10 Best Personal Credit Cards for Business Expenses 2020

Personal credit cards may not be the first thing you grab to pay for a business transaction. However, owners who can’t qualify for a business credit card can use a personal card instead. You can use these cards for business expenses and still get the great rewards and features most business credit cards offer. This includes up to 5% cash back on purchases and sign-up bonuses worth up to $750.

The best personal credit card for business expenses of 2020 are:

• American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card: (Best Overall) Best for cash-back rewards up to 6%
• Discover it® Cash Back: Best for first-year double rewards
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for 0% introductory APR for 15 months
• U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature®: Best for choosing bonus categories
• Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Best for introductory rewards worth $750 in travel
• Capital One® Venture®: Best for earning unlimited 2x miles
• Citi® Double Cash: Best for its flat-rate 2% cash-back return
• Chase Slate®: Best for free balance transfers
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for earning 10x points on ride-share expenses
• American Express Platinum Card®: Best for premium travel perks

Although you can use personal credit cards to fund business expenses, you should still keep your personal expenses separate. Keep in mind that your card activity will be reported to consumer credit bureaus and not to business credit bureaus, meaning you have no opportunity to either establish or improve your business credit score, unlike some startup business loans.

For more details on how we evaluate personal business credit cards for this list, see our methodology.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card: Overall Best Personal Credit Card for Business Expenses

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card tops our list as the best personal credit card for business expenses. It earns a cash-back return that’s above any other card we list. Businesses that spend regularly at grocery stores can earn up to 6% cash back on each grocery bill. In addition, you can earn a competitive cash-back return on gas station and transit purchases—all with a limited time free financing period.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card Costs

• Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months
• Ongoing APR: 14.49% to 25.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: $95
• Balance transfer fee: $5 or 3% of the balance transferred, whichever is greater

Among the personal business credit cards on our list, only Discover it® Cash Back has an ongoing APR that starts at half a percentage point lower. The 12 months of interest-free financing is several months shorter than what Discover it® Cash Back, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Citi® Double Cash, and Chase Slate® offer.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card Rewards

This card’s rewards are focused on four spending categories: grocery shopping, streaming services, gas purchases, and transit. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. If you spend more on dining out than you do on supermarket spending, a card like Chase Sapphire Preferred® may be a better fit. However, the rewards on the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card make it the best personal credit card for business expenses.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn $300 cash back after you spend $1,000 within the first three months. The introductory rewards are the lowest among the personal business credit cards on our list that charge an annual fee. Chase Sapphire Preferred®, for example, offers 60,000 bonus points, worth up to $750.

Ongoing Rewards

• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending annually (then 1%).
• 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services.
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations.
• 3% cash back on transit, including taxis and ride-share services, parking, tolls, trains, and buses.
• 1% cash back on all other purchases.

No other card on our list offers this level of rewards on groceries or streaming services. If any of these categories are big budget items for your business, this is a fantastic card to own. U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® offers 5% cash back on ground transportation spending, but only up to $2,000 in spending per quarter. On general spending, the 1% cash back here is low. Citi® Double Cash pays 2% cash back on all spending.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card Additional Features

• Extended warranty: American Express will match the length of the original manufacturer’s warranty if it’s less than two years. American Express provides an additional two years if the original manufacturer’s warranty is between two and five years. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per account each year.
• Purchase protection: The issuer will repair, replace, or reimburse you for an item purchased with the card that was damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase. Coverage is limited to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per account each year.
• Travel accident insurance: American Express will cover you for up to $100,000 if death or dismemberment occurs while on a trip you paid for with your card.
• Car rental loss damage insurance: Get coverage damage or loss of your rental vehicle up to $50,000.
• Return protection: Return eligible purchases to American Express when the seller will not take the return. You may return items up to 90 days from the date of purchase and up to $300 per item. Maximum reimbursement is $1,000 per member account, per calendar year.

Purchase protection on the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card is a bit more robust than what you’ll find on Chase Slate®, which puts a $500 cap on claims. In addition, not many personal business credit cards have purchase protection, return protection, and extended warranty features on the same card.

What American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card Is Missing

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card offers a fairly low sign-up bonus for a card that charges an annual fee. What’s more, the annual fee isn’t waived during the first year, something other similar cards offer. It also caps the reward bonus on U.S. supermarket spending, which means if you spend more than $6,000 annually on groceries, you’ll earn just 1% on spending above that threshold.

Discover it® Cash Back: Best for First-year Double Rewards

The Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% cash back up to $1,500 a quarter, making it one of the best personal business credit cards available. You’ll earn this top rate on pharmacy and grocery store purchases through March 2020 and on rotating categories each quarter thereafter. Use this card for employee safety supplies, including first aid kits and Band-Aids, or for grocery store expenses.

Discover it® Cash Back Costs

• Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 14 months
• Ongoing APR: 13.49% to 24.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: None
• Balance transfer fee: 3% of the amount transferred until May 10, 2020

The introductory APR is just one month less than what Chase Slate® offers. Citi® Double Cash offers an 18-month introductory offer for balance transfers, but no interest-free period on purchases. Discover it® Cash Back has the lowest possible ongoing APR among the personal business credit cards on our list.

Discover it® Cash Back Rewards

Discover guarantees that it will match all your first-year cash back, which means you’ll earn at least 2% cash back on all spending. That’s similar to what Citi® Double Cash offers, except that card doubles your cash back past the first year.

Introductory Rewards

Discover will match all of the cash back you earned at the end of your first year, automatically. Unlike other personal business credit cards on our list, this introductory offer doesn’t require a minimum spending limit.

Ongoing Rewards

• 5% cash back (doubled the first year) on rotating quarterly categories, including at grocery stores, Walgreens, and CVS, through March 31, 2020.
• Unlimited 1% cash back (doubled the first year) on all other purchases.

Since the 5% bonus is capped at $1,500 in quarterly spending, the most you can earn is $75 a quarter on rotating categories ($150 during the first year with the cash-back match). The other cards with bonus categories on our list offer higher spending caps. The American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card, for example, pays 6% on spending at U.S. grocery stores, capped at $6,000 per year.

Discover it® Cash Back Additional Features

• Account lock: Freeze your account in seconds to prevent new purchases with an on/off switch available on both the mobile app and website.
• Late fee waiver: You won’t pay a late fee the first time your payment is late. Late fees are up to $39 thereafter.

Its unique features include the ability to instantly freeze your account and a late fee waiver, which is a nice perk if you forget to pay.

What Discover it® Cash Back Is Missing

Discover it® Cash Back requires you to register your card each quarter to earn bonus rewards, something other cards don’t require. You’ll also only earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending, a cap no other card on our list has.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 0% Intro APR for 15 Months

For business expenses, the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card is one of the best personal business credit cards available. Owners can earn a sign-up bonus worth up to $200 that can fund future expenses or be applied as a statement credit toward previous purchases. This card offers a long enough 0% APR period that owners can pay their balances off in 15 months or less without the worry of additional financing costs.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Costs

• Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
• Ongoing APR: 16.49% to 25.24% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: None
• Balance transfer fee: Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening; after that, it’s either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

The ongoing APR on Chase Freedom Unlimited® can be higher than average. Choose a card like Discover it® Cash Back if you plan to carry a balance longer than nine months.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Rewards

Chase Freedom Unlimited® pays 1.5% cash back on all spending and offers a $200 sign-up bonus after meeting spending requirements. It offers no bonus categories with higher rewards, like U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature®.

Introductory Rewards

Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. In comparison, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card offers $100 more than this card. However, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card’s introductory bonus is still better than the U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature®, which offers $50 less than this card.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn and no expiration date. This is lower than the 2% cash-back return the Citi® Double Cash card offers, which also offers unlimited rewards with no annual fee.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Additional Features

• Purchase protection: Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Extended warranty: Extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.

These benefits are fairly standard, although the length of coverage on purchase protection is more than the 90 days U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® offers.

What Chase Freedom Unlimited® Is Missing

Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 1.5% cash back on all spending, which is less than other fixed-rate cards on our list, including the Citi® Double Cash card and Capital One® Venture®. There’s also no opportunity to earn bonus rewards like with the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card, which pays 6% cash back on spending at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 in spending annually.

U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature®: Best for Choosing Bonus Categories

Some personal business credit cards offer more flexibility than others, like U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature®. This card allows business owners to choose the spending category where they’d like to earn the top rewards of 5%—including ground transportation, electronics, and internet services. This is a better option for owners who understand their expenses and don’t want preselected categories that may not fit their spending habits.

U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® Costs

• Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles on any balances transferred within 60 days from account opening; there is no introductory APR on purchases
• Ongoing APR: 15.49% to 25.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: None
• Balance transfer fee: $5 or 3% of the balance transferred, whichever is greater

The introductory APR is a bit shorter than the 14 months Discover it® Cash Back offers, which also offers an introductory 0% APR period on purchases. The ongoing APR is also considerably higher than Discover it® Cash Back.

U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® Card Rewards

U.S. Bank offers the most flexible rewards of any card on our list, as it allows users to choose two categories each quarter that will earn 5% (from a list of 12) and one category that will earn 2%. Among the personal business credit cards that offer introductory rewards, U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® offers the smallest bonus but also has the lowest spending requirement.

Introductory Rewards

You’ll earn a $150 cash bonus after making $500 in eligible net purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. In comparison, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card offers $300 after you spend $1,000 within the first three months. That card also comes with an annual fee that the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® does not.

Ongoing Rewards

• 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases each quarter on two categories you choose from a group of 12.
• 2% cash back on one category that you choose from gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores.
• 1% cash back on all other purchases.

The 12 spending categories that could earn 5% cash back are TV, internet, and streaming services; fast food; cell phone providers; department stores; home utilities; select clothing stores, electronics stores; sporting goods stores; movie theaters; gyms and fitness centers; furniture stores; and ground transportation.

There are no other cards on our list that have this diverse selection of potential bonus categories, but you’ll have to watch out for the spending threshold. If you spend more than $2,000 a month on streaming services and ground transportation, you may be better off with the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card, which offers slightly lower rewards but has no cap.

U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® Additional Features

• Extended warranty: U.S. Bank will double the original manufacturer’s warranty up to one additional year on warranties of three years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim.
• Purchase protection: The issuer will repair, replace, or reimburse you for an item purchased with the card that was damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase. Coverage is limited to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account each year.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Coverage is primary—meaning it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer—in case your rental is lost or stolen while you’re traveling.

Free car rental insurance is only available on two other cards on our list: Capital One® Venture® and Chase Sapphire Preferred®. The extended warranty and purchase protection are fairly common benefits, but U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® offers fewer years of warranty coverage and less per-claim coverage on purchase protection than does the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card.

What U.S. Bank Cash+^TM Visa Signature® Is Missing

Although the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® offers high rewards, it’s limited to a specific category each quarter. You’ll also need to opt-in for both the 2% and 5% categories to earn the best rates. Those who don’t make this selection will only earn 1% cash back on purchases, including purchases that are made in the “high earning” categories. You’ll also need to track the rotating categories to ensure you’re earning 5% cash back on the correct purchases.

Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Best for Introductory Rewards Worth $750 in Travel

If frequent business trips are the norm, you should consider Chase Sapphire Preferred®. Use this card to pay for flights and hotel stays, and earn a hefty sign-up bonus worth $750 in travel while you do it. You can also use this bonus to book future flights knowing that purchases are covered with trip delay insurance.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Costs

• Introductory APR: None
• Ongoing APR: 17.49% to 24.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: $95
• Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the balance transferred, whichever is greater

The annual fee on this card is identical to what you’d pay on Capital One® Venture®, which pays 2x miles on all spending. It’s significantly lower than the $450 annual fee charged by Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Note: We’ve seen different ongoing APRs offered to different potential applicants (as low as 16.24% to 25.24%).

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Rewards

You’ll earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Ongoing rewards focus on dining and travel, where you’ll receive 2x points per dollar.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. That’s 10,000 points more than what the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers, although that card charges a much higher annual fee.

Ongoing Rewards

• 2x points on travel and restaurant dining worldwide.
• 1x points on all other purchases.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® has a lower return on travel and restaurant spending compared to Chase Sapphire Reserve® (3x). However, since its points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed for travel through Chase, the card may prove more valuable than Capital One® Venture®, which pays 2x points on all spending (redeemed at 1 cent each).

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Additional Features

• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Coverage is primary—meaning it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer—when renting for business purposes. It provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.
• Trip delay insurance: If your travel is delayed more than 12 hours or you require an overnight stay as a result of a delay, you’re covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500.
• Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance: Covers up to $10,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses if your trip is cut short or interrupted by sickness or bad weather.
• Purchase protection: Covers new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

You won’t receive the travel credit or TSA Pre✓® reimbursement that Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers, but you’ll also pay significantly less when it comes to an annual fee—$95 versus $450. Only Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers trip delay and trip cancellation insurance.

What Chase Sapphire Preferred® Is Missing

Chase Sapphire Preferred® doesn’t offer great returns in categories outside dining and travel. If your business budgets for big spending in other areas, you may want to consider a general rewards card like Citi® Double Cash, which pays 2% on all spending.

Capital One® Venture®: Best for Earning Unlimited 2x Miles

For business owners who aren’t comfortable tracking spending categories to maximize rewards, there’s the Capital One® Venture®. This card earns consistent rewards across all categories of spending, meaning you won’t have to worry about rewards that change depending on your expenses. It’s a reliable card that’s great for travel as well as everyday business expenses. In addition, Capital One consistently earns praise for its top-rated customer service.

Capital One® Venture® Costs

• Introductory APR: None
• Ongoing APR: 17.24% to 24.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: $95, waived the first year
• Balance transfer fee: 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that the issuer may offer you; none for balances transferred at the transfer APR, which is the same as the ongoing purchase APR

Since this card offers no introductory APR, this is not the best card to own if you need to carry a balance. If you need to carry a balance or make a balance transfer, choose Chase Slate®, which comes with 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and charges no fee on balance transfers.

Capital One® Venture® Rewards

Like Citi® Double Cash, Capital One® Venture® offers a 2% return on all purchases with its 2x miles per dollar spent. However, the American Express Platinum Card® offers 5x points on hotels booked through the issuer.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. The introductory rewards on this card are worth $500 in travel, which isn’t as good as the 60,000 bonus points Chase Sapphire Preferred® offers.

Ongoing Rewards

• 2x miles on every purchase.

The Capital One® Venture® card gives you 2x miles on every purchase. That’s not quite as good as the 3x points you’d earn by paying for your airfare with Chase Sapphire Reserve®, but that card comes with a much higher $550 annual fee and pays just 1x points on all non-bonus category spending.

What Capital One® Venture® Is Missing

Capital One® Venture® charges a higher ongoing APR than any other card on our list. If you plan to carry a balance, consider a card with a lower interest rate, like Discover it® Cash Back or one that comes with a 0% introductory offer on either purchases, balance transfers, or both. Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers no-interest financing on both purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.

Citi® Double Cash: Best for Earning 2% Cash Back on All Purchases

Similar to the Capital One® Venture® card, the Citi® Double Cash card offers fixed-rate rewards. This card works best for business owners who prefer cash-back rewards without the need for category tracking. However, this card is unique in that it earns 1% cash back on the front end, and then the remaining 1% as you pay back the balance. To sweeten the pot, this card also offers the longest no-interest period on balance transfers of all the cards listed.

Citi® Double Cash Costs

• Introductory APR: 0% for 18 months on balance transfers completed within four months of account opening; there is no introductory APR on purchases
• Ongoing APR: 15.49% to 25.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: None
• Balance transfer fee: $5 or 3% of the balance transferred, whichever is greater

This card’s introductory APR on balance transfers is three months longer than what the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card offers, but it doesn’t offer free financing on purchases. The balance transfer fee is lower than the 5% charged by the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card.

Citi® Double Cash Rewards

Citi® Double Cash is one of two credit cards on our list (Chase Slate® being the other) that offers no introductory rewards. It pays 2% cash back on all spending, which is the highest fixed-rate reward on our list.

Introductory Rewards

Citi® Double Cash does not offer introductory rewards. Others that charge no annual fee offer introductory rewards, such as Chase Freedom Unlimited®, which offers a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months. Our top pick for the best personal credit card for business expenses, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card, offers $100 more than that card for its sign-up bonus.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll earn 1% cash back on all purchases and an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. This card isn’t a straight 2% card. You’ll receive credit for the second 1% of your rewards only after you pay your bill. Pay your bill in full and on time to receive the full 2% without paying any interest charges.

Citi® Double Cash Additional Features

• Free FICO score: Get monthly updates on your credit score as well as notifications when your score changes.
• Waived late fee: Your first late payment is free; up to $39 after that.

The additional features for the Citi® Double Cash card are skimpy compared to the excellent coverage the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card offers. That card has extended warranty that matches the length of the original manufacturer’s warranty if it’s less than two years, and will provide an additional two years only if the original manufacturer’s warranty is between two and five years.

What Citi® Double Cash Is Missing

The lack of an introductory reward is this card’s biggest flaw—and one of the primary reasons why we didn’t name it the best personal credit card for business use. Long term, though, this card may have more value than others because of its 2% return on all spending.

Chase Slate®: Best for Free Balance Transfers

The Chase Slate® doesn’t come with some of the bells and whistles the other cards on our list do. At its core, the Chase Slate® is a basic credit card offering no rewards, but it has a no-interest introductory period on balance transfers that’s long enough to make this card worth it. The 0% APR period means you can transfer the balances on your credit cards to this card, and then pay down the balance over time.

Chase Slate® Costs

• Introductory APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
• Ongoing APR: 16.49% to 25.24% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: None
• Balance transfer fee: None on transfers made within 60 days of account opening; after that, $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
• Foreign transaction fee: 3%

When you factor in transfer fees, this card may provide the most affordable balance transfer option. You’ll pay no fee when you transfer a balance within 60 days of account opening. Other cards on this list charge fees up to 3%, including the American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card.

Chase Slate® Rewards

This is the only personal business credit card we reviewed that doesn’t offer introductory or ongoing rewards. This is ranked near the bottom of our list because other cards offer introductory rewards up to $750 and ongoing rewards of 5% or more.

Chase Slate® Additional Features

• Free FICO score: The issuer will update this monthly and monitor the reasons why your score may be up or down.
• Purchase protection: Covers your purchases for 120 days against theft and damage up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account, per year.
• No penalty APR: If you miss a payment, the issuer won’t hike your APR.

The purchase protection coverage is similar to what Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers. In addition, no other card on our list waives the penalty APR.

What Chase Slate® Is Missing

The Chase Slate® offers 15 months of 0% APR on balance transfers. This is a great card for consolidating credit card debt, but it’s not ideal for those looking to earn large introductory bonuses and high ongoing rewards. This card is the only card on our list that does not have a rewards program. If you’re ready for a business card, consider a 0% APR business credit card.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for Earning 10x Points on Ride-share Expenses

Chase Sapphire Reserve® is great for business travelers looking to earn rewards on a variety of travel methods, including ride-share expenses. This card earns its top rewards of 10x points on Lyft rides. Frequent “Lyfters” can get the most out of this card by earning an additional discount, priority airport pickups, and a complimentary year of Lyft Pink. Unfortunately, this card doesn’t come free of a hefty annual fee like other personal business credit cards on our list.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Costs

• Introductory APR: None
• Ongoing APR: 18.49% to 25.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
• Annual fee: $550; $75 for each authorized user
• Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the balance transferred, whichever is greater

The only card on our list that charges an annual fee just as high as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the American Express Platinum Card® ($550). That card offers better benefits, including exclusive access to Centurion lounges, but this Chase card could be a better deal for business owners who dine frequently, as it offers 3x points on all restaurants.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Rewards

You’ll earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. That’s 10,000 fewer points than what Chase Sapphire Preferred® offers. Ongoing rewards are focused on travel and restaurant dining, where you’ll earn 3x points.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. When redeemed for travel through the Chase portal, this introductory bonus is worth $750 (points are worth 1.5 cents each), or $250 more than Capital One® Venture® pays. No other card tops this introductory offer.

Ongoing Rewards

• 7x points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2022
• 3x points on travel and restaurant dining worldwide.
• 1x points on all other purchases.

This card’s highest rewards are applied to Lyft rides, which also earn travel points. That means you’ll earn 7x points on Lyft rides as well as 3x points for travel—a total of 10x points on Lyft rides. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a lower return on other forms of travel spending compared to the American Express Platinum Card® (5x on flights and hotels), but the redemption value is boosted 1.5 times when used on the Chase travel portal.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Additional Features

• Airport lounge access: Enjoy access to more than 1,000 priority pass lounges worldwide for free prior to airline travel.
• Annual travel credit: You’ll receive a $300 annual travel credit that can be applied liberally toward your travel purchases.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Coverage is primary—meaning it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer—when renting for business purposes. It provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.
• Trip delay insurance: If your travel is delayed more than 12 hours or you require an overnight stay as a result of a delay, you’re covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500.
• Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® fee credit: Receive a statement credit of up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card.
• Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance: Covers up to $10,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses if your trip is cut short or interrupted by sickness or bad weather.

The travel credit is much easier to redeem on this card than on the American Express Platinum Card® because Chase has a much more liberal definition of travel, which includes more than just baggage and incidental fees on airline travel.

What Chase Sapphire Reserve® Is Missing

Chase Sapphire Reserve® has one of the highest annual fees of any card on our list at $550, shared only by the American Express Platinum Card®. This isn’t a good card if you aren’t able to take full advantage of the travel perks. Like Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve® doesn’t offer great rewards returns in categories outside dining and travel.

American Express Platinum Card®: Best for Premium Travel Perks

Business owners who fly regularly and stay overnight in hotels on business trips will appreciate the American Express Platinum Card®. This card offers top travel perks that other personal business credit cards can’t compete against. These perks include access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, gold status membership at select car rental companies and hotel brands, and a $200 annual airline fee credit.

American Express Platinum Card® Costs

• Introductory APR: None
• Regular APR: None (you must pay off your balance every month)
• Annual fee: $550
• Balance transfer fee: Transfers are not allowed

The $550 annual fee you’ll pay is the highest among the cards on this list. But perks like free airport lounge access and reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® airport screening programs mean this card also carries more potential value than any other card on our list.

American Express Platinum Card® Rewards

The American Express Platinum Card® offers strong rewards for airplane travelers and business owners who frequently stay in hotels. You’ll earn five points per dollar spent on airfare purchased directly with airlines or through American Express Travel and five points on hotels booked through American Express Travel. The introductory rewards are worth $600 or more when redeemed for travel.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after making $5,000 in purchases in the first three months of card membership. Those points are worth $600 or more when redeemed for travel. However, this offer falls a bit short of what Chase Sapphire Reserve® pays.

Ongoing Rewards

• 5x points on eligible flights and hotels.
• 1x points on all other purchases.

No other card on our list offers a better return on airfare or hotel purchases. However, Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers more opportunities to earn travel rewards, as it pays 3x points on a wide variety of travel spending, including ride-sharing services like Uber, campgrounds, and trains.

American Express Platinum Card® Additional Features

• American Express lounges: Free access to American Express’ network of Centurion lounges located in slightly less than one dozen U.S. airports.
• Other airport lounges: Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you free access to more than 1,000 lounges worldwide for you and two guests.
• Airport screening: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Access or $85 statement credit for TSA Pre✓® once every four years.
• Travel credit: A $200 annual statement credit toward air travel expenses like baggage fees and inflight food and drink.
• Fine Hotels and Resorts program access: Book a stay at one of these hotels through American Express Travel and receive early check-in, a room upgrade if available, daily free breakfast, and a $100 credit for your stay.
• Rental status: Elite status at a number of car rental agencies.
• Hotel status: Elite status at a number of hotel chains.
• Uber credit: Earn up to $200 in annual Uber credit.
• Saks Fifth Avenue credit: Earn a $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® also offers free lounge access, an airport screening credit, and travel credits. But the full sweep of travel perks on the American Express Platinum Card®—including the Uber credit, elite status at select hotels and car rental firms, and access to American Express lounges—is significantly better.

What American Express Platinum Card® Is Missing

There are no rewards for businesses that don’t spend a lot of time or money traveling. Other cards offer a better return on everyday spending, including the Citi® Double Cash card. Also, you’re required to pay your bill in full each month.

Personal Credit Card vs Business Credit Card

Personal credit cards for business expenses are best for owners who don’t qualify for business credit cards for startups. Some business owners also may prefer the rewards structure personal cards offer compared to business credit cards. However, you won’t be able to use personal credit cards to build your business credit because they don’t report to business credit bureaus. If you want to build your business credit, choose a business credit card.

Compared to personal cards, most business credit card issuers evaluate both your business credit and personal credit when you apply for a business card. The best business credit cards require a personal credit score of at least 670. Plus, most business credit cards require a personal guarantee, which means you’ll become personally liable if the business can’t repay its debts. Compare the best business credit cards to find the best option for you.

How We Evaluated Personal Credit Cards for Business Expenses

We looked for credit cards that offer a range of features that benefit business owners, like low fees and big introductory and ongoing rewards. The best personal small business credit cards offer introductory 0% APR financing for up to 18 months and introductory rewards worth up to $750. See the methodology in detail.

Using a personal credit card for business expenses is very common, so we evaluate these cards with similar criteria as our business credit cards. Business owners can find personal credit cards that have low fees, high rewards, and great benefits as well. You should choose a credit card that fits your business needs regardless of whether it’s a personal credit card or business card.

Bottom Line

The best personal credit card for business expenses is ideal for startups that can’t yet qualify for a business credit card and owners who like the rewards options on personal credit cards. Personal business credit cards offer a combination of excellent introductory and ongoing rewards, low introductory and ongoing APRs, and a host of additional benefits, like extended warranty protection.