Small business credit cards for fair credit are best for owners with personal credit scores below 670. Few issuers offer business credit cards for fair credit, but the best cards offer competitive APRs, low or no annual fees, and rewards programs. We recommend using these cards until you qualify for a traditional business credit card.
The best small business credit cards for fair credit of 2020 are:
- Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business: (Best Overall) Best for building credit with an unsecured business card
- Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card: Best for firms that can’t qualify for an unsecured credit card
- BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards: Best for businesses in the Sunbelt region wanting an unsecured card
- Bento for Business Prepaid Card: Best for Issuing employee cards without a credit check
- Capital One® QuicksilverOne®: Best for an alternative personal credit card option for fair credit
For more details on how we evaluate business credit cards for this list, see our methodology.
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business: Overall Best Business Credit Card for Fair Credit
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
Best For: Fair credit business owners (580 to 669)
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 24.49% (Variable) | $0 | Average, Fair, Limited |
Choose Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business if you want to build your business credit and personal credit and also earn rewards. It charges no monthly or annual fees—a claim not all of the cards on this list can make. This easy approval business card’s ongoing variable is about average for a business credit card for fair credit.
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business Costs
Introductory APR | None |
Ongoing APR | 24.49% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate |
Penalty APR | 30.90% variable, which may be applied if you make a late payment twice within any 12 billing periods |
Annual Fee | None |
Balance Transfer Fee | None |
Compare these costs with Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card.
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business Rewards
You’ll earn 1% cash back on all purchases.
Welcome offer: None
Compare these rewards to BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards.
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business Additional Features
- Purchase protection: Capital One will replace, repair, or reimburse you for eligible items in the event of theft or damage within the first 90 days of purchase.
- Extended warranty protection: You’ll get additional warranty protection on eligible items that are purchased with your business card, up to one year past the manufacturer’s warranty.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You’re covered for damage due to collision or theft when you rent an eligible car with your Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business card.
Learn more: Capital One business card review
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card: Best Secured Credit Card for Fair Credit
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card
Best For: Business owners with poor credit
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Prime + 11.90% on purchases | $25 per card | N/A |
If you can’t get an unsecured card or you want a credit limit of up to $25,000, the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card may fit your wallet like a glove. It offers no introductory rewards, however, it allows you to choose between cash back or points rewards. Your credit limit will be equal to a cash deposit held in a collateral account.
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card Costs
Introductory APR | None |
Ongoing APR | 16.65% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate |
Penalty APR | None |
Annual Fee | $25 per card (10-card maximum) |
Balance Transfer Fee | Transfers not allowed |
Credit Line | Deposit $500 to $25,000 in a collateral account, which equals the amount of your credit line |
This is the only secured card on our list, which means you’ll need access to capital to fund your account. Compare these fees with BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards.
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card Rewards
- Cash back option: Earn 1.5% cash back on every $1 spent
- Points option: Earn 1 point on every $1 spent and receive 1,000 bonus points when your company spend is $1,000 or more in any monthly billing period
Welcome offer: None
This Wells Fargo card is the only option on our list that lets you decide whether to receive cash back or points rewards. Compare these rewards with Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business.
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card Additional Features
The Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card comes with just one major benefit: purchase protection. Wells Fargo will replace, repair, or reimburse you for eligible items in the event of theft or damage within the first 90 days of purchase.
Learn more: Wells Fargo business card review
BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards: Best for Fair Credit in the Sunbelt Region
BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards Credit Card
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 10.74% to 24.74% Variable | $0 | Average - Excellent |
You should only consider BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards if you live in the Sunbelt, as this card is only available in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas. This is the only card on our list that offers interest-free financing.
BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards Costs
Introductory APR | 0% APR for nine months on purchases; 0% or 3.99% APR on balance transfers requested within 90 days of account open date for one year |
Ongoing APR | 10.74% to 24.74% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate |
Penalty APR | 28.74%, which may be applied if you pay late |
Annual Fee | None |
Balance Transfer Fee | $10 or 4%, whichever is higher |
BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards Card Rewards
- 3x points for every $1 you spend on office supply store purchases.
- 2x points at gas stations and restaurants.
- 1x points for all other purchases.
This card offers potentially the most lucrative rewards among any card on our list, particularly if your business has a large budget for office supply purchases. Compare these rewards with Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card.
BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards Additional Features
- Purchase protection: BBVA Compass will replace, repair, or reimburse you for eligible items in the event of theft or damage within the first 90 days of purchase.
- Travel accident insurance: You’ll receive coverage up to $500,000 for travel accidents when transportation is purchased with your business credit card.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You’re covered for damage due to collision or theft when you rent an eligible car with your BBVA Compass Visa® Business Rewards card.
- Savings through Visa: Enroll your card with Visa® SavingsEdge and shop at participating merchants to save up to 15%, including gas stations and restaurants.
Note: This card is only available in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas.
Bento for Business: Best Prepaid Credit Card for Fair Credit
Bento For Business Visa® Debit Card
Best For: Managing employee expenses without a credit check to qualify
| Number Of Cards | Monthly Cost | Daily Load Limit | Daily Spend Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | $0 for the first 2 cards. $29-149 monthly for more | None | $25,000 |
Bento for Business is best for businesses seeking a prepaid credit card option that requires fewer qualifications than traditional small business credit cards. Bento is a good choice if you only need a few cards as the issuer offers the first two for free. If you need more than two cards, you’ll pay a monthly fee of $29 or more. No other card on our list charges a monthly fee.
Bento for Business isn’t an unsecured credit card, and so you can only spend up to the amount you have loaded on the card. The card also doesn’t report activity to the credit bureaus, so it won’t help you improve your credit score.
Bento for Business Costs
First Two Business Prepaid Cards | Free |
Three to 10 Cards | $29 per month |
11 to 25 Cards | $69 per month |
Unlimited Cards | $149 per month |
Unlike other prepaid cards, Bento does not charge transaction, new card issuance, setup, or load fees. As a prepaid card, there also is no APR and no annual fee.
Bento for Business Rewards
Like most prepaid business cards, Bento for Business offers no rewards. Every other card on our list offers the opportunity to earn rewards on card spending. If you want to earn rewards, consider Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business.
Bento for Business Additional Features
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Receive primary rental coverage when you rent a car for business. You may be reimbursed for up to the actual cash value of the vehicle in case of collision or theft.
- Purchase protection: When you use your Bento for Business prepaid debit card and your purchase is stolen or damaged within the first 90 days, you’re covered up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. The item will either be repaired or replaced, or you will be reimbursed.
Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Rewards: Best Personal Credit Card for Fair Credit
QuicksilverOne® from Capital One®
Best For: Rebuild personal credit while earning fixed-rate rewards
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 26.99% Variable | $39 |
The Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards personal credit card is best for owners who don’t like the available options for the best business credit cards for average credit. It offers a solid fixed-rate return on all purchases. The annual fee is $39, which is higher than other options on our list.
Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Rewards Costs
Introductory APR | None |
Ongoing APR | 26.99% variable, which will adjust with the prime rate |
Penalty APR | None |
Balance Transfer Fee | None |
Annual Fee | $39 |
Compare these fees with the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card.
Rewards on Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Rewards
You’ll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
Welcome offer: None
Compare these rewards to Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business.
Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Rewards Additional Features
- Extended warranty protection: You’ll get additional warranty protection on eligible items that are purchased with your business card, up to one year past the manufacturer’s warranty.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You’re covered for damage due to collision or theft when you rent an eligible car with your Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards credit card.
- Travel accident Insurance: Get travel insurance up to $100,000 for Visa Platinum, or up to $250,000 for Visa Signature, when you make your travel purchase with your Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards card.
What Is a Small Business Credit Card for Fair Credit?
Small business credit cards for fair credit are designed for business owners with personal credit scores between 580 and 669. To qualify for most other small business credit cards, you’ll need a score of 670 (good credit score) to 850 (highest possible credit score). If your personal credit score is below 580, consider a secured business credit card or other low credit score credit cards. Secured cards have credit limits equal to a cash deposit held in a collateral account.
Small business credit cards for fair credit may charge higher fees than other small business credit cards, including APRs of 30% or higher. They also offer lower rewards and fewer benefits like extended warranty protection. But they provide owners a way to build credit with an unsecured business credit card.
How We Evaluated Small Business Credit Cards for Fair Credit
We looked at more than a dozen personal and small business credit cards for fair credit. Most aren’t worth recommending because they charge excessive fees—including annual fees and charges to open a credit account. We looked for cards that offer owners a relatively inexpensive way to improve their credit and eventually graduate to a better small business credit card. See the methodology in detail.
In our evaluation of business credit cards for fair credit, we considered the following criteria:
- Fees: Monthly and annual charges assessed on a small business credit card.
- APR: The interest rate charged if you don’t pay off your bill in full each month.
- Rewards: Points or cash back you’ll earn when you use your business credit card. Fair credit business cards should offer at least 1% back, or slightly lower than the best cash-back business cards.
- Additional features: Benefits offered to cardholders like extended warranties and free auto insurance on car rentals.
Most business credit cards review your personal credit report and score for card eligibility. You’ll need a personal credit score of at least 580 to qualify for business credit cards for fair credit. These cards are ideal for owners looking to rebuild their personal credit and improve their business credit profile. Once your credit score has increased to 640 and higher, you’ll be able to get a better business credit card.
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Bottom Line
Know your credit score before applying for a credit card. If your score is less than 670, you may be a good candidate for a small business credit card for fair credit. Rewards will be less lucrative on this type of card, and your fees will likely be higher. But this doesn’t have to be your go-to card forever. Use the card responsibly to improve your credit and gain access to better business cards.
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