Business credit cards can help startups access financing. But the right card for you will offer more than just spending power. It can support your new business with benefits that create financial flexibility or boost your bottom line, like a long 0% APR introductory period or cash back tied to travel or certain purchases.
Being a startup shouldn’t affect your business credit card options. Business credit card issuers typically don’t mind if you have no business history; they prioritize your personal credit history instead when you apply. If you have good credit, you should be able to choose from the best small-business credit cards even as a new business. But there are options for startups with no credit, as well, including secured business credit cards.
Some of our selections for the best business credit cards for startups 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.
Here are 7 options for you from our partners
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 offer | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | $250 | Apply now on American Express's website Rates & Fees |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus Apply now on Capital One's website | 4.4/5 Best for Flat-rate cash-back rewards | $150 | 2%-5% Cashback | $1,000 | Apply now on Capital One's website |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Bonus cash-back categories | $0 | 1%-5% Cashback | $750 | Apply now on Chase's website |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Travel rewards + big sign-up offer | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Brex Card Apply now on Brex's website | 3.3/5 Best for Corporate card for startups | $0 | 1x-7x Points | 40,000 Points | Apply now on Brex's website |
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card Apply now on American Express's website | 4.1/5 Best for Hotel credit card | $125 | 2x-6x Points | 75,000 Points | Apply now on American Express's website Rates & Fees |
The Plum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express's website | 2.1/5 Best for Flexible financing | $250 | 1.5% Cashback | $0 | Apply now on American Express's website Rates & Fees |
Our pick for
Intro APR offer
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
Flat-rate cash-back rewards
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
Bonus cash-back categories
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
Travel rewards + big sign-up offer
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x Points
Intro offer
100,000 Points
Recommended Credit Score
690-850good - excellent
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No intro APR offer
Our pick for
Corporate card for startups
Read Review
Apply now
on Brex's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
40,000 Points
Recommended Credit Score
300850poor - excellent
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Qualify with limited/bad credit
- Bonus categories
- No foreign transaction fees
- No personal guarantee
Cons
- Complicated rewards
- No Intro APR
- No revolving balances
Our pick for
Hotel credit card
Read Review
Apply now
on American Express's website
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
Read Review
Apply now
on American Express's website
Annual fee
$125
Rewards rate
2x-6x Points
Intro offer
75,000 Points
Recommended Credit Score
690-850good - excellent
Pros
- Anniversary perk
- High rewards rate
- Automatic elite status
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Rewards have limited flexibility
- Lower acceptance abroad
Our pick for
Flexible financing
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 SMALL-BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS FOR STARTUPS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: Intro APR offer
The
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
boasts one of the better introductory APR offers among business credit cards. Beyond that, you earn a solid cash-back rate (at least for a while — the rate drops after you hit a spending threshold). There's also no annual fee. Read our review.Our pick for: Flat-rate cash-back rewards
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: Bonus cash-back categories
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: Corporate card for startups
Unlike most cards designed for entrepreneurs, the
Brex Card
doesn't require the cardholder to personally guarantee the debt on the card. Instead, Brex determines creditworthiness by evaluating a company's cash balance, spending patterns and investors. It's a good option when a business owner has a thin credit file but is well capitalized. The card earns rewards, too. Read our review.Our pick for: Hotel credit card for business
The
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
can pay for itself just with the automatic free night's stay every year. Add in automatic elite status, generous rewards, a dandy welcome offer and more, and it's hard to go wrong. Terms apply. Read our review.Our pick for: Flexible financing
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: Fair credit
The rewards rate on the
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
isn't going to wow anyone; there's no sign-up bonus and the APR is high. What makes this card valuable is that it's available to business operators with fair credit (a FICO score between 630-689), who don't have a lot of options in business credit cards — and it has no annual fee. Read our review. Our pick for: Startups with no credit, bad credit
The
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured® Visa Card
is a good option for startups with no credit history. The secured card requires a security deposit (between $2,000 and $100,000 in multiples of $50) which dictates your credit limit. Your deposit earns interest at the rate of 0.05% APY, which is just below the national average for a savings account. Read our review.Can startups get business credit cards?
Startups with no established credit history can still get a business credit card because most issuers require a personal guarantee, which says if your business can’t repay the debt, you will. If you have good personal credit, you should have no issue opening a business credit card for your new business.
If you have no personal credit history or bad credit, you can still get a business credit card, though you will have fewer options and may need to start with a secured card.
Can you get a business credit card with an LLC?
Your new business’s structure won’t stop you from getting most small-business credit cards. Many cards are available to sole proprietors, LLCs and corporations alike, though incorporated businesses with several million in revenue should weigh the differences between corporate credit cards and small-business credit cards to find the best fit.
How do small businesses establish credit?
Most new businesses can benefit from a business credit card. A card used wisely can help your business establish good credit — a necessity for future small-business financing — and offer working capital for a startup. Even if your new business is just a side gig, a business credit card can keep your personal and business spending separate, which you’ll appreciate at tax time.
How to get a business credit card for a new business
- Know your credit score. To qualify for most business credit cards, you’ll need to have good to excellent personal credit (typically a FICO score of 690 or above). If your personal credit is thin or poor, business credit cards for bad credit are available. You can get a free credit score from many sources, including NerdWallet.
- Look at your spending to find the best card. For example, if you or your employees travel often, consider a card with hotel or flight rewards. New businesses without months of receipts can look at future costs, such as opening an office. A card with bonus cash back on office supplies could make sense in that case. If you’ll use your card like a startup business loan, a long 0% APR introductory offer may be the right choice.
- Check for fees. Every dollar counts for a startup, so you may prefer a business credit card that helps cover your expenses — instead of adding to them. Some cards charge annual fees, which may be hundreds of dollars. If the rewards outweigh that cost, paying a fee may be worth it. But there are also a number of business credit cards with no annual fee to choose from.
- Gather your application materials. To get a business credit card, you’ll need to provide basic information about yourself, such as your name and Social Security number, and your new business. A formal business structure isn’t required for most cards. But in some instances — for example, if you want a corporate card for startups — you’ll need to provide company details like an employer identification number.
- Use your card responsibly. Once you get your new business credit card, you can start spending. Many issuers offer free cards for employees, if you have any, and you’ll get any rewards tied to their purchases. If this is your first business credit card, work to build business credit by establishing good habits, such as keeping your spending low (20% to 30% of your credit limit) and making on-time payments.
Last updated on May 20, 2022
To recap our selections...
7 Best Business Credit Cards for Startups of June 2022
- American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Best for Intro APR offer
- Capital One Spark Cash Plus: Best for Flat-rate cash-back rewards
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Best for Bonus cash-back categories
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best for Travel rewards + big sign-up offer
- Brex Card: Best for Corporate card for startups
- Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card: Best for Hotel credit card
- The Plum Card® from American Express: Best for Flexible financing
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.