Here are 4 options for you
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Apply now on American Express's website | 5.0/5 Best for Intro APR and 2% cash back | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | $250 | Apply now on American Express's website Rates & Fees |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Up to 5% cash back plus signup bonus | $0 | 1%-5% Cashback | $750 | Apply now on Chase's website |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus Apply now on Capital One's website | 4.4/5 Best for 2% cash back and free employee cards | $150 | 2%-5% Cashback | $1,000 | Apply now on Capital One's website |
The Plum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express's website | 2.1/5 Best for Flexible financing for construction projects | $250 | 1.5% Cashback | $0 | Apply now on American Express's website Rates & Fees |
The best construction business credit cards offer a combo of flexibility and rewards. Who has time to navigate rotating bonus categories while managing multiple job sites? Straightforward rewards and flexible payment terms, like no interest for the first year, can help construction companies and contractors manage irregular cash flow.
Cash in on everyday purchases. Small-business credit cards rarely offer construction-specific perks, so look for a card that gives you cash back on a wide range of business expenses, including office supplies, wireless phone service and restaurants.
Some of our selections for the best construction business credit cards can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you'll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Our pick for
Intro APR and 2% cash back
Read Review
Apply now
on American Express's website
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Read Review
Apply now
on American Express's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
$250
Recommended Credit Score
690-850good - excellent
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Cash rewards
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
Our pick for
Up to 5% cash back plus signup bonus
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$750
Recommended Credit Score
690-850good - excellent
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
Our pick for
2% cash back and free employee cards
Read Review
Apply now
on Capital One's website
Annual fee
$150
Rewards rate
2%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$1,000
Recommended Credit Score
690-850good - excellent
Pros
- Earns cash back on primary and employee cards
- Rewards don’t expire
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Balance must be paid in full every month
- Has annual fee
Our pick for
Flexible financing for construction projects
Read Review
Apply now
on American Express's website
The Plum Card® from American Express
Read Review
Apply now
on American Express's website
Annual fee
$250
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
$0
Recommended Credit Score
690-850good - excellent
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- No reward caps
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No bonus offer
- Complicated rewards
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: Intro APR and 2% cash back
The
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
is an excellent option for business operators whose expenses don't fall into the bonus categories on other business credit cards. You get a high, flat rewards rate on every purchase, with no limit to how much you can earn. Just make sure that you can pay off your spending in full each month, as this is a charge card that doesn't let you revolve a balance. Read our review.Our pick for: Up to 5% cash back plus signup bonus
If your business's spending matches the bonus categories on the
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
, you can rack up some serious cash back. (If not, then look elsewhere.) There's an excellent sign-up bonus for a no-annual-fee cash-back card, plus an introductory APR period for purchases. Read our review. Our pick for: 2% cash back and free employee cards
The
Capital One Spark Cash for Business
is an excellent option for business operators whose expenses are all over the map and don't fall into the bonus categories on other business credit cards. You get a high, flat rewards rate on every purchase, with no limit to how much you can earn. There's a great sign-up bonus offer, too. Read our review.Our pick for: Flexible financing for construction projects
Businesses with high working capital needs but sometimes inconsistent cash flow might find
The Plum Card® from American Express
a perfect fit. Pay early and get a discount, or enjoy up to 60 days without interest. Terms apply. There's a substantial annual fee, but if you're using the card for, say, big inventory purchases, the benefits could far outweigh the costs. Read our review.Our pick for: 5% off at Lowe’s and 2% cash back on business expenses
The
Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express
is a great option for contractors who rely on the home improvement store for the bulk of their materials. The card offers an upfront discount on all eligible Lowe's purchases, as well as up to 2% cash back on other business expenses, such as office supplies and cell phone service.Alternative financing options for construction businesses
Flex your purchase power wisely. Don’t use a construction business credit card to finance large purchases, such as machinery, unless you’re in a position to pay the balance off quickly. The interest charges will hit your bottom line, and your credit score will be dinged for using up your available credit.
Instead, use your business credit card for everyday expenses and items you can pay off within the 0% APR period (if your card has one). And look to small-business loans to fund more substantial purchases.
- Business line of credit: Lines of credit are similar to business credit cards — you can draw from either as needed, up to a set credit limit. Business lines of credit may offer more funding than even the highest-limit business credit cards — up to $250,000 or more — and often at lower interest rates. But you won’t earn perks like cash back or have your interest waived for any period of time. Business owners can tap into a line of credit to smooth out the dips and dives in their regular cash flow.
- Equipment financing: You can use an equipment loan to purchase everything from office equipment to construction machinery to heavy-duty vehicles. Equipment loans typically carry an interest rate of 8% to 30%, making them a more affordable option for financing machinery purchases, especially if you have a FICO credit score of 630 or higher.
- Home Depot project loan: Construction contractors can use this short-term loan to finance materials purchases for a given project, provided those items are purchased from Home Depot. You can borrow up to $55,000 and take up to six months to buy everything you need. Interest rates vary by loan size and term, ranging from 7.42% APR to 19.96% APR as of this writing.
All information about the Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express is no longer available through NerdWallet.
Last updated on May 17, 2022
To recap our selections...
Best Credit Cards for Construction Businesses of May 2022
- American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Best for Intro APR and 2% cash back
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Best for Up to 5% cash back plus signup bonus
- Capital One Spark Cash Plus: Best for 2% cash back and free employee cards
- The Plum Card® from American Express: Best for Flexible financing for construction projects
Methodology
NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best credit cards for small business based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of small-business operators. Factors in our evaluation include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as special financing arrangements, free cards for employees or tools for managing business expenses.