Best Credit Cards for Freelancers and Self-Employed of January 2026

Freelancers and gig workers can get business credit cards like any other company. Approval is based on your personal credit, not annual revenue or time in business.

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Credit card Best for NerdWallet rating Annual fee Rewards rate Intro offer Learn more
Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

NerdWallet mini logo

2026 BEST CREDIT CARD SMALL BUSINESS

5.0 /5
$0

1.5%-5%

Cashback

$750

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • High rewards rate
  • Intro APR period
  • No reward caps
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • No bonus categories
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Business travel card for freelancers

4.7 /5
$95

1x-5x

Points

100,000

Points

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • Transfer partners

Cons

  • Does not include lounge access or travel credits
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

Cash back bonus categories + intro APR period

4.5 /5
$0

1%-5%

Cashback

$500

on U.S. Bank's website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • High cash-back bonus rate
  • No cap on bonus rewards
  • Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
  • Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • Low rate outside bonus categories
  • Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Intro APR period for purchases

4.6 /5
$0

1.5%

Cashback

$300

on Bank of America's website

Pros

  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • High rewards rate
  • Bonus rewards for qualifying Preferred Rewards for Business members

Cons

  • Requires excellent credit
  • Multiple accounts, high combined balance required to get Preferred Rewards bonus
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Business travel card with no annual fee

4.2 /5
$0

1.5x

Points

30,000

Points

on Bank of America's website

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Intro APR offer
  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • No reward caps
  • Bonus rewards for qualifying Preferred Rewards for Business members

Cons

  • Requires excellent credit
  • Multiple accounts, high combined balance required to get Preferred Rewards bonus
  • Does not include lounge access or travel credits
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Overall business card for freelancers

4.5 /5
$0

1%-2%

Cashback

$250

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • High cash-back bonus rate
  • Intro APR period
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • Spending caps on bonus rewards
  • Low rate after you hit bonus cap
Credit card
Credit card
Best for
Best for
NerdWallet rating
NerdWallet rating
Annual fee
Annual fee
Rewards rate
Rewards rate
Intro offer
Intro offer
Learn more
Learn more
Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

NerdWallet mini logo

2026 BEST CREDIT CARD SMALL BUSINESS

5.0 /5
$0

1.5%-5%

Cashback

$750

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Business travel card for freelancers

4.7 /5
$95

1x-5x

Points

100,000

Points

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

Cash back bonus categories + intro APR period

4.5 /5
$0

1%-5%

Cashback

$500

on U.S. Bank's website

Rates & Fees

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Intro APR period for purchases

4.6 /5
$0

1.5%

Cashback

$300

on Bank of America's website

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Business travel card with no annual fee

4.2 /5
$0

1.5x

Points

30,000

Points

on Bank of America's website

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Overall business card for freelancers

4.5 /5
$0

1%-2%

Cashback

$250

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST CREDIT CARD SMALL BUSINESS

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Best for Lucrative welcome offer

Close
Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5%-5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$750

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • High rewards rate
  • Intro APR period
  • No reward caps
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • No bonus categories

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Best for Business travel card for freelancers

Close
Annual fee
$95

Rewards rate
1x-5x

Points

Intro offer
100,000

Points

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • Transfer partners

Cons

  • Does not include lounge access or travel credits

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

Best for Cash back bonus categories + intro APR period

Close
Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1%-5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$500

on U.S. Bank's website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • High cash-back bonus rate
  • No cap on bonus rewards
  • Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
  • Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • Low rate outside bonus categories
  • Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Best for Intro APR period for purchases

Close
Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$300

on Bank of America's website

Pros

  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • High rewards rate
  • Bonus rewards for qualifying Preferred Rewards for Business members

Cons

  • Requires excellent credit
  • Multiple accounts, high combined balance required to get Preferred Rewards bonus

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Best for Business travel card with no annual fee

Close
Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5x

Points

Intro offer
30,000

Points

on Bank of America's website

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Intro APR offer
  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • No reward caps
  • Bonus rewards for qualifying Preferred Rewards for Business members

Cons

  • Requires excellent credit
  • Multiple accounts, high combined balance required to get Preferred Rewards bonus
  • Does not include lounge access or travel credits

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Best for Overall business card for freelancers

Close
Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1%-2%

Cashback

Intro offer
$250

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

Pros

  • High cash-back bonus rate
  • Intro APR period
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • Spending caps on bonus rewards
  • Low rate after you hit bonus cap
Sort by:
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST CREDIT CARD SMALL BUSINESS

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Best for Lucrative welcome offer

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5%-5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$750

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST CREDIT CARD SMALL BUSINESS

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Best for Lucrative welcome offer

Best for Lucrative welcome offer

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5%-5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$750

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Best for Business travel card for freelancers

Annual fee
$95

Rewards rate
1x-5x

Points

Intro offer
100,000

Points

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Best for Business travel card for freelancers

Best for Business travel card for freelancers

Annual fee
$95

Rewards rate
1x-5x

Points

Intro offer
100,000

Points

on Chase's website

Rates & Fees

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

Best for Cash back bonus categories + intro APR period

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1%-5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$500

on U.S. Bank's website

Rates & Fees

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

Best for Cash back bonus categories + intro APR period

Best for Cash back bonus categories + intro APR period

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1%-5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$500

on U.S. Bank's website

Rates & Fees

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Best for Intro APR period for purchases

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$300

on Bank of America's website

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Best for Intro APR period for purchases

Best for Intro APR period for purchases

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5%

Cashback

Intro offer
$300

on Bank of America's website

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Best for Business travel card with no annual fee

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5x

Points

Intro offer
30,000

Points

on Bank of America's website

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Best for Business travel card with no annual fee

Best for Business travel card with no annual fee

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1.5x

Points

Intro offer
30,000

Points

on Bank of America's website

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Best for Overall business card for freelancers

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1%-2%

Cashback

Intro offer
$250

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Best for Overall business card for freelancers

Best for Overall business card for freelancers

Annual fee
$0

Rewards rate
1%-2%

Cashback

Intro offer
$250

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

Logo iconJump to

Can freelancers get business credit cards?

If you drive a rideshare part time, regularly resell on eBay or do any other kind of freelance work, you may qualify for a business credit card. You don’t need to have a storefront, employees or an LLC. In fact, your business doesn’t even need to make a profit, and you can say so on the application. If you don’t have a separate tax ID for your business — many self-employed sole proprietors don’t — you can use your Social Security number to apply.
Approval for a small-business credit card is typically based on your personal credit history. Credit scores of 690 or above are generally eligible, although issuers have their own approval criteria, which can vary by type of card.

Should freelancers get a personal or business credit card?

A separate credit card for business spending can help freelancers with expense tracking, running financial reports and gathering tax-return information. There's no rule that this has to be a business credit card, but they do have some distinct advantages over personal cards in these regards, including:
  • Larger sign-up bonuses — though you'll also have to spend more to get them.
  • Free employee cards, if more than one person will purchase items on behalf of your business.
  • Reward categories tailored to self-employed business owners, such as extra cash back on things like office supplies and telecommunications services.
  • Higher spending limits.
  • Establishing and building your business credit score.
Whatever card you choose, make sure it fits your needs and spending patterns as a freelancer.
To view rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, see this page.
Last updated on January 6, 2026

Methodology

NerdWallet's writers and editors monitor more than 70 business credit cards to select the best options without outside input from partners or other business interests. We evaluate business cards based on value and simplicity, weighing fees, sign-up bonuses and reward rates, alongside perks like interest-free periods, statement credits and elite status (for travel cards).
We consider more than 20 data points for each card we score, including detailed information about rewards, credits and fees. We gather this information from rates and fees documents, deposit account agreements, financial institution websites and company representatives.
Our editorial team regularly reviews and updates our data to ensure consistency and accuracy. We also update our scoring on an ongoing basis to reflect changing industry norms and business owner needs. For instance, in 2026, we added a small deduction for cards that don’t allow users to issue virtual cards and removed the small increase for cards with no preset spending limit.
Final star ratings range from one to five stars. A five-star score represents the best available product for the largest number of business owners. Learn how NerdWallet rates small-business credit cards.