Best Business Credit Cards

Yes, you can use an EIN to get a credit card, though your selection will be limited if you don't also list your SSN. You can apply for a short list of business credit cards with just an EIN, and some of those cards require your business to have annual revenues of $5+ million.

Credit Cards You Can Apply for With an EIN Only

Most credit card issuers will require a Social Security number when you apply for a business credit card because in almost all cases, they will require a personal guarantee on the debt. That means you are personally liable for any charges on the account that the business is unable to pay. That's also why issuers will often initiate a hard inquiry on your personal credit report as part of the application process.

You need a credit score of 700 or higher to get the best business credit cards. Although the top business credit cards usually require at least good credit for approval, there are still options for small business owners with fair, limited, or bad credit. In other words, you can get a business credit card with pretty much any credit score, though the most attractive offers are reserved for the most creditworthy applicants.

Note that your personal credit score will still be taken into account, even though you're applying for a business credit card. The higher your personal score is, and the more income you have relative to your debt, the better your chances of approval will be.

Popular Business Credit Cards by Credit Score Requirement

In general, good-to-excellent credit gets you access to the biggest sign-up bonuses, the highest ongoing rewards rates, and lots of options with no annual fee. People with lower scores will most likely have to choose between low fees and other perks.

Credit card companies rely on personal credit to evaluate business credit card applications because personal credit histories are usually longer. Therefore, they tend to be more predictive. Most credit card companies also consider a business owner's personal finances to be intertwined with the business. That's often true, since personal savings are the top source of start-up capital for new businesses.

To get a business credit card for your LLC, compare offers for cards to determine which business credit card is likely to save your LLC the most money, based on rewards, fees, interest rates and other features. Then, apply for the card online, wait for a decision and, if you're approved, wait for your card in the mail.

You can get a business credit card for an LLC, as long as you are permitted by the corporation. If you aren't an owner of the LLC, you must at least be an authorized officer  – in other words, legally able to sign for the company – in order to apply for a credit card in the LLC's name. Authorized officers will be named on the LLC's operating agreement, and can be the LLC's owner, president, managing member, member, or treasurer, for instance.

When it comes to which business credit cards you might qualify for, a lot depends on your personal credit score. Most small business credit card issuers will judge your application based on your personal creditworthiness because they require a personal guarantee for any balance on the account.

How to Get a Business Credit Card for Your LLC in 4 Steps

1. Check your credit score. Your personal credit score plays a big role in which business credit card you can get, but you don't need good credit to get a business credit card. You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub.
2. Determine which card would be best for you. The ideal business credit card will give you the best value in rewards and benefits, based on your business spending and your overall needs. Narrow down the choices based on rewards rates in your biggest spending categories and other card benefits, and then compare expected earnings after taking any fees into account.
3. Fill out the application. You'll need to provide details about the LLC on the application, such as its name, address, phone number, annual income, number of employees, years in business, and Employer Identification Number (EIN). You'll also need to provide some information about yourself, such as your Social Security number and personal income, among other things.
4. Wait for a response. You could get a decision instantly, or the card issuer may need a closer look at your application. Most credit card issuers make a decision on applications within 2 weeks, and if you're approved, your new card should get to you in 7-10 business days after approval. If you get denied for the card, consider calling the card issuer's reconsideration line or looking into other credit card options.

Business credit cards can be assets for LLC owners, as they tend to offer more business-focused benefits and rewards, with the potential for higher credit limits than personal cards. That said, many LLC owners use a personal credit card for business purposes – and that's perfectly fine, if you aren't interested in building business credit and you keep your business and personal expenses separate.

The main differences between business credit cards and personal credit cards are that business cards are only available to business owners and authorized business representatives, and they have higher credit limits. In addition, business cards and personal cards have different user protections and rewards.

Business Credit Card vs. Personal Credit Card

It's important to note that you can get a personal credit card to use for business purchases. Likewise, you can make personal charges on a business credit card. However, it's best to not mix business and personal purchases on the same card, as that makes bookkeeping messy.

The best high limit business credit card is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. It offers a minimum credit limit of $5,000 and allows some users to start with much higher initial limits based on their overall creditworthiness. The better your credit situation (both personal and business), the more responsible you'll seem to lenders and the more likely they'll be to give you a higher credit line.

The Chase Ink Preferred card also offers an initial bonus of 100,000 points for spending $15,000 in the first 3 months and gives 1 - 3 points per $1 spent on purchases. It has a $95 annual fee.

Best High Limit Business Credit Cards

Although there's no way to know a card's maximum limit for sure (as the issuers don't disclose that), you can find out the minimum credit limit on many cards. And depending on how good your credit is, you may receive a lot more than the minimum.

Consider Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, for example. You're guaranteed $3,000, but if they think you're especially creditworthy, you can have $25,000+ as your starting limit. Your credit will have to be pretty flawless to get that, though, and you'll need to show that your income and assets allow you to spend that much.

In any case, like most credit cards, business cards may give you credit limit increases automatically if you consistently pay on time.

Business credit cards for no credit are best for small business owners who have a limited credit track record personally. The best business credit cards for no credit offer features such as rewards, annual fees as low as $0, and the chance to build credit. You can check out the offers below (some of which are issued by WalletHub partners) to find the card that best suits your needs. By the way, if you have credit experience but your business does not, you should instead look into business credit cards for new businesses, which are available to people with credit ranging from bad to excellent.

Small business owners are considered to have limited or no credit if they’ve owned their own credit card or loan for less than three years. If that describes you, we recommend getting a secured business credit card (or a general-purpose secured card) because it will allow you to cost-effectively build credit while providing the spending power your business needs. By adding to your refundable security deposit over time, your credit limit will increase proportionately – usually up to $10,000 per card.

Best Business Credit Cards For No Credit of 2023

View entire answer

It isn't hard to get a business credit card. You can apply for one even if you have a new business without any employees, since these cards don't require a minimum revenue or time in business for you to qualify.

Some sort of self-employment business income is enough to qualify you for a small business card.

As long as as your personal credit score is at least good (700+) or excellent (750+) and your business is verifiable, you have a good chance of getting approved for a business credit card.

If your credit score isn't high enough, I'd suggest applying for a secured card like the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card or the BBVA Compass Business Secured Credit Card.

The best business credit cards for new businesses offer low fees, high rewards rates, expense-tracking tools and other features aimed at helping new businesses. You are not stuck with an inferior card just because your company is new, as your personal creditworthiness matters more than the age of your business (some cards are from WalletHub partners). That’s why issuers request your Social Security number, and it’s why you can’t get a new business credit card without a credit check. 

Below, you can find small business credit cards for new business owners of all credit levels, including WalletHub’s editors’ picks for the best options by category, which were selected from 1,500+ offers.

Best Business Credit Cards for New Businesses (February 2023)

View entire answer

One of the best business credit card signup bonuses is 100,000 points, offered by the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. To earn the bonus, new cardholders must spend $15,000 in the first 3 months after opening an account. Each point from this bonus is worth 1.25 cents toward travel, so it can help pay for the card's $95 annual fee for several years.

But there are plenty of other business credit card signup bonuses worth considering. The best business credit card signup bonus for you may depend on the type of rewards you're looking for, the cost of the card and what other features the card provides. 

Here are some of the best business credit card signup bonuses:

Chase Ink Preferred offers 100,000 points for spending $15,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, you can earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent per year on travel and select business expenses, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. The card's annual fee is $95 and you need at least good credit for approval.

The JetBlue Business Credit Card offers 80,000 points plus a $99 statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days. Plus, you can earn 6 points per $1 spent on JetBlue purchases, 2 points at restaurants and office supply stores, and 1 point on all other purchases. The card's annual fee is $99 and you need at least good credit for approval.

Spark Cash Select with Bonus offers $500 for spending $4,500 in the first 3 months. In addition, you can earn 5% cash back on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. The card's annual fee is $0 and you need excellent credit for approval.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business offers 50,000 miles for spending $4,500 in the first 3 months. Plus, you can earn 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases. You can then transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs or redeem them for any travel-related purchases. The card's annual fee is $0 intro for 1st yr, $95 after and you need at least good credit for approval. 

Ultimately, it's important to remember that while initial bonuses are valuable, they're a one-time deal. You'll need to make sure you have a credit card that stays worthwhile after the first year.

The best cash back business credit card is the Capital One Spark Cash Plus because it offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Capital One Spark Cash Plus also has an initial bonus of $500 for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months and $500 for spending $50,000 in the first 6 months. There is an annual fee of $150, and applicants need excellent personal credit for approval.

Best Cash Back Business Credit Cards

It's also worth mentioning that you shouldn't forget about cash back credit cards meant for personal use. There are some really great deals right now, especially if you don't plan to spend enough to qualify for a business card's initial bonus.