Best Capital One Business Credit Cards of December 2021
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Capital One business credit cards are known for their generous rewards and simplicity. The issuer’s Spark-branded business cards all have flat-rate, no-limit reward programs, meaning you can spend without worrying about things like bonus categories or reward caps.
The best Capital One business credit card depends on whether you want a travel or cash back business credit card. But the Capital One Spark Cash Plus is hard to beat overall. If your personal credit is fair (a FICO score below 690), the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business is a rare unsecured business credit card you might qualify for.
Some of our selections for the best Capital One business credit cards can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you'll find application links for the business credit cards from Capital One that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Capital One business credit cards are known for their generous rewards and simplicity. The issuer’s Spark-branded business cards all have flat-rate, no-limit reward programs, meaning you can spend without worrying about things like bonus categories or reward caps.
The best Capital One business credit card depends on whether you want a travel or cash back business credit card. But the Capital One Spark Cash Plus is hard to beat overall. If your personal credit is fair (a FICO score below 690), the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business is a rare unsecured business credit card you might qualify for.
Some of our selections for the best Capital One business credit cards can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you'll find application links for the business credit cards from Capital One that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Best Capital One Business Credit Cards From Our Partners
Our pick for
Cash-back rewards
on Capital One's website
on Capital One's website
Annual fee
$150
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
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
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
Earn up to a $1,000 cash bonus; $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of account opening
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
Earn an annual $200 cash bonus every year you spend $200,000 or more
Comes with no preset spending limit, so it can adapt to your needs based on your spending behavior, payment history and credit profile
Rewards won't expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount
Add employee cards for free, and earn unlimited 2% cash back from their purchases
$150 annual fee
Spark Cash Plus has no APR because your balance is due in full every month
Our pick for
No annual fee + welcome bonus
on Capital One's website
on Capital One's website
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
13.24%-19.24% Variable APR
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
No annual fee
High rewards rate
No reward caps
No foreign transaction fees
Cons
Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
No annual fee
High rewards rate
No reward caps
No foreign transaction fees
Cons
Requires good/excellent credit
Earn a $500 bonus when you spend $4,500 in the first 3 months of account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere — with no limits or category restrictions
No annual fee
Rewards won't expire for the life of the account
Redeem your cash back rewards for any amount
Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
$0 fraud liability if your card is lost or stolen
No foreign transaction fees
Our pick for
No annual fee + intro APR
on Capital One's website
on Capital One's website
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
Regular APR
15.99%-23.99% Variable APR
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
High rewards rate
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
Intro APR period
Cons
No bonus offer
Pros
High rewards rate
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
Intro APR period
Cons
No bonus offer
0% Intro APR for the first 12 months
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere — with no limits or category restrictions
No annual fee
Rewards won't expire for the life of the account
Redeem your cash back rewards for any amount
Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
$0 fraud liability if your card is lost or stolen
No foreign transaction fees
Our pick for
Travel rewards
on Capital One's website
on Capital One's website
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
20.99% Variable APR
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
High rewards rate
No minimum redemption amount
Cons
High annual fee
No Intro APR period
High APR
Pros
High rewards rate
No minimum redemption amount
Cons
High annual fee
No Intro APR period
High APR
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
Fly through security with one statement credit for either the $85 TSA Pre✓® application fee or the $100 Global Entry application fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST CAPITAL ONE BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: 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: No annual fee + cash bonus
For flat-rate cash back without an annual fee, look to the Capital One Spark Cash Select - $500 Cash Bonus. The sign-up bonus and rewards rate are less than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus. But because there's no annual fee with the Capital One Spark Cash Select - $500 Cash Bonus, smaller spenders might still come out ahead. Read our review.
Our pick for: No annual fee + intro APR
Capital One offers two versions of its Spark Cash Select card with different sign-up benefits: The Capital One Spark Cash Select - $500 Cash Bonus comes with a welcome bonus, whereas the Capital One Spark Cash Select - 0% Intro APR for 12 Months offers an intro APR period. Opt for the Capital One Spark Cash Select - 0% Intro APR for 12 Months if your credit is good, but not excellent (typically a FICO score between 690 and 719), or if you're planning to spend big and prefer paying your purchases off interest free instead of getting a bonus for them. Read our review.
Our pick for: Travel rewards
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is basically a business version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, and miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus, too. Read our review.
Our pick for: Less-frequent travelers
The Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business offers a lower rewards rate and a smaller bonus offer than the regular Spark Miles card, but there's no annual fee, either. Smaller spenders might come out ahead compared with the regular version. Read our review.
Our pick for: Business owners with 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 or "average" credit, who don't have a lot of options in business credit cards — especially with no annual fee. Read our review.
Capital One business credit card benefits
In addition to generous rewards programs, all Capital One business credit cards include the following benefits:
Free employee cards with customizable spending limits.
No foreign transaction fees.
Fraud alerts and $0 fraud liability.
Purchase records and year-end summaries.
Travel and roadside assistance.
(Benefits may change over time.)
Alternatives to Capital One business credit cards
Capital One’s no-fuss approach can make its business credit cards a good fit for any entrepreneur. But if you don’t mind a higher-maintenance card — or one with a larger annual fee — the following alternatives could make sense.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Best for: Bonus categories + intro APR offer
The Capital One Spark Cash Plus credit card offers a strong 2% cash back on all purchases, and the $0-annual-fee Capital One Spark Cash Select - $500 Cash Bonus matches the industry standard of 1.5%. But if common expenses like office supplies and telecommunication tools make up most of your spending, consider the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card instead. It comes with 1%-5% cash back, a welcome bonus and a perk those Capital One business credit cards lack: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 13.24%-19.24% Variable APR.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Best for: Premium travel rewards
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express isn’t cheap: Its $595 (10/14-1/12/22) annual fee far exceeds that of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card ($0 intro for the first year, then $95). The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, however, extends that rewards rate to flights, while offering other travel-related perks — like access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, as well as 5x points on hotels booked through the issuers’ website. Its welcome bonus can also be worth more than what Capital One offers if you spend enough. Terms apply.
To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
Last updated on November 9, 2021
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.
Frequently asked questions
Capital One doesn't have a secured credit card for business. It offers a secured personal credit card, but NerdWallet recommends keeping business and personal spending separate. If your credit history is thin, consider the Capital One Spark Classic for Business. That card is available with fair credit, which may include business owners with a FICO score between 630 and 689.
Like most small-business credit cards, Capital One requires a personal guarantee: If your business is unable to repay for purchases, you’ll be personally liable for those charges.
Capital One doesn't publish the maximum limit on its business credit cards. But the issuer does share the minimum credit card limit approved entrepreneurs will receive:
Capital One Spark Cash for Business: $5,000.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business: $2,000.
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business: $2,000.
Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business: $2,000.
Capital One Spark Classic for Business: $500.
Capital One Spark Cash for Business accounts opened as of October 2020 don't show up on your personal credit, provided the account is in good standing. If you received a Capital One Spark Cash for Business card before that date — or have a different Spark card — your business spending can affect your personal credit score.
