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.
Startups with no credit can still open a business credit card. Most card issuers prioritize your personal credit score over factors like business credit score or revenue. That means new companies can get a business credit card right away. Our top choice is the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.
If your startup is incorporated or registered and has venture funding or a hefty bank account balance from investors, you may qualify for a corporate card. You can often apply with just an EIN. But if you’re a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, these aren’t an option. Our top pick: the Brex Card.
Lacking personal credit? Consider a personal or business secured card. A secured personal card will help build your personal credit score, positioning you to eventually upgrade to an unsecured startup business credit card. But if you simply want to establish your startup's credit, a secured business card is the better choice. The best option is the Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured card.
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
95+ years of combined experience covering small-business and personal finance.
Objective comprehensive business credit card ratings rubric (Methodology).
NerdWallet's business credit card content, including our ratings, reviews and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage. We independently evaluate and rate dozens of small-business credit cards, scoring them on fees, rewards rates, bonus offers and other features to help you choose the best business card for your company.
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.
Startups with no credit can still open a business credit card. Most card issuers prioritize your personal credit score over factors like business credit score or revenue. That means new companies can get a business credit card right away. Our top choice is the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.
If your startup is incorporated or registered and has venture funding or a hefty bank account balance from investors, you may qualify for a corporate card. You can often apply with just an EIN. But if you’re a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, these aren’t an option. Our top pick: the Brex Card.
Lacking personal credit? Consider a personal or business secured card. A secured personal card will help build your personal credit score, positioning you to eventually upgrade to an unsecured startup business credit card. But if you simply want to establish your startup's credit, a secured business card is the better choice. The best option is the Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured card.
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
95+ years of combined experience covering small-business and personal finance.
Objective comprehensive business credit card ratings rubric (Methodology).
NerdWallet's business credit card content, including our ratings, reviews and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage. We independently evaluate and rate dozens of small-business credit cards, scoring them on fees, rewards rates, bonus offers and other features to help you choose the best business card for your company.
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 business credit cards for startups with no credit
| Best for | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall business card for startups with no credit Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | $750 | Apply now on Chase's website |
Travel rewards Capital One Spark Miles for Business Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.5/5 | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | 2x-5x Points | 50,000 Points | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Travel rewards + sign-up bonus Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 4.7/5 | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 90,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
No annual fee travel card Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | 3.6/5 | $0 | 1.5x Points | 30,000 Points | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
Corporate card (no personal guarantee) Ramp Card Apply now on Ramp's website | 2.8/5 | $0 | 1%-1.5% Cashback | N/A | Apply now on Ramp's website |
Corporate card for venture-backed startups Brex Card Apply now on Brex's website | 3.2/5 | $0 | 1x-7x Points | 10,000 Points | Apply now on Brex's website |
Secured card to build personal credit Discover it® Secured Credit Card Apply now on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264 Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | Cashback Match™ | Apply now on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264 Rates & Fees |
Startups with annual spend below $50K The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.7/5 | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | $250 | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Cash-back boost (up to 75%) Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | 4.4/5 | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | $300 | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
Intro APR + AmEx Membership Rewards The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.4/5 | $0 | 1x-2x Points | 15,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Corporate card for fair credit BILL Divvy Corporate Card Apply now on BILL Spend & Expense's website | 2.7/5 | $0 | 1x-7x Points | N/A | Apply now on BILL Spend & Expense's website |
Business credit card for fair, average credit Capital on Tap Business Credit Card Apply now on Capital on Tap's website | 3.8/5 | $0 | 1.5% | N/A | Apply now on Capital on Tap's website |
| Best for | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall business card for startups with no credit Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | $750 | Apply now on Chase's website |
Travel rewards Capital One Spark Miles for Business Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.5/5 | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | 2x-5x Points | 50,000 Points | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Travel rewards + sign-up bonus Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 4.7/5 | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 90,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
No annual fee travel card Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | 3.6/5 | $0 | 1.5x Points | 30,000 Points | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
Corporate card (no personal guarantee) Ramp Card Apply now on Ramp's website | 2.8/5 | $0 | 1%-1.5% Cashback | N/A | Apply now on Ramp's website |
Corporate card for venture-backed startups Brex Card Apply now on Brex's website | 3.2/5 | $0 | 1x-7x Points | 10,000 Points | Apply now on Brex's website |
Secured card to build personal credit Discover it® Secured Credit Card Apply now on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264 Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | Cashback Match™ | Apply now on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264 Rates & Fees |
Startups with annual spend below $50K The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.7/5 | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | $250 | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Cash-back boost (up to 75%) Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | 4.4/5 | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | $300 | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
Intro APR + AmEx Membership Rewards The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.4/5 | $0 | 1x-2x Points | 15,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Corporate card for fair credit BILL Divvy Corporate Card Apply now on BILL Spend & Expense's website | 2.7/5 | $0 | 1x-7x Points | N/A | Apply now on BILL Spend & Expense's website |
Business credit card for fair, average credit Capital on Tap Business Credit Card Apply now on Capital on Tap's website | 3.8/5 | $0 | 1.5% | N/A | Apply now on Capital on Tap's website |
I'M INTERESTED IN:
Our pick for
Overall business card for startups with no credit
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
$750
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- No reward caps
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- No bonus categories
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
$750
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- No reward caps
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- No bonus categories
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- 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.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
Our pick for
Travel rewards
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
- 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
- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 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
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Travel rewards + sign-up bonus
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x Points
Intro offer
90,000 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
90,000 Points
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- 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 Travel℠
- 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
No annual fee travel card
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
Read Review
Apply now
on Bank of America's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x Points
Intro offer
30,000 Points
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- No reward caps
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Requires excellent credit
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
Apply now
on Bank of America's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x Points
Intro offer
30,000 Points
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- No reward caps
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Requires excellent credit
- Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent, or join Preferred Rewards for Business for no fee, and earn up to an unlimited 2.62 points for every $1 spent on all purchases if you have a Bank of America® business checking account and qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier.
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn and points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- No annual fee and no international transaction fees.
- Choose how to redeem points for a statement credit to offset travel and dining purchases, travel with no blackout dates at the Bank of America® Travel Center, for cash back or gift cards.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 17.74% to 27.74% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Our pick for
Corporate card (no personal guarantee)
Ramp Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Ramp's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- No personal guarantee or credit check
- Direct integrations with popular tools and card-level spending controls and alerts
Cons
- Balance must be paid in full each month
- Not available to sole proprietors or unincorporated businesses
- Rewards rate varies and is determined for each customer by Ramp.
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- No personal guarantee or credit check
- Direct integrations with popular tools and card-level spending controls and alerts
Cons
- Balance must be paid in full each month
- Not available to sole proprietors or unincorporated businesses
- Rewards rate varies and is determined for each customer by Ramp.
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
- No personal credit check or personal guarantee required.
- Issue unlimited virtual cards and physical cards for each employee.
- Prevent out-of-policy spending with built-in controls, including spend restrictions by category or merchant.
- Ramp is a corporate charge card powered by Visa. Businesses are required to pay the monthly balance in full by each statement period.
- Must have at least $25,000 in cash in any U.S. business bank account to qualify.
- Must have most of your operations and corporate spend in the US (although Ramp does support international transactions and will waive all related transaction fees).
- Ramp is only available to corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships. Individuals, sole proprietorships and unregistered businesses are not eligible.
Our pick for
Corporate card for venture-backed startups
Brex Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Brex's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
10,000 Points
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 structure
- High capital requirement for approval
- Daily repayment may be required
- Not available to sole proprietors
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
10,000 Points
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 structure
- High capital requirement for approval
- Daily repayment may be required
- Not available to sole proprietors
- Get 10,000 points when you spend $3,000 on a Brex Card within your first 3 months.
- No personal guarantee needed – Brex does not ask for a personal credit check or security deposit during the application.
- Credit limits 10-20x higher than traditional small business corporate cards.
- Minimum bank balance of $50,000 from professional investors may be required to qualify for Brex.
- Exclusive signup offers from the best products and tools for your business (e.g. AWS, Google Ads, WeWork, Salesforce) worth up to $150,000 in value.
- Earn points on every dollar spent with industry-leading multipliers: 7x on rideshare, 4x on Brex Travel, 3x on restaurants, 2x on software subscriptions and 1x on all other transactions.
- Earn 3x Brex Rewards points on all eligible Apple purchases through the link or your Brex dashboard.
- Miles transfer program to 7 airlines (including Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air France, and more) and their loyalty programs, giving Brex customers access to book travel across all of the major global airline alliances - Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam.
- 30-day charge card running on the Mastercard network. Enjoy global acceptance with no foreign transaction fees.
- Build business credit: Brex partners with Dun & Bradstreet and Experian to report your on-time payments.
- Make employee expenses seamless - automated receipt-capture and expense matching and reconciliation via text, email, and mobile app. Instantly add new users and set spending limits.
- Contactless pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
- Simplify reconciliation with built-in integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and more.
Our pick for
Secured card to build personal credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
Cashback Match™
Pros
- No annual fee
- Reports to the three major credit bureaus
- Qualify with limited/bad credit
- Earns rewards
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Requires minimum deposit
- High APR
- No credit score required to apply. No Annual Fee.
- Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
- Raise your credit score by 30+ points.
- Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
- Terms and conditions apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Startups with annual spend below $50K
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, 17.74% – 25.74%, 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.
- The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Cash-back boost (up to 75%)
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
Read Review
Apply now
on Bank of America's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
$300
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High cash back rate
Cons
- Has foreign transaction fee
- Requires excellent credit
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
Apply now
on Bank of America's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
$300
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High cash back rate
Cons
- Has foreign transaction fee
- Requires excellent credit
- Get a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases, or join Preferred Rewards for Business for no fee, and earn up to an unlimited 2.62% cash back on all purchases if you have a Bank of America® business checking account and qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier.
- No annual cap and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- No annual fee.
- Choose how to redeem your cash rewards – as a deposit into your Bank of America® checking or savings account, as a card statement credit or as a check mailed to you.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 17.74% to 27.74% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - the security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Our pick for
Intro APR + AmEx Membership Rewards
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-2x Points
Intro offer
15,000 Points
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% - 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- You’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Corporate card for fair credit
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
Read Review
Apply now
on BILL Spend & Expense's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- Card-level spending controls
Cons
- Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
- Balance must be paid in full each billing cycle
- Not available to sole proprietors.
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- Card-level spending controls
Cons
- Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
- Balance must be paid in full each billing cycle
- Not available to sole proprietors.
- Earn up to 7x rewards on restaurants and 5x on hotels with weekly billing. Terms apply.
- Credit lines up to $15 million but based on revenue, cash balance, business history and personal and business credit score.
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
- Unlimited free virtual cards.
- Spend management platform allows business owners to easily set and adjust individual and team budgets.
Our pick for
Business credit card for fair, average credit
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Capital on Tap's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- 24/7 customer service
Cons
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
- Must enroll in automatic payments
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- 24/7 customer service
Cons
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
- Must enroll in automatic payments
- 1.5% rewards on all spend, no caps or restrictions
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign exchange fees
- APRs range from 17.99% to 43.99% variable
- Unlimited cards for your employees
- Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards are issued by WebBank
Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Best for: Overall business card for startups with no credit
NerdWallet star rating:
5
The
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
earns a simple, flat cash-back rate on every purchase, with no limit on how much you can earn. The sign-up bonus is outstanding for a cash-back card, particularly one with no annual fee, and there's an intro APR period for purchases. Learn more and apply.Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Best for: Secured card to build personal credit
NerdWallet star rating:
5
There are no Discover business credit cards. But the
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
may be a good alternative to help you build your personal credit score. It requires a cash security deposit, but unlike most secured cards, it also offers rewards. And what really makes it stand out from the competition are its upgrade possibilities: The issuer has a process in place for automatically reviewing accounts for possible transition to an unsecured card. Learn more and apply.The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Best for: Startups with annual spend below $50K
NerdWallet star rating:
4.7
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 a $0
annual fee. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Best for: Travel rewards + sign-up bonus
NerdWallet star rating:
4.7
The
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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.Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Best for: Travel rewards
NerdWallet star rating:
4.5
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.Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
Best for: Cash-back boost (up to 75%)
NerdWallet star rating:
4.4
If your spending doesn't align with typical bonus categories, consider the
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
. This card offers 1.5%
cash back on all purchases with no annual cap. Rewards can climb even higher for Bank of America® customers who qualify for the bank's Preferred Rewards for Business program — up to 2.62%, depending on the tier — which is tough to beat among flat-rate cash-back business credit cards. Learn more and apply.The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Best for: Intro APR + AmEx Membership Rewards
NerdWallet star rating:
4.4
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
is a near-twin to The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
, with one key difference: Rather than cash back, it pays you in AmEx Membership Rewards points. Learn more and apply.Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
Best for: Business credit card for fair, average credit
NerdWallet star rating:
3.8
Capital on Tap says applicants with a FICO score of 670 or higher have the best chance of approval, but the card is available to business owners with fair credit (typically considered a score from 630 to 689). The
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
issued by WebBank offers 1.5%
cash back on all purchases, no annual fee and the potential for a low APR. (But you'll need excellent credit to snag that low APR.) One important note: This card is not available to sole proprietors, which excludes most businesses. Learn more and apply.Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
Best for: No annual fee travel card
NerdWallet star rating:
3.6
The
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
pays solid rewards on every purchase and gives you wide flexibility in redeeming your points for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Learn more and apply.Ramp Card
Best for: Corporate card with flat-rate cash back
NerdWallet star rating:
2.8
The
Ramp Card
's main selling point: It does not require a credit check or personal guarantee. You just need strong revenue and a healthy bank balance. The corporate charge card also offers cash back on qualified purchases (the actual reward rate varies by business) and card-level spending controls. Ramp Card has no annual fee. Learn more and apply.Brex Card
Best for: Corporate card for venture-backed startups
NerdWallet star rating:
3.2
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. Learn more and apply.BILL Divvy Corporate Card
Best for: Corporate card for fair credit
NerdWallet star rating:
2.7
Unlike other corporate cards, the
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
does require a credit check and applicants generally needing a FICO score of 650 or higher. But the card's underwriting criteria — like a minimum $20,000 business account balance — may make it a more accessible corporate option for some. If approved, you can earn up to 7x points on restaurants and 5x points on hotels, though weekly payments are required to hit the top tier. Learn more and apply.Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card
Best for: Secured business credit card
This product has not been rated by NerdWallet.
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no cap or expiration date on the rewards you earn. The card has a minimum security deposit of $1,000, which is equal to your credit limit and subject to credit approval. Bank of America® will periodically review your secured card and may upgrade you to an unsecured card if and when you qualify. This card has no annual fee.
Your business credit score tells potential suppliers and lenders how likely your company is to repay its debts. A better score may improve your chances of securing a small-business loan or getting more favorable terms.
Startups with no credit can establish and build their business credit history by establishing lines of credit via business credit cards and trade lines with suppliers, and making payments on time (or early).
Late payments, high balances on credit cards, tax liens and legal judgments against your business can all hurt your business credit score. Delinquencies and late payments on your business credit cards can affect your personal credit score, too.
Yes, nearly all business credit cards check your personal credit when you apply. Why? Because most business cards require a personal guarantee, which means you’re personally liable for the debt if your business fails to pay.
One notable exception: corporate cards. These cards do not require a personal guarantee since they're issued to a company, rather than an individual. Incorporated startups may be able to qualify for a corporate card if they have hefty cash reserves and a history of strong revenue.
Business owners with bad credit or no personal credit will have a hard time qualifying for most business credit cards. The easiest business credit card to get is often a secured card. These cards let you build your credit score before upgrading to a business credit card with better rewards.
Secured cards require an upfront deposit, which determines your credit limit, and a few even offer rewards. Most secured cards still require a personal credit check, though some are available with no credit check.
A secured personal card will help build your personal credit score, but not your business score. Likewise, most secured business credit cards will only help build business credit.
To view rates and fees of
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
, see this page.To view rates and fees of
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
, see this page.Last updated on December 12, 2024
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 more about how we rate business credit cards.