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 Or they may have trouble verifying the information on the application right away if there’s something incorrect or outdated.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.

The best business credit card for balance transfers is the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express because it has a 0% balance transfer APR for 15 months and a $0 annual fee. It also gives 2 points per $1 spent on everyday business purchases. But there is a 3% balance transfer fee, with a minimum of $5.

There aren’t many business credit card balance transfer offers with 0% interest rates to choose from. But some that are available, such as the Chase Ink Business Cash and Unlimited cards, offer rewards for business-related spending in addition to a 0% balance transfer APR.

You could also use a personal credit card for a business balance transfer. Just make sure to only put business expenses on the card, or else your bookkeeping will get tricky. The best personal card for a business credit card balance transfer is Chase Slate because it offers 0% for 15 months on transfers, plus a $0 annual fee and $0 balance transfer fee.

Here are the best business credit cards for balance transfers:

• Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express: 0% balance transfer APR for 15 months. 3% transfer fee (min. $5). 15.24% - 21.24% (V) regular APR. 2 points per $1 on the first $50,000 spent each year on business purchases. 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. No annual fee. Good credit required.
• Chase Ink Business Cash: 0% balance transfer APR for 12 months. 5% transfer fee (min. $5). 15.24% - 21.24% (V) regular APR. $500 cash back for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. 2%-5% cash back on select purchases and 1% on other purchases. No annual fee. Good credit required.
• Chase Ink Business Unlimited: 0% balance transfer APR for 12 months. 5% transfer fee (min. $5). 15.24% - 21.24% (V) regular APR. $500 cash back bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. 1.5% cash back on all purchases. No annual fee. Good credit required.
• Zions Bank AmaZing Rewards Business: 0% balance transfer APR for 12 months. 3% transfer fee (min. $10). 16.24% (V) regular APR. 100,000 bonus points when you spend $7,500 in the first 90 days. 1-3 points per $1 spent on purchases. No annual fee. Excellent credit required.
• Chase Slate: 0% balance transfer APR for 15 months. $0 transfer fee. 16.99% - 25.74% (V) regular APR. No annual fee. Excellent credit required.
• Citi Simplicity: 0% balance transfer APR for 21 months. 5% transfer fee (min. $5). 16.74% - 26.74%* (V) regular APR. No annual fee. Good credit required.

A business credit card balance transfer allows you to move business debt from one loan or credit card to another credit card. Good balance transfer cards offer an introductory interest rate lower than the regular APR, sometimes as low as 0%. You’ll pay interest at the regular APR on any balance remaining after an introductory APR expires. Keep in mind that in most cases, you’ll be charged a 3%-5% transfer fee on each balance transferred. There are cards that do not charge a transfer fee, but they tend not to offer an introductory balance transfer APR.

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 10.49% - 21.49% (V), compared to 13.49% - 23.49% (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 $500 initial bonus.

There are several easy approval business credit cards. That’s because the easiest business credit cards to get only require fair or bad credit. They include Capital One Spark Classic for Business,  the Staples Business Credit Card, and the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card. It’s also worth noting that while you must have a business to get one of these cards, your personal credit history matters a lot more than your company’s.

Here are your options for easy approval business credit cards:

• Limited Credit: Capital One Spark Classic for Business
  You’ll get 1% cash back on all purchases. There’s no annual fee, and the purchase APR is 24.24%.
• Fair Credit: Staples Business Credit Card
  You’ll save $50 on a purchase of $150 or more made within 45 days of opening your account. You’ll also get 5% back in Staples credit for each purchase. There’s no annual fee. Your APR will be somewhere between 14.99% and 23.99%, depending on credit worthiness.
  
• Bad Credit: Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card
  You’ll get 1.5% cash back on purchases. The annual fee is $25. The minimum security deposit is $500. And the APR is 16.40%. The BBVA Compass Business Secured Card is another good option.
  
• Personal Option: Discover it Secured Credit Card

You’ll get 2% cash back on the first $1,000 you spend at gas stations and restaurants each quarter. You’ll get 1% cash back on all other purchases. Discover matches the cash back you earn the first year. There’s no annual fee, the APR is 24.24%, and the minimum deposit is $200.

There are a few easy approval business credit cards, so you shouldn’t let limited or damaged credit prevent you from getting the card your business needs. And remember, if you pay your bills on time and keep your credit utilization ratio low, your credit should steadily improve over time.