Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Opening a rewards credit card for your business spending is a smart move, whether you want to earn cash back to put back into your small business, or rack up points and miles to redeem for travel down the road. You don’t need to own a full-time business or have an LLC to qualify for a small-business credit card; even side gigs like delivering for Instacart, operating an Airbnb, or freelancing can make you eligible.
There are dozens of great small-business credit cards for every type of venture, and the best of these earn valuable rewards and come with compelling benefits that can make running your business easier.
Here are the best business rewards credit cards available right now.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Best flat-rate cash back with no annual fee: American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Best uncapped cash back: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Best no-annual-fee card with up to 5% cash back: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Best no-annual-fee cash back card with an intro 0% APR: U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
Best cash-back card for big spenders: Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Best for earning travel points with no annual fee: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Best overall travel rewards card: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Best beginner travel rewards card: Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Best travel rewards card with luxury perks: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Best for automatically maximizing rewards: American Express® Business Gold Card
Airline and hotel business credit cards
Compare the best business rewards credit cards
Amex Blue Business Cash
Why the Blue Business Cash card is worth it: With no annual fee and up to 2% cash back on all purchases, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is an excellent choice for business owners who don’t want to keep track of bonus categories but want a high rewards rate.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers an excellent cash-back rate — 2% cash back on all purchases, on the first $50,000 spent each calendar year, then 1% back (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars). There’s also a American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (then a American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card APR) that can help you save some money on interest if you have large purchases on the horizon.
Cardholders get access to a suite of small-business tools and features, including access to the American Express business app, which can help you scan and organize receipts and export expense reports. Employee cards are free to add, and you can easily set up spending limits. You’ll also receive a decent range of benefits, like purchase protection, extended warranty, car rental insurance, and access to discounts through Amex Offers**.
Review: Amex Blue Business Cash card review
Chase Ink Business Unlimited
Why the Ink Business Unlimited card is worth it: The Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card is a great pick if you want a no-annual-fee card that earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no spending caps or fussy bonus categories. Plus, it comes with an excellent welcome bonus offer.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
The Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card starts new cardholders off with one of the highest welcome bonuses of any no-annual-fee small-business card: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. Even though it’s marketed as a cash-back card, you’ll actually earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are worth 1 cent each toward statement credits, gift cards, or travel booked through Chase.
Your rewards become more valuable if you also have an annual-fee Chase card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. That’s because you can combine your points into one of these accounts, then transfer them to Chase’s airline and hotel partners to book award travel at potentially a much higher value.
New cardholders receive a Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (then a Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card APR). In addition, you’ll get access to excellent benefits, including primary car rental insurance when renting for business purposes, account management tools, and travel emergency assistance.
Review: Ink Business Unlimited card review
Chase Ink Cash
Why the Ink Business Cash card is worth it: If your business spends a lot in eligible categories, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card could help you earn maximum cash back on your expenses. With a big welcome bonus offer and up to 5% cash back on spending, this is an excellent no-annual-fee option.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Like the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card, the no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and comes with a whopper of a welcome bonus offer: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. However, instead of flat-rate cash back on all purchases, the card earns bonus rewards in certain categories:
5% cash back (5 points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent (then 1x) in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year2% cash back (2 points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent (then 1x) in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year1% cash back (1 point per dollar) on all other purchases with no cap
This card won’t make sense if your business doesn’t spend much at office supply stores, gas stations, restaurants, or on cable, internet, and phone services. But if you do, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has the potential to be very rewarding.
There’s also a Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (then a Ink Business Cash® Credit Card APR) which can help you save money if your business has large purchases to make that can’t be paid off all at once. You’ll also get access to business management tools and benefits like purchase protection, extended warranty, and car rental insurance.
Review: Chase Ink Business Cash card review
US Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards
Why the US Bank Triple Cash card is worth it: Want to earn rewards and get a generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers? The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard® checks all the boxes, and it comes with a substantial welcome bonus, too.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard®
The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard® is a rare combination of solid earning, a generous bonus, and a long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers — all with no annual fee. The welcome bonus offer of U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard® is an excellent deal, but just be aware authorized user purchases won’t count toward the minimum spending requirement, which isn’t the case on most other cards.
This card earns 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the US Bank Travel Rewards Center, 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Again, if these bonus categories match your typical business expenses, you could do very well with the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard®.
Cardholders can also receive an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses like FreshBooks or QuickBooks, which is a nice deal for a no-annual-fee card.
Review: US Bank Triple Cash Rewards card review
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Why the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card is worth it: If your business needs the flexibility of no preset spending limit and spends enough to justify paying an annual fee in exchange for 2% cash back with no limits, the Spark 2% Cash Plus could be a great fit.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn Spark 2% Cash Plus
Paying a Spark 2% Cash Plus annual fee for the Spark 2% Cash Plus might not seem like a good deal, considering there’s a no-annual-fee card (the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card) that also earns up to 2% back. But keep in mind the 2% back on the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is capped at $50,000 in spending per year (then 1%); with the Spark 2% Cash Plus, there’s no limit to earning 2% back on everything.
The welcome bonus is particularly compelling for high-spending businesses: Spark 2% Cash Plus. And, because it’s a charge card, there’s no preset spending limit, giving you some flexibility if you have a particularly large expense to charge. There’s no APR because you need to pay your balance off in full each month (otherwise, a 2.99% monthly late fee applies).
Big spenders can also be rewarded with an annual spending bonus: Each year when you spend $200,000 or more on your card, you’ll earn a $200 cash bonus. That’s in addition to built-in perks like extended warranty, car rental insurance, roadside assistance, and travel emergency assistance services.
Review: Capital One Spark Cash Plus card review
Amex Blue Business Plus
Why the Blue Business Plus card is worth it: There aren’t many no-annual-fee cards that earn flexible travel points, and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a particularly good option with a strong welcome bonus offer and up to 2x points earning across the board.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
If earning valuable Amex Membership Rewards points is part of your travel strategy, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express should be on your radar. It earns a generous 2x points on all purchases, on up to $50,000 in spending per year, then 1x. This makes the card ideal for businesses that don’t spend much past that threshold.
Beyond the welcome bonus of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, cardholders can expect a few solid benefits from the card, like purchase protection, extended warranty, car rental insurance, and small-business management tools. This card is also part of the Amex Trifecta — a trio of cards that can help you earn 2x to 5x Amex points on every single purchase you make.
Review: Amex Blue Business Plus card review
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Why the Ink Business Preferred card is worth it: If you like earning flexible travel points and don’t mind paying a modest annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card should be on your short list. Between a massive welcome bonus offer, great earning categories, and top-notch benefits, this card is hard to beat.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is ideal for small-business owners who spend a lot in popular business categories, especially for those who like to maximize their rewards by redeeming them for travel. The card starts you off with a huge welcome bonus of Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. That’s potentially worth Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card in travel (based on Insider’s valuations) when you transfer points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners and book award travel.
Cardholders earn 3x points on up to $150,000 in combined spending each year (then 1x) on:
Shipping purchasesAdvertising purchases on social media sites and search enginesInternet, cable, and phone servicesTravel (including airfare, hotels, rental cars, and more)
All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. If these categories are typical expenses for your business, you could take home a huge haul of rewards from this card each year.
One downside: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card doesn’t offer an introductory 0% APR. That said, it comes with plenty of other benefits that can potentially save you money, including cell phone protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary car rental insurance (when renting for business purposes), extended warranty, and purchase protection.
Review: Ink Business Preferred card review
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Why the Capital One Spark Miles card is worth it: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business earns unlimited 2x miles on all purchases and offers a welcome bonus worth at least $500 in travel. Its rewards are simple to use toward travel purchases, but you can unlock even more value by transfering miles to airline and hotel partners.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn Capital One Spark Miles for Business
If you’re looking for a straightforward travel credit card with a rewards program that’s as simple as they come, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business is an excellent option. Along with a strong welcome bonus offer, the card earns 2x miles on all purchases (except hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One, which earn 5x miles).
You can redeem Capital One miles at a rate of 1 cent each to “erase” travel purchases made with your card, which is great if you don’t want to fuss with award charts or complicated loyalty programs. But if you want to squeeze the most value from your miles, transferring them to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners is an option too, and you could potentially get a much higher return that way.
Cardholders get some sweet benefits with this card as well, including up to a $100 credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, two free Capital One Lounge visits each year, and small-business management tools.
Review: Capital One Spark Miles for Business card review
Amex Business Platinum
Why the Amex Business Platinum card is worth it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a high annual fee, but it’s more than worth it if you take advantage of the card’s premium perks, including airport lounge access, up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee credits**, and up to $400 in Dell statement credits** each year.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
With a The Business Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express certainly isn’t for everyone. However, it can put much more than that in value back into your pocket if you make the most of its wide array of upscale benefits and earning opportunities.
Cardholders earn:
5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel1.5x points on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year1 point per dollar on everything else
Along with the aforementioned benefits, cardholders can take advantage of up to $120 in credits for U.S. wireless providers each calendar year**, up to $360 in Indeed credits each calendar year**, up to $150 in Adobe credits each calendar year**, and up to $189 back per year in credits for CLEAR® membership**.
Review: Amex Business Platinum card review
Amex Business Gold
Why the Amex Business Gold card is worth it: The American Express® Business Gold Card is only a good fit for certain types of businesses, but if you spend a lot in its bonus categories, it can supercharge your Amex Membership Rewards points earning.
Welcome bonus offer: Earn American Express® Business Gold Card
The American Express® Business Gold Card should be considered carefully, because outside of its bonus categories, it only earns 1 point per dollar, and it doesn’t offer a ton of statement credits or other ways to offset its pricey American Express® Business Gold Card annual fee. But, if your business spending matches the card — especially since the card automatically rewards you on your top categories — the American Express® Business Gold Card is a real powerhouse.
You’ll earn 4x American Express Membership Rewards points on the two categories (from a list) where your business spends the most each billing cycle, up to $150,000 per calendar year (then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Eligible 4x categories are:
Airfare purchased directly from airlinesUS gas stationsUS restaurants (including takeout and delivery)US shipping providersUS computer hardware, software, and cloud systems from select technology providersUS purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
Cardholders can also take advantage of excellent travel and purchase benefits, including a 25% points rebate on first- and business-class flights (or economy flights on your selected airline) booked through Amex Travel, baggage insurance, trip delay insurance, and extended warranty.
Review: Amex Business Gold card review
Airline and hotel business credit cards
Most major hotel chains and US airlines offer co-branded small-business credit cards. If you’re a frequent traveler and you’re loyal to any of these programs, you should definitely look at these options.
Airline co-branded credit cards earn frequent flyer miles on every purchase, and usually come with benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding.
Delta
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (read our Gold Delta SkyMiles Business card review)Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (read our Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business card review)Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (read our Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card review)
United Airlines
United℠ Business Card (read our United Business card review)United ClubSM Business Card
American Airlines
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® (read our Citi American Airlines Business card review)AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® (read our Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business card review)
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (read our Southwest Premier Business card review)Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (read our Southwest Performance Business card review)
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card (read our Alaska Business card review)
Hotel business credit cards allow you to earn hotel points on your business spending, and many of these cards offer complimentary elite status and annual free reward nights.
Hilton
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (read our Hilton Business card review)
Marriott
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (read our Marriott Bonvoy Business card review)
Hyatt
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (read our Hyatt Business card review)
IHG
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (read our IHG Premier Business card review)
Wyndham
Wyndham Rewards® Earner Business Card (read our Wyndham Earner Business card review)
Business rewards credit cards frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How can I qualify for a business credit card?
You don’t need to have a multi-million-dollar corporation or even a full-time venture to qualify for a business credit card. Freelance or part-time businesses where you’re the sole proprietor are eligible, too, like driving for Lyft, reselling merchandise online, or providing paid childcare.
Small-business owners who aren’t sole proprietors (like those with LLCs or even larger businesses) are eligible for small-business cards as well, but you be asked to include your Employer Identification Number (EIN) on your credit card application as well as your Social Security Number.
What is the best business rewards card?
There’s no single best business rewards card — the right card for you really depends on the type of rewards you like to earn, your typical spending patterns, and whether or not you want to pay an annual fee in exchange for more benefits.
If you’re new to rewards business credit cards, you can’t go wrong with a no-annual-fee cash-back card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card if you’re looking for the best combination of simplicity and value.
I already have a personal credit card. Why should I get a business credit card?
Keeping your business and personal expenses separate is important, particularly at tax time. Opening and using a small-business card for your business expenses can help keep you organized, and taking advantage of specific small-business tools these cards offer can make your life easier as well.