We’ve researched the best small business credit cards and found the top 11 for various business needs and types of borrowers. For example, we’ve found the best options if you’re looking for high reward payouts, low APR, specific rewards categories, or if you have bad credit. Below we compare each small business credit card based on rewards, costs, and show you how to apply.

Best Small Business Credit Cards

How We Determined the Best Business Credit Card

Business credit cards can come with a variety of rewards and a range of APRs and fees. The best card for you is likely going to be determined by your personal and business situation, including the type of rewards you want. When deciding which cards are the best overall and the best in their respective categories, we took into consideration the following criteria:

• Introductory APR
• Ongoing APR
• Annual Fee
• Who the card is best for
• Introductory rewards
• Ongoing rewards

We also took into account minimum qualifications, but most business credit card providers out there require you to be a prime borrower. While it’s possible to qualify for a small business credit card with a 640+ credit score, we recommend having a 700+ score if you want to qualify with the best cards for the best rates and largest credit lines. If you have bad credit (less than 640) you can still qualify for a secured credit card or a prepaid business credit card.

After taking these things into consideration, we recommend the Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM card as the best overall card that will be a good fit for most small businesses. It is the most versatile card with up to 3x reward points that can be redeemed for a variety of perks.

Best Overall Business Credit Card: Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM

The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card is a good fit for any business because of its competitive APR, low annual fee, and flexible rewards system. If you spend $5k+ in your first 3 months of opening an account you could earn 80,000 reward points. Plus, you earn up to 3x reward points per $1 you spend on key business categories. This card is the best all-around card that lets you spend your reward points on travel or cash back.

Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM Rewards

Chase offers a great reward system for businesses making normal expenses every month because you earn the most rewards from travel, advertising, shipping, and spending on office supplies. The rewards are broken up into an introductory offer for signing up and an ongoing reward for everyday spending.

Introductory Rewards

• 80,000 Reward points if you spend $5k in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll receive the following rewards that can be spent on future travel or cash back:

• 3 Points per $1 on the first $150k spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable, and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.
• 1 Point per $1 on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM Costs

The Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM card will carry the following costs:

• Introductory APR: Same as regular APR
• Regular APR: 17.49%
• Annual Fee: $95, waived for the first year

What’s Missing

The Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM card is a great option for any business, but you must be a prime borrower with excellent credit to qualify. This makes it unavailable to many small business owners. You can also find better cards if you’re looking for specific rewards like airline miles.

Where to Get Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM

You can apply online to see if you qualify for the Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM card and get an answer within minutes. You may be required to verify some business information offline, depending on your situation, but once approved you’ll typically be able to use your card when you receive it in 7-10 days.

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Best Cash Back Rewards Business Credit Card: Chase Ink Business Cash^SM

Businesses that use credit cards to make basic office expense payments will find the cash back provided by the Chase Ink Business Cash^SM card very rewarding. You could earn up to 5% cash back on basic office expenses you pay every day and between 1% – 2% on all other purchases. The APR is competitive with other cards and you’ll receive 0% interest for the first 12 months.

Chase Ink Business Cash^SM Rewards

The Chase Ink Business Cash^SM card provides only cash back rewards. You’ll see up to $500 in initial rewards and up to 5% cash back on certain purchases, as described below.

Introductory Rewards

Receive $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll earn the following cash back rewards as you use your card:

• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
• Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Chase Ink Business Cash^SM Costs

As you use the Chase Ink Business Cash^SM card you’ll incur the following costs:

• Introductory APR: 0% For the first 12 months
• Regular APR: 14.74 – 20.74%
• Annual Fee: None

What’s Missing

The Chase Ink Business Cash^SM card provides some great cash back rewards but the introductory rewards are not as strong as some of the other cards in this article. You also don’t receive extra cash back for travel expenses.

Where to Get Chase Ink Business Cash^SM

You can apply online with Chase by filling out a basic application containing both business and personal information and you could be approved instantly. Once you’re approved you’ll receive your card in the mail within 7-10 days.

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Business Credit Card With Lowest APR: Bank of America® Platinum Visa® Business

Bank of America® offers a business platinum card with an APR as low as 10.74% and no annual fee, making it right for anyone who’s looking for a low-cost option. This card also offers one of the easiest ways to trigger an introductory bonus, only requiring you to spend $500 in the first 60 days to get a $200 credit statement. However, this isn’t the card for you if you’re looking for strong ongoing rewards because the card doesn’t offer any.

Bank of America® Platinum Rewards

The Bank of America® Platinum Visa® business card offers an introductory award that is as easy to trigger as any other card on the list, but the card lacks a strong ongoing rewards program.

Introductory Rewards

If you apply online you can receive a $200 statement credit bonus after you make at least $500 of net purchases in the first 60 days your account is open.

Ongoing Rewards

The Bank of America® Platinum Visa® Business card doesn’t offer a rewards program as an opportunity to earn either points or cash back.

Bank of America® Platinum Costs

The Bank of America® Platinum card will carry the following costs:

• Introductory APR: 0% for 7 billing cycles
• Regular APR: 10.74% – 21.74% Variable APR on purchases
• Annual Fee: None

What’s Missing

Bank of America® offers an affordable card if you plan to carry a balance because it offers the lowest APR range in this article, but the card doesn’t offer a rewards program. After the introductory bonus, there aren’t any rewards given for continuing to use the card.

Where to Get Bank of America® Platinum 

You can apply online for a Bank of America® Platinum Visa® Business card. Once you fill out the application form with your basic personal and business information you’ll typically get an instant approval or rejection. Once approved you’ll receive a card in the mail within 7-10 days.

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Business Credit Card With Low APR: Bank of America® Advantage Cash Rewards

Bank of America® offers a strong business credit card with the lowest potential rates of any option in this article. Prime borrowers could see rates as low as 12.74% and 0% APR for the first 9 months. If you’re looking for the card with the lowest potential costs because you’ll likely carry a balance, then this is the card for you.

Bank of America® Advantage Rewards

Bank of America® doesn’t offer the best rewards on this card, but considering the low costs, it’s still a strong rewards program with up to 3% cash back on purchases.

Introductory Rewards

If you apply online you can receive a $200 statement credit bonus after you make at least $500 of net purchases in the first 60 days your account is open.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll receive cash back on these purchases:

• 3% on purchases at gas stations and office supply stores, up to $250k annually
• 2% on purchases at restaurants
• 1% on all other purchases, including anything above the $250k limit above

Bank of America® Advantage Costs

The Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM card will carry the following costs:

• Introductory APR: 0% for 9 months
• Regular APR: 12.74% – 22.74% Variable APR on purchases
• Annual Fee: None

What’s Missing

Bank of America® offers an affordable card if you plan to either carry a balance or not use the card very often. However, the reward system is not as good as other cards if you plan on using it for business expense purchases you’re paying off every month.

Where to Get Bank of America® Advantage

You can apply online for a Bank of America® Advantage Cash Rewards card. Once you fill out the application form containing basic personal and business information and you could get approved within minutes. Once approved you’ll receive a card in the mail within 7-10 days.

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Business Credit Card For Business Travel: Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel card is best for business travelers that frequently spend on hotels, rental cars, and airline tickets. This card offers an introductory APR of 0% for the first 9 billing cycles, which could make it a good fit for businesses that need to transfer a current balance so that you can pay it off. For strong borrowers, this card also offers one of the lowest potential APRs on the list.

Bank of America® Advantage Travel Rewards

Bank of America® rewards your purchases on a points system. These points never expire and you can redeem them for travel, cash back, or gift cards.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn 25,000 bonus points when you make at least $1,000 in net purchases in the first 60 days of your account opening. These points can be redeemed for a $250 statement credit towards travel purchases.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll earn points as you use the card for the following purchases:

• 3 points per dollar spent on travel purchases (car, hotel, airline) booked through Bank of America® Travel Center.
• Unlimited 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all purchases everywhere regardless of how much you spend.

BoA Business Advantage Travel Costs

With the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel card you’ll need to put at least $500 down as a deposit and have a grace period of at least 21 days. You’ll also incur these additional costs:

• Introductory APR: 0% for 9 billing cycles
• Regular APR: 12.74% – 22.74% Variable APR on purchases
• Annual Fee: None

What’s Missing

Bank of America® offers a strong travel card that rewards you for all of your travel expenses, but they don’t currently offer great rewards for office expense purchases. This card is mainly only for borrowers who travel frequently.

Where to Get Wells Fargo Business Secured

You can apply with Bank of America® by filling out a basic online application and potentially getting an instant approval. The whole process can be completed within a matter of a few minutes and you’ll receive your card within 7-10 days.

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Best Business Credit Card For Large Purchases: American Express Business Platinum

Businesses that put a lot of expenses on their credit card will like the rewards of the American Express Business Platinum card. This is because you have to spend a lot on your card to unlock the best rewards. It’s also a great fit for business owners who travel frequently because it offers reward benefits for both airline travel and hotel stays. It’s more expensive to carry than the Capital One Spark Miles card but is good for frequent overnight travel.

American Express Business Platinum Rewards

The American Express Business Platinum card offers strong rewards for airplane travelers and business owners who frequently stay in hotels. American Express has a great online platform where you can redeem your rewards, but their travel benefits require you to charge the costs before you can redeem your rewards.

Introductory Rewards

You can receive up to 75,000 bonus points within your first 3 months of opening your account if you make $20k+ in purchases. You’ll receive 50,000 points after you spend your first $10k and you can receive an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10k.

Ongoing Rewards

The American Express Business Platinum card has the following ongoing rewards:

• 5x reward points on eligible flights and hotels.
• 1.5x bonus points per dollar on purchases of $5k+, up to 1 million additional points per year.
• You’ll receive either a $100 statement credit or an $85 TSA Pre-check credit every 4 years.
• If you book a business or first class flight you’ll receive 35% of those reward points back later, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year.
• Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide.

American Express Business Platinum Costs

The American Express Business Platinum card is a charge card so you must pay it off every month. While there is no APR cost, you’ll only offset the annual fee cost if you use the card quite a bit to travel and you’ll still have to pay a late penalty if you miss a payment. It will carry these typical costs:

• Introductory APR: None
• Regular APR: None
• Annual Fee: $450

What’s Missing

While the American Express Business Platinum card is good for overnight travelers, there aren’t any rewards for businesses who don’t spend a lot of time or money traveling. Also, while it provides the best rewards to businesses who spend a lot of money each month on their credit card, you’re required to pay it off each month.

Where to Get American Express Business Platinum

You can sign up for an American Express Business Platinum card by filling out an online application that only takes a few minutes. You could get a decision in as quick as 30 seconds and be using your card within 2-3 days.

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Business Credit Card With Flat Cash Back Rewards: Capital One Spark Cash

The Capital One Spark Cash business card is a good fit for businesses that need one card to make a variety of different purchases. This is due to their unlimited 2% cash back reward on all expense categories. There are better options if you have a specific need – like a card to pay for travel expenses – but this is a good overall cash back card that can benefit any business.

Capital One Spark Cash Rewards

The best reward from this card is that you receive the same cash back no matter what you’re purchasing, or how often. You can receive free employee cards and you’ll receive a small bonus for spending within your first 3 months.

Introductory Rewards

A one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months your account is open.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll get unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.

Capital One Spark Cash Costs

The Capital One Spark Cash carries the following costs:

• Introductory APR: Same as regular APR
• Regular APR: ~18.24%
• Annual Fee: $95, waived for the first year

What’s Missing

Receiving 2% cash back on all purchases is great for businesses that aren’t sure what types of purchases they’ll end up making or that spend in a variety of different categories. However, there are other cards with better rewards and higher dollar values in specific expense categories.

Where to Get Capital One Spark Cash

You can apply online for a Capital One Spark Cash business card and you’ll typically get an immediate decision. Once approved, you’ll get your card in 7 – 10 business days.

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Business Credit Card With Flat Travel Rewards: Capital One Spark Miles

Capital One Spark Miles is a great business card option for business owners who travel a lot and want to receive airline rewards. You’ll receive 2x mile rewards for every purchase without blackouts or seat restrictions, making this our recommended airline travel card. You can even get free employee cards for your employees who travel for business purposes and get even more reward miles.

Capital One Spark Miles Rewards

Capital One offers some of the best business travel rewards in the industry with this card, giving you 2x miles on every purchase and up to 50,000 bonus miles. You can redeem them online by either paying for past travel or booking a new flight or rental car.

Introductory Rewards

Bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from opening an account. The 50k miles is equal to about $500 of travel expenses.

Ongoing Rewards

Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase with no blackouts or seat restrictions. There are no minimums you must meet in order to redeem these reward miles.

Capital One Spark Miles Costs

The Capital One Spark Miles card carries these costs:

• Introductory APR: Same as regular APR
• Regular APR: ~18.24%
• Annual Fee: $95, waived for the first year

What’s Missing

While Capital One offers a card with excellent travel rewards, you won’t get any cash back or other rewards for your purchases. If you don’t travel much by plane then this isn’t a very good card for you.

Where to Get Capital One Spark Miles

You can get the Capital One Spark Miles card by filling out an online application with your personal and business information. You will either be approved immediately or be required to submit proof of income by mail. Once approved, you’ll receive your card in 7 to 10 business days.

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Business Credit Card With Southwest Airline Rewards: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is best for businesses that frequently use Southwest Airlines because they offer increased rewards for expenses with Southwest airlines and their hotel and car rental partners. If you regularly fly Southwest, Rapid Rewards also allows you to book your airfare, hotel stays, and rental cars using points.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Rewards

The best rewards for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card come from purchases with Southwest airlines and their hotel and rental car partners. Rewards can be redeemed easily for travel expenses with Southwest as well as hotels, rental cars, and gift cards. Card holders also enjoy benefits like priority boarding, free same-day standby, and priority check-in and security lane access.

Introductory Rewards

• You can earn 60,000 points when you spend $3k in the first 3 months.

You can use those introductory rewards to book round-trip airfare for 2, book a hotel, or rent a car, but they’re best when you have a flexible travel schedule. We were able to book round-trip airfare for 2 from New York to Fort Lauderdale for just 35k points.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll receive points for the following purchases on your Southwest Rapid Rewards card going forward:

• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on Southwest airline purchases
• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent with Rapid Reward Hotel and Car Rental partners
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• 6k bonus points on your Cardmember anniversary

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Costs

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business credit card carries the following costs:

• Introductory APR: Same as regular APR
• Regular APR: 17.49 – 24.49%
• Annual Fee: $99
• Balance Transfer Fee: $5 or 5%
• Foreign Transaction Fee: None

What’s Missing With Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier

This is an ideal card if you frequently travel with Southwest or use one of the Rapid Rewards hotel or car rental partners. If you don’t regularly use Southwest or their partners, this isn’t a good card for you. Even if you do fly Southwest, you may have trouble utilizing your points if you don’t have a flexible travel schedule or need to visit a city that Southwest doesn’t service.

Where to Get Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier

You can apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business credit card online through Southwest’s secure website. Approval can take 7-10 days but once you’re approved you’ll get your card in about a week.

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Business Credit Card for a Fleet of Vehicles: GM BuyPower Business Card

Businesses with large fleets of GM vehicles will find the GM BuyPower Business Card the best option because you get 5% cash back on accessories. This card is also one of the best options in this article for businesses that want rewards for purchases on gas, food, or office supplies because it provides 3% cash back on those types of purchases.

GM BuyPower Business Card Rewards

The GM BuyPower Business Card provides some of the best rewards in the industry for basic business purchases like gas or office supplies. The one downside on their reward program is that they don’t offer any introductory rewards.

Introductory Rewards

None

Ongoing Rewards

You will earn the following rewards when you use the GM BuyPower Business Card:

• 5% earnings on GM parts, accessories, and service at authorized GM dealers.
• 3% earning on purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and office supply stores.
• 1% earnings on all other purchases

GM BuyPower Business Card Costs

The GM BuyPower Business Card will carry the following costs:

• Introductory APR: 0% for the first 12 months
• Regular APR: ~14.49%
• Annual Fee: None

What’s Missing

The GM BuyPower card is great for those operating a fleet, but in order to unlock the best rewards you must have a fleet of GM vehicles. It also isn’t a good fit if you’re looking for a straight cash back or travel rewards card.

Where to Get GM BuyPower Business Card

You can get the GM BuyPower Business Card through Capital One by applying online. You could receive an answer in as quick as 60 seconds, and once approved you’ll receive your card in about 1 week.

Visit Capital One

Business Credit Card with No Annual Fee: SimplyCash Plus From American Express

The SimplyCash Plus Business card isn’t one of the better options on this list, but it doesn’t require you to pay an annual fee. The reward system is complicated and it’s unclear what types of businesses will actually benefit or how much you might receive. However, it’s a good fit for you if you don’t need a robust rewards program and don’t want to worry about keeping up with high annual fees.

SimplyCash Plus Rewards

The SimplyCash Plus card has a complicated rewards program that offers 1 – 5% cash back depending on spending category and lets you choose which category receives a 3% cash back bonus.

Introductory Rewards

None

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll receive the following rewards for using the SimplyCash Plus card:

• 5% cash back on all office supply store purchases and wireless telephone purchases.
• 3% cash back on 1 category of your choice from:
  • Airfare purchases directly from airlines
  • Hotel rooms purchased directly from hotels
  • Car rentals purchased from select car rental companies
  • U.S. gas stations
  • U.S. restaurants
  • U.S. purchases for advertising on select media
  • U.S. purchases for shipping
  • U.S. computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases made directly from select providers
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

SimplyCash Plus Costs

The SimplyCash Plus card incurs the following costs:

• Introductory APR: 0% for the first 9 months
• Regular APR: 13.49%, 18.49%, or 20.49%
• Annual Fee: None

What’s Missing

While the SimplyCash Plus card doesn’t require an annual fee, it also isn’t the best rewards card on the list. It’s just not a good fit for businesses that need to make different types of purchases because you have to choose a single reward category. There are also better travel reward cards discussed above.

Where to Get SimplyCash Plus From American Express

You can fill out an online form to apply for the SimplyCash Plus card on American Express’ website and you could receive a decision in as little as 30 seconds. Once approved your card will arrive in the mail within 7-10 days.

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Business Credit Card With American Airline Rewards: CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select

The CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select card is best for business travelers who use American Airlines on a frequent basis because their entire reward system is based on American.

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Rewards

The best rewards come from using the card on American Airlines travel, and those rewards give you the ability to do more traveling with American Airlines.

Introductory Rewards

You can earn 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles when you purchase $3k in the first 3 months of your account being open.

Ongoing Rewards

You’ll receive American Airline miles for the following purchases:

• Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and other select categories
• Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on American Airline purchases
• Earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Additionally, you can also receive these great rewards:

• Save 25% on in-flight purchases on American Airlines flights
• Fly to select American Airlines destinations for up to 7,500 fewer AAdvantage miles
• Earn an American Airlines companion certificate each year after you spend $30k+

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Costs

The CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard carries the following costs:

• Introductory APR: Same as regular APR
• Regular APR: 16.99 – 24.99%
• Annual Fee: $95, waived for the first year

What’s Missing

This is a great card if you can benefit from the American Airlines centric rewards system, but it’s missing any other type of reward. If you don’t fly American Airlines constantly, then this isn’t the right card for you.

Where to Get CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select

You can apply online at Citi’s website or via phone to get the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select business card. Once approved you’ll receive your card in about 1 week.

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List of the Best Small Business Credit Cards

Business Credit Card	Best For
Chase Ink Business PreferredSM	Business-related purchases like digital ad spend.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Cash	0% introductory APR and a low ongoing APR afterward.
Bank of America® Platinum Visa®	Lowest regular APR that we reviewed and no annual fee.
Chase Ink Business CashSM	Businesses that want up to 5% cash back for basic office expenses.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel	Businesses that spend a lot on hotel, airline tickets, and rental cars.
Capital One Spark Cash	Businesses that want unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.
Capital One Spark Miles	Businesses that want unlimited 2x miles per dollar spent.
AmEx Business Platinum	Those who expect to make large expenditures or who travel a lot.
GM BuyPower Business Card	Businesses that operate a fleet of vehicles or that use GM cars.
AmEx SimplyCash Plus	Those who want to choose their 3x reward expense category.
CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum	Businesses that use American Airlines for travel.
AmEx Blue Business Plus	Businesses with high travel and entertainment expenses.
AmEx Business Gold Rewards	Businesses that want to choose their 3x and 2x points expense categories.
AmEx Business Green Rewards	Those who travel a lot and want double Membership Rewards when booked through the AmEx travel website.
AmEx Platinum Delta Skymiles	Businesses that travel with Delta Airlines.
Capital One Spark Cash Select	Businesses that want 1.5% cash back and no annual fee.
Capital One Spark Mile Select	Businesses that want 1.5x miles per dollar spent and no annual fee.
AmEx Plum Card	Those who want 60 days to pay off their card instead of the standard 30.
AmEx Starwood Preferred Guest	Businesses that stay in Starwood’s network of hotels.
Capital One Spark Classic	Businesses that want unlimited 1% cash back and no annual fee.

Bottom Line

As you can see, there are plenty of great options for your next small business credit card. They can help you earn rewards, but the right one depends on your personal and business situation. However, the best cards with great rewards will only be available to prime borrowers and the largest credit lines are only available to businesses with strong revenues. Still, regardless of your situation, there’s typically a card for you.

Our recommended small business credit card is the Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM card. The annual fee is waived for the first year and if you spend $5k in the first 3 months you could earn 80k reward points. It’s a great card to use for normal business expenses every month to gain rewards for spending you’re doing anyway. Apply online and you could be approved in a few minutes.

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