5 Best Instant Approval Business Credit Card for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post with regularly updated card details.
The best instant approval business credit cards are those that offer an approval decision within minutes and provide other benefits like introductory rewards, ongoing rewards, and an introductory annual percentage rate (APR). When choosing the best one for your business, consider the ongoing APR, annual fee, and additional features. Your options include regular business credit cards, charge cards, and secured business cards.
Here are the five best instant approval business credit cards and what each is best for:
- American Express Blue Business CashTM: Best overall instant approval business credit card
- Shell Small Business Card: Best for fuel expenses and businesses with fleets
- Capital One® Spark Classic® for Business: Best for business owners with fair credit
- First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured® Visa Card: Best for bad credit with fast prequalification process
- Capital One Spark Cash Plus: Best charge card with generous introductory and annual cash bonus
To see how these cards stack up against others we reviewed on our site, click Add to Compare on a card below and choose up to two additional cards for comparison.
American Express Blue Business CashTM: Overall Best Instant Approval Business Card
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
BEST FOR:
Those who want better cash back rewards
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
- Just remember, 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, 18.24% - 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
Pros
- 0% intro APR
- Welcome bonus
- Fixed rate rewards
- No annual fee
Cons
- Cash advance isn’t allowed
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 2% cash back is capped at $50,000 in annual spending
- Expanded buying power: Enjoy flexible buying power when your business needs it. Expanded buying power gives you the freedom to spend beyond your credit limit and help get business done. While the amount you can spend above your credit limit isn't unlimited, it adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: As a Card Member, You can be covered for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental company counter.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
- Just remember, 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, 18.24% - 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
Pros
- 0% intro APR
- Welcome bonus
- Fixed rate rewards
- No annual fee
Cons
- Cash advance isn’t allowed
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 2% cash back is capped at $50,000 in annual spending
- Expanded buying power: Enjoy flexible buying power when your business needs it. Expanded buying power gives you the freedom to spend beyond your credit limit and help get business done. While the amount you can spend above your credit limit isn't unlimited, it adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: As a Card Member, You can be covered for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental company counter.
Why we like it: The American Express Blue Business CashTM Card is our best overall instant approval business credit card because it has one of the most straightforward cash back rewards with no annual fee. You can earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then earn 1% cash back thereafter. This will be credited to your billing statement automatically. In addition, you can receive a $250 statement credit when you spend $3,000 within the first three months of card membership.
Enjoy interest-free financing on purchases for the first 12 months. It’s a great option if you make frequent purchases at Amazon, making it one of our best business credit cards for Amazon purchases. Note that you’ll need a good to excellent credit score for American Express to approve your application, but once done, you can start using the card immediately because nearly all American Express business cards offer instant card numbers.
Shell Small Business Card: Best for Fuel Expenses & Businesses With Fleets
- Earn rebates of up to 5 cents per gallon
Pros
- Zero card fees
- Discounts at Jiffy Lube locations
Cons
- Businesses need to earn at least $1 million annually to qualify
- Total savings capped at $300 per billing cycle
- Online and mobile account management
- Cancel stolen or lost cards in real time online
- 24/7 customer service available
- Payment flexibility―revolve your balance or pay in full each billing cycle
- Earn rebates of up to 5 cents per gallon
Pros
- Zero card fees
- Discounts at Jiffy Lube locations
Cons
- Businesses need to earn at least $1 million annually to qualify
- Total savings capped at $300 per billing cycle
- Online and mobile account management
- Cancel stolen or lost cards in real time online
- 24/7 customer service available
- Payment flexibility―revolve your balance or pay in full each billing cycle
Why we like it: If your business has significant fuel expenses, or if you own a fleet, you may want to consider the Shell Small Business Card. It has no setup, monthly, and annual fees and is accepted at more than 13,000 Shell stations across the United States. You can earn rebates of up to five cents per gallon at Shell stations and get discounts at participating Jiffy Lube locations. However, you can only use it at Shell stations, as it isn’t affiliated with either Visa or Mastercard.
This card doesn’t require a personal guarantee, making it one of the best business cards with no personal guarantee. Plus, it allows you to carry a balance each month with interest. Depending on your credit score and the document presented, you may receive conditional approval and an immediate decision on your application.
Capital One® Spark Classic® for Business: Best for Business Owners With Fair Credit
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
BEST FOR:
Those with fair credit
- 1% cash back every time you swipe
- Build your business credit through responsible usage
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- Opportunity to build business credit
- Only requires fair credit to qualify
- Doesn’t charge annual and balance transfer fees
Cons
- Charges high ongoing APR
- Has no 0% introductory APR
- No sign-up bonus
- Automatic payments: Setting up AutoPay in the Capital One mobile app will save you from having to worry about signing in to your account every month
- $0 fraud liability: if your card is either lost or stolen, you can get an emergency replacement and cash advance.
- Purchase records: You can download all purchase records quickly and securely in multiple formats, including Quicken®, QuickBooks®, and Excel®.
- Extended warranty: Get free additional warranty and protection on eligible items purchased with your business credit card.
Free employee cards: You can create multiple employee cards, track employee spending, and customize spending limits while earning all the rewards from their purchases.
- 1% cash back every time you swipe
- Build your business credit through responsible usage
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- Opportunity to build business credit
- Only requires fair credit to qualify
- Doesn’t charge annual and balance transfer fees
Cons
- Charges high ongoing APR
- Has no 0% introductory APR
- No sign-up bonus
- Automatic payments: Setting up AutoPay in the Capital One mobile app will save you from having to worry about signing in to your account every month
- $0 fraud liability: if your card is either lost or stolen, you can get an emergency replacement and cash advance.
- Purchase records: You can download all purchase records quickly and securely in multiple formats, including Quicken®, QuickBooks®, and Excel®.
- Extended warranty: Get free additional warranty and protection on eligible items purchased with your business credit card.
Free employee cards: You can create multiple employee cards, track employee spending, and customize spending limits while earning all the rewards from their purchases.
Why we like it: If you have fair credit, Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business can help you finance your small business while you earn rewards and grow your credit score (if you use it responsibly). You’ll receive an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases and 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. The card doesn’t have an annual fee, helping you reduce your overall credit cost. However, its APR is quite high at 29.74%, so it’s best to plan your budget and pay your balance in full each month.
According to Capital One’s website, you’ll often get a response within 60 seconds if you apply by phone or online. However, a credit check is required to determine approval—though the good news is, you only need a fair credit score to be approved. The card is our best business credit card for fair credit and one of our leading business cards for startups.
First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured® Visa Card: Best Secured Card With Fast Prequalification Process
First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Card
BEST FOR:
Secured credit lines of as much as $100,000
- While FNBO does not offer any rewards for their new and existing cardholders for this card, you can still earn rewards through Mastercard Easy Savings®, where cardholders are able to save on purchases with automatic rebates from over 40,000 participating merchant locations available.
Pros
- Available for those with very poor to good scores
- Can set credit limits between $2,000 and $100,000
- Offers free management reports
Cons
- With annual fee
- Charges foreign transaction fee
- No introductory and ongoing rewards
- Requires a security deposit of 110% of the credit limit required
- TurboTax discount: Get a discount of up to $20 on TurboTax federal products when using First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured Mastercard®.
- QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Self-Employed discount: Receive either a 30% off of a 12-month subscription on QuickBooks Online (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, or Advanced) or a 30% off of a 12-month subscription on QuickBooks Self-Employed. This is applicable only to new QuickBooks Online customers.
- Free management reports: First National Bank of Omaha provides free management reports to help track expenses, monitor spending, note tax deductions, prepare tax filings, and predict costs easily.
- Zero liability: FNBO guarantees that you won’t be held responsible for any fraudulent charges made with both your card and account information.
- While FNBO does not offer any rewards for their new and existing cardholders for this card, you can still earn rewards through Mastercard Easy Savings®, where cardholders are able to save on purchases with automatic rebates from over 40,000 participating merchant locations available.
Pros
- Available for those with very poor to good scores
- Can set credit limits between $2,000 and $100,000
- Offers free management reports
Cons
- With annual fee
- Charges foreign transaction fee
- No introductory and ongoing rewards
- Requires a security deposit of 110% of the credit limit required
- TurboTax discount: Get a discount of up to $20 on TurboTax federal products when using First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured Mastercard®.
- QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Self-Employed discount: Receive either a 30% off of a 12-month subscription on QuickBooks Online (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, or Advanced) or a 30% off of a 12-month subscription on QuickBooks Self-Employed. This is applicable only to new QuickBooks Online customers.
- Free management reports: First National Bank of Omaha provides free management reports to help track expenses, monitor spending, note tax deductions, prepare tax filings, and predict costs easily.
- Zero liability: FNBO guarantees that you won’t be held responsible for any fraudulent charges made with both your card and account information.
Why we like it: The First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured® Visa Card is a secured credit card that allows you to pre-qualify online. If you have bad credit, you can check if you can pre-qualify in as quick as one minute. It’s one of our top-recommended bad credit business credit cards because it comes with a low annual fee of $39 and offers a high credit limit option.
Once qualified, you can request a credit limit of $2,000 to $100,000, in multiples of $50. Since this is a secured credit card, you need to make a security deposit of 110% of the amount of your credit limit, subject to approval. You’ll also earn interest on your security deposit, so it’s a great way to save your extra business funds. However, it doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus or ongoing rewards on your purchases, unlike the other cards on our list.
Capital One® Spark® Cash Plus: Best Charge Card With Generous Introductory & Annual Cash Bonuses
Capital One® Spark® Cash Plus Card
BEST FOR:
Businesses that want purchasing power and can pay their balances in full every month
- Earn up to $1,000 in the first six months after opening an account—$500 after you spend $5,000 in the first three months and $500 after you spend $50,000 in the first six months.
- Get 2% cash back on all business-related purchases without limits or category restrictions.
- Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- You can earn a $200 cash bonus each year after spending a minimum of $200,000 in net purchases by your rewards membership anniversary.
Pros
- Does not have preset spending limits
- With introductory bonus
- Offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
Cons
- Charges annual fee
- Requires you to pay in full each month
- Requires excellent credit to qualify
- Payment flexibility: Pick your preferred monthly due date to control when to pay your credit card bill.
- $0 fraud liability: You can get an emergency replacement and cash advance if your card is lost or stolen.
- Extended warranty: Get free additional warranty and protection on selected items purchased with your card
- Roadside assistance: Capital One offers services to help you during auto-related emergencies, such as jump-starting, tire changing, and towing).
- Free employee cards and spend limits: Track employee spending while earning all rewards from their purchases and set customized spending limits for each card.
- Earn up to $1,000 in the first six months after opening an account—$500 after you spend $5,000 in the first three months and $500 after you spend $50,000 in the first six months.
- Get 2% cash back on all business-related purchases without limits or category restrictions.
- Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- You can earn a $200 cash bonus each year after spending a minimum of $200,000 in net purchases by your rewards membership anniversary.
Pros
- Does not have preset spending limits
- With introductory bonus
- Offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
Cons
- Charges annual fee
- Requires you to pay in full each month
- Requires excellent credit to qualify
- Payment flexibility: Pick your preferred monthly due date to control when to pay your credit card bill.
- $0 fraud liability: You can get an emergency replacement and cash advance if your card is lost or stolen.
- Extended warranty: Get free additional warranty and protection on selected items purchased with your card
- Roadside assistance: Capital One offers services to help you during auto-related emergencies, such as jump-starting, tire changing, and towing).
- Free employee cards and spend limits: Track employee spending while earning all rewards from their purchases and set customized spending limits for each card.
Why we like it: Capital One® Spark® Cash Plus provides a substantial introductory bonus of up to $1,000 cash in the first six months of card ownership. Spend at least $5,000 in the first three months and earn $500—then after spending $50,000 in the first six months, receive another $500. You can also earn unlimited 2% cash back on your business-related purchases and unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
On top of that, you’ll receive an annual cash bonus of $200 if you spend $200,000 or more—this is sufficient to cover the annual fee of $150. Keep in mind that this is a pay-in-full card, meaning your balance is due in full each month; else, you’ll be charged a 2.99% monthly late fee.
It has no preset spending limit, making it an excellent option if you want flexible buying power, and your credit limit adjusts based on your usage, payment behavior, and credit history. Note that you need to have an excellent credit score to get approved instantly.
How We Selected Business Credit Cards With Instant Approval
When choosing the best instant approval business credit cards, we take into account the application process, whether online application or pre-qualification is available, and the requirements, fees, rewards, and features. We also included a charge card and an exclusive co-branded credit card on the list as these options may still be helpful for your business, depending on your needs and expenses.
While no issuer will approve your credit card application instantly without performing a standard verification process first, being prepared can help you get faster approval. Most issuers mentioned above typically will approve your credit card application in less than a minute, provided that you meet the qualification requirements.
Here are some tips that can help you get faster approval for a business credit card:
- Know your credit score and the issuer’s credit requirements: Issuers have varied credit requirements—it’s important to know your credit score so that you can determine whether you qualify for your chosen business credit card.
- Prepare the necessary documents and financial information: Before applying for a business credit card, prepare the necessary documents and other business and financial information. A few things that you might need include:
- Business name, address, and business type
- Your role/position in the business
- Tax identification number, Social Security number, or employer identification number (EIN)
- Years in operation
- Number of employees
- Annual business revenue
- Estimated monthly expenses
- Apply online: Most fast-approval business credit cards are available online. In general, online applications are much faster and more convenient than applying for a credit card in person. If the issuer offers online applications, it’s best to take advantage of them.
Bottom Line
Banks and card issuers don’t truly offer instant approval for business credit cards—in the brief time between application and the approval decision, the issuer is verifying your credit and identity rapidly. However, the cards listed here offer an easy application process and fast decisions, usually in less than a minute, which is as close to instant approval as you’ll find when shopping for any form of business financing.
Before applying for an instant approval business credit card, be sure that your credit score—poor, fair, good, or excellent—aligns with the card’s requirements. If you’d like to see a broader selection of cards, see our guide to the best small business credit cards.