Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Review | Fit Small Business

Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Review

Editorial and Partnership Disclosure The Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card is designed for business owners who want low-cost, unlimited fixed-rate rewards. It has a $0 annual fee, low ongoing APR, and offers valuable Visa benefits like extended warranties, purchase protection, and travel assistance. Be sure to redeem rewards within five years, as they…

Written By
Jaime Suralta
Jaime Suralta
Nov 21, 2024
10 minute read

Editorial and Partnership DisclosureFit Small Business has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fit Small Business and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This is a recurring post with regularly updated card details. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

The Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card is designed for business owners who want low-cost, unlimited fixed-rate rewards. It has a $0 annual fee, low ongoing APR, and offers valuable Visa benefits like extended warranties, purchase protection, and travel assistance. Be sure to redeem rewards within five years, as they will expire if unused. Note, however, that the card does charge foreign transaction fees.

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Intro APR0% on both purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles
Regular APR18.49% to 27.49% variable
Annual FeeNone
Credit NeededGood

Overview

  • Intro APR: 0% on both purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles
  • Regular APR: 18.49% to 27.49% variable
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Credit Needed: Good

Card Details

  • 2,500 bonus points after making your first purchaseFirst purchase bonus points will be applied 6 to 8 weeks after first purchase and are not awarded for balance transfers or cash advances. , redeemable for $25 cash back, merchandise, gift cards, or travel savings
  • 1.5× points (equal to 1.5% cash back) for every dollar you spend, with no caps or limits on the points you can earn
  • Up to 5× points on prepaid hotel and car rentals when booked directly through the Rewards Center
  • You have up to five years to redeem your points for rewards, otherwise it will expire

Pros & Cons


PROSCONS
Rewards for new and existing cardholdersHigh penalty interest rates
0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfersRewards expiration within five years
$0 annual feesForeign transaction fees

Additional Features

  • Billing options: You can request to receive a consolidated central monthly bill for the whole company, individual bills for each card member, or a central bill with a memo statement.
  • Employee cards: You can track expenses made by your employees while earning as many rewards as possible at no additional cost.
  • Employee misuse protection: Receive protection against terminated employees’ misuse of up to $100,000.
  • Free Spend Analysis tool: You can view and monitor your spending organized by category. You can also download a summary report of your annual spending.
  • Visa-specific benefits: This card offers extended warranty, purchase protection, auto rental collision damage waiver insurance, 24-hour Visa travel and emergency assistance at (800) VISA-911.

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 CriteriaCard ScoreHighest Possible Score
Ongoing Rewards2030
Introductory Rewards1020
Annual Fee1515
Features1515
Introductory APR710
Ongoing APR710
Total Score74100

Who the Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Is Best For

  • Those who prefer unlimited fixed-rate rewards: This card offers fixed-rate points on all purchases, no matter the spending category.
  • Those with an Associated Bank business checking account or businesses in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin: If you already bank with Associated or operate in these states, this card offers the convenience of managing all transactions within a single platform, with accessible in-person support through local branches.
  • Those looking to finance a large purchase or transfer a balance: The 0% introductory APR for the first six billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers makes it ideal for spreading out payments or consolidating high-interest debt.
  • Those prioritizing low costs: With a $0 annual fee and low APR, this card is a great choice for businesses focused on keeping expenses down.

Check out our recommended alternatives below if this card doesn’t fit the bill.

Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Rewards

  • 2,500 bonus points after making your first purchaseFirst purchase bonus points will be applied 6 to 8 weeks after first purchase and are not awarded for balance transfers or cash advances. , redeemable for $25 cash back, merchandise, gift cards, or travel savings
  • 1.5× points (equal to 1.5% cash back) for every dollar you spend, with no caps or limits on the points you can earn
  • Up to 5× points on prepaid hotel and car rentals when booked directly through the Rewards Center
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Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Calculator

Use our calculator to get the estimated annual cash back value of the rewards obtained from using the Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Rewards. Just input your estimated monthly spending—and let our calculator do the rest.

Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Calculator

Your potential annual reward earnings are:

Annual Credit Card Spend$0
Estimated Rewards Value$0

How to Redeem Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Rewards

Your earned points can be redeemed as a cash deposit to a checking or savings account with Associated Bank. Another way to use your earned points rewards is by redeeming them for merchandise, gift cards, and travel. To redeem rewards, you need to do the following:

  • Log in to Account Access.
  • Select your Account, and within the top navigation select “Rewards & Benefits”.
  • Click “Redeem rewards at Rewards Center” to reach the rewards center and start redeeming.

Or you can call the number on the back of your card to reach Cardmember Service.

Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Features

Account management

  • Employee cards: Allows you to issue employee cards at no extra cost.
  • Free online reporting with Spend Analysis: Lets you use the reporting tool to track spending by type and date (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) and download an annual spending summary.
  • Free Credit ScoreCopy: Credit score can be updated every 30 days, upon log-in. : View your credit score anytime via the mobile app or Credit Card Account Access.
  • Control over transaction data sharing: You can choose to limit the sharing of your transaction data with your credit card partner. “No” in the Opt-in status must be selected to prevent sharing transaction history.
  • Visa Spend Clarity: You have to enroll your card in Visa Spend Clarity to get the following benefits:
    • Customizable reports and dashboards so you can track and compare your business spending
    • Receipt capture and transaction tagging to help organize your business
    • Integration with QuickBooks Online and Xero so you can easily sync your transactions
    • Payment Controls that allow you to limit where, when and how employee business credit cards are used
  • Extra management benefits:
    • Choose between consolidated or individual monthly bills by request.
    • Receive protection against terminated employees’ misuse of up to $100,000.

Security benefits

  • Zero fraud liability: Guarantees that you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized transaction made with your card.
  • Fraud protection: Notifies you of any unusual card activity to help prevent fraud.
  • Account truncation: Ensures that your privacy is protected by only displaying the last four digits of your account number.

Visa-specific benefits

  • Extended warranty: Extends the warranties of selected purchases by an additional year (certain conditions and exclusions will apply).
  • Purchase protection: Offers you protection against damage and theft on new purchases for 90 days.
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver insurance: Provides insurance on rental cars—after you charge your entire rental to your card; ensure you decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver option to receive coverage.
  • Travel and emergency assistance: Lets you call the 24-hour Visa Assistance Center at (800) VISA-911 to seek assistance or information on reporting a lost or stolen card, request an emergency card replacement, seek medical and legal referrals, get transportation assistance, and more.
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Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Fees

APR

  • Introductory: 0% on both purchases and balance transfersFor balance transfers, the introductory APR period will apply if you make a transfer within 186 days from account opening. for the first six billing cycles
  • Purchase: 18.49% to 27.49% variable
  • Balance transfer: 18.49% to 27.49% variable
  • Cash advance: 31.49% variable
  • Penalty: 31.74%; this may be applied to your account if you:
    • Make payment five calendar days late twice or 30 calendar days late once
    • Receive a returned payment
    • Exceed the credit limit twice in 12 consecutive months

Fees

  • Annual: $0
  • Balance transfer: Either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater
  • Convenience check cash advance: Either $5 or 3% of each advance, whichever is greater
  • Cash advance: Either $10 or 4% of each advance, whichever is greater
  • Cash advance ATM: Either $10 or 4% of each advance, whichever is greater
  • Cash equivalent advance: Either $10 or 4% of each advance, whichever is greater
  • Foreign transaction: 3% of each foreign transaction
  • Late payment: $41
  • Returned payment: $35
  • Overlimit: $39

Your due date is at least 24 to 30 days after the close of each billing period, with no interest on purchases if paid in full.

  • Online: Log in to your account at www.myaccountaccess.com to make an online payment
  • AutoPay: Schedule an automatic monthly withdrawal from a checking or savings account

To sign up for AutoPay, do any of the following:

    • Visit Credit Card Account Access at associatedbank.com
    • Call the number on the back of your card
    • Download the mobile app, choose “Payments” and then “Set up AutoPay”

Important note: It takes about 10 days to activate AutoPay, so be sure to pay the amount due on your most recent statement by mail, phone, or online. It may take up to two billing cycles before AutoPay starts.

  • Phone: Call (866) 552-8855 and follow the prompts to make your credit card payment.
  • In-person: Visit the nearest Associated Bank branch.

Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card Alternatives

Associated Bank Visa® Business Cash Preferred Credit Card

Consider the Associated Bank Visa® Business Cash Preferred Credit Card as an alternative Associated Bank business credit card if you prefer to earn 3% cash back on spending categories, such as EV charging and gas stations, cellphone services providers, office supply stores, and restaurants. Plus, 1% unlimited cash back on all other eligible purchases.

Intro APR0%
Regular APR19.24% to 28.24 variable
Annual Fee$0
Credit NeededGood
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American Express Blue Business CashTM

This card features Expanded Buying Power, allowing you to spend beyond your credit limit once certain criteria are met. It offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening. You’ll earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases for the first $50,000 per calendar year and 1% thereafter. Plus, earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 within the first three months.

Intro APR0% on purchases
Regular APR16.74% - 28.49% Variable
Annual FeeNo annual fee
Credit NeededExcellent, Good

U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card

U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card is best for businesses needing to make a large purchase since it offers a 0% introductory APR for 12 billing cycles. While this low-interest credit card has a $0 annual fee, it doesn’t offer rewards for its new and existing cardholders.

Intro APR0% intro on purchases for 12 billing cycles
Regular APR16.24% - 25.24% Variable
Annual Fee$0
Credit NeededExcellent, Good
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes, your introductory APR may be forfeited if you make a late payment, a payment that is returned, or if your account exceeds its credit limit. In these cases, the standard APR or Penalty APR will apply.

To enroll in Credit Card Account Access, visit associatedbank.com or use the mobile app. You’ll need to provide the following information:

  • Account Number, PIN, or ZIP code
  • Last four digits of Social Security number
  • Signature Panel Code

If you need assistance enrolling, contact Technical Support at 877.334.0460.

You can adjust employee spend limits by calling Cardmember Service at the number on the back of your card or through the mobile app. Simply log in, go to “Services,” select “Manage Employees,” and then choose “Edit Spending Limit.”

Bottom Line

The Associated Bank Visa® Business Real Rewards Card is a great option for businesses in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin looking for fixed-rate rewards. It offers 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles, a $0 annual fee, unlimited 1.5× points on all purchases, and up to 5× points on prepaid hotel and car rentals. Unredeemed points expire after five years.

Fit Small Business has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fit Small Business and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.


To see rates & fees for the American Express cardsFit Small Business may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. mentioned in this article, reference the following links below:
American Express Blue Business CashTM Card

Jaime Suralta

JR Suralta is a registered financial advisor with over 15 years of experience in the financial industry, including almost a decade as a bank manager. He is also a certified bookkeeper with expertise in Quickbooks Online and Xero.

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