Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Businesses with big marketing budgets can earn anywhere from 2x to 5x rewards for every dollar spent on advertising. While some business credit cards dole out bonuses for all advertising, others limit the extras to search engines or social media. That means the best card for Facebook or Google ad spend may not be the best card for TV or radio ads.
Look for a card that rewards where your ad dollars go and offers flexible redemption options, like cash back or transferable travel points. A hotel card that offers 5x points on advertising spend is less valuable if you never stay with that hotel brand, for example. A general cash back or travel card, on the other hand, lets you keep the full value of the extra rewards you earn on ad spend.
Our editorial team follows strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the business card for your company. We independently evaluate and rate dozens of small-business credit cards, scoring them on fees, rewards rates, bonus offers and other features. View our full methodology.
Note: Some of our selections 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.
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Businesses with big marketing budgets can earn anywhere from 2x to 5x rewards for every dollar spent on advertising. While some business credit cards dole out bonuses for all advertising, others limit the extras to search engines or social media. That means the best card for Facebook or Google ad spend may not be the best card for TV or radio ads.
Look for a card that rewards where your ad dollars go and offers flexible redemption options, like cash back or transferable travel points. A hotel card that offers 5x points on advertising spend is less valuable if you never stay with that hotel brand, for example. A general cash back or travel card, on the other hand, lets you keep the full value of the extra rewards you earn on ad spend.
Our editorial team follows strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the business card for your company. We independently evaluate and rate dozens of small-business credit cards, scoring them on fees, rewards rates, bonus offers and other features. View our full methodology.
Note: Some of our selections 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 the best cards for Google, Facebook and other ad spend from our partners
| Credit card▼ | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Search engine and social media advertising | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
American Express® Business Gold Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 3.9/5 Best for Online, TV and radio advertising | $295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24) | 1x-4x Points | 70,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.9/5 Best for Hotel and airline cards for ad spend | $0 intro for the first year, then $99 | 1x-2x Miles | 50,000 Miles | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Hotel and airline cards for ad spend | $199 | 1x-4x Points | 80,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Credit Card | 4.1/5 Best for Hotel and airline cards for ad spend | $95 | 1x-8x Points | 45,000 Points | |
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 Best for Cash back on all advertising spend | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | $250 | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.2/5 Best for Cash back on all advertising spend | $150 | 2%-5% Cashback | $1,200 | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
| Credit card▼ | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Search engine and social media advertising | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
American Express® Business Gold Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 3.9/5 Best for Online, TV and radio advertising | $295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24) | 1x-4x Points | 70,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.9/5 Best for Hotel and airline cards for ad spend | $0 intro for the first year, then $99 | 1x-2x Miles | 50,000 Miles | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Hotel and airline cards for ad spend | $199 | 1x-4x Points | 80,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Credit Card | 4.1/5 Best for Hotel and airline cards for ad spend | $95 | 1x-8x Points | 45,000 Points | |
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 Best for Cash back on all advertising spend | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | $250 | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.2/5 Best for Cash back on all advertising spend | $150 | 2%-5% Cashback | $1,200 | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
I'M INTERESTED IN:
Our pick for
Search engine and social media advertising
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x Points
Intro offer
100,000 Points
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No intro APR offer
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x Points
Intro offer
100,000 Points
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
Our pick for
Online, TV and radio advertising
American Express® Business Gold Card
Annual fee
$295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24)
Rewards rate
1x-4x Points
Intro offer
70,000 Points
Pros
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
Annual fee
$295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24)
Rewards rate
1x-4x Points
Intro offer
70,000 Points
Pros
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
- Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
- Your Card – Your Choice. Now choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
- *Terms Apply
View Rates & Fees
Our picks for
Hotel and airline cards for ad spend
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Rewards rate
1x-2x Miles
Intro offer
50,000 Miles
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Bonus categories
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Limited redemptions
- Requires good/excellent credit
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Rewards rate
1x-2x Miles
Intro offer
50,000 Miles
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Bonus categories
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Limited redemptions
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Welcome Offer: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. shipping providers and eligible U.S. advertising purchases in select media. Effective 1/1/2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants.
- Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Additionally, receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Terms and limitations apply.
View Rates & Fees
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$199
Rewards rate
1x-4x Points
Intro offer
80,000 Points
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Anniversary perk
- No reward caps
Cons
- High annual fee
- Rewards have limited flexibility
Annual fee
$199
Rewards rate
1x-4x Points
Intro offer
80,000 Points
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Anniversary perk
- No reward caps
Cons
- High annual fee
- Rewards have limited flexibility
- Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 9,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 4X pts on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
- Earn 2X points on rideshare.
- Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services and 1X points on all other purchases.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- Member FDIC
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Credit Card
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-8x Points
Intro offer
45,000 Points
Pros
- Anniversary perk
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High rewards rate
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Rewards have limited flexibility
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Credit Card
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-8x Points
Intro offer
45,000 Points
Pros
- Anniversary perk
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High rewards rate
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Rewards have limited flexibility
- Earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Free nights can require up to 30,000 points per bedroom at participating properties and are subject to availability. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points.
- Earn 8 points per $1 spent on on eligible purchases made at Hotels by Wyndham as well as on qualifying gas purchases.
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on eligible marketing, advertising and utility purchases.
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Timeshare resort down payments). That means paying bills, buying office supplies, purchasing inventory, and other business expenses can help you earn your next great vacation!
- Automatically receive a Wyndham Rewards DIAMOND member level and enjoy perks like suite upgrades, welcome amenity at check-in, and more.
- Receive 15,000 bonus points each anniversary year—that’s enough for up to two free nights at participating properties.
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
View Rates & Fees
Our picks for
Cash back on all advertising spend
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
$250
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Cash rewards
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
$250
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Cash rewards
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
- Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us and other factors.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
View Rates & Fees
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Annual fee
$150
Rewards rate
2%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$1,200
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
- High spending requirement to hit full welcome bonus, annual bonus offers
Annual fee
$150
Rewards rate
2%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$1,200
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
- High spending requirement to hit full welcome bonus, annual bonus offers
- Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
- Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Comes with no preset spending limit, so it can adapt to your needs based on your spending behavior, payment history and credit profile
- Get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 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
View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet’s editorial picks: Best credit cards for Google, Facebook, ad spend
Search engine and social media advertising
These cards earn bonus points for Google ad spend, as well as money spent on Facebook and Instagram ads. Amazon pay-per-click advertising also qualifies for bonus points.
The
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
is one of the best business travel cards and earns 3 points for every $1 spent (up to $150,000 combined) in a handful of business-friendly categories, including advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines. Other eligible bonus categories include travel, shipping and internet, cable and telephone services. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
also has one of the best welcome offers on the market: Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Online, TV and radio advertising
Earn bonus points on online advertising — including Google, Facebook and Amazon — as well TV ads and radio spots and sponsorships, with these options.
With the
American Express® Business Gold Card
, your bonus points apply to your highest spend areas, including online, television and radio advertising purchases: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap. Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card. Terms Apply.
Other eligible categories include airfare, software, gas stations, restaurants and shipping. There’s a $295
annual fee ($375 if the application is received on or after 2/1/24), which is higher than any of the other cards on this list. 🤓 Nerdy Tip
Google, Facebook and Amazon ads are covered under online advertising with the AmEx Business Gold.Cash back on all advertising spend
Earn up to 2% cash back on all your spending, including advertisements and direct marketing, with a flat-rate cash back business credit card.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
doesn’t offer bonus points for ad spending; instead, cardholders earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 spent each year. But unlike the other options on this this list, the Blue Business Cash doesn't have an annual fee. It also comes with a generous intro APR period, making it one of the best cash-back cards for businesses.The
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
is another option that doesn’t pony up specifically for advertising spend, but instead offers a high cash-back rate (2
%) — and with no caps on how much you can earn. The Spark Cash Plus also rewards heavy spenders with a lucrative welcome offer: Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months.
Plus, your annual fee is refunded if you spend $150,000 in a given year. The Spark Cash Plus is a charge card, so you won’t accrue interest, but you need to pay your balance in full each month. (See rates and fees.) Hotel and airline cards for ad spend
These branded hotel and airline cards earn 2x to 5x points on advertising spend, with no cap on how many bonus points you can earn. But rewards lose value if you don't fly or stay with that brand.
Frequent flyers can earn 2 miles per $1 spent on online, television and radio advertising with the Delta SkyMiles Gold business card. (Note that as of January 1, 2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year.) Bonus points also apply to restaurants, shipping and money spent with Delta airlines. Other perks on this airline business card include free checked bags, priority boarding and an annual flight credit (terms apply). There’s a $
99
annual fee, which is waived for the first year.The
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
has a high annual fee ($199
) but a lot of included perks, including 2 points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising. You also earn 4x points on Southwest purchases and 3x points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. There’s also a big welcome bonus, anniversary perks and a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck. Unlike other business cards, there is no cap on how many points you can earn in a given bonus category.The
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Credit Card
offers an impressive 5 points per $1 spent on marketing, advertising and utilities. You’ll also earn 8 points per $1 spent on Wyndham hotel stays and on gas. This hotel business card is best for Wyndham loyalists, though, since your rewards have the most value when redeemed for free or discounted nights at the chain’s properties.How to choose a business card for ad spend
There are three main data points to consider when determining the best business card for your advertising spend.
1. Where you advertise. Eligible advertising categories vary from one card to the next. If your business primarily spends on Google and Facebook ads, the
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
is a great option. If TV and radio spots are also part of your advertising mix, the American Express® Business Gold Card
might be a better fit (it gives bonus points for Google and Facebook ad spend as well).2. Your annual advertising budget. Many of the best cards for ads cap bonus points based on spending. For example, the
American Express® Business Gold Card
and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
both cap bonus points to the first $150,000 in combined spending across multiple eligible categories.Using a dedicated business card or your advertising spend can be a smart move if your business has a sizable advertising budget. If your business’s annual advertising budget exceeds $150,000, a combination of cards may be best to maximize rewards earned.
3. The card’s annual fee. Some of the best business cards for ad spend come with steep annual fees. The
American Express® Business Gold Card
, for example, has a $295
annual fee ($375 if the application is received on or after 2/1/24). While the card's welcome bonus can easily offset that fee the first year, you'll want to make sure the ongoing rewards outweigh the cost after that.4. Other business spending. Advertising is likely just one piece of your company’s budget. If you plan to use your card for more than ad spend, factor other expenses like travel, software and telecom services into your decision.
If your business spends equally across multiple different areas, a general cash back business card like
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
or Capital One Spark Cash Plus
may be your best option. Both offer 2% back on all spending, but the Capital One Spark Cash Plus
does cap how much you can earn. (See rates and fees.) The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
limits 2% back to the first $50,000 spent per year.Spend a lot on hotels or airfare? Take a closer look at branded cards, like the
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Credit Card
or Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
. These cards give a rewards boost for advertising spend, but offer even higher rewards for flights or hotels purchased with the brand. And all those rewards you rack up can be redeemed for free stays or flights.Last updated on November 20, 2023
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. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.