BEST OF

9 Best Business Credit Cards for Startups With No Credit of June 2023

By Kelsey Sheehy 

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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.

NerdWallet's Best Business Credit Cards for Startups With No Credit of June 2023

Best Business Credit Cards for Startups With No Credit

Our pick for

Cash-back rewards

Apply now

on Chase's website

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on Chase's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1.5%

Cashback

Intro offer

$750

Recommended Credit Score

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

Read full review

Our pick for

Travel rewards

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

4.7

NerdWallet rating 
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

Recommended Credit Score

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

Read full review

Our pick for

Travel rewards + big welcome bonus

Apply now

on Chase's website

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on Chase's website

Annual fee

$95

Rewards rate

1x-3x

Points

Intro offer

100,000

Points

Recommended Credit Score

Pros

  • New cardholder bonus offer

  • Bonus categories

  • Transfer partners

Cons

  • Has annual fee

  • No intro APR offer

  • Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 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

Read full review

Our pick for

Startups with strong financials (no credit check)

Apply now

on Brex's website

Brex Card

3.2

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on Brex's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1x-7x

Points

Intro offer

10,000

Points

Recommended Credit Score

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.

Read full review

Our pick for

Secured card (personal)

Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1%-2%

Cashback

Intro offer

Cashback Match

Recommended Credit Score

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
Read full review

Our pick for

Cash-back rewards + intro APR

Apply now

on American Express' website

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on American Express' website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1%-2%

Cashback

Intro offer

$250

Recommended Credit Score

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.

  • 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.

  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.24%-26.24%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.

  • No Annual Fee

  • Terms Apply

  • View Rates & Fees
Read full review

Our pick for

Secured card (personal) with no security deposit

Apply now

on Chime's website

Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

4.6

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on Chime's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

N/A

Intro offer

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

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.

Read full review

Our pick for

Secured card to build business credit history

Annual fee

$39

Rewards rate

N/A

Intro offer

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

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 25.49% APR on purchases and balance transfers based on the Prime Rate.

Read full review

Our pick for

Corporate card (no personal credit check)

Apply now

on Ramp's website

Ramp Card

4.1

NerdWallet rating 
Apply now

on Ramp's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1.5%

Cashback

Intro offer

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

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.

Read full review

FULL LIST OF 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 $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 FICO 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.

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. You can, however, get a secured card to 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 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 May 31, 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.