Business Credit Cards

The best Chase business credit card is the Chase Ink Business Preferred card because it offers a bonus worth $1,000 for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. Ink Business Preferred also gives 3 points per $1 spent on travel and select business purchases, plus 1 point per $1 on everything else. Preferred provides free employee cards, too. And it has a $0 foreign transaction fee. The annual fee is $95.

The Chase Ink Business Cash card offers the best ongoing cash back bonuses of any Chase business credit card. It has a $500 bonus for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. And it gives 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent per year at office supply stores and on internet/cable/phone services. Plus, it offers 2% back on the first $25,000 spent per year at gas stations and restaurants, along with 1% on everything else. There’s a $0 annual fee.

But if you want to earn rewards at a flat rate, Ink Business Unlimited comes out on top. It offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. And it has a $0 annual fee.

Just about all business credit cards allow instant approval, at least if you apply online. But even though an instant decision is likely, it’s not guaranteed. The credit card company may take more time to decide whether an applicant meets their requirements. Or they may have trouble verifying the information on the application right away if there’s something incorrect or outdated.

In order to get the best chances of instant approval for a business credit card, your personal credit score should exceed the minimum requirements of the card you apply for. The higher your income, the better your chances are, too. Secured business credit cards for bad credit will provide the highest odds of instant approval.

Here are the best instant approval business credit cards:

• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card
• Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
• Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
• Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card

Getting instant approval on business credit cards is not unusual if you apply online. But you shouldn’t expect to receive it, as in some cases approval might take a few weeks. After approval, delivery of a card usually takes 7-10 business days, but many issuers allow you to expedite either for free or for a fee.

I feel American Express is, I got the card with a 2000. Line of credit with a credit score of 641. I revieved a letter in tge mail to apply.. The balance transfer is awesome 

A Barclays business credit card is best for frequent business travelers. That’s because all three Barclays business cards offered in the U.S. are co-branded with a specific airline. You can choose from American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue, as of February 2019.

Here are the best Barclays business credit cards:

• American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator™ Business Credit Card
• Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card
• JetBlue Business Credit Card

If you want maximum travel rewards but don’t want to be tied to a single airline, consider a general-purpose travel rewards card. Some allow you to redeem points or miles for statement credits toward any travel purchase, and you’ll have more choices when booking flights.

A business credit card with no personal credit check is hard to come by. A personal credit check allows lenders to measure a business owner’s ability to pay back any debts when there’s little or no business credit history to review.

In addition to the personal credit check, lenders require business owners to provide a personal guarantee. This states that the business owner is personally responsible for paying off any balance if the business is unable to do so. Very few business cards don’t require a personal guarantee.

If you don’t have good credit, there are personal credit cards that do not require a credit check at all. You can use them for business purposes, but they usually require a security deposit and don’t let you borrow money.

If you decide that you’re comfortable applying for a business credit card despite the personal credit check, check out our editors' top picks for the best business credit cards for each credit level. You might also be interested in WalletHub's credit building guide. This will help you on your road to excellent credit.

The best Citizens Bank business credit card is the Citizens Bank Everyday Points Business Mastercard because it has a $0 annual fee. It also offers 2 points per $1 on all purchases and a bonus of 25,000 points for spending $5,000 in the first 90 days.

The only other Citizens Bank business credit card is the Business Platinum Mastercard, which has no rewards. However, it also has a $0 annual fee and the potential for a lower APR than the Everyday Points card. Its APR range is 9.99% - 20.99% (V), compared to 12.99% - 22.99% (V) for the Everyday Points card.

While both of the Citizens Bank business credit cards have decent terms, they’re not the best offers on the market. There are lots of really rewarding business credit cards available right now. For example, the Capital One Spark Cash for Business card offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases and a $2,000 initial bonus.

The best high limit business credit cards are Chase Ink Business Preferred, Chase Ink Business Cash and Capital One Spark Cash for Business. They offer minimum credit limits of $2,000 - $5,000, but allow some users to start with higher limits based on their credit, income and debt. 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.

Best high limit business credit cards:

• Chase Ink Business Preferred: Minimum credit limit of $5,000, but could start at more than $25,000. 3 points per $1 spent in categories that rotate every year and 1 on everything else. $95 annual fee. Good Credit credit required.
• Chase Ink Business Cash: Minimum credit limit of $3,000, but could start at more than $25,000. 1% - 5% cash back, depending on the purchase category. $0 annual fee. Good Credit credit required.
• Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Minimum credit limit of $2,000, but could start as high as $30,000. Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. $95 annual fee, waived the first year. Good Credit credit required.

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.

Just look at Ink Business Cash. 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 will often give you credit limit increases automatically if you consistently pay on time. So don’t be late and keep your credit in good shape and you’ll usually see your credit limit go up over time.

To get a business credit card with bad personal credit, shop around for either secured business credit cards or unsecured personal cards for people with bad credit, and apply for the offer with the lowest fees. Lenders hold business cardholders personally liable for any unpaid business debt, so when you apply, the lender will review your personal credit history. This is done to project your ability to pay back any business debt. If you are approved, the lender will also require a signed personal guarantee. This assures the lender that the business owner will personally repay any business credit card debt when the business is unable to do so.

Unfortunately, there aren’t really any unsecured cards marketed to small business owners with bad credit. You could get a personal credit card for poor credit and put business purchases on it, but unsecured cards for bad credit have expensive annual, monthly and one-time fees. This leaves secured credit cards as the better option.

Secured credit cards and unsecured personal cards for bad credit both allow you to establish or rebuild credit as you make business purchases. But with a secured card, there is a required security deposit. It serves as collateral and increases your approval odds since the lender takes on less risk. The card’s credit limit will be equal to the amount of the deposit. Deposits typically start at $200 and are fully refundable when you close your account in good standing.

Once you’ve found your desired credit card for business with bad personal credit, the steps to getting one are fairly straightforward.

How to get a business credit card with bad personal credit:

1. Submit an application. Depending on the card, you can apply online, by phone or in response to a targeted mail offer. If your bank or credit union offers a business credit card for bad credit, you may be able to apply in-person. Applying online will usually get you the quickest decision.
2. Put up the security deposit. This is required either when you apply or once you’re approved. You can write a check or authorize a one-time electronic bank draft for the amount of your deposit. The security deposit will be returned if your application is denied.
3. Wait for approval. Unless you have an unresolved bankruptcy or charge offs on your credit report, you stand a very good chance of getting approved for a secured credit card. A decision on your application can take a few seconds or a few weeks.
4. Wait for your card to arrive. Once you’re approved, your card should arrive by mail within 7-10 business days. Some issuers may expedite shipping of your card upon request. Expedited shipping may cost a fee, but could speed the delivery up to as little as 1-2 business days.
5. Activate your card. Once you receive your card, call the number/visit the URL printed on the decal affixed to it. If you activate by phone, you may have to place the call from the number listed on your application for security purposes.

Some of the best secured business credit cards for bad personal credit include the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card and the BBVA Compass Business Secured Credit Card. Or, you could go with a personal secured card such as Discover it® Secured. Just stay away from putting business and personal purchases on the same card.

You can apply for a business credit card with an EIN only, but it’s very rare. Two of the only business credit cards you can get with just an EIN, and no SSN required, are the Office Depot and Shell Gas business cards. Most business credit cards require an EIN, or Employer Identification Number, which the IRS assigns every U.S.-based company that applies for one. But most business cards also require a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. 

The EIN shows that you’re legitimately a business owner. The SSN, or ITIN, allows the credit card company to review your personal credit history when evaluating your application and hold you personally accountable for paying the bill if you’re approved. Almost all business credit cards require personal liability. But there are a few exceptions.

Business credit cards you can apply for with EIN only:

· Office Depot Office Max Business Credit Card:You can apply with without an SSN if your company makes over $5 million per year and has been in business for at least three years. Or, if you are a government entity (including schools) or a nonprofit, you can apply without personal liability also. This card only works for OfficeMax and Office Depot purchases. This card requires good business or personal credit.

· Sam’s Club Mastercard Business: You can apply without an SSN if your company makes $5+ million per year, is more than 2 years old and has more than 10 employees. You can only get this card if you’re a Sam’s Club member, and you need good business or personal credit to be approved. You can use the card anywhere that accepts Mastercard.

· SuperAmerica Fleet Credit Cards: You can apply for these cards without an SSN if you’ve been in business for at least three years. You can use it at all SuperAmerica gas stations and 45,000 partner stations nationwide. Both cards require good business or personal credit.

· Shell Small Business Card: You can get this card without any personal liability if you’re applying on behalf of a government entity or non-profit, or if your business has been open for at least three years and does $1+ million in yearly sales. This card requires fair business or personal credit, and you can use it at any of the 14,000 Shell gas stations nationwide. 

If you want to apply for a business card with only an EIN, the choices are slim. But your options become far greater when you consider the full range of cards that require personal liability. 

If you’re worried that your personal credit isn’t good enough to qualify for a business credit card, remember that you don’t have to use a business card for business expenses. So consider personal options such as the Discover it Secured Card as well as the likes of the Wells Fargo Business Secured Card. Both are available to people with bad credit.