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Harrison Pierce
Harrison PierceCredit Cards Writer
Harrison Pierce is a digital nomad and credit cards writer specializing in travel and credit card rewards. He covers everything from the best places to visit in South America to the best credit cards to use to get there. Harrison’s ultimate goal is t...
Credit Cards Writer
Toni Perkins-SouthamLead Editor
Toni is a points and miles enthusiast who has been leveraging loyalty programs to travel around the world (for nearly free) with her husband and their four young children. She’s passionate about sharing travel tips so that others can not only feel in...
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Toni Perkins-SouthamLead Editor
Toni is a points and miles enthusiast who has been leveraging loyalty programs to travel around the world (for nearly free) with her husband and their four young children. She’s passionate about sharing travel tips so that others can not only feel in...
See Full Bio
Toni Perkins-Southam
Toni Perkins-SouthamLead Editor
Toni is a points and miles enthusiast who has been leveraging loyalty programs to travel around the world (for nearly free) with her husband and their four young children. She’s passionate about sharing travel tips so that others can not only feel in...
See Full Bio
Toni Perkins-SouthamLead Editor
Toni is a points and miles enthusiast who has been leveraging loyalty programs to travel around the world (for nearly free) with her husband and their four young children. She’s passionate about sharing travel tips so that others can not only feel in...
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Updated: Sep 12, 2024, 10:42am
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Table of Contents
- Best Instant Approval Business Credit Cards
- The Difference Between Preapproval and Instant Approval
- How To Get an Instant Approval Business Credit Card
- Benefits of Instant Approval Business Credit Cards
- Bottom Line
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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When you’re shopping for a new credit card, it can feel like a chore. It’s even worse when the process drags on. That’s why instant approval credit cards are so popular: You get an immediate answer and can move on to the next task on your to-do list. When you receive instant access to your new account number, your business can access the credit it needs. These business credit cards offer instant approval to help you get started quickly.
Best Business Credit Cards 2024
Find the best business card for you & identify which factors matter for your business
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Best Instant Approval Business Credit Cards
Instant approval business cards come few and far between, but there is still a decent selection of cash back and rewards options. All American Express cards, besides the Amazon Business American Express Card* and Amazon Business Prime American Express Card*, offer an instant card number option.
Many business cards in the Capital One lineup also say you’ll receive a decision in seconds after submitting your application. Conveniently, both issuers offer some fantastic options for small businesses looking to earn on their spending as soon as they get approved.
Here are some of the best business cards that offer instant approval:
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (No annual fee) (Terms apply, see rates & fees): If you want a business card quickly, this can be a good option since Amex can provide expedited shipping and virtual card access for a fast turnaround.
- The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (No annual fee) (Terms apply, see rates & fees): After receiving your decision in as little as 30 seconds, enjoy earning 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
- Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card* ($0 annual fee): Since this card is secured with a cash deposit of at least $1,000, a business with readily available assets may be able to get the card quickly.
- Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business* ($0 annual fee): If you’re looking for a no annual fee, miles-earning, instant approval option, the Spark Miles Select has you covered.
- Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business* ($0 annual fee): If you don’t have excellent credit, the Spark Classic considers applications from anyone with fair credit or better, which might mean you qualify for preapproval.
- Spark Cash Select from Capital One* ($0 annual fee): You’ll get a decision in seconds, and once you do, you’ll enjoy unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business* ($0 intro for the first year; $95 after that): Similar to the personal Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases after instant approval.
- American Express® Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee) (Terms apply, see rates & fees): The Business Gold combines valuable statement credits with sky-high earning potential.
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($695 annual fee) (Terms apply, see rates & fees): For businesses with significant expenses, the Business Platinum could be a great option, as long as you can utilize the statement credits.
Best Business Credit Cards 2024
Find the best business card for you & identify which factors matter for your business
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All information about Amazon Business American Express Card, Amazon Business Prime American Express Card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor
The Difference Between Preapproval and Instant Approval
Personal credit cards will often offer preapproval options through the issuer’s website to get an idea of cards you might be approved for without having to do a hard credit check. Unfortunately, most business cards don’t offer this.
If you want to go the preapproval route for a business credit card, you’ll need to talk to a representative with the card issuer in the branch or by phone. After running some basic information and numbers, they will give you an idea of what cards and offers might be available to you. However, if you have an existing relationship with an issuer, you might receive targeted offers in the mail or through your portal.
Instant approval, on the other hand, will require that you fill out an application, undergo a hard credit inquiry and receive an immediate decision on whether you’ve been approved. These credit cards are good options for those looking to access credit quickly but still don’t fulfill the main function of personal preapprovals—knowing which cards you’ll likely be approved for before a hard credit pull. Still, many American Express and Capital One business cards will tell you whether you’ve been approved in seconds.
Pro Tip
The terms preapproval and prequalification are often used interchangeably. Indeed, both can signal the same consensus about whether you’re likely to be approved for a new card. However, preapproval usually is a slightly more rigorous look at your information and may be a better indicator of approval odds. Getting preapproved or prequalified will not impact your credit or guarantee approval.
How To Get an Instant Approval Business Credit Card
Typically, card issuers don’t set a specific minimum credit score required for instant approval. Instead, they look at a broader financial picture, including factors such as your business revenue, projected spending and years in business. However, many cards are structured specifically for those with fair, good or excellent credit, and you can find these guidelines on the card’s information or application page.
The higher your credit score, the lower your debt and the higher your revenue, the better your chances of getting an instant approval business card. When you’re ready to apply, it’ll look very similar to any other credit card application—simply fill out the requested information. If approved for the card, you’ll be notified immediately, if eligible.
Benefits of Instant Approval Business Credit Cards
Although instant approval business cards don’t allow you to find out your approval odds without doing a hard pull on your credit, they still have a few valuable benefits. If your business is in need of funds quickly, some instant approval credit cards will allow you to access your credit immediately with a virtual card number. If you have big purchases to make for your business, these cards cut out the waiting time of an application review and allow you to speed up the process.
Bottom Line
Neither preapproval nor prequalification is as common with business cards as with personal cards. If you need a new card fast, focusing on cards that offer instant approval is your best option. Although you risk temporarily lowering your score with a hard pull on your credit, you get the option of getting a new card in seconds.
Forbes Advisor’s Credit Cards Writer Becky Pokora contributed to this article.
To view rates and fees for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for American Express® Business Gold Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
Find the Best Business Credit Cards of 2024
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is instant approval?
Instant approval means you’ll receive a decision on your application within seconds of submitting it. Many instant approval credit cards also issue virtual card numbers, allowing you to access credit immediately after approval.
How much does instant approval hurt your credit?
If you submit a full application for a new credit card, the issuer will perform a full credit check, sometimes known as a hard inquiry. This hard inquiry can temporarily drop your credit score by a small amount.
What credit score do you need for an instant approval business card?
There’s no hard-and-fast rule determining a perfect credit score for an instant approval business card, as issuers consider a multitude of factors when reviewing your application. For the best approval odds, aim for a good or excellent credit score.
Can you get preapproved for a business credit card?
Unfortunately, most business credit cards don’t offer preapproval in the same way as personal credit cards. If you have an existing relationship with the issuer or excellent credit, you may receive offers in the mail or through your card portal. These can give you a good idea of the types of cards you could be eligible for.
Can you get an instant approval business credit card with bad credit?
Your options for instant approval with bad credit are limited. However, focusing on secured business cards could be a first step. If you have the available capital, these cards will allow you to build your score before graduating to an unsecured card.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Amazon Business American Express Card, Amazon Business Prime American Express Card, Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card, Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business, Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business, Spark Cash Select from Capital One, Capital One Spark Miles for Business. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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