Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit Review for 2022
Tricia has nearly two decades of experience in commercial and federal government lending. Her expertise is highlighted throughout small business loan content on Fit Small Business.
Nancy Fernandez is a Credit Card and Insurance Expert at Fit Small Business, specializing in business credit cards and business insurance.
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no annual fees. This small business credit card is best for businesses that have excellent credit, prefer a low ongoing annual percentage rate (APR), and want to earn fixed-rate cash back rewards, regardless of spending categories.
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit
BEST FOR:
Businesses with excellent credit that want a lower ongoing APR
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
13.24%, 16.24% or 19.24%
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Excellent
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions.
- Earn a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Enjoy a $0 annual fee in addition to the big rewards and cash bonus you can earn.
Pros
- No annual fee
- $500 sign-up bonus when you spend $4,500 within three months
- Protection against lost or stolen cards
Cons
- No 0% intro APR
- Requires excellent credit
- May do a hard pull of your credit at application
- $0 foreign transaction fee: No foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside of the United States
- $0 fraud liability: Advance emergency replacement for lost and stolen card plus cash advance
- Roadside assistance: Emergency services such as jump-starting, tire changing, and towing
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
13.24%, 16.24% or 19.24%
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Excellent
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions.
- Earn a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Enjoy a $0 annual fee in addition to the big rewards and cash bonus you can earn.
Pros
- No annual fee
- $500 sign-up bonus when you spend $4,500 within three months
- Protection against lost or stolen cards
Cons
- No 0% intro APR
- Requires excellent credit
- May do a hard pull of your credit at application
- $0 foreign transaction fee: No foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside of the United States
- $0 fraud liability: Advance emergency replacement for lost and stolen card plus cash advance
- Roadside assistance: Emergency services such as jump-starting, tire changing, and towing
Do you want to compare the features of one card to another? We’ve made it easy for you to do that—check off up to three cards on this page to add them to your cart. This will allow you to view the details in a side-by-side comparison.
How We Evaluate Cash Back Rewards Business Credit Cards
When grading fixed-rate cash back business credit cards like the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card, we consider ongoing rewards first, with introductory rewards being the second biggest factor. We also take into account the annual fee, introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs), and additional features.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 20 | 30 |
Introductory Rewards | 10 | 20 |
Additional Features | 13 | 15 |
Annual Fee | 15 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 0 | 10 |
Ongoing APR | 8 | 10 |
Total Score | 66 | 100 |
Who Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit Card Is Best For
- Business owners who prefer a fixed-rate rewards card without an annual fee: Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no annual fees. This is an excellent option for businesses that have expenses in several categories.
- Business owners with excellent credit: This Capital One® business credit card is best for business owners with excellent credit. It offers an ongoing APR of 13.24% to 19.24%, which is much lower compared to the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Good Credit card.
- Those who want unlimited cash back rewards: The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card will let you collect rewards everywhere, without limits or category restrictions.
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit Fees
- Introductory APR: None
- Ongoing APR: 13.24%, 16.24%, or 19.24% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- APR for cash advances: 26.99% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Penalty APR and when it applies: 29.4% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate and applies when you make a late payment
- Grace period: Due date at least 25 days after the close of every billing cycle—no interest on new purchases as long as previous balance is paid in full by due date each month—interest starts on cash advances and transfers on transaction date
- Annual fee: None
- Balance transfer fee: None
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Cash advance fee: 3% of the advance or $10, whichever is greater
- Late payment: Up to $39
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit Rewards
- Unlimited 1.5% fixed-rate cash back on all purchases
Welcome offer: $500 cash bonus after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first three months after opening an account
You can redeem your cash back upon request as either a statement credit or a check. You can also use your accumulated mileage points to either partially or fully pay for the TSA PreCheck® application.
How to Make Payments on the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit
- AutoPay: Once your account is enrolled in Online Banking, you can set up AutoPay to make automatic monthly payments. There are three options for how much you can pay: minimum payment, which varies every month, the balance amount indicated in your monthly statement, or a fixed monthly payment with a minimum monthly fixed amount of $35.
- By Phone: Call the number found on the back of your card.
- Mobile App: On the mobile app, select your card and tap “Make a Payment.”
- By mail: Send a check or money order to:
Capital One
Attn: Payment Processing
PO Box 71083
Charlotte, NC 28272-1083 - Bank branch: Go to a Capital One branch during normal business hours.
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit Additional Features
Extended Warranty Protection
Capital One will extend the original manufacturer’s warranty up to one additional year for warranties of three years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder. Some items, such as medical equipment, real estate, motorized vehicles, computer software, leased items, and items for resale, aren’t covered.
Travel & Roadside Assistance
The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card offers travel-related emergency services, such as ticket replacement, referrals to legal or medical assistance, roadside jump-starting, tire changing, and towing. Note that a fee of $69.95 will be charged if you use Capital One’s roadside assistance, and the cardholder will only be responsible for services that aren’t covered.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Capital One provides an auto rental collision damage waiver in case of damage due to collision or theft for rentals of 31 consecutive days or less. The coverage is primary if the car rental is for business purposes. This means that you won’t need to use your personal insurance or accept the rental company’s insurance. Capital One may reimburse you up to the cash value of the car.
Payment Flexibility
Capital One lets you choose the date you want to pay your bill each month.
Pros & Cons of the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| No annual fee: The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card doesn’t charge an annual fee. | No 0% introductory APR: This small business credit card doesn’t offer a 0% introductory APR. This may be a disadvantage if you want to make a big purchase and pay it off interest-free. |
| $500 sign-up bonus: You can earn a cash bonus of $500 after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first three months after opening an account. | Requires excellent credit: You need to have excellent credit to qualify for this card. Business owners with lower-than-excellent credit scores should consider other business credit card options. |
| Protection against lost or stolen cards: Capital One offers protection by providing zero fraud liability to cardholders and their employees if cards are lost or stolen or there are unauthorized charges on the card. | May do a hard pull of your credit when at application: A hard credit inquiry will have a small negative impact on your credit score. While the inquiry will continue to appear on your credit report for two years, the reduction in your credit score will only last a few months. |
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit Alternatives
American Express Blue Business CashTM
The American Express Blue Business CashTM card offers 2% cash back, capped at $50,000 in annual spending, with a low minimum APR of 13.24%. Like the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card, this card doesn’t charge an annual fee and offers a $250 statement credit as a signup bonus after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months. We chose this card as our overall best cash back business card.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
Intro APR
0% on purchases
Regular APR
13.99% - 21.99% Variable
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- 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 American Express and other factors.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% - 21.99%, 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.
Intro APR
0% on purchases
Regular APR
13.99% - 21.99% Variable
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- 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 American Express and other factors.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% - 21.99%, 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.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited®
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® card offers 1.5% fixed cash back for every $1 spent on any business purchase. Like the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card, it doesn’t have any limits on the amount of cash back you can earn, and there are no spend categories to keep track of. It also doesn’t have an annual fee, and it has a welcome offer of $750 cash back after spending $7,500 within the first three months of account opening. This card is also one of our choices for the best business credit cards with no annual fee and is our pick for overall best small business credit card.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
BEST FOR:
Pocketing 1.5% cash back on every single purchase
Intro APR
0% Intro APR on Purchases
Regular APR
13.49% - 19.49% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
Pros
- 0% introductory APR on purchases
- Unlimited cash back rewards on all purchases
Cons
- Introductory APR period doesn’t apply to balance transfers
- 5% balance transfer fee
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- Requires excellent credit to qualify
- 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 US and abroad
- Purchase protection: Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account per year
- Extended warranty protection: Extends the time period of the US manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less
Intro APR
0% Intro APR on Purchases
Regular APR
13.49% - 19.49% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
Pros
- 0% introductory APR on purchases
- Unlimited cash back rewards on all purchases
Cons
- Introductory APR period doesn’t apply to balance transfers
- 5% balance transfer fee
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- Requires excellent credit to qualify
- 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 US and abroad
- Purchase protection: Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account per year
- Extended warranty protection: Extends the time period of the US manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less
PNC Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card offers a low starting APR of 10.99%. In addition, you’ll get 1.5% cash back on all qualified business purchases with no cap on how much you can earn. You can also redeem your rewards as a statement credit or as a direct deposit to either your PNC business checking or business savings account. We chose this card as one of the best small business credit cards for 2022 and one of the best business credit cards with no annual fee.
PNC Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card
BEST FOR:
PNC Bank account holders who want to earn cash back rewards
Intro APR
0% for 9 billing cycles
Regular APR
10.99% to 19.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good - Excellent
- Earn $250 cash bonus for spending $3,000 in the first three billing cycles
- 0% APR on purchases for the first nine billing cycles after opening an account
- Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- No annual fee
Pros
- No annual fee
- Sign-up bonus
- Low ongoing APR
Cons
- Short 0% APR period
- No 0% APR period on balance transfers
- Online application not available for nonaccount holders
- Cash Flow Insight®: This tool helps you monitor your spending categories so you can plan your budget.
- Business integrations: You can download your transactions into Excel®, Quicken® or QuickBooks®, or use .csv files.
- Visa Signature® Benefits: This card comes with Visa travel benefits and protection for purchases.
Intro APR
0% for 9 billing cycles
Regular APR
10.99% to 19.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Good - Excellent
- Earn $250 cash bonus for spending $3,000 in the first three billing cycles
- 0% APR on purchases for the first nine billing cycles after opening an account
- Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- No annual fee
Pros
- No annual fee
- Sign-up bonus
- Low ongoing APR
Cons
- Short 0% APR period
- No 0% APR period on balance transfers
- Online application not available for nonaccount holders
- Cash Flow Insight®: This tool helps you monitor your spending categories so you can plan your budget.
- Business integrations: You can download your transactions into Excel®, Quicken® or QuickBooks®, or use .csv files.
- Visa Signature® Benefits: This card comes with Visa travel benefits and protection for purchases.
Bottom Line
The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select Excellent Credit card is best for business owners who want fixed-rate cash back rewards with no annual fee. You must have an excellent credit score to qualify for this card. Check out our list of top credit cards to find others that may suit you better.
