While there isn’t a credit card designed specifically for real estate agents, there are a handful of traditional business credit cards that can prove beneficial. The best credit card for real estate agents is one that pays rewards on everyday business expenses, such as gas purchases, advertising, or office supplies. You may also find cards that offer cheap introductory financing that can help you pay balances over time with no interest.
The best credit cards for real estate agents of 2020:
- Chase Ink Business CashSM: Best overall for earning top cash back rewards
- Chase Ink Business Preferred®: Best for spending big on advertising
- American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Best for earning the highest fixed-rate return and 0% annual percentage rate (APR)
- American Express® Business Gold Card: Best for earning big rewards in your top two spending categories, including gas stations
- Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business: Best for fair credit (580 to 669)
For more details on how we evaluate business credit cards for this list, see our methodology.
Chase Ink Business CashSM: Overall Best Credit Card for Real Estate Agents
Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card
Best For: Office-based businesses that want top cash back rewards
| Intro APR ?0% APR for 12 months on purchases | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% Intro APR on Purchases | 13.24% - 19.24% Variable | $0 | Good - Excellent |
Why we like it: This small business credit card lands on the top of our list because it offers top cash back rewards on spending categories favorable to agents. This card is best used to maximize your cash back rewards, especially if you have an office-oriented real estate business. Office supplies will earn you 5% cash back on up to $25,000 in spending each year.
This card also relieves you of common card costs if you’re looking to keep more money in your real estate company. You’ll never pay an annual fee, and you’ll have access to interest-free financing on purchases for the first 12 months. This introductory 0% APR offer gives you a shot at paying off larger purchases over time without interest.
While this Chase small business card doesn’t come with the most lucrative welcome offer on our list, you still can earn a few hundred dollars by meeting the issuer’s minimum spending requirement. Use this introductory reward to help you earn some bonus cash in your first few months.
Chase Ink Business Preferred®: Best for Earning Rewards on Advertising Purchases
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Best For: Maximizing travel rewards at a lower annual fee
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 15.99% to 20.99% Variable | $95 | Good to Excellent |
Why we like it: Chase Ink Business Preferred® gives agents who have sizable online advertising expenses a chance to earn top rewards. It pays its top rewards rate across four different categories, which includes advertising on search engines and social media sites.
This card is a solid choice if you want to offset travel expenses—points are worth 1.25 cents when redeemed for travel. Additionally, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve personal credit card, you can transfer your points and increase the redemption value to 1.5 cents per point. You can potentially increase your redemption value even more by transferring your points to one of Chase’s airline travel partners.
You’ll also receive unique protections like cellphone protection and trip cancellation insurance. Apply for this card if you’re looking for a well-rounded real estate agent credit card that primarily benefits those with advertising expenses and travel needs.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Best for Highest Fixed-rate Return & 0% APR
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Best For: Earning 2% cash back every time you swipe and 0% introductory APR for 12 months
| Intro APR ?0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% on purchases | 13.24% - 19.24% Variable | No annual fee | Good, Excellent |
Why we like it: This American Express business card pays the highest fixed-rate return on our list. Fixed-rate rewards are ones that pay the same rate no matter what you purchase. So, with this card, you’ll pocket 2% cash back on all spending up to $50,000, then 1%. For real estate agents with expenses that span across a variety of categories, this type of rewards program can help maximize your rewards.
What the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers that others don’t is a long introductory 0% APR offer on purchases. You can capitalize on this offer if you need extra time to pay down balances or want to pay down other high-interest cards. The introductory financing offer here tops any other card on this list.
American Express® Business Gold Card: Best for Earning Rewards in Top Two Spending Categories
American Express® Business Gold Card
Best For: Maximizing rewards in the two categories where you spend the most
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 14.24% - 22.24% Variable | $295 | Good, Excellent |
Why we like it: The American Express® Business Gold Card offers a unique rewards program compared to other real estate agent credit cards on our list. You’ll earn 4x points in the two categories where you spend the most each month, including gas and advertising purchases. You won’t have to worry about setting those categories each month either; the issuer will credit your rewards automatically in your top two categories.
This is the only charge card on our list, which means your payment is due in full each month, but the card charges no interest. If you need to carry a balance, American Express offers a payment flexibility program to its cardholders. You’ll be able to finance purchases of at least $100 over time with interest. However, it’s typically a good idea to only choose this card if you know you can afford to pay off your balance every month.
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business: Best for Fair Credit
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
Best For: Fair credit business owners (580 to 669)
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 26.99% (Variable) | $0 | Average, Fair, Limited |
Why we like it: If your personal credit score is below 670, Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business gives you a chance to earn rewards for your real estate business. This card is specifically designed to help real estate professionals build their business and personal credit. Once your score is above 670, you can apply for a traditional business credit card.
You’ll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all spending. However, this card offers no introductory reward. This reward structure is common for fair credit business credit cards. You should consider earning rewards as an added benefit. The main reason to use this card is to build or rebuild your credit.
How We Evaluated Real Estate Agent Credit Cards
A real estate agent credit card comes with a variety of sign-up bonuses, introductory and ongoing rewards, APRs, and protections like extended warranty protection. We prioritized these factors when researching the best options for your real estate business. The best card for you is one that pays rewards in your typical monthly spending categories.
Bottom Line
Real estate agent credit cards are a handy way to earn rewards and save money on your everyday business expenses. The best credit card for real estate agents is one that pays rewards in your primary spending categories, such as office supplies, online advertising, and fuel.
For rates and fees on the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please click here.
For rates and fees on the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.
