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7 Best Business Credit Cards for Sole Proprietorships

By Kelsey Sheehy
Last updated on March 21, 2024
Edited byMary M. Flory
Fact checked and reviewed

⏰ Estimated read time: 6 minutes

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.

Sole proprietors can use a business credit card to earn rewards on daily business spending and finance larger purchases. While a personal credit card can check those boxes, you’ll need a business card to establish and build your business credit history — a must if you need a business loan down the line.
Opting for a small-business credit card unlocks reward categories rarely offered on personal cards, including shipping, advertising and office supplies, as well as standard categories like travel and restaurants.
Match your card to your spending needs and habits to maximize your rewards. Planning to make a big purchase? Look for a card with a long 0% introductory APR offer. Always on the road? Consider a card that earns extra cash back at the pump. No time to worry about bonus categories? A flat-rate rewards card may be a good fit.
Some of our selections for the best business credit cards for sole proprietors 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.

Looking for a business credit card?

See our overall favorites, or choose a feature that will benefit your business spending the most.

Our top overall picks

on Nerdwallet's secure site

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.

Sole proprietors can use a business credit card to earn rewards on daily business spending and finance larger purchases. While a personal credit card can check those boxes, you’ll need a business card to establish and build your business credit history — a must if you need a business loan down the line.
Opting for a small-business credit card unlocks reward categories rarely offered on personal cards, including shipping, advertising and office supplies, as well as standard categories like travel and restaurants.
Match your card to your spending needs and habits to maximize your rewards. Planning to make a big purchase? Look for a card with a long 0% introductory APR offer. Always on the road? Consider a card that earns extra cash back at the pump. No time to worry about bonus categories? A flat-rate rewards card may be a good fit.
Some of our selections for the best business credit cards for sole proprietors 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.

Looking for a business credit card?

See our overall favorites, or choose a feature that will benefit your business spending the most.

Our top overall picks

on Nerdwallet's secure site

Here are the best sole proprietorship business credit card from our partners

Credit cardNerdWallet ratingAnnual feeRewards rateIntro offerLearn more

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Apply now

on Chase's website

4.9/5

Best for Travel rewards bonus categories

$95

1x-3x

Points

100,000

Points

Apply now

on Chase's website

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Apply now

on Chase's website

5.0/5

Best for Cash back bonus categories

$0

1%-5%

Cashback

$350

Apply now

on Chase's website

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Flat-rate rewards (cash back)

$150

2%-5%

Cashback

$1,200

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

4.8/5

Best for Flat-rate rewards (travel)

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

2x-5x

Points

50,000

Points

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®

Apply now

on US Bank's website

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Intro APR + cash back rewards

$0

1%-3%

Cashback

$500

Apply now

on US Bank's website

Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Premium travel perks and rewards

$695

1x-5x

Points

120,000

Points

Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

4.8/5

Best for Sole proprietors with bad credit (personal card)

$0

N/A

N/A

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

Credit cardNerdWallet ratingAnnual feeRewards rateIntro offerLearn more

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Apply now

on Chase's website

4.9/5

Best for Travel rewards bonus categories

$95

1x-3x

Points

100,000

Points

Apply now

on Chase's website

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Apply now

on Chase's website

5.0/5

Best for Cash back bonus categories

$0

1%-5%

Cashback

$350

Apply now

on Chase's website

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Flat-rate rewards (cash back)

$150

2%-5%

Cashback

$1,200

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

4.8/5

Best for Flat-rate rewards (travel)

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

2x-5x

Points

50,000

Points

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®

Apply now

on US Bank's website

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Intro APR + cash back rewards

$0

1%-3%

Cashback

$500

Apply now

on US Bank's website

Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Premium travel perks and rewards

$695

1x-5x

Points

120,000

Points

Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

4.8/5

Best for Sole proprietors with bad credit (personal card)

$0

N/A

N/A

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

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Our pick for

Travel rewards bonus categories

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

NerdWallet rating 

4.9/5
Apply now

on Chase's website

Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x Points
Intro offer
100,000 Points

Our pick for

Cash back bonus categories

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Apply now

on Chase's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$350

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

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

NerdWallet rating 

5.0/5
Apply now

on Chase's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$350

Our pick for

Flat-rate rewards (cash back)

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Apply now

on Capital One's website

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

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

NerdWallet rating 

5.0/5
Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$150
Rewards rate
2%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
$1,200

Our pick for

Flat-rate rewards (travel)

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Rewards rate
2x-5x Points
Intro offer
50,000 Points

Pros

  • High rewards rate
  • No minimum redemption amount

Cons

  • Has annual fee
  • No Intro APR period
  • High APR

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

NerdWallet rating 

4.8/5
Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Rewards rate
2x-5x Points
Intro offer
50,000 Points

Our pick for

Intro APR + cash back rewards

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®

Apply now

on US Bank's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-3% Cashback
Intro offer
$500

Pros

  • Bonus cash back categories
  • No annual fee
  • Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers

Cons

  • Requires good/excellent credit
  • Low rate outside bonus categories

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®

NerdWallet rating 

5.0/5
Apply now

on US Bank's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-3% Cashback
Intro offer
$500

Our pick for

Premium travel perks and rewards

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply now

on American Express' website

Annual fee
$695
Rewards rate
1x-5x Points
Intro offer
120,000 Points

Pros

  • Lounge membership
  • Transfer partners
  • Bonus categories
  • Automatic elite status
  • Premium travel protections

Cons

  • High annual fee
  • Complicated rewards
  • Requires good/excellent credit

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

NerdWallet rating 

5.0/5
Apply now

on American Express' website

Annual fee
$695
Rewards rate
1x-5x Points
Intro offer
120,000 Points

Our pick for

Sole proprietors with bad credit (personal card)

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Qualify with limited/bad credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Report to three major credit bureaus

Cons

  • Requires minimum deposit
  • No rewards
  • High APR

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

NerdWallet rating 

4.8/5
Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A

NerdWallet's editorial picks: Best business credit cards from sole proprietors

Select the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for travel rewards bonus categories
The
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere:
Earn 100,000 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 Travel℠.
You also get bonus rewards on travel expenses and common business spending categories, like advertising, shipping and internet, cable and phone service. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for cash back bonus 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. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for flat-rate rewards (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. And you can earn a welcome bonus if you hit certain spending requirements. 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. (See rates and fees.) Learn more and apply.
Our pick for flat-rate rewards (travel)
The
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. 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. (See rates and fees.) Learn more and apply.
Our pick for Intro APR + cash back rewards
The
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
is a solid cash-back card for business owners.
Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants. Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases
. Plus, the card offers a competitive welcome bonus and
0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 19.24%-28.24% Variable APR
— all with a $
0
annual fee. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for premium travel perks and rewards
Like the consumer version of this card,
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
comes with a big annual fee. But business travelers who prefer to go in style will find plenty that appeals to them: high rewards on certain travel purchases, bonus rewards on larger non-travel purchases, a superb newcomer welcome offer, extensive airport lounge access, elite hotel status, hundreds of dollars a year in available credits and a list of perks as long as your arm. It's not cheap, but luxury never is. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for sole proprietors with bad credit (personal card)
The
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
requires a security deposit, as do all secured credit cards. But while most cards require you to put down a deposit equal to your credit line, this one allows some qualifying applicants to get a $200 credit line with a deposit starting at $49. Further, you can be automatically considered for a higher credit line with no additional deposit in as little as six months (see rates and fees). Read our review.
Our pick for sole proprietors with bad credit
The
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card
reports card activity to Dun & Bradstreet, one of the three main business credit bureaus, so on-time payments will help build your business credit score. This secured card does require a credit check (personal credit) and security deposit (between $2,000 and $10,000 in multiples of $100) which dictates your credit limit. This card charges a $
39
annual fee.

How to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor

Sole proprietors can open a business credit card on the merits of their personal credit history.
Here’s what you’ll need to apply for a business credit card:
  • Business name: Use your own name if you don’t have a formal business name.
  • Business contact information: Use your personal address and phone number if you don’t have a dedicated office or business phone.
  • Federal Taxpayer Identification Number: Use your Employer Identification Number. Don’t have one? Your Social Security number will also work.
  • Industry type: Note what field you work in, whether it’s retail, professional services or deliveries.
  • Annual revenue: Your total business income for the previous year before taxes and expenses. New businesses with no prior revenue can put $0.
You typically need a personal FICO score of at least 690 to qualify for a business credit card, though there are options for those with fair credit (630-689) that have fewer bells and whistles.
Business owners with bad credit (a FICO score between 300-629) can use a secured card to build credit history. These cards require a deposit, typically equal to your requested credit limit.
Last updated on March 21, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

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Find a business credit card that works as hard as you do

Looking to earn rewards or build your credit? We’ll help match you to the perfect business credit card based on your qualifications.

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Find a business credit card that works as hard as you do

Looking to earn rewards or build your credit? We’ll help match you to the perfect business credit card based on your qualifications.