Best Business Credit Cards for Fair Credit
While less-than-perfect credit may limit your choices, a handful of business credit cards are available.
Best business cards for fair credit
Here are our complete picks, in alphabetical order:
- Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured Credit Card: Best secured card for building business credit.
- BILL Divvy Corporate Card: Best corporate card for founders with fair credit.
- Capital on Tap Business Credit Card: Best for LLCs + corporations.
- Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business: Best for building personal and business credit.
- Ramp Card: Best corporate card for business owners with fair credit.
- U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: Best for travel rewards.
- U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card: Best for cash back + intro APR.
You can apply for the cards highlighted below via NerdWallet's partners. Those relationships do not influence our editorial team's selections. Our small-business writers and editors chose the best fair-credit business cards based on their independent research and ratings.
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
Best for Cash back + intro APR
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$750
Apply now on U.S. Bank's website
Rates & Fees
Pros
- High cash-back bonus rate
- No cap on bonus rewards
- Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Best for Travel rewards
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Points
Intro offer
75,000
Points
on U.S. Bank's website
Rates & Fees
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High bonus rewards rate
- Annual fee waived for the first year
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
Cons
- No intro APR offer
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
Best for LLCs + corporations
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%
Intro offer
N/A
on Capital on Tap's website
Pros
- High rewards rate
- No reward caps
- Available with fair credit
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
- Must enroll in automatic payments
- Potential for very high APR
- No new cardholder bonus offer
Ramp Card
Best for Corporate card for business owners with fair credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
0%-1.5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$1,000
on Ramp's website
Pros
- Card-level spending controls
- Automatic receipt matching and expense categorization
- Integrates with common business tools
- No personal guarantee or credit check
Cons
- Reward rate varies by customer and is determined by Ramp
- Customer support relies heavily on automation
- Paid subscription required to get full suite of features, integrations
- Minimal support for global teams
- Not available to sole proprietors
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
Best for Corporate card for founders with fair credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x
Points
Intro offer
N/A
on BILL Spend & Expense's website
Pros
- No annual fee
- Card-level spending controls
- No personal guarantee
- Available to sole proprietors
Cons
- Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
- Rewards rate varies depending on user activity
Filter by:
-
Cash Back - Points
- No Annual Fee
- 0% intro APR
- No credit check
Sort by:
- Default
- NerdWallet rating (high to low)
- Annual fee (low to high)
- Rewards rate (high to low)
Showing 0 out of 5 cards
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
Best for Cash back + intro APR
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$750
on U.S. Bank's website
Rates & Fees
Pros
- High cash-back bonus rate
- No cap on bonus rewards
- Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
This card is a great option for business owners with less-than-perfect credit. It earns 3% in popular business categories and has an intro APR period that applies to purchases and balance transfers. U.S. Bank has a lower approval bar than most business card issuers. But you’ll still need a FICO score of 670 or higher to qualify.
Ongoing APR: 17.24%-26.24% Variable APR
- Earn $750 in cash back. Just spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days of opening your account.
- Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations (transactions of $200 or less)*, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs).
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card.
- Take control of your card spend with U.S. Bank Spend Management—a game-changing platform for monitoring and managing business expenses.
- No limit on total cash back earned.
- Redeem Cash Rewards right away or save them for later. Cash Rewards do not expire as long as the account remains active.
- Earn an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses such as FreshBooks or QuickBooks.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Rates & Fees
Pros
- High cash-back bonus rate
- No cap on bonus rewards
- Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
This card is a great option for business owners with less-than-perfect credit. It earns 3% in popular business categories and has an intro APR period that applies to purchases and balance transfers. U.S. Bank has a lower approval bar than most business card issuers. But you’ll still need a FICO score of 670 or higher to qualify.
Ongoing APR: 17.24%-26.24% Variable APR
- Earn $750 in cash back. Just spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days of opening your account.
- Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations (transactions of $200 or less)*, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs).
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card.
- Take control of your card spend with U.S. Bank Spend Management—a game-changing platform for monitoring and managing business expenses.
- No limit on total cash back earned.
- Redeem Cash Rewards right away or save them for later. Cash Rewards do not expire as long as the account remains active.
- Earn an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses such as FreshBooks or QuickBooks.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Rates & Fees
Pros
- High cash-back bonus rate
- No cap on bonus rewards
- Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Best for Travel rewards
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Points
Intro offer
75,000
Points
on U.S. Bank's website
Rates & Fees
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High bonus rewards rate
- Annual fee waived for the first year
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
Cons
- No intro APR offer
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
You get 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined travel spending each year. There’s also a monthly statement credit for taxi or rideshare trips and a handful of Priority Pass lounge passes. You need a FICO score of at least 670 to qualify. That’s lower than most business credit cards, which require a score of 690 or higher.
Ongoing APR: 18.24%-25.24% Variable APR
- Earn 75,000 bonus points if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card.
- Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations* on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs).
- Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers.
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
- Earn a $25 statement credit for every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter.
- Points transfer between business and consumer U.S. Bank Altitude products (excluding Reserve).
- Airport lounge access - Priority Pass™ Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,700 VIP lounges worldwide, plus four complimentary visits per membership year.
- Take control of your card spend with U.S. Bank Spend Management—a game-changing platform for monitoring and managing business expenses.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Rates & Fees
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High bonus rewards rate
- Annual fee waived for the first year
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
Cons
- No intro APR offer
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
You get 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined travel spending each year. There’s also a monthly statement credit for taxi or rideshare trips and a handful of Priority Pass lounge passes. You need a FICO score of at least 670 to qualify. That’s lower than most business credit cards, which require a score of 690 or higher.
Ongoing APR: 18.24%-25.24% Variable APR
- Earn 75,000 bonus points if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card.
- Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations* on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs).
- Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers.
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
- Earn a $25 statement credit for every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter.
- Points transfer between business and consumer U.S. Bank Altitude products (excluding Reserve).
- Airport lounge access - Priority Pass™ Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,700 VIP lounges worldwide, plus four complimentary visits per membership year.
- Take control of your card spend with U.S. Bank Spend Management—a game-changing platform for monitoring and managing business expenses.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Rates & Fees
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- High bonus rewards rate
- Annual fee waived for the first year
- Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
Cons
- No intro APR offer
- Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
Best for LLCs + corporations
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%
Intro offer
N/A
on Capital on Tap's website
Pros
- High rewards rate
- No reward caps
- Available with fair credit
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
- Must enroll in automatic payments
- Potential for very high APR
- No new cardholder bonus offer
Capital on Tap doesn’t have a hard floor for credit scores, but applicants with a FICO score of 670 or higher have the best chance of approval. The card offers cash back — as high as 2% if you opt for weekly payments — and has no annual fee. There are a few catches, though. The card has a sky-high ceiling for APR at nearly 80%. And it isn’t available for sole proprietors, charities, nonprofits or trusts.
Ongoing APR: 17.24%-79.74% Variable APR
- 1.5% rewards on all spend, no caps or restrictions
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign exchange fees
- APRs range from 17.24%-79.74% variable
- Unlimited cards for your employees
- Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards are issued by WebBank
Pros
- High rewards rate
- No reward caps
- Available with fair credit
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
- Must enroll in automatic payments
- Potential for very high APR
- No new cardholder bonus offer
Capital on Tap doesn’t have a hard floor for credit scores, but applicants with a FICO score of 670 or higher have the best chance of approval. The card offers cash back — as high as 2% if you opt for weekly payments — and has no annual fee. There are a few catches, though. The card has a sky-high ceiling for APR at nearly 80%. And it isn’t available for sole proprietors, charities, nonprofits or trusts.
Ongoing APR: 17.24%-79.74% Variable APR
- 1.5% rewards on all spend, no caps or restrictions
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign exchange fees
- APRs range from 17.24%-79.74% variable
- Unlimited cards for your employees
- Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards are issued by WebBank
Pros
- High rewards rate
- No reward caps
- Available with fair credit
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
- Must enroll in automatic payments
- Potential for very high APR
- No new cardholder bonus offer
Ramp Card
Best for Corporate card for business owners with fair credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
0%-1.5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$1,000
on Ramp's website
Pros
- Card-level spending controls
- Automatic receipt matching and expense categorization
- Integrates with common business tools
- No personal guarantee or credit check
Cons
- Reward rate varies by customer and is determined by Ramp
- Customer support relies heavily on automation
- Paid subscription required to get full suite of features, integrations
- Minimal support for global teams
- Not available to sole proprietors
This corporate card is only available to corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships. You need at least $25,000 in cash in any U.S. business bank account to qualify. But Ramp doesn’t require a credit check or personal guarantee. The Ramp platform features spending controls, forecasting tools and automatic receipt matching. You can also earn up to 1.5% cash back, though the reward rate varies by customer and is determined by Ramp.
Ongoing APR: N/A
- Get a $1,000 Ramp card upon approval. Limit one per new customer. No minimum spend required.
- Eliminate expense reports with automated receipt capture via SMS, mobile app, and integrations with Gmail, Lyft, and more.
- Control wasteful spending before it happens with built-in vendor and category restrictions.
- Complete visibility into corporate spending to help guide strategic business decisions.
- Seamless accounting and ERP integrations including QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, and more.
- Speed up monthly close with automated coding and reconciliation.
- Up to 30x higher credit limits than traditional business credit cards.
- Up to $350k partner rewards (AWS, UPS, Amazon Business, and more).
- No personal credit check or personal guarantee required.
- Up to 1.5% cashback on all card spend.
- Get approved in less than 48 hours.
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
- Issue unlimited virtual cards and physical cards for each employee.
- 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.
Pros
- Card-level spending controls
- Automatic receipt matching and expense categorization
- Integrates with common business tools
- No personal guarantee or credit check
Cons
- Reward rate varies by customer and is determined by Ramp
- Customer support relies heavily on automation
- Paid subscription required to get full suite of features, integrations
- Minimal support for global teams
- Not available to sole proprietors
This corporate card is only available to corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships. You need at least $25,000 in cash in any U.S. business bank account to qualify. But Ramp doesn’t require a credit check or personal guarantee. The Ramp platform features spending controls, forecasting tools and automatic receipt matching. You can also earn up to 1.5% cash back, though the reward rate varies by customer and is determined by Ramp.
Ongoing APR: N/A
- Get a $1,000 Ramp card upon approval. Limit one per new customer. No minimum spend required.
- Eliminate expense reports with automated receipt capture via SMS, mobile app, and integrations with Gmail, Lyft, and more.
- Control wasteful spending before it happens with built-in vendor and category restrictions.
- Complete visibility into corporate spending to help guide strategic business decisions.
- Seamless accounting and ERP integrations including QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, and more.
- Speed up monthly close with automated coding and reconciliation.
- Up to 30x higher credit limits than traditional business credit cards.
- Up to $350k partner rewards (AWS, UPS, Amazon Business, and more).
- No personal credit check or personal guarantee required.
- Up to 1.5% cashback on all card spend.
- Get approved in less than 48 hours.
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
- Issue unlimited virtual cards and physical cards for each employee.
- 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.
Pros
- Card-level spending controls
- Automatic receipt matching and expense categorization
- Integrates with common business tools
- No personal guarantee or credit check
Cons
- Reward rate varies by customer and is determined by Ramp
- Customer support relies heavily on automation
- Paid subscription required to get full suite of features, integrations
- Minimal support for global teams
- Not available to sole proprietors
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
Best for Corporate card for founders with fair credit
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x
Points
Intro offer
N/A
on BILL Spend & Expense's website
Pros
- No annual fee
- Card-level spending controls
- No personal guarantee
- Available to sole proprietors
Cons
- Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
- Rewards rate varies depending on user activity
The BILL Divvy Corporate Card features a robust spend management platform and is more accessible than most corporate cards. For starters, BILL Divvy is one of the few corporate cards available to sole proprietors. And you may be able to qualify with a bank balance of just $20,000. BILL Divvy is a charge card, though, and its rewards are more complicated than most business cards.
Ongoing APR: N/A
- 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.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Card-level spending controls
- No personal guarantee
- Available to sole proprietors
Cons
- Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
- Rewards rate varies depending on user activity
The BILL Divvy Corporate Card features a robust spend management platform and is more accessible than most corporate cards. For starters, BILL Divvy is one of the few corporate cards available to sole proprietors. And you may be able to qualify with a bank balance of just $20,000. BILL Divvy is a charge card, though, and its rewards are more complicated than most business cards.
Ongoing APR: N/A
- 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.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Card-level spending controls
- No personal guarantee
- Available to sole proprietors
Cons
- Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
- Rewards rate varies depending on user activity
Jump to
Other business credit cards for fair credit
How we chose the best business cards for fair credit
Can you get a business card with fair credit?
How to build credit from fair to good
Should you consider a personal card?
What to look for in a fair-credit business card
Other business credit cards for fair credit
Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
NerdWallet star rating: 3.3
Ongoing APR: 28.99% Variable APR
The Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business stands out for two reasons. First, Capital One says it’s specifically for fair credit. That’s different from other issuers that say they might accept applicants with less-than-ideal credit.
Capital One doesn’t define what credit score range it accepts. But it states business owners with thin credit histories or those with loan defaults in the past 5 years are potentially eligible. That’s unique with an unsecured card. You can also see if you’re pre-approved with no impact to your credit score.
Second, the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business is one of the only business credit cards that reports to consumer and commercial credit bureaus. That means it can help you build your personal and business credit scores. The Spark Classic for Business has no annual fee and earns 1% back on purchases.
NerdWallet star rating: 4.4
Ongoing APR: 26.74% Variable APR
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card can help you build your business credit profile while earning 1.5% cash back on purchases. The card has a minimum security deposit of $1,000, which is equal to your credit limit, and is 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.
How we chose the best business cards for fair credit
Our editorial team evaluated more than 70 business cards for 2026, scoring each on over a dozen factors including rewards, perks and costs. We also survey card issuers annually to gather data they typically don't publish, including credit score requirements and credit reporting practices.
We used this information to focus our analysis on business cards available to applicants with a FICO score between 631 and 689. That’s a narrower range than usual for “fair” credit (more on that below). But it reflects where card options and approval odds tend to meaningfully shift — making it a more useful threshold in practice.
Availability alone didn't earn a card a spot on this list. The best options for fair-credit business owners also needed to:
- Earn at least 4 stars in our overall rating.
- Require less than $50,000 in capital.
- Offer rewards or meaningful added value.
We focus on cards available nationwide. But local and regional banks may have options for fair/average credit too.
Can you get a business card with fair credit?
You can qualify for business credit cards if you have fair credit. But your options are limited. Most issuers require at least “good” credit, which is typically scores of at least 690.
But it’s important to note that not everyone defines fair credit the same way. FICO sets this range as 580–669, while VantageScore puts it at 601–660. You'll likely see those credit score ranges cited elsewhere.
Credit score isn't the only factor in business card approval decisions. Income (business and personal) and other open credit lines can also play a role.
Still, you should know your score before you apply and prioritize cards that offer pre-approval. (Capital One offers this on the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business, for instance.) That can limit the number of hard inquiries that could further ding your score.
How to build credit from fair to good
Most business cards don't report to consumer credit bureaus, so they won't improve your personal FICO score. To do that, you need to focus on personal accounts — e.g., personal credit cards, auto loans or student loans — that report your activity to the bureaus.
Here's what moves the needle:
- Pay on time, every time. Payment history is the single largest factor in your credit score. Set up autopay on personal accounts so you never miss a payment
- Lower your credit utilization. Your credit utilization rate — the percentage of available credit you're using — has a big impact on your score. Keep it below 30%. Lower is better.
- Keep old accounts open. Closing a card reduces your available credit, raises your utilization ratio and can shorten your average account age. All three hurt your score.
- Limit new applications. Each application triggers a hard inquiry that can temporarily lower your score. Too many in a short window compounds the damage. Wait at least six weeks between applications, and research cards thoroughly before you apply.
Should you consider a personal card?
Sole proprietors have an option other business owners don't: personal credit cards. They report to consumer credit bureaus, so they can help you build your FICO score and qualify for better business cards down the road. The catch: Heavy business spending can push your credit utilization past 30% and hurt your score.
If you run an LLC, partnership, or corporation, a personal card isn't a good path — mixing personal and business expenses can put your liability protections at risk. Focus on building personal credit separately instead. A handful of business card issuers, including the Capital One Spark Classic, report to both business and consumer credit bureaus.
What to look for in a fair-credit business card
Take these steps before choosing a business card for fair credit.
Confirm you're eligible. Business structure matters as much as your score. Corporate cards like Ramp and Brex exclude sole proprietors and have minimum revenue requirements.
Pay attention to APR. A lower credit score often translates to a higher interest rate, which can make carrying a balance quite costly. Take care to compare APR ranges for available cards to determine your best option.
Understand your repayment terms. Many business cards available at this credit tier are charge cards. These require full payment monthly, weekly or daily, depending on the card. That keeps you out of debt and avoids interest. But automatic full-balance payments can strain cash flow if your business spending spikes.
*Information for the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business has not been reviewed by or provided by Capital One.
Frequently Asked Questions
Business owners with poor personal credit (a score below 630) will have a hard time qualifying for a standard business card. Instead, consider a secured card while you work to build your credit score. A secured personal card can help you build your personal FICO score, assuming you use it responsibly. A secured business credit card, on the other hand, can help you build your business credit.
While most business credit cards are geared toward people with good-to-excellent credit (a score of 690 or higher), a few cards are offered for those with fair or average credit. Your options include the Capital One Spark Classic or, if you have strong business revenue, a corporate card like Ramp or Brex. The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is another good option for sole proprietors who don’t need employee cards. This personal credit card offers flat-rate rewards for a small annual fee.
Methodology
NerdWallet's writers and editors monitor more than 70 business credit cards to select the best options without outside input from partners or other business interests. We evaluate business cards based on value and simplicity, weighing fees, sign-up bonuses and reward rates, alongside perks like interest-free periods, statement credits and elite status (for travel cards).
We consider more than 20 data points for each card we score, including detailed information about rewards, credits and fees. We gather this information from rates and fees documents, deposit account agreements, financial institution websites and company representatives.
Our editorial team regularly reviews and updates our data to ensure consistency and accuracy. We also update our scoring on an ongoing basis to reflect changing industry norms and business owner needs. For instance, in 2026, we added a small deduction for cards that don’t allow users to issue virtual cards and removed the small increase for cards with no preset spending limit.
Final star ratings range from one to five stars. A five-star score represents the best available product for the largest number of business owners. Learn how NerdWallet rates small-business credit cards.