5 Best Small Business Credit Cards of 2021

Since starting my small business in 2007, I’ve used a business card for several reasons. My business credit card easily separates personal expenses and business expenses. This makes preparing annual tax returns much easier.

Using a business credit card also helps my business build credit in case I should ever need to apply for a loan. If there's a chance you'll ever need a small business loan, this is definitely a point to consider.

Related: How To Build Business Credit

With that said, some entrepreneurs don't like business credit cards. Clark Howard, for instance, doesn't like them because they don't offer the same protections as personal credit cards. This is partially true. Business cards are generally exempt from the Credit Card Act of 2009. However, most major credit card issuers offer protections to business credit cards as well as personal cards. Just check the terms and conditions to find out.

Our Top Picks

1. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

• 0% Intro APR for 12 Months
• $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Employee cards at no additional cost
• No Annual Fee

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The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a brand new small business credit card offered by Chase and it comes with terrific cash back details and intro bonus. Right now, earn a $750 cash bonus after you spend $7,500 in the first three months of account opening. Also included is a 0% intro APR for the first 12 Months. The everyday APR is 13.49% to 19.49% Variable.

All purchases earn a 1.5% flat cash back rate with no tier levels or spend requirements to worry about. Points do not expire as long as you keep your account open, however, you will lose all of your points if your account status changes, or your account is closed for program misuse, fraudulent activities and other no-no’s (listed in the Rewards Program Agreement). Employee cards can be acquired at no additional cost!

There is no annual fee to own the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.

Best for: Small business owners needing additional cards for employees. Because you can get them at no additional cost!

2. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

• Earn 100,000 bonus points when you make $15,000 in purchases in the first 3 months after opening
• Cash back rewards don't expire as long as your account is open
• $95 Annual Fee

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The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns one of our top picks for two reasons. First, you can earn 100,000 bonus points when you make $15,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. If used for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, these bonus points are worth $1,000. It’s the biggest credit card bonus available today.

Second, you earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in select categories each account anniversary year. Here are the categories:

• Travel, including airfare, hotels, rental cars, train tickets, and taxis
• Shipping purchases
• Internet, cable and phone services
• Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines

There is a $95 annual fee on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, but the rewards more than make up for it.

Best for: Earning a big bonus on your small business purchases. It’s the biggest bonus you’ll find right now. If you know you’ll be spending $15,000 within three months of opening your account and if you want to use those rewards on travel, this is the card for you.

We Know Our Stuff

The editorial team here at Dough Roller has more than 30 years of combined experience with credit cards. We’ve not only used them, but we’ve also studied them extensively. Yes, we’re the life of the party.

Seriously though, I examined 26 business credit cards in my research for this article. I’ve also used a business credit card for over a decade to run my business. We regularly talk to credit card issuers about their products and future products. And we keep abreast of the latest studies and research. (Did you know that a 1993 study out of Dartmouth found that small businesses with credit cards grow more rapidly than those without? We did.)

Yeah, we're kind of a big deal when it comes to plastic.

List of the Best Small Business Credit Cards

Now let's get to our picks for the top business cards.

3. Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

• 0% Intro APR for 12 Months
• $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®

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The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a no annual fee business credit card with excellent rewards. To start, you’ll earn a $750 cash bonus when you spend $7.500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Beyond the bonus, you’ll also earn up to 5% cash back on purchases:

• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at the following retailers--office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn

The card also offers an introductory 0% APR for 12 Months. The ongoing APR is 16.24% - 23.24% Variable.

Best for: Earning excellent rewards on business expenses. 5% cash back is hard to beat!

4. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

• 0% Intro APR for 12 Months
• Earn 120,000 Membership Reward points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in first 3 months
• $695 Annual Fee.

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American Express has upped the ante with its The Business Platinum® Card from American Express. Simply put, it offers incredible rewards, including a welcome offer and ongoing rewards. You pay a hefty fee for this card, but if your business spending enables you to maximize the rewards, the card is well worth the price.

• New Welcome offer: You can earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card ownership.
• Plus, 0% Intro APR for 12 Months from the date of the account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time. After that, your APR will be 14.99% - 22.99% Variable based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
• Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X 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 year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in value per year for statement credits on select purchases with your Card, including up to $400 with Dell Technologies, up to $360 with Indeed, up to $150 with Adobe and up to $120 on wireless telephone purchases. Enrollment required.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year toward baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline.
• $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Best for: Businesses that charge a lot of expenses. The annual fee is worth it if you plan to put a lot of money on this card. The added American Express business service benefits like airport lounge access, airline fee credit, no foreign transaction fees, and purchase protection make this a desirable card.

5. SimplyCash® Plus Business Card from American Express

*SimplyCash® Plus has been replaced by the Blue Business Cash™ Card

This means, that we are no longer accepting new applications for the SimplyCash® Plus Card. We are now offering the new Blue Business Cash™ Card, which is a simple and streamlined offering, providing cash back options with no annual fee, ever.¤

If you’re looking for straight-up cash back with no rotating categories, this is a card to consider. The SimplyCash® Plus Business Card from American Express offers 5% cash back at U.S. office supply stores and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers; 3% cash back on the category of your choice from a list of select categories and 1% cash back on other purchases; 5% and 3% apply to purchases up to $50,000 per rebate year then 1% thereafter. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.

• Welcome offer: For a limited time, new cardholders will earn a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months. After the intro rate expires, the ongoing APR becomes a 15.49% - 21.49% variable.
• 5% cash back on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. office supply stores.
• 3% on the category of your choice from a list of eight and 1% cash back on other purchases.
• 5% and 3% apply to the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1% thereafter. Cash back received is automatically credited to your statement.
• Fees: This card has no annual fee.
• Added Benefits: You’ll get access to the OPEN Savings network, which lets you get discounts with a variety of business retailers - FedEx, AirTran, Marriot, and more. You can redeem your earned cash back points for merchandise, dining, travel, gift cards or a statement credit.

This is another great business credit card that I own. Take advantage of 15 months of interest-free purchases as well as a great cash back rewards program.

Best for: Stocking your office supplies and simple rewards. When it's time to furnish your office or stock the supply closet, this is the card you should use. These are big expenses and when you use this card at U.S. office supply stores you'll get 5% cash back. Plus, there's no annual fee, and no rotating categories. You get to earn rewards and decide how you want to spend them.

*This card is no longer available for new applicants.

Bonus Option: Brex 30 Card

The Brex 30 Credit Card is a business card that comes with a lot of bells and whistles. Billing itself as “your new financial OS,” Brex combines a cash account to hold your funds, a card that earns rewards, and features that make it easy to track and manage your business’s finances.

If you’re looking for rewards, Brex offers generous bonus categories. Youll earn:

• 7x points on rideshares
• 4x points on flights and hotels through Brex Travel
• 3x on dining
• 1x on everything else

Signing up for daily payments from a linked Brex Cash account increases the rewards to:

• 8x points on rideshares
• 5x points on flights and hotels through Brex Travel
• 4x on dining
• 1.5x on advertisements
• 1x on everything else

One thing to note is that the Brex card isn’t a credit card. It’s a charge card, which means you cannot carry a balance. You’ll have to pay for each purchase you make within thirty days of making it. However, if you opt for daily payments from your linked Brex Cash account, you’ll earn additional rewards.

Best for: A credit card alternative that earns rewards.

Comparing Business Credit Cards by Type

Nobody knows your business better than you. What might be a great card for my business, might not be the best for yours. So here's a list of a few additional cards based on various spending patterns:

Haven’t found what you are looking for? Here’s a list of additional business credit cards to explore.

Related: How to Open a Business Bank Account

Choosing a Card

Choosing a business credit card can be even more challenging than choosing a card for personal use. There are plenty of options out there, all with their own benefits, rewards, and fees.

There are several things to consider when choosing a card:

• Spending Patterns: You’ll want to understand how you’ll be most likely to use it. Look at your past year’s expenses, or if you’re just starting your business, look at projected expenses. Will you spend the most on office supplies? Travel? Gas? The answer to this question will help you find the best options for your business.
• Payment Patterns: Will you pay off your balance in full each month, or will you carry a balance while you build your business? If it’s the latter, focus on cards that offer 0% on purchases for a period of time.
• Signup Bonuses: Most issuers offer excellent bonuses for new card members. To get the bonus, however, you must meet various spending requirements. Make sure you’ll meet those requirements before choosing your card.
• Fees: Annual fees are always a consideration business credit cards come with an annual fee, often waived the first year. Assess whether the rewards will make the fee worth the cost.
• Interest Rates: The rates only matter if you won’t be paying off your card in full each month. If that’s the case, you’ll obviously want to consider the regular APR for each card.

Tip: Protect the business you've worked hard to build with the right insurance.

Listen to the podcast on how to choose the best small business credit card:

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