Brex Card Review for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
Brex Card is a business prepaid card that can be treated as a credit card. It’s best for startup businesses in the tech and life sciences industries with the ability to pay bills daily or monthly. It doesn’t charge annual and platform fees. Payments to your card will be deducted directly from your Brex Business Account balance for those who pay daily or from an account of your choice if you pay monthly.
The Brex Card is issued by Emigrant Bank and Fifth Third Bank, NA, and Brex is backed by more than 10 partner banks, which are all Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)-insured.
 Brex CardBEST FOR: Those Who Want Daily or Monthly Payments | |
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Spending Limit | Load Limit |
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Costs | |
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When evaluating business prepaid cards, such as the Brex Card, we first consider the features included in their expense management systems, then we look at their fees and rewards. Note that this evaluation covers those who make daily payments.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Features (Expense Management System) | 50 | 60 |
Fees | 20 | 20 |
Rewards | 20 | 20 |
Total Score | 90 | 100 |
Who the Brex Card Is Best For
- Those who want to pay daily or monthly: Those whose budget is laid out on such a basis would want to consider getting the Brex Card as it lets you pay your bills daily or monthly.
- Startup information technology (IT) and tech or life science businesses: Startup businesses in the tech or life sciences industry will find the card helpful as it offers comprehensive perks for both types (discussed in our rewards section below).
- Those with an existing Brex Business Account: If you already have an account, then managing all of your financial transactions with one provider will be advantageous.
- Those who are looking to build their credit: Brex Card is one of the few business prepaid cards that report your payment history to business credit bureaus, helping you build your business credit.
Check out our recommended alternatives below if this card doesn’t fit the bill.
Pros & Cons of the Brex Card
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Has no additional fees. It’s one of the few business cards that doesn’t charge interest rates, annual fees, and late payment fees. | Requires a Brex Business Account. A Brex Card is best if you have an existing Brex Business Account, as most transactions made are charged to the account. |
| Offers a sign-up bonus. You can get 10,000 points after spending $3,000 within the first three months. | Has bonus rewards that aren’t as extensive compared to other cards. While it offers many rewards suitable for tech and life sciences businesses, it isn’t as noteworthy compared to others, such as Chase, Capital One, and American Express. |
| Will help you improve your business credit: Even as a business prepaid card, Brex Card can help improve your business credit as your payment history will be reported to credit bureaus. | Does not allow ATM withdrawals. You cannot use your Brex cards to withdraw cash at ATMs. |
Brex Card Paid Daily vs Monthly
Brex Card is one of the few cards that offer daily or monthly payments. Below, we highlight the differences between paying your daily or monthly in terms of limits, how you can pay for the card, rewards, redemptions, fees, and personal guarantees.
Paid Daily | Paid Monthly | |
|---|---|---|
Limits |
| Calculated as either up to 5-20% of an aggregate bank balance or 30% of your Brex Business Account balance |
How Card Is Paid | Paid daily from Brex Business Account balance | Billed monthly and can be paid from any account (including your Brex Business Account) |
Rewards | Extra up to 8x points on all card spend | Earn up to 7x rewards points on all card spend |
Rewards Redemption |
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Fees | None | None |
Personal Guarantee | None | None |
Brex Card Rewards
- 10,000 points after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening
Brex Exclusive Rewards Program
Brex introduced the Brex Exclusive Rewards Program, where you can have access to the highest multipliers available, which can be applied automatically to your account after making Brex your exclusive corporate card for your business. Account holders can earn the following points accelerators:
- 7x on rideshare, such as Uber, Lyft, or taxi
- 4x on Brex travel rewards
- 3x on restaurants and eligible Apple purchases through the Brex rewards portal
- 2x on recurring software
- 1x on all other purchases
Within the Brex Exclusive Rewards Program, there are three variations wherein you can fall under. Refer to the table below for details.
Variations of the Brex Exclusive Program | Specific Rewards |
|---|---|
Brex Exclusive Life Science Rewards |
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Brex Exclusive Daily Payments Rewards | Advertising
Software
Life sciences
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Brex Exclusive Custom Rewards | This is for companies that have more than 50 Brex users and that can meet minimum spending commitments. Contact any Brex Sales Representative to learn more about it. |
How Points Rewards Work
Brex doesn’t put a cap on how many points cardholders can earn—when your business grows, so does your Brex Business Card. This is unlike other card programs that cut off the multipliers after hitting a certain spending limit.
You can redeem your points for:
- Statement credit
- Gift cards
- Flights and hotels booked via Brex Travel
- Cash back
- Mental health sessions with Spring Health and one year access for 15,000 points
- Cryptocurrency (minimum 1,000 points)
- Team offsites worth 25,000 points
- Executive coaching
You can also transfer points for miles with Brex’s airline partners, namely:
- Aeromexico (Club Premier and SkyTeam)
- Air France KLM (Flying Blue and SkyTeam)
- Avianca (Lifemiles and Star Alliance)
- Asia Miles (oneworld)
- Emirates (Skywards and Emirates)
- Qantas (Frequent Flyer and oneworld)
- Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer and Star Alliance)
Brex Card Features
Brex Empower is a financial software designed to help guide business owners in improving their businesses and increasing accountability among employees.
It offers the following features:
- Instantly generate receipts
- Delegate spending among teams, vendors, and more
- Visualize your expense policy
- Reimburse employees in any location
Brex’s expense management system, which you can learn more about through our review of Brex Empower, can be accessed on PC, Apple, and Android devices. The Brex app is rated 4.9 out of 5 on App Store, and many have noted its smooth interface, nice color scheme, and functional menu. Meanwhile, it received 4.6 out of 5 on Google Play, with users having mentioned issues with attaching receipts on transactions and how the features are severely limited on the mobile app compared to the web counterpart.
- MasterRental insurance: You may be covered for physical damage and theft to a rental vehicle with your Brex Card. Learn more on how to file a claim and on the Brex website.
- Car rental discounts and upgrades: You can save on car rentals, certain flights, cruises, chauffeured cars, private jets, and vacation packages. Contact Mastercard at (855) 802-1387 for more details.
- Hotel guarantees: You can receive refunds and help resolve an issue with the hotel booked through Brex Travel. Note that certain terms and conditions will apply.
- Protection against fraudulent transactions: Brex allows you to file a dispute for fraudulent transactions through its mobile app, letting you terminate the card automatically. You’ll receive an email regarding your dispute’s status anywhere from one to two business days. Requesting a new card takes anywhere from five to seven business days.
- Software discounts: You can save money on software that can help scale your business faster:
- Get a discount on a TurboTax solution that best fits your small business needs
- Receive 40% off on QuickBooks Online or 50% on QuickBooks Self-Employed for 12 months, plus a 30-day free trial
- Get Salesforce Essentials to build stronger customer relationships, costs $9.99 per user, per month, for the first year
- Get the first four months free on a one-year Microsoft 365 subscription
- Receive unlimited free two-day shipping and free return shipping with a complimentary ShopRunner membership ($79 value per year)
- Gain access to Mastercard Easy Savings® program, which provides rebates on gas, car rentals, hotels, dining, business services, and more
- Receive $5,000 in Amazon Web Services (AWS) credits depending on Activate eligibility.
- Save up to 50% every time you ship with UPS
- Receive 50% off on any plan with Gusto for 12 months
- Get a 25% off 12 months on any eligible Slack paid plans
- Save up to 25% on business insurance and receive 10,000 Brex bonus points with Vouch
- Get 50% discount on your first-year business credit monitoring with Experian
- Receive $10,000 credits on Freshworks suite of products
Brex Empower lets you issue the following types of cards:
- Physical cards can be requested on the Brex dashboard
- Virtual cards can be issued automatically upon account activation
- Metal cards can be issued on a limited case-by-case basis
Brex Card Fees
This is one of the few business cards that doesn’t have annual percentage rates (APRs) for new and existing business cardholders and fees when you pay your bills at a later time. It should be noted that while Brex and its partner banks don’t charge fees to send or receive international wires, third-party banks may have costs.
How To Transfer Funds
- From an external bank account: Input your Brex Business Account details in your external bank’s transfer form on their platform and follow the prompts to transfer funds.
- Via mobile check deposit: Checks can be deposited via the Brex app. Note that Brex can only process virtual check deposits via the app and will not accept physical checks by mail.
- Through automated clearing house (ACH) debit: This can be done from the Brex dashboard, the Brex app, or a third party. Note that if you will receive funds from a third party, ensure to include the following information:
- ABA/Routing number: 121145349
- Account number: Your Brex Business Account number (which can be found in Account details)
- Account type: Business checking
- Beneficiary name: Your company name (in Account details)
- Beneficiary address: Your company’s address (in Account details)
- Bank name: Column NA Brex
- Bank address: 1110 Gorgas Ave., Ste. A4-700, San Francisco, CA 94129
- From another Brex Business Account: You can instantly transfer funds from one account to another, especially if you have multiple Brex Business Accounts.
- Daily: Payment will be made directly from your Brex Business Account balance
- Monthly: Payment will be billed monthly and can be paid with your chosen account
When To Consider Brex Card Alternatives
You Have Fair Credit & Prefer an Unsecured Business Credit Card
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
BEST FOR:
Those with fair credit
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
30.49% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Fair
- 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.
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
30.49% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Fair
- 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.
Brex Card requires a Brex Business Account, given that most transactions made are charged to that account. We recommend Capital One Spark Classic for Business if you have fair credit. It is one of the few unsecured business credit cards requiring a fair credit score.
It does not charge annual fees. Also, it lets you earn an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases, making it our top-recommended business credit card for fair credit.
You Prefer an Alternative Business Prepaid Card
 Emburse Spend CardBEST FOR: Earning Unlimited Cash Back Rewards | |
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The premium rewards offered by Brex Card are tailor-fitted to selected types of companies. If you want an alternative business prepaid card, consider the Emburse Spend Card. It lets you earn an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases (regardless of spending categories) and allows you to create multiple virtual and physical cards at no additional costs.
Unsurprisingly, this card is included in our list of the best business credit for bad credit and leading cash back business cards.
Head over to our list of best prepaid credit cards for more options.
You Want a Secured Business Credit Card
Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Those who need a secured business credit card with fixed-rate cash back rewards
Intro APR
0% APR for nine billing cycles
Regular APR
15.95% to 27.50% variable
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Poor, Limited
- 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases
Pros
- Customers with limited credit history or credit issues can still qualify
- Offers 0% APR for nine months
- No annual fee
- Offers 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases
Cons
- Credit limits are up to $25,000 only
- Requires a security deposit equivalent to 110% of requested credit limit
- Up to 25 free employee cards only
- Online account access
- Immediate fraud protection alerts for suspected fraudulent transactions
- Visa purchase alerts
- The card reports account information and transactions to major credit bureaus each month, helping users build credit with responsible use
Intro APR
0% APR for nine billing cycles
Regular APR
15.95% to 27.50% variable
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Poor, Limited
- 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases
Pros
- Customers with limited credit history or credit issues can still qualify
- Offers 0% APR for nine months
- No annual fee
- Offers 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases
Cons
- Credit limits are up to $25,000 only
- Requires a security deposit equivalent to 110% of requested credit limit
- Up to 25 free employee cards only
- Online account access
- Immediate fraud protection alerts for suspected fraudulent transactions
- Visa purchase alerts
- The card reports account information and transactions to major credit bureaus each month, helping users build credit with responsible use
Brex Card is only viable if you have an active Brex Business Account. If you want a secured business credit card that can help improve your business credit score and offers fixed rewards and a 0% introductory period, our suggestion is the Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card.
It even made it to our roundup of the top secured business credit cards and leading business credit cards with no annual fee.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
All Brex applicants are required to have a United States employer identification number (EIN) issued by the IRS, a valid US incorporation, and a physical address. Brex also requires you to meet the eligibility requirements and not engage in any prohibited activities listed on its site. Applications sent through Brex will be reviewed within 15 business days.
You can learn more about these requirements by checking out our review of the Brex Business Account.
The standard processing time for transfers is as follows:
- Receiving payments
- Incoming ACH: Within three to five business days
- Incoming international ACH: Within seven to 10 business days
- Incoming domestic wire: Within one to two business days
- Incoming international wire: Within three to five business days
- Check deposits: Varies depending on the size of the deposit
- Sending payments
- Outgoing ACH: Within two to three business days
- Outgoing checks: Printed and mailed within two business days and can arrive within seven to 10 days.
- Outgoing domestic wires: Within one to two business days
- Outgoing international wires: Completed by Brex within one to five business days; delivery completion will vary by country
Bottom Line
Brex Card is one of the few cards that can be either a business prepaid card or a business charge card, depending on whether you wish to pay in full daily or monthly. It’s a great card for those in a startup tech or life sciences industry, as it offers rewards that can help jump-start your business. Note, however, that there are cards that offer lucrative rewards and will allow ATM withdrawals when needed.
