Best Business Credit Cards with No Annual Fee of 2023

Tired of paying an annual fee to use your business credit card? We don’t blame you. Luckily, you don’t have to―plenty of business credit cards don’t charge an annual fee but still give you perks like rewards, welcome bonuses, introductory APR, and more.

We looked at more than three dozen personal and business credit cards to find the top business card options that don’t come with an annual fee―ever. And after comparing things like other fees, interest rates, and rewards, we’ve narrowed it down to the 9 best business credit cards with no annual fee. Chase’s Ink Business Cash Credit Card is the best, but we’ve got eight other great picks too.

Let’s find your new, more affordable small-business credit card.

None of the card options on this list come with an annual fee―for the first year or any year after. That doesn’t mean, though, that these cards don’t come with other costs you need to know about.

First and foremost, you’ve got interest. If you don’t repay your card balance in full each month, you’ll owe interest on the balance you carry over. And unlike other kinds of business financing (like loans and lines of credit) that have starting rates under 10%, credit cards usually have an APR (annual percentage rate) starting in the teens or even twenties.

In other words, interest can make your credit card get real expensive real quick.

But it’s not just interest you need to think about. Your business credit card may come with quite a few other fees, like these:

• Balance transfer fees (when you move the outstanding balance you owe on another credit card to your new credit card)
• Foreign transaction fees (when you make international purchases)
• Employee card fees (if you want your employees to have a copy of your business credit card)
• Cash advance fees (if you want to borrow cash against your credit limit)
• Late payment fees (when you forget to make a monthly payment on time)

Not all these fees apply to every card, and you can avoid pretty much all of them depending on how you use your credit card.

Still, it’s important to know and understand the costs that come with your business credit card―even if an annual fee isn’t one of them.

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card from Chase is our favorite business credit card for people who don’t want to pay an annual fee. In fact, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card is so good that it tops our list of the best business credit cards. That’s largely thanks to its excellent rewards program. The Ink Business Cash Credit Card earns (you guessed it) cash rewards―and it does so at excellent rates. You can get up to 5% cash back, which is by the far the highest rate we’ve seen on a credit card without an annual fee.

Now, to be clear, you won’t get 5% cash back on all your purchases. That rate applies to your first $25,000 you spend on internet, phone, cable, and office supplies in a year. But you still earn a very good 2% rate on your first $25,000 in gas station and restaurant spending. For everything else, you get a 1% flat rate.

So the Ink Business Cash Credit Card has lots of earning potential (especially when you consider the $900 welcome bonus when you spend $6,000 in your first three months). But beyond rewards, this card also has competitive fees (like $0 employee cards), fair interest rates, and good deals for new cardmembers (like a 12-month 0% introductory APR, with a 16.99% to 22.99% variable APR after).

With all that said, you may not want the Ink Business Cash Credit Card if you’d rather earn rewards points or miles than cash. Likewise, if you don’t plan to put your internet or phone bills on your credit card, the Ink Business Cash may not earn you as much as some other cards.

For most business owners, though, Chase’s Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers unbeatable cash back, low fees, and competitive rates―making it our top business credit card with no annual fee.

Need to start using your new business credit card ASAP? The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card makes that possible with its instant approval process.

When you apply for an American Express credit card, like the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, you have a shot at getting approved in just 30 seconds. Even better, if you do get instantly approved, American Express will issue you a virtual card number so you can begin using your new card right away―even though you won’t have your physical card in hand. (It’s the only business card issuer we’ve seen that does this.)

Of course, instant approval isn’t guaranteed (but your odds go up with a high credit score). Fortunately, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has plenty aside from instant approval and use, like flexible credit limits (as long as you pay any amount spent over your credit limit in full each cycle), cash rewards, and competitive fees. (Just note that terms apply.)

Again, though, instant approval is where the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card really shines. So if you have a purchase that can’t wait, give the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card a go.

For business owners that want to earn rewards points instead of cash (maybe because you want to get gift cards or statement credit), American Express also offers the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card.

Like its cash-earning cousin, the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card offers instant approval and usage (and no annual fee). The only real difference is the rewards. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card earns, well, cash, while the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card earns points. (Terms apply.)

Either way, you’re getting an excellent business rewards credit card.

If you want to earn plenty of rewards without worrying about your purchase habits, the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card from Chase offers the best flat-rate rewards.

Unlike many cards on this list that give you a certain cash rate for gas and another rate for everyday business expenses, the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card gives you the same cash back rate on your qualifying purchases. You get a flat 1.5% on every purchase you make with your Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card. So while you may not earn the most cash possible, you can spend less time worrying about rewards and more time on your business.

Plus, the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card has a generous welcome bonus that lets you earn an additional $900 in cash rewards. And like other Ink Business cards from Chase Bank, the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card gets you other nice perks like free employee cards, a year long introductory APR of 0% (followed by a 16.99% to 22.99% variable APR), and no annual fee.

So for simple but competitive cash rewards, we recommend the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card from Chase.

Plan on making purchases in other countries? Get Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business to keep things affordable.

Capital One doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees on purchases made with the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business card. Many other card issuers charge a 2% or 3% fee on all foreign transactions, which can add up quickly if you do much international spending. And while Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business isn’t the only business credit card with no foreign transaction fee out there, it is our favorite.

That’s because, aside from the lack of annual fee or foreign transaction fee, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business also earns flat cash rewards. And it doesn’t charge other common card fees either, like balance transfer fees or employee card fees. So it’s affordable for everyday use―not just international spending.

If you anticipate foreign spending, though, the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business card can save you plenty of cash with its fee-free foreign transactions.

If you’d rather earn travel rewards for your business spending, you’ve got the option of the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business.

As with the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business card, the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business card doesn’t have an annual fee, foreign transaction fees, balance transfer fees, or employee card fees. But rather than earn cash rewards, the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business card earns miles that you can use on flights, hotels, and other travel expenses.

So if your business conducts frequent travel, Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business may make more sense for you.

Haven’t seen the perfect credit card just yet? We’ve got one more business credit card with no annual fee for you to consider.

Do lots of your business expenses come from Costco? Then the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi can earn you excellent cash rewards.

This small-business credit card was designed for Costco members, so you earn better rates for spending at Costco warehouses and the Costco website. While all purchases earn at least 1% cash back, Costco purchases earn double at 2%. As an added bonus, you can earn 3% on eligible restaurant and travel spending, plus 4% on the first $7,000 you spend on eligible gas purchases each year.

Note, however, that you do need a Costco membership to get this card. So while the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card doesn’t charge its own annual fee, you will have to pay an annual Costco fee (about $60) to use it. That’s why we recommend this one just for current Costco members.

If you already have and use your Costco membership, though, you’ll love the extra cash you earn with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi.

If you want a business credit card with no annual fee, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card from Chase is your best bet. It’s got high cash rewards and competitive rates.

We found several other great cards with no annual fee, though. If you plan on a balance transfer, you’ll like the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card. If you need to get approved and start using your card right away, check out the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card. For flat-rate rewards, we recommend the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card from Chase. And for businesses that do much international spending, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business offers free foreign transactions.

Whether you go with one of our top picks or our honorable mentions, we hope you enjoy your affordable, no annual fee credit card.

Found a business credit card you want? Learn how to apply for a business credit card.

We looked at more than 40 credit cards to find business cards that don’t charge an annual fee (the first year or afterward). We then scored these cards on factors including APR ranges, other card fees, reward availability and rates, and more. We used the resulting scores to come up with our card rankings and reviews.

A secured business credit card will be the easiest to get approved for. You can qualify for a secured card with poor credit history (or no credit history), as long as you have cash you can offer up as collateral.

The best rewards credit card for your business depends on what kind of rewards you prefer.

For cash back, we like Chase’s Ink Business Cash Credit Card. If you prefer points, we recommend the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. And for miles, Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business is our top pick.

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.

Business.org has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Business.org and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.