Emburse Spend Card Review for 2023
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.
Emburse Spend Card, a business prepaid card, is designed for business owners wanting to monitor real-time transactions through Emburse Spend and create unlimited virtual and physical employee cards at no cost. It lets you earn an unlimited 1% cash back and doesn’t charge local transaction fees. However, it can’t be used at ATMs.
How We Evaluate Business Prepaid Cards
When evaluating business prepaid cards such as the Emburse Spend Card, we first consider the features included in their expense management system. Additionally, we look at introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs), annual fees, and rewards.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Features (Expense Management System) | 50 | 60 |
Fees | 20 | 20 |
Rewards | 15 | 20 |
Total Score | 85 | 100 |
Who the Emburse Spend Card Is Best For
- Unlimited employee cards: Emburse Spend lets you create unlimited virtual and physical cards at no additional cost.
- Managing expenses easily: The card has an expense management system, which lets business owners approve or reject transactions made by their employees.
If this card doesn’t fit your needs, check out our guides to the best business prepaid cards and leading small business credit cards.
Emburse Spend Card Fees
Emburse Spend Card doesn’t charge fees for adding virtual and physical cards and for domestic transactions. Refer to the Emburse Card Program Agreement for information on international transaction fees.
Emburse Spend Card Rewards
It offers an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases.
How to Transfer Funds to the Emburse Spend Card
- Automatic clearing house (ACH): Go to the “Bank Account” tab in your Settings page to connect to your bank. Note that you can connect automatically to the following banks: Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, USAA, Charles Schwab, Capital One, TD Bank, Navy Federal, and SunTrust.
- Account and routing number: If your bank isn’t on the list above or you want to connect your bank manually, you can do so by selecting “Connect to any US bank manually” in your Settings page. Then, find your bank account and routing numbers at the bottom of a check in your checkbook or your online banking profile. Note that you need to use your electronic routing number, as some banks have different routing numbers for paper, wire, and electronic transfers.
Emburse Spend Card Features
Cards
Emburse Spend Cards are issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank (member FDIC). You can also choose to issue either an American Express (AMEX) or Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) card in Emburse Spend, making it easier to bring existing bank relationships and credit lines with them while still taking advantage of Emburse Spend’s automated reconciliation and spend controls.
However, you cannot use Emburse Spend Cards at ATMs. Also, only cards under the American Express Virtual Card Program can be requested. While virtual cards are available instantaneously, physical cards will arrive within five to seven business days after application.
Funds
Emburse Spend Card has a default $100,000 budget ceiling, but this can be increased with additional review.
Expense Management System
Emburse Spend, available on iOS and PC (Windows and Mac), lets users track real-time expenses, categorize vendors, and approve or reject transactions. It’s free for small businesses with fewer than 100 employees, but it also has a premium version—you can ask for more information by requesting a demo.
Using Emburse Spend can help business owners prevent policy violations, identify anomalies, and keep every expense compliant. In addition, they can set the limit on the virtual and plastic cards they issue, capture receipt and expense details in real-time for immediate reconciliation, and manage transactions with ERP and accounting integrations, which include NetSuite, Intacct, QuickBooks Online, and Xero.
Emburse has a portfolio of business apps. It includes Emburse Spend and Emburse Abacus, which you can learn more about by reading our Emburse Abacus review.
Pros & Cons of the Emburse Spend Card
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Issue an unlimited number of physical and plastic cards for free | Default $100,000 budget ceiling |
| Transfer funds from major US banks automatically | Incapable of making ATM withdrawals |
| Offers unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases | No sign-up bonus |
| Cannot be used to build business credit | |
Emburse Spend Card Alternatives
If you wish to compare one card over another, click Add to compare to view the details in a side-by-side comparison.
Bento for Business Visa® Debit Card
- Bento for Business Visa® Debit Card is our top business prepaid card
- Enables you to deposit via Bento Transfer, with a maximum of $10,000 per day
- Allows you to make a maximum card purchase of $25,000 per day, although the account owner can lower the limit on individual cards or set category spending restrictions
- Lets you withdraw $500 per day at an ATM, with the account owner only having access to it
- Charges depending on the number of cards needed to be issued
Citi Purchasing Card
- Citi® Purchasing Card is our leading purchasing card
- Doesn’t charge annual fees, and costs can be customized depending on your business needs
- Requires you to pay the balance in full every month
- Offers robust spend controls and streamlined purchasing and payment processes
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card
Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Those who cannot qualify for unsecured business credit cards
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
26.49%
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Poor
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Pros
- Doesn’t charge annual and foreign transaction fees
- Lets you earn unlimited rewards
- Can help you build your business credit score
Cons
- Minimum $1,000 security deposit is required
- Has no 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers
- No sign-up bonus
- Overdraft protection: An optional service available to cardholders who have a Bank of America® business checking account. If you opt-in, link your credit card to your checking account (done through Balance Connect®, their overdraft protection service).
- Free access to your business credit score: You can view and monitor your Dun & Bradstreet business credit score free via Business Advantage 360, Bank of America®’s Small Business Online Banking.
- Travel and emergency services: Offers travel benefits, including $100,000 in travel accident insurance. You’ll also have access to additional services, such as auto rental insurance, emergency ticket replacement, lost-luggage assistance, and legal and medical referrals when traveling.
- Cash flow management tools: Bank of America® offers a suite of online services to help you manage your business.
- Zero liability protection: Protects you against unauthorized transactions. You’ll have additional protection for certain purchases against loss, damage, theft, and fire, and you can enjoy extended warranty coverage.
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
26.49%
Annual Fee
None
Credit Needed
Poor
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Pros
- Doesn’t charge annual and foreign transaction fees
- Lets you earn unlimited rewards
- Can help you build your business credit score
Cons
- Minimum $1,000 security deposit is required
- Has no 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers
- No sign-up bonus
- Overdraft protection: An optional service available to cardholders who have a Bank of America® business checking account. If you opt-in, link your credit card to your checking account (done through Balance Connect®, their overdraft protection service).
- Free access to your business credit score: You can view and monitor your Dun & Bradstreet business credit score free via Business Advantage 360, Bank of America®’s Small Business Online Banking.
- Travel and emergency services: Offers travel benefits, including $100,000 in travel accident insurance. You’ll also have access to additional services, such as auto rental insurance, emergency ticket replacement, lost-luggage assistance, and legal and medical referrals when traveling.
- Cash flow management tools: Bank of America® offers a suite of online services to help you manage your business.
- Zero liability protection: Protects you against unauthorized transactions. You’ll have additional protection for certain purchases against loss, damage, theft, and fire, and you can enjoy extended warranty coverage.
- Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card is our best secured business credit card
- Has no annual fees
- Lets you earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Lacks an interest-free financing option on purchases and balance transfers
Bottom Line
Emburse Spend Card is a viable option if you want a business prepaid card that lets you track real-time transactions from your employee cards. It offers unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases and comes with unlimited virtual and physical cards. However, it lacks a sign-up bonus and cannot be used at ATMs.
