Best Business Credit Cards of March 2023 – The Points Guy

The Business Platinum Card from American Express: Best for travel perks

If you’re after travel perks, the Amex Business Platinum card is for you. The Business Platinum earns 5 points per dollar on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, along with 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more; on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. 

Cardholders will enjoy automatic Gold status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, along with numerous other benefits. Enrollment required for select benefits.

With this card you can earn up to $1,000 per calendar year in statement credits on select purchases, including up to $400 with Dell Technologies in the U.S., up to $360 with Indeed (up to $90 per quarter), up to $150 with Adobe and up to $120 on purchases made directly from U.S. wireless telephone providers (up to $10 per month). Enrollment is required.

Cardholders get access to airport lounges across the globe, including Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when traveling on same-day Delta flights) — TPG values this access at $325 per year. Also, the card comes with up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee statement credits on one selected airline and a 35% points rebate for flights booked through Amex Travel in first or business class on any airline (up to 1 million points back per calendar year), or in any class on the airline of your choice each year. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

TPG’s Staff Pick: “I find that the annual perks and credits vastly outweigh the large annual fee. And that’s even without using some of them. By using the benefits with Priority Pass and Amex lounges, the airline incidental credits, plus the statement credits for Clear, our cell phone plan and restocking our printer with ink and paper from Dell, we are getting more value out of the card than it costs to keep it. Plus, it earns my favorite points — American Express Membership Rewards — and we earn 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel.” – Ryan Smith, Writer

Standout benefits:

• Redeem points directly for first or business class, or any seat on the airline of your choice, and get a 35% points rebate.

• Get up to $1,500 or more in statement credits each year toward eligible purchases, such as airline incidental fees and U.S. purchases from Dell Technologies.

• The Membership Rewards points this card earns can be transferred to over 20 airline and hotel partners.

For more details, check our American Express Business Platinum Card review.

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Official application link: Amex Business Platinum.

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Ink Business Preferred Credit Card: Best for bonus earning

If you spend a lot on business travel or social media advertising, you’ll be able to earn significant points with the Ink Business Preferred card. The card earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made on social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.

TPG’s most recent point valuations peg the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece, so you’ll get a fantastic return of 6% on purchases in these categories. If you spend the full $150,000, you’ll take home 450,000 Ultimate Rewards points (which are worth $9,000 based on TPG’s valuations).

You can also get great value out of Chase Ultimate Rewards points by transferring them to the 11 airline and three hotel loyalty programs, including United and Hyatt. Plus the card gives you 25% more value for the points you earn when you redeem them for travel at a fixed value in the Ultimate Rewards portal, a perk also available on other Chase credit cards.

TPG’s Staff Pick: “I originally signed up for the Ink Business Preferred primarily for its sign-up bonus. But, over the last year, I’ve found myself making it my go-to card when booking travel. After all, the Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories and provides excellent travel protections, including trip delay protection and rental car insurance.” – Katie Genter, Writer

Standout benefits: 

For more details, check our Chase Ink Preferred Card review.

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Official application link: Ink Business Preferred.

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American Express® Business Gold Card: Best for flexible rewards earning

If you’re looking to maximize earnings on business expenses, the Amex Business Gold has the potential to be quite lucrative.

The card racks up 4 points per dollar on two categories where your business spent the most each month (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). Bonus rewards are distributed automatically based on where you spend, so you don’t have to activate or remember to switch your selections. Eligible categories include the following:

• Airfare purchased directly from airlines.

• U.S. purchases for advertising in select media.

• U.S. purchases for shipping.

• U.S. purchases at

  gas stations

  .

• U.S. purchases at

  restaurants

  .

• U.S. purchases made from

  select technology providers

  of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions.

While the card doesn’t come with statement credits to help offset the $295 annual fee (see rates and fees), you could earn up to 600,000 Membership Rewards points by maxing out these bonus categories each year. You’re also getting access to the Membership Rewards program and its array of airline and hotel transfer partners, such as Delta and Hilton, along with tremendous potential savings via Amex Offers and a 25% rebate when you pay with points on eligible flights.

Standout benefits (Enrollment required for select benefits):

• 25% rebate when you use points to pay for all or part of an eligible flight booked through

  Amex Travel

  (up to 250,000 points back per calendar year).

• Booking through

  The Hotel Collection

  includes an up to $100 hotel credit to spending on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities and room upgrades upon arrival when available on stays of at least two consecutive nights at participating hotels and resorts.

• Various travel and shopping protection.

  • Enrollment is required for select benefits.

For more details, read our Amex Business Gold Card review.

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Official application link: Amex Business Gold.

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Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Best for everyday business spending

The Capital One Spark Miles card has an intro offer of 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first three months from account opening. Based on TPG’s valuations, this bonus is worth $925.

Capital One miles transfer to 15-plus partners, including Air Canada, Air France-KLM and Wyndham. And because this card earns at least 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, it’s a great option for business owners who want to maximize their everyday expenses.

TPG values Capital One miles at 1.85 cents each, so you’re getting a return of at least 3.7%, regardless of what category your business expenses fall into. You also have the option to use your miles to cover travel expenses at a fixed value of 1 cent apiece, so you’re guaranteed to get an effective return of at least 2% on every purchase.

This is also one of the few cards without a massive annual fee that comes with a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $100 every four years). The $95 annual fee is even waived for the first year.

Standout benefits:

• Global Entry

  /

  TSA PreCheck

  application fee credit (up to $100).

• This card makes it easy to maximize your business expense by providing a solid rate of return on every purchase.

• Earn valuable Capital One miles, which transfer to over a dozen airline and hotel partners.

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Official application link: Capital One Spark Miles for Business.

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Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard credit card: Best for BofA Preferred Rewards for Business members

The Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash offers a terrific 1.5% earning rate on all purchases (similar to the Ink Business Unlimited).

But Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business customers have a key advantage here. That’s because the 1.5% earning rate can climb from 1.875% to 2.625% depending on your tier within the Preferred Rewards program.

Standout benefits: 

• No annual fee.

• There’s no limit to how much you can earn with this card.

• Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business members earn cash back even faster.

For more details, check our Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash card review.

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Official application link: Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash.

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Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card: Best for freelancers

Many entrepreneurs, and even self-employed individuals, are merely looking for simplicity and to minimize their costs as they do business. If that’s the case for you, the Ink Business Unlimited is the card for your needs. With the Ink Business Unlimited, you can earn 1.5% on all of your purchases, with no limits. 

Through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards portal, you’re able to redeem the points you earn with the Ink Business Unlimited for statement credits, gift cards, travel and more at a rate of 1 cent each. If you happen to carry a Chase card that earns fully transferable points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, you can reap even more value from your rewards by combining your points balances together. 

Standout benefits: 

• Purchase protection and extended warranty.

• Car rental coverage, travel and emergency assistance services and roadside dispatch.

• Employee cards at no cost.

For more details, check our Chase Ink Business Unlimited review.

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Official application link: Ink Business Unlimited.

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Ink Business Cash Credit Card: Best for office supplies

The Ink Business Cash earns 5% back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, plus 2% back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. For business owners who spend primarily in those categories, this is a great option.

If you also have a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points — such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — the Ink Business Cash’s rewards can be combined in a single Ultimate Rewards account. That means you could potentially earn up to 5 points per dollar (a 10% return) on business expenses.

Standout benefits: 

• Purchase protection and extended warranty.

• Car rental coverage, travel and emergency assistance services and roadside dispatch.

• Employee cards at no cost.

For more details, see the full card review for the Ink Business Cash card.

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Official application link: Ink Business Cash.

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Blue Business Plus Card from American Express: Best for no annual fee

The Blue Business Plus has a solid earning rate of 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar). If your small business spends less than $50,000 each year in purchases, the Blue Business Plus can be a good no-annual-fee option (see rates and fees) that provides an effective 4% return on spending based on TPG’s valuations of Amex points. 

For those just getting started with their business or looking for an everyday spending card to cover the expenses that may not fall under the bonus categories of other business credit cards, this is a great option.

Standout benefits:

• 0% intro APR (see

  rates and fees

  ) on purchases for the first 12 months of account opening (17.74% – 25.74% variable APR applicable after) (see

  rates and fees

  ).

• If your business spends less than $50,000 per year, this card’s earning rates are among the best out there.

• Earn valuable Amex Membership Rewards points on every purchase, all for no annual fee.

For more details, read our Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express review.

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Official application link: Amex Blue Business Plus Card.

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Capital One Spark Cash Plus: Best for unlimited business cash back

The Spark Cash Plus is a simple yet rewarding business card option. You’ll earn 2% cash-back rewards on all your purchases, guaranteeing that you’re earning a solid return no matter the purchase. As long as you keep your account open, your rewards never expire. You can also redeem your cash back in any increment, helping you keep your operating expenses low and adding more value year after year.

Standout benefits:

• The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a charge card, meaning there’s no preset spending limit. This is great for business owners who may have to charge lots of expenses on their card or need to go above their typical credit limit.  

• No foreign transaction fees. 

For more details, read our Capital One Spark Cash Plus review.

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Official application link: Capital One Spark Cash Plus.

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Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard credit card: Best for customizable business cash back

The Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash card offers the ability to maximize your ever-changing business expenses with up to 3% cash back. You can choose your top spending category every month to earn that 3% rate (on up to the first $50,000 spent in combined category and dining purchases per year), then 1% cash back. 

If you qualify for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business program, you’ll be able to increase the earning potential on this card — for up to an additional 75% rewards boost depending on the assets you maintain with Bank of America and Merrill. 

Standout benefits: 

• No annual fee.

• Choose from the following categories for the 3% rewards rate: Gas stations, office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom and wireless services, computer services and business consulting services. You’ll also earn 2% back on dining purchases (on the first $50,000 spent in combined choice category and dining purchases each calendar year); then 1% back. 

• Those who qualify for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business program earn 25% to 75% more cash back.

For more details, check our Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash card review.

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Official application link: Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash.

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United Business Card: Best for United Airlines flyers 

The United Business Card is an affordable option for business travelers who tend to fly with United and its partners. If you also happen to carry a consumer United credit card, the United Business Card is a great card to pair it with. Doing so will not only help you keep your personal and business expenses separate, but you’ll receive 5,000 bonus miles each year on your United Business Card account anniversary for carrying both cards.

The card’s other benefits include the ability to earn up to 1,000 Premier Qualifying Points based on spending in a calendar year to help you qualify for United elite status and access to expanded award availability when it comes time to redeem those MileagePlus miles. 

Standout benefits: 

• Two one-time United Club passes every card anniversary.

• First checked bag free for the primary cardholder and one traveling companion on your reservation. 

• Earn a $100 United travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each card anniversary year.

For more details, check our United Business Card review.

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Official application link: United Business Card.

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: Best for occasional Southwest flyers 

If you’re a business owner and Southwest loyalist but can’t justify an annual fee greater than $100, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business is the card for you. You’ll get two EarlyBird check-ins per year, a 25% discount on inflight purchases and more.

Standout benefits:

• You’ll earn tier qualifying points toward your

  Southwest A-List elite status

  . 

• You’ll earn 6,000 bonus Southwest points every card anniversary.

For more details, read our Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business review.

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Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.

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Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for Delta Air Lines flyers

If Delta Air Lines is your preferred carrier, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card can significantly enhance your travel experience both on the ground and when flying the airline.

You’ll be treated to elite-like benefits such as complimentary seat upgrades when available, access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying the airline and more. If you are trying to earn Delta Medallion elite status, this card provides you with the opportunity to earn valuable Medallion Qualification Miles through spending and help you move up the rungs of the elite-status ladder. Other key benefits include your first checked bag free, priority boarding and savings on in-flight purchases. and priority boarding. 

Standout benefits: 

• Lounge benefits when flying Delta the same day; access to the Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion lounges. 

• Annual round-trip companion certificate good for travel in Main Cabin, Comfort+ or even first class each year upon card renewal. This benefit alone can easily exceed the cost of the card’s the $550 annual fee (see

  rates and fees

  ). 

• This card earns 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles when you spend $30,000 on purchases in a calendar year, up to four times per year.

For more details, check our Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex Card review.

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Official application link: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex.

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card: Best for Southwest flyers

The Southwest Performance Business credit card is a perfect fit for Southwest fans. It comes with plenty of perks that will make business trips on the airline more comfortable than ever, especially for those who don’t yet have A-List or A-List Preferred status. 

The card earns 4 points per dollar on Southwest Airlines purchases, 3 points per dollar on Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners, 2 points per dollar on rideshares, 2 points per dollar on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable and phone services and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Plus, the sign-up bonus gets you much closer to earning the coveted Southwest Airlines Companion Pass.

You’ll get four priority boarding positions each year, which normally cost $30-$50 each, so that perk alone can offset the annual fee. Cardholders receive up to 365 daily in-flight Wi-Fi credits worth $8 apiece each year, which means you can surf the internet for free on Southwest any time you fly.

Standout benefits:

• Four priority boarding positions per year (valued by TPG at $120 annually).

• Up to 365 $8 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year ($8 covers an all-day pass, valued by TPG at $200 annually).

• Up to $100 every four years to cover enrollment fees for

  Global Entry

  or

  TSA PreCheck

  .

• 9,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points after every cardmember anniversary (worth $135 based on

  TPG’s latest valuations

  ).

• Employee cards at no additional cost.

For more details, read our Southwest Performance Business credit card review.

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Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card.

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Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Best for Marriott business travelers

If your business is loyal to Marriott when you travel, Marriott Bonvoy elite status is likely on your radar. The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex’s current offer is a great opportunity to supercharge your Marriott Bonvoy points balance. Of course, the card also comes with several benefits for business travelers. 

You’ll get 15 elite night credits annually (which can be stacked with a Marriott Bonvoy consumer card, meaning you could earn up to 30 elite night credits from your credit cards alone). The card also comes with a free-night award (up to 35,000 points) each card renewal month and the potential to earn a second after eligible spending each year valid at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

The card also earns 6 points per dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on purchases made from merchants in the U.S. for shipping and 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Standout benefits (Enrollment required for select benefits):

• 15 elite night credits each calendar year.

• Complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status.

• Free-night award each year (up to 35,000 points in value), plus the ability to earn a second night after spending $60,000 in a calendar year.

• Earn bonus points in a wide range of categories including at restaurants, U.S. gas stations and on U.S. wireless telephone services.

For more details, read our full Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex card review. 

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Official application link: Marriott Bonvoy Business Card.

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Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Best for Hilton business travelers

If you frequently travel for business and stay at Hilton properties often, the Hilton Business Amex could be a great option for you. The card confers automatic Hilton Gold elite status with perks like a 20% point bonus on qualifying spending, a fifth night free on standard room award stays of five nights or more, room upgrades and free breakfast at most properties.

You’ll also earn 12 Hilton Honors points per dollar for eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in Hilton’s portfolio; 6 points per dollar at eligible U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchases directly from U.S. service providers, U.S. shipping companies, U.S. restaurants, flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel, and car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply.

Standout benefits (Enrollment required for select benefits):

• Complimentary

  Hilton Honors Gold status

  and the ability to spend to Diamond status.

• 10 passes per year for

  Priority Pass lounges

  without restaurant access (valued by TPG at $75).

• Complimentary employee credit cards (see

  rates and fees

  ) and expense-management tools help you track and organize expenses.

  • Enrollment is required for select benefits.

For more details, read our Hilton Honors American Express Business Card review.

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Official application link: Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.

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CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Best for American Airlines flyers

The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select card comes with some solid bonus categories for an airline credit card, and miles earned can be redeemed not only on American Airlines but on the carrier’s Oneworld alliance partners and other partners, too.

Cardholders receive a free checked bag for themselves and up to four companions when flying American, as well as priority boarding. Best of all, the $99 annual fee is waived for the first 12 months.

Standout benefits:

• Free checked bag for you and up to four traveling companions.

• Get 25% savings on American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi purchases.

• Earn a companion certificate for domestic main cabin economy travel after spending $30,000 or more each membership year and after the card is renewed (account must remain open at least 45 days after anniversary date).

The information for the CitiBusiness Platinum Select card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Choosing the best credit card for American Airlines flyers

Research methodology

There are many credit cards geared toward small businesses, so narrowing down the list to the best ones can be challenging. Here are the criteria we used to choose the cards listed above:

Bonus value

As you can see, the bulk of the first-year value comes from the sign-up bonus itself — I used our latest valuations to calculate a dollar amount for each offer. Other solid business cards — such as the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi — aren’t included because they don’t currently offer a sign-up bonus and are bested by other cards in terms of first-year value as a result.

Related: The best cards for each business credit card category

Travel credits

From there, I factored in annual travel credits, like the up to $200 annual airline credit offered by the Business Platinum Card from American Express (enrollment required). As the Amex Business Platinum also offers various lounge access types through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, I assigned a value of $325 for these perks. Additionally, if a card waives its annual fee for the first year, I didn’t subtract that from the value of the welcome bonus and other perks since this post is focused on how much you’ll get from the card as a new applicant.

Bonus requirements

More and more business credit cards offer tiered bonuses based on your business spending in the first three to six months. In the past, I focused on the value you’d get by meeting only the lowest spending requirement, but many business credit cards require higher tiers of spending. That said, given the ability of businesses to put large expenses on credit cards, I’m now including the maximum number of bonus points you can earn — assuming your business meets all the spending requirements.

Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

How to choose a small business credit card

There’s no single best business card. Instead, the best business card for your small business depends on various aspects. For example, do you prefer earning cash-back rewards, airline miles, hotel points or transferrable currencies? Are you willing to pay an annual fee? What categories does your business spend the most in each year? Do you or your employees travel frequently, and if so, would there be a benefit in having hotel elite status or a checked bag allowance when flying?

Which rewards are important to you

You should also take into consideration the kind of spending you make. For example, if you spend a lot of money on travel for business, then The Business Platinum Card® from American Express might be the best card for you, as it offers 5 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel. In other words, the more you spend on travel, the more you’ll be rewarded.

It’s also a good idea to check out possible reward expirations, minimum redemption amounts and earning limits for cards before making your final decision.

Spending habits

The most important thing to consider is whether you’ll likely need to carry your balance over a month-to-month basis, as this would mean you’d need to consider a card with a 0% intro APR period or a fixed low-interest rate.

Or, if you plan on paying your balance each month in full, then you might consider going for a card that has the biggest sign-up bonus and the most lucrative rewards.

Does the card have business-friendly benefits?

You may notice that on closer inspection, some business credit cards offer extra little perks like itemized end-of-year statements, employee cards and in-app functionality for uploading photos of receipts to match with card purchases.

Related: How to choose the right credit card for you

Pros and cons of getting a business credit card

A business credit card can help you maximize your purchases, separate your expenses and save money on interest each year. These business credit cards offer bonus rewards on categories popular with small businesses, such as office supplies, airfare, advertising and gas.

In fact, business-specific bonus categories are one of the main ways that business credit cards differ from personal credit cards. For more information about the best personal credit cards on the market, be sure to check out our best credit cards, best rewards credit cards and best travel credit cards pages to find the perfect partner to pair with your new business card.

But you need to do your research before applying for a small-business credit card. While business cards often offer tailored bonus categories and additional benefits for business owners, they also have fewer consumer protections than personal credit cards.

Related: The best business and personal credit card combinations

How to get the most out of your business credit card

Your card’s arrived and you’re all excited. But what next? There are several ways to make sure you’re making the most out of your card — here are some key habits to adopt.

Use it as often as possible

The more you use your card, the more points and rewards you’ll earn. It can be strange to switch up spending habits, but try to switch to using your business credit card as your go-to option rather than cash, debit, bank transfers or other payment methods.

Earn your sign up bonus

The sign-up bonus is one of the most, if not the most, lucrative ways of earning lots of points or air miles and for the least amount of effort.

Sign-up bonuses are usually in the form of spending a certain amount of money in a certain amount of time. Remember, if you don’t think you’ll hit the spending limit, you may want to reconsider taking out the card in the first place.

Claim interest and fees as tax deductions

Some credit card fees and interest are deductible from your tax returns as business expenses. If you’re not sure how this works, check with your accountant.

Pay statement on time

Pay today, don’t delay. No, this is not a commercial, it’s the single most important rule that should stop you from running into any issues with credit and interest.

If you cannot make your card payments on time, don’t take out the card.

How to apply for a business credit card

If you own a small business or just do freelance gigs, you could be eligible for a business credit card. You don’t necessarily need a tax ID or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to qualify for a business credit card; if you’re a sole proprietor with a small business or side gig, you can usually enter your Social Security number (SSN) instead.

Information you’ll need to provide

When filling out an application form for a business credit card, there are some extra pieces of information required in addition to what you might provide for a personal credit card application.

This is likely to include:

The name of your business

If you’re the sole owner of your small business, you might not even have a designated name for it. If this is the case, don’t worry, you’re allowed to use your own name instead.

Contact information

Similarly, if you don’t have a separate business contact number and mailing address, you can also use your own here too.

A Taxpayer Identification Number

There are two numbers you could use for this, depending on how your business is set up. If you’re the sole business owner, you can use your Social Security number. Or, in the instance that you employ staff or have a more formal business structure, then you should use your business’s Employer Identification Number. You can easily get an EIN on the IRS website.

Your industry

It’s up to you how you want to describe your business; you can either use more rigid categories like travel, food and drink, or retail, or you can describe the exact service you provide should your business type not fall into those categories.

How long you’ve been in business

This one’s pretty self-explanatory.

Revenue and expenses

This is the part where you enter how much money your business makes and how much your outgoings were to run your business.

What you do not need

A specific business type

Whether you have a structured company, LLC or partnership, or you operate without a formal or legal business structure, you’re still perfectly eligible to apply.

Business credit history

In most cases, your small business credit card would be guaranteed by you personally and not the business itself. This means that you won’t be required to include an existing credit history for your business.

Check out the following guides to applying for small-business cards for issuer-specific strategies:

Related: 5 ways you might be eligible for a business credit card without realizing it

Business credit versus personal credit

Business credit is similar to your personal credit in that it allows potential creditors to judge what kind of credit risk your business poses. A higher business credit score could mean you’ll have better access to loans and lines of credit, lower interest rates, and cheaper insurance premiums for established firms.

Having business credit helps keep your business and personal finances from affecting each other in the long run.

An important thing to remember when considering both business and personal credit is that making payments on time is crucial to avoid damaging your credit score.

Reporting bureaus

Credit reporting bureaus are companies that generate both business and personal credit scores. They gather information about a person or a business’s debt and use it to decide how risky lending money to them would be. The higher your credit score, the lower the risk, and the more likely it is you’ll be accepted for more credit.

When you’re just starting, you won’t have a business credit score, at least until you open a business credit card or secure a line of credit from a vendor that reports to the business credit bureaus — such as Experian, Equifax and Dun & Bradstreet. For personal credit, the main bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

If you’re looking to build up your business credit, we advise taking extra care when deciding which vendors and business suppliers you do business with, as not all of them report your financial activity to the business bureaus.

Credit score range

Credit scoring systems differ for business and personal credit. For business scores, the range is commonly from zero to 100 and for personal scores, you’ll likely see a range of 300 to 850.

Access to score

Getting access to your personal credit score is relatively easy. Federal law entitles you to a copy of your credit report once every 12 months from each of the main three bureaus, for free.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for access to your business credit report and score as the major bureaus’ charge for this.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a small business credit card and a corporate credit card?

The main difference between the two cards is where the responsibility lies for the card’s debt. Additionally, each card has a different credit check process during application.

For small-business owners of credit cards, the business owner is personally responsible for paying the debt. Once you’ve applied for the card, issuers will check your own personal credit history as well as that of your small business. That’s in addition to a guarantee that you agree to repay any debt.

However, for corporate cards, it’s the business itself that is responsible. This means that should the company run into financial difficulties; it would not fall on the owner(s) to pay the debt. The credit history for only the business and not the owners is the only requirement for credit checks.

How do I check my business credit score?

Dun and Bradstreet offers a free service called CreditSignal, which gives you alerts when your scores or reports change but doesn’t give you access to the full reports themselves. Here’s what the fine print on the website says:

“CreditSignal only indicates that your D and B scores and ratings have changed and alerts you when your business credit file has been purchased. To view actual scores and ratings and learn about what industries are purchasing your D and B file, we recommend that you upgrade to one of our business credit monitoring or credit building solutions.”

Related: The best no-annual-fee business credit cards

Can I use a business credit card instead of a business loan?

Yes, but you should take into account your specific business needs. Business credit cards are faster and allow you to use only what you need — though if you aren’t able to pay your balances in full and on time every month, you may be hit with big interest charges. If your business cycle is a few months between incurring the expenses and receiving payment from a customer, a business loan may be a more cost-effective solution.

Related: Small-business credit card vs. corporate credit card: Which is right for your business?

Do I need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to get a small business credit card?

When applying for a small-business credit card, you’re likely to be asked for the business’ tax identification number. This doesn’t have to be an EIN, but you can use it if you have one.

Instead, if you’re the sole business owner, you’ll have to use your Social Security number. Either an EIN or Social Security number will be required to prove which entity will be guaranteeing the debt.

Additional reporting by Daniel Ross.

Featured photo by Roman Chazov/Shutterstock

For rates and fees of the Business Platinum Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Business Amex, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business, please click here.