Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences 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 on the merits of the founder’s personal credit since most card issuers prioritize that over your business credit score. That means new companies can get a business card with perks like cash-back rewards, travel perks or a long intro APR period — whatever suits their new venture’s needs.
Keeping expenses low is especially important for startups, so we focused on cards that have a low or no annual fee; we did not include any premium cards, which offer serious perks but carry an annual fee of $500 or more. We also prioritized flat-rate cards that make it easy to earn rewards. Want to explore more options? Check out our best business credit cards for small businesses roundup.
Business owners with no personal credit can use a secured card to build their credit score before upgrading to a startup business credit card with better rewards. Secured cards require an upfront deposit, which determines your credit limit, and 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 cards will only help build business credit.
All of our picks for the best business cards for startups with no credit are chosen by our editorial team, which independently evaluates and rates cards based on fees, rewards rates and redemption options, among numerous other factors.
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 influences 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 on the merits of the founder’s personal credit since most card issuers prioritize that over your business credit score. That means new companies can get a business card with perks like cash-back rewards, travel perks or a long intro APR period — whatever suits their new venture’s needs.
Keeping expenses low is especially important for startups, so we focused on cards that have a low or no annual fee; we did not include any premium cards, which offer serious perks but carry an annual fee of $500 or more. We also prioritized flat-rate cards that make it easy to earn rewards. Want to explore more options? Check out our best business credit cards for small businesses roundup.
Business owners with no personal credit can use a secured card to build their credit score before upgrading to a startup business credit card with better rewards. Secured cards require an upfront deposit, which determines your credit limit, and 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 cards will only help build business credit.
All of our picks for the best business cards for startups with no credit are chosen by our editorial team, which independently evaluates and rates cards based on fees, rewards rates and redemption options, among numerous other factors.
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 from our partners
| Credit card▼ | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Cash-back rewards | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | $900 | Apply now on Chase's website |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.7/5 Best for Travel rewards | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | 2x-5x Points | 50,000 Points | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 5.0/5 Best for Travel rewards + big welcome bonus | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Brex Card Apply now on Brex's website | 3.2/5 Best for Startups with strong financials (no credit check) | $0 | 1x-7x Points | 10,000 Points | Apply now on Brex's website |
Discover it® Secured Credit Card Apply now on Discover's website, or call Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 Best for Secured card (personal) | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | Cashback Match™ | Apply now on Discover's website, or call Rates & Fees |
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 Best for Cash-back rewards + intro APR | $0 | 1%-2% Cashback | N/A | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card Apply now on Chime's website | 4.6/5 Best for Secured card (personal) with no security deposit | $0 | N/A | N/A | Apply now on Chime's website |
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card | Best for Secured card to build business credit history | $39 | N/A | N/A | |
Ramp Card Apply now on Ramp's website | 4.0/5 Best for Corporate card (no personal credit check) | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | N/A | Apply now on Ramp's website |
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | 4.3/5 Best for Cash back boost (up to 75%) | $0 | 1.5% Cashback | $300 | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | 3.7/5 Best for No annual fee travel card | $0 | 1.5x Points | 30,000 Points | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.9/5 Best for Intro APR + AmEx Membership Rewards | $0 | 1x-2x Points | N/A | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Our pick for
Cash-back rewards
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
$900
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
$900
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- No reward caps
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- No bonus categories
- Earn $900 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
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
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
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 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
- Fly through security with one statement credit for either the $85 TSA PreCheck® 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
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Travel rewards + big welcome bonus
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
Startups with strong financials (no credit check)
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
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
- 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 (personal)
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
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
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, earn cash back, and build your credit history
- 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.
- 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. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- 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.
- Click through to Discover’s website to see terms and conditions.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Cash-back rewards + intro APR
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A
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
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Cash rewards
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
- 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
Our pick for
Secured card (personal) with no security deposit
Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Chime's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- No credit check
- No APR
- Adjustable credit limit
Cons
- Must open a Chime account
- No rewards
- No upgrade path
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- No credit check
- No APR
- Adjustable credit limit
Cons
- Must open a Chime account
- No rewards
- No upgrade path
- The Chime Credit Builder Visa® Card is issued by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted.
- No credit check to apply, no annual fees or interest, and no minimum security deposit required. No stress! Additional terms apply.
- Use your secured Credit Builder card everywhere VISA is accepted, including on everyday purchases, such as gas and groceries.
- Help build your credit history with your own money. The money you move into the Credit Builder secured account is the amount you can spend on your card (no minimum deposit required!). Turn on Safer Credit Building and have your monthly balance automatically paid on time. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®, Experian®, and Equifax®.
- Increase your credit score by an average of 30 points, with regular, on-time payments.¹
- Turn on transaction notifications to receive real-time transaction alerts. Then, use Chime’s instant in-app disable card feature to help prevent unauthorized activities.
- Live support 24/7 to assist you around the clock.
- Now you can use your Credit Builder card fee-free at over 60K+ in-network ATMs at retailers like Walgreens, CVS, and more! Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at Moneypass ATMs in 7-Eleven locations, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATMs.
- Apply for a secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card once you sign up for a Chime Spending Account and receive a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more. See www.chime.com to learn more.
Our pick for
Secured card to build business credit history
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card
Annual fee
$39
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- Qualify with limited / bad credit
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No rewards
- High APR
Annual fee
$39
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- Qualify with limited / bad credit
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No rewards
- High APR
- Request your own credit limit between $2,000 and $100,000 (multiples of $50), when you apply, subject to credit approval.
- Earn interest on your security deposit.
- Variable 25.74% APR on purchases and balance transfers based on the Prime Rate.
Our pick for
Corporate card (no personal credit check)
Ramp Card
Read Review
Apply now
on Ramp's website
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- Simple, straightforward rewards
- 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
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- Simple, straightforward rewards
- 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
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, no minimum spend required.
- 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 $75,000 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
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 all purchases.
- No annual cap and cash rewards don’t expire.
- No annual fee.
- You can earn up to 75% more cash back on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for our highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier. That means you could earn up to an unlimited 2.62% cash back on all purchases.
- 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 18.49% to 28.49% 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
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 on all purchases everywhere, every time-no matter how much you spend.
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn and points don't expire.
- You can earn up to 75% more points on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for our highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier. That means you could earn up to an unlimited 2.62 points per $1 spent on all purchases.
- 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 18.49% to 28.49% 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
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-2x Points
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-2x Points
Intro offer
N/A
Pros
- No annual fee
- High rewards rate
- Intro APR period
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
- 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 at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® 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.
- You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
- *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
NerdWallet's editorial picks: Best business credit cards for startups with no credit
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: Cash-back rewards
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.Our pick for: Cash-back rewards + intro APR
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. Learn more and apply.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 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. Learn more and apply.Our pick for: Travel rewards + big welcome bonus
The
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere (assuming you spend enough to earn it), then gives you bonus rewards in common business spending categories. 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: Startups with strong financials (no credit check)
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.Our pick for: 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 credit (a credit score between 630-689), who don't have a lot of options in business credit cards — and it has no annual fee.Our pick for: Secured card to build personal credit
Like other secured credit cards for people building or rebuilding credit, the
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
requires a cash security deposit. Unlike most others, it offers rewards. But what really makes it stand out from the competition is 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.Our pick for: Secured card (personal) with no security deposit
You'll need a Chime Spending Account — a free bank account that allows you to receive direct deposits — and at least $200 in direct deposits to it within the past 365 days to get this card. The money you move from the Chime Spending Account to the Credit Builder secured account determines your credit limit. There's no option to carry a balance from month to month, but this card doesn't require an upfront security deposit as many secured credit cards do. Learn more and apply.
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card
Our pick for: Secured card to build business credit history
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 $2,200 and $110,000 in multiples of $50) which dictates your credit limit. This card charges a $39
annual fee.Our pick for: Corporate card for startups (no personal credit check)
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 unlimited cash-back rewards and card-level spending controls with no annual fee. Learn more and apply.Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
Our pick for: Cash back boost (up to 75%)
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 Preferred Rewards for Business tier — up to 2.62% — which is tough to beat among flat-rate cash-back business credit cards. Learn more and apply.Our pick for: No annual fee travel card
This is the business version of the issuer's excellent no-annual-fee travel card. 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.Our pick for: Intro APR + AmEx Membership Rewards
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.How startups can build business credit
Your business credit score tells potential suppliers and lenders how likely your company is to repay its debts. A better score equals more favorable terms and improves your chances of securing a small-business loan.
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.
Do business credit cards check personal credit?
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.
Can you get a business credit card with bad personal credit?
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.
Chime says: "The Chime Credit Builder Visa® Card is issued by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted."
"To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits."
"On-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®, Experian®, and Equifax®. Impact on your credit may vary, as Credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations."
"Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month."
"Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven location or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM."
Last updated on September 28, 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 more about how we rate business credit cards.