Best Small-Business Credit Cards of 2023

A business credit card can offer all sorts of perks to your small business. It can help you build business credit, improve your cash flow, earn your rewards, and give your employees the ability to handle business expenses.

But which small-business credit card does all that the best? We compared more than 30 credit card options to find out. And after looking at factors like fees, interest rates, rewards, and more, we like Chase’s Ink Business Cash® Card the best (thanks to competitive fees and rewards). We’ll show you all 10 of our favorite startup business credit cards, plus a few alternative options. Of course, if you are nervous to even jump into this list because you know your credit is bad, check out this other article full of recommendations for bad-credit cards. 

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers the best business credit card for startups, new businesses, and many other business owners.

A big reason for that? The Ink Business Cash Credit Card has great rewards. This cash back card gives you up to 5% cash back―the highest of any business credit card on this list. Sure, that high percentage comes with some limitations. It applies only to the first $25,000 you spend on office supplies, internet, phone, or cable each year (with the year starting on your account anniversary date).

But even with those limitations, it’s hard to top that 5% rate. And you still get plenty of cash back on other purchases, too. You get 2% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend at gas stations or restaurants each year. All other purchases get you 1% cash back.

High rewards aside, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card still makes for a great card. With no annual fee, a competitive APR, free employee cards (that also earn rewards), and a nice signup bonus for new cardmembers, it would be a perfectly decent new business credit card even if you didn’t max out your 5% cash back reward.

That said, depending on your spending habits, another card on this list might end up rewarding you more (if you never spend at office supply stores and pay your internet bill by ACH transfer, for example).

But for many small businesses, Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers unbeatable rewards on top of an already solid credit card―making it our overall favorite small-business credit card.

If you’d prefer flat-rate rewards, you can opt for the Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card instead.

Like the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card has no annual fees, gives you free employee cards, and charges a competitive APR range.

The difference? Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card gives you 1.5% cash back on all your purchases. That can make it a better deal for businesses that don’t do much spending in the specific reward categories the Ink Business Cash Credit Card was designed for. 

For instance, if your startup doesn't spend much on business lunches or employee travel, the Ink Business Unlimited Card might actually be the best business credit card for your new business.

If you’re interested in a balance transfer―either to get a better APR or to consolidate your credit card debt―then we suggest U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card.

This card has competitive balance transfer fees. But more importantly, it offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 cycles that actually applies to balance transfers. (Most of the time, an intro APR applies only to new purchases.) So for 15 billing cycles (more than a year), you can get a 0% rate on your balance transfer and your purchases. That’s a steal of a deal. 

And don’t worry―balance transfer potential aside, the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card is still a great card choice. It offers up to 3% cash back, an excellent welcome bonus, and an annual cash back bonus―all with no annual fee.   

With perks like that and a great balance transfer interest rate, U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card can work great for businesses that need balance transfers―or businesses that just need a great small-business credit card.

If you want your 0% intro balance transfer APR to last even longer, you might prefer the U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card.

With the Platinum card, you get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 20 billing cycles―five months more than you get with the World Elite Mastercard.

And even after that period is up, the Platinum Card comes with a lower 14.99% to 23.99% variable APR. It doesn’t earn cash back rewards, though―or any rewards, for that matter―so many business owners will prefer the earning potential of the World Elite Mastercard.  

Ever found yourself needing even a slightly higher credit limit for your business expenses? Then the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card could be just what you need.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card comes with what American Express calls Expanded Buying Power, which really just means that you can spend past your actual credit limit. Expanded Buying Power comes with some limitations—any amount you spend beyond your credit limit has to be paid in full each month, for example―but few other cards give you such flexible cash flow.

Even if you don’t use the Expanded Buying Power often, you still get some good perks from the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, like a 0% intro APR for 12 months, up to 2% cash back, and occasional special offers with generous timelines. Plus, American Express offers instant approval in some cases. (Terms apply to all this.)

Put simply, if some credit limit flexibility would do wonders for your cash flow, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is an excellent business credit card for your LLC, startup, new business, or established company.

Prefer points to cash back? Pick The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

It works almost exactly like the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (with the same Expanded Buying Power), but the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card gives you 1 to 2x points on your spending (terms apply).

With the same APR ranges, instant approval, and free employee cards, either Blue Business card has plenty to offer―it just comes down to which kind of rewards you’d rather have.

You may have noticed that the cards above offer big rewards, but those rewards are limited to certain spending categories or amounts. If you want something simpler, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business has the best flat-rate rewards.

With Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business, you get precisely 1.5% cash back on all your purchases. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first dollar you’ve spent that year or the fifty-thousandth, if you’re buying from an office supply store or a gas station―you get the same, competitive rate on all your business purchases. 

Of course, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business isn’t the only flat-rate rewards card out there. But with no annual fee, free employee cards (with rewards), and a fairly low starting APR, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business stands out from other flat-rate small-business credit cards.

Bottom line, if you want plenty of rewards without optimizing your business spending, take a careful look at Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business.

Capital One offers several variations of its Spark small-business credit card that also offer great flat-rate rewards.

Spark Miles Select functions just like Spark Cash Select, except it earns travel rewards (1.5x miles per $1) instead of cash.

Spark Cash and Spark Miles actually earn a slightly higher flat rate (2% cash back or 2x miles, respectively). But they both have an annual fee and a higher APR range. For some spenders, they could still offer the better deal―but we suggest doing the math first.

Want a cheap small-business credit card? Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card fits the bill, thanks to its low purchase APR.

Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card has the lowest starting purchase APR of any card on this list. While most business credit cards start their APR ranges above 16%, the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card comes with a rate just under 15% (Prime + 7.99%). So while we don’t recommend carrying a balance on your small-business credit card, the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card offers the most affordable option for doing so.

It’s cheap in other ways too. You won’t pay an annual fee or employee card fee. Wells Fargo won’t even charge you foreign transaction fees, making this card a good choice for travelers. Plus,  you start off with an even lower introductory APR of 0% for 9 months (with an ongoing APR between Prime + 7.99% and Prime + 17.99%). Like we said―affordable.

So if you want to save money on a startup business credit card, the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card might have the low rates and limited fees you've been looking for.

Are you one of those small-business owners that makes frequent Costco runs? Then you should check out the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi.

As one of the best business credit cards for startups, the Costco Visa card earns you cash back, with up to a 4% rate on your first $7,000 in eligible gas purchases each year. Eligible restaurant and travel spending gets you a 3% rate, and Costco warehouse and Costo.com purchases get you 2%. So if you’re spending your money at Costco anyway, you might as well get that bonus cash back.

You do need a Costco membership ($60 a year) to get the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, though the credit card itself has no annual fee. As you can see, this one is really designed just for Costco members―so consider your shopping habits before applying.

For frequent Costco shoppers, though, including startup owners buying supplies upfront and in bulk before launching, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi offers a great way to get rewarded for the warehouse purchases you’re already making.

We’ve mentioned a couple cards that offer travel rewards, but the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has the best business travel rewards overall.

You’ll earn 1 to 2 miles on your purchases―with the 2 mile rate applying to every dollar on eligible Delta purchases, U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, U.S. shipping purchases, and spending at restaurants. (You get 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.) But this credit card goes way beyond miles. It offers other travel rewards, like a free checked bag, priority boarding, a flight voucher, in-flight purchase savings, and more. You know, everything you need for comfortable business travel. (Yes, terms apply.)

Your Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card won’t have an annual fee the first year, but you’ll have to pony up $99 a year after that. So as with other fee-charging cards, you may want to do some calculations before committing.

In the end, though, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers the best travel rewards for business.

You can earn even more miles―3 per $1―with the Platinum version of the Delta SkyMiles business card. This version also gets you TSA Pre-Check credit, a companion certificate, discounted Sky Club lounge access, and more. (You know the drill―terms apply.)

That said, you have to pay a $250 annual fee for the Delta SkyMiles®Platinum Business card, so the extra perks may not be worth the extra cost.

Like the flexibility of reward points? Chase’s Ink Business Preferred Credit Card has the best points rewards program for a business credit card.

Your Ink Business Preferred Credit Card lets you earn between 1 and 3 points per $1―3 points on the first $150,000 you spend on eligible purchases (shipping, advertising, internet, cable, phone, and travel), and then 1 point for all other purchases. And high point potential aside, Chase offers some of the more flexible points rewards out there. You can redeem points for cash, gift card, travel, and merchandise (through the Chase Ultimate Rewards store).

Chase’s Ink Business Preferred Credit Card does have an unwaivable annual fee, so very limited business spenders (including frugal new business owners) may not end up coming out ahead with this card. 

But if flexible rewards points sound right for your business, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card offers an easy way to get them.

Pay for lots of business expenses with your credit card? Do plenty of regular spending? Then your business could do well with the American Express Business Gold Card.

The Business Gold Card earns more points than any other points-based card on this list―up to 4x points for each dollar you spend. You’ll get that impressive rate on the first $150,000 you spend in two eligible categories. Your categories (like airfare, computer hardware, gas stations, restaurants, or shipping) will be whatever you spend the most on. For all other purchases, you get 1x points.

Those impressive rewards come at a cost, though. American Express charges a $295 annual fee. That’s why we recommend this card specifically to businesses that do a lot of spending―because they’re the ones that will come out ahead. 

If that describes your business, then go ahead and enjoy all the points you can earn with the American Express Business Gold Card. Thanks to the high annual fee, though, American Express isn't one of the best business credit cards for startups.

For even more rewards points, you can upgrade to the Platinum card. It earns up to 5x points and gets you some other travel and technology perks.

But watch out for the annual fee―this one comes with a whopping $695 charge. Again, if you're just starting your first business, you'll probably want to steer clear of American Express. You'll save money by choosing a startup business credit card that doesn't charge an annual fee.

The right credit card company for your business depends on your specific desires and needs, but we’ve found that the Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers the best card for most businesses (thanks to big rewards and few fees).

But you’ve got plenty of other great card options. For affordable balance transfers, the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card offers a great deal. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers convenient, flexible credit limits, while the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business simplifies things with flat-rate rewards. And if you just need an affordable card, the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card offers unbeatable APR.

Whatever card you pick, we hope you enjoy your new spending power―and the rewards and perks that come with it.

Credit cards are great, but they may not be the best kind of revolving credit for your business. Learn more about your options in our guide to business lines of credit vs. credit cards.

We’ve found great credit card picks for all sorts of businesses and needs, but you’ll have to figure out which one works best for your specific business.

Think about your typical credit card use, for example. Are you a big spender? Then a card with higher rewards will probably offer the most benefit―even if it comes with a higher annual fee. But if you only use your credit card for occasional business expenses, you’ll want to prioritize lower fees―even if that means lower rewards.

Likewise, consider your payment habits. If you repay your credit card in full every month, then you probably don’t need to worry too much about the APR (annual percentage rate). But if you use your credit card to tide your business over while waiting for more cash flow to come in, you may end up saving a lot of money by choosing a card with a lower APR.  

You may also want to think about other factors, like reward type (miles vs. cash vs. points), credit limit, employee card availability, welcome bonuses, credit score requirements―even foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to how you use your business credit card and what you want to get from it.

As a small-business owner, you can get quite a few benefits from getting a business credit card for your LLC. A business card gives you a convenient way to pay for business expenses, can help you tide over cash flow gaps, lets you build business credit, and can even earn you great rewards (like cash back or travel miles).

That doesn’t mean that everyone needs a business credit card for their LLC or startup, though. If your LLC has budget problems, for example, a credit card with a higher interest rate can easily bury you in debt. 

For most LLC small-business owners, though, we think the benefits of getting a business credit card outweigh the potential problems.

To find the best small-business credit cards, we researched more than 30 personal and business credit cards from more than 10 different credit card issuers. We weighed several different factors, like annual fees, other fees (including cash advance fees and foreign transaction fees), promotional and ongoing APR, reward offerings and rates, and welcome bonus offers. By comparing these factors, we scored and ranked the best business credit cards.

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

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