Business credit cards work a lot like personal cards — but they're built differently. Business credit cards typically have higher limits, business-specific rewards and employee spending controls. They also report to business credit bureaus, rather than personal ones.
There are tradeoffs, though, including fewer consumer protections. Here's what sets business credit cards apart from personal cards, and how to choose the right one.
1. Higher credit limits
Business credit cards typically have higher credit limits than personal cards. You can tap into that capital for operating expenses, like inventory or bulk supplies.
While business cards have a higher ceiling, it's not uncommon to start with a modest limit. Especially if your business just launched and has no revenue.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, for example, has a minimum credit limit of $3,000. And starting credit limits for the Capital One Spark Cash can be as low as $2,000.
A personal card may match or surpass that number if you have excellent personal credit.
» MORE: Our picks for the best high-limit business credit cards
2. Rewards for business spending
Gas, travel and dining are common bonus categories for business and personal cards. But the similarities stop there.
Business credit cards offer higher rates on things like office supplies, shipping and online advertising. While personal cards' bonus categories include groceries, drugstore purchases and streaming subscriptions.
Rewards caps are higher for business cards, too.
For instance, the Chase Ink Cash pays 5% cash back on your first $25,000 in combined spending at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services. Then, the rewards rate drops to 1%.
Compare that to the Chase Freedom Flex, which offers 5% cash back on certain bonus categories too — but caps spending at just $1,500 per quarter, or $6,000 per year.
3. Build your business credit score
Personal credit cards typically report card activity to the three major consumer credit bureaus. Changes to your credit limit, credit usage and payment history (positive or negative) can impact your personal credit score.
Small-business credit cards primarily report to business credit bureaus. This affects your business credit score. Like your personal credit score, your business credit score represents how risky it is to lend your business money.
A strong business credit score can help bolster your application for business loans and other financing.
- Your personal credit score is part of business credit card applications. When you apply, the issuer will make a hard inquiry on your credit. That may result in a small, temporary hit to your personal credit score.
- Business card issuers sometimes report negative activity to consumer credit bureaus. That means late payments and serious delinquencies can lower your personal and business credit scores.
- Capital One may share more than that. Multiple Capital One business credit cards report all usage to consumer and commercial bureaus. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus, Capital One Venture X Business and Capital One Venture Business are exceptions. Those will still show up if you miss payments, though.
» MORE: How to build business credit
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4. Employee spending controls
Most business credit cards offer free employee cards with customizable spending limits. Some companies go well beyond that.
U.S. Bank business credit cards, for example, give business owners a full dashboard that captures receipts, categorizes spending and exports information to your accounting software.
Personal credit cards are designed with one person or household in mind. So they have little need to offer those kinds of features.
5. Shorter intro APR periods
Lots of personal credit cards offer introductory 0% APR periods. And they often last 15 months or longer.
That’s not the case with small-business credit cards. A handful have introductory 0% APR terms. But they tend to be shorter — usually 12 months or fewer.
They also generally apply to new purchases only. Right now, the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card is our only top business credit card with an intro APR on balance transfers.
6. Fewer consumer protections
Consumer protection laws, such as the Credit Card Act of 2009, generally don't apply to small-business credit cards.
For instance, on a small-business card, your APR could potentially change overnight. And you can be charged exorbitant late fees for small infractions.
What business and personal credit cards have in common
- You're personally on the hook for repayment. With personal credit cards, that's probably clear. But business credit cards usually require a personal guarantee — a promise that you’ll repay what you borrow even if your business can’t.
- Both can technically be used for business expenses. There’s no law against using a personal credit card for business spending. (Issuers may include in their terms and conditions that you can’t use a business card for personal expenses, though.) Whichever you choose, make sure you use the card assigned to your business only for business purchases.
At a glance: business credit cards vs personal cards
| Personal Card | Business Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Credit limit | Typically lower | Generally higher |
| Common reward categories | Groceries, travel and dining | Office supplies, advertising, shipping, travel and telecom |
| Personal credit score impact | All activity reported. | Only nonpayment reported for most cards. |
| Builds business credit | No | Yes |
| Employee cards | Authorized users only. No spending controls. | Free employee cards with spending controls. |
| 0% intro APR period | Up to 21 months | Up to 12 months |
| Balance transfer cards | Several options available | Very few options |
| Bad/fair credit options | Several options available | Very few secured options |
How corporate cards compare to other credit cards
Corporate credit cards are issued to companies, not to individual business owners. They differ from both business and personal credit cards.
Unlike personal and business cards, corporate card issuers check your business financials instead of your personal credit to determine your eligibility. You usually don’t have to sign a personal guarantee, either.
But corporate cards aren’t a fit for smaller businesses. You’ll need a business entity and strong financials — potentially venture capital funding or millions of dollars in annual revenue — to qualify.
» MORE: Our picks for the best business credit cards
