Only available if you have an existing online bank account with PNC Bank or if you’re an existing PNC depositor
- Overdraft protection: You can use this card as overdraft protection for your PNC business checking account. This can help prevent overdrafts if your checking account doesn’t have sufficient funds to cover your check transactions.
- Cash Flow Insight®: This lets you monitor and plan your cash flow, send invoices via email, get paid online, and manage payables. It has a Spend Analysis tool that will automatically assign business categories to your credit card transactions so that you can track your expenses and plan a budget for your future business needs.
- Purchase security: Items purchased with this card are covered by purchase security. Visa® will replace, repair, or reimburse you for eligible items in the event of theft or damage within the first 90 days of purchase.
- Extended protection: If you purchase an item with this card, you’re covered with extended protection. This coverage doubles the original manufacturer’s written US warranty up to a maximum of one additional year on warranties of three years or less.
- PNC points® Visa® Business Credit Card is a great option for those who don’t want to keep track of spending categories
- Comes with 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first nine billing cycles
- Charges no annual fees
- Lets you earn unlimited 5 points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, with no spending categories to keep track and no limits on the number of points earned
- Is one of our leading credit cards for nonprofits
Associated Bank Visa® Business Cash Preferred Credit Card
Associated Bank Visa® Business Cash Preferred Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Those who frequently travel
Intro APR
0%
Regular APR
16.99% to 25.99% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good
- Unlimited 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations, cellphone service providers, office supply stores, and dining (takeout and food delivery service providers), with no caps or limits on the cash back you can earn
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases, with no caps or limits on the cash back you can earn
- $100 annual software credit after spending on software subscriptions for 11 consecutive months
Pros
- With intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Earn unlimited rewards
- No annual fee
Cons
- Short intro APR duration vs other cards
- Need to redeem cards within 5 years
- Online reporting with spend analysis: A free online tool that can help small businesses review credit card spending on a monthly, quarterly, annual, or year-to-date (YTD) basis
- Fraud protection: Associated Bank notifies you of any unusual card activity and also comes with zero fraud liability, which protects you from fraudulent use of your card or account information in the event it’s lost or stolen.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You’re eligible for auto rental collision damage waiver insurance when you charge your entire car rental to your Visa business card.
- Extended warranty & purchase protection: Doubles the manufacturer’s warranty on purchases made with your card.
Intro APR
0%
Regular APR
16.99% to 25.99% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good
- Unlimited 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations, cellphone service providers, office supply stores, and dining (takeout and food delivery service providers), with no caps or limits on the cash back you can earn
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases, with no caps or limits on the cash back you can earn
- $100 annual software credit after spending on software subscriptions for 11 consecutive months
Pros
- With intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Earn unlimited rewards
- No annual fee
Cons
- Short intro APR duration vs other cards
- Need to redeem cards within 5 years
- Online reporting with spend analysis: A free online tool that can help small businesses review credit card spending on a monthly, quarterly, annual, or year-to-date (YTD) basis
- Fraud protection: Associated Bank notifies you of any unusual card activity and also comes with zero fraud liability, which protects you from fraudulent use of your card or account information in the event it’s lost or stolen.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You’re eligible for auto rental collision damage waiver insurance when you charge your entire car rental to your Visa business card.
- Extended warranty & purchase protection: Doubles the manufacturer’s warranty on purchases made with your card.
- Associated Bank Visa® Business Cash Preferred Credit Card is an excellent alternative for those who pay for software subscriptions
- Has 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles
- Doesn’t charge annual fees
- Offers 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations, cellphone service providers, office supply stores, and restaurants and unlimited 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
American Express Blue Business® Plus
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
BEST FOR:
Pocketing 2x points per $1 and 0% introductory APR for 12 months
Intro APR
0% on purchases
Regular APR
17.74% - 25.74% Variable
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 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.
- You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
- *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% - 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
Pros
- No annual fee
- 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfer
- Welcome offer bonus points
- Expanded buying power
- Fixed-rate rewards
Cons
- Cash advances aren’t allowed
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 2x points rewards are capped at $50,000 in spending
- Expanded buying power: The card lets you spend beyond your credit limit through this feature. The amount you can spend above your credit limit adjusts with your card usage, payment history, credit record, financial resources, and other factors.
- Purchase protection: Items purchased using this card are covered in case they’re damaged or stolen within 90 days of the date of purchase. American Express will reimburse you for the amount charged to your eligible card, up to $1,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardmember, per year.
- Extended warranty protection: American Express provides cardholders with an extended warranty for one additional year, which applies to items with original manufacturer warranties of five years or less.
Intro APR
0% on purchases
Regular APR
17.74% - 25.74% Variable
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 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.
- You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
- *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% - 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
Pros
- No annual fee
- 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfer
- Welcome offer bonus points
- Expanded buying power
- Fixed-rate rewards
Cons
- Cash advances aren’t allowed
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 2x points rewards are capped at $50,000 in spending
- Expanded buying power: The card lets you spend beyond your credit limit through this feature. The amount you can spend above your credit limit adjusts with your card usage, payment history, credit record, financial resources, and other factors.
- Purchase protection: Items purchased using this card are covered in case they’re damaged or stolen within 90 days of the date of purchase. American Express will reimburse you for the amount charged to your eligible card, up to $1,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardmember, per year.
- Extended warranty protection: American Express provides cardholders with an extended warranty for one additional year, which applies to items with original manufacturer warranties of five years or less.
- American Express Blue Business® Plus is a good choice for those who need to spend over their credit limits
- Offers 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months from the date of account opening
- Has no annual fees
- Lets you earn 2x points on the first $50,000 in purchases each year, then 1x points on all purchases thereafter
- Is one of our top business credit cards for startups
For more options, visit our Credit Card Marketplace and check our guide to the best small business credit cards.
Bottom Line
If you want a fixed-rate reward on all purchases, regardless of spending category, Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card is a great option. It has interest-free financing on purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles and doesn’t charge annual fees. It also lets you earn unlimited 1.5 points on all purchases, with no caps or limits on the points you can earn.
