What are the easiest business credit cards to get?
It depends on your personal and business finances.
Bad credit?
Secured business credit cards are the easiest cards to get because they don’t have strict credit score or revenue requirements. Instead, you pay a deposit that serves as your credit limit. Look for a secured card that has low or no fees and reports to Dun & Bradstreet or another major business credit bureau, so you can build business credit as you use it.
Fair credit?
If your personal credit score is above 630 but below 690, your best bet for an easy approval may be a business credit card for fair credit like the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business. These types of cards will offer you increased spending power, and because they're unsecured, no security deposit is required.
Established business?
If your business has strong revenue or bank balance, you may be able to get a corporate card from a fintech company like Ramp or Brex. These cards don’t require a personal credit check or guarantee, so you can apply with only your business's employer identification number (EIN). Corporate cards are only available to incorporated businesses.
NerdWallet's editorial picks: Easiest business credit cards to get
Easy-to-get business cards typically don't offer rewards as good as those available with good-to-excellent personal credit. But these options can still benefit your business. Even if your focus is approval odds, understanding the benefits of a card can help you make the right choice.
Secured business credit cards
Best for: Business owners with bad credit or no credit.
Secured business cards are a good choice for anyone whose goal is to establish business credit but who doesn’t yet qualify for other options. It may be helpful to open a secured personal credit card, too, to begin building your personal credit profile so that you have more options in the future.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no cap or expiration date on the rewards you earn. The card has a minimum security deposit of $1,000, which is equal to your credit limit and subject to credit approval. Bank of America® will periodically review your secured card and may upgrade you to an unsecured card if and when you qualify. This card has no annual fee.
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card
The First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card reports card activity to Dun & Bradstreet, one of the three main business credit bureaus, so on-time payments will help build your business credit score. This secured card does require a credit check (personal credit) and security deposit (between $2,000 and $10,000 in multiples of $100) which dictates your credit limit. This card charges a $39 annual fee.
Hello Alice Small Business Secured Mastercard®
This card, also issued by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), offers a lot — no annual fee, an intro APR offer and even a $50 statement credit for new cardholders who spend $1,000 in their first three billing cycles — for just a $500 minimum deposit. You can also earn ongoing rewards, though they come in the form of “Hello Alice Points” that you can redeem for various perks (including cash back on eligible purchases) rather than flat-rate cash back.
Valley Bank Visa® Secured Business Credit Card
This secured business credit card has no annual fee and offers 1% cash back on all purchases. Unfortunately, Valley Bank requires cardholders to put down 110% of their desired credit limit — so if you’re seeking a credit line of $1,000, you’ll have to come up with $1,100 at the time of card opening.
Business credit cards for fair credit
Best for: Tapping into financing as you work to improve your credit.
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
Capital on Tap says applicants with a FICO score of 670 or higher have the best chance of approval, but the card is available to business owners with fair credit (typically considered a score from 630 to 689). The Capital on Tap Business Credit Card issued by WebBank offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, no annual fee and the potential for a low APR. One important note: This card is not available to sole proprietors, which excludes the majority of businesses. Learn more and apply.
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
NerdWallet Rating
3.8
Annual fee
$0
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
The Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business is one of the few business credit cards available to sole proprietors with fair credit. There aren’t many perks to speak of, but the card has no annual fee and can be a useful tool to build your business credit score and access a credit line without a security deposit. Read our review.
Corporate cards
Best for: Registered businesses with strong financials.
Brex Card
The Brex Card is available to well-funded incorporated businesses (you’ll typically need more than $1 million in revenue or equity investment to qualify) and looks at cash flow and revenue, rather than the business owner's personal credit history, to determine creditworthiness. If approved for a Brex Card, you’ll get instant access to your virtual card number and can issue virtual cards for employees as well. The Brex Card also earns rewards and doesn't require a personal guarantee. Learn more and apply.
Brex
Brex Card
NerdWallet Rating
3.2
Annual Fee
$0.00
Ramp Card
The Ramp Card is a corporate charge card available to incorporated businesses that have strong revenue and at least $75,000 in a business bank account. There's no personal guarantee or credit check and you get built-in expense management and card-level spending controls. Ramp has no annual fee and offers cash back on qualified purchases, but the actual reward rate varies by business. Learn more and apply.
Ramp
Ramp Card
NerdWallet Rating
2.8
Annual Fee
$0.00
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
Unlike other corporate cards, the BILL Divvy Corporate Card requires at least fair credit to qualify (a FICO score of 650+). However, BILL also considers other qualifications like cash balances, and its threshold for those — typically at least $20,000 — is lower than Brex or Ramp, which might make the BILL Divvy Corporate Card easier for some business owners to get. Learn more and apply.
BILL Spend & Expense
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
NerdWallet Rating
2.7
Annual Fee
$0.00
How to get approved for a business credit card
The first step toward getting a business credit card is making sure your personal credit is in order. Why? Business credit card issuers look at your personal credit score when deciding whether to approve or deny your business credit card application. So even if you’re a startup with no credit history, that shouldn’t stop you from getting a business card.
You need a FICO score of at least 690 to qualify for most business credit cards, though there are a handful (noted above) that accept lower scores and consider other factors, like business revenue.
Is your FICO score below 630? A secured personal credit card, used responsibly, can help you build your personal credit score, making it easier for you to qualify for a business credit card down the line. You can also use a secured business credit card to establish your business credit score. Note: A secured business credit card will not impact your personal credit score.
» MORE: Get your free credit score from NerdWallet
Can you get a business credit card right away?
Some business credit cards offer instant approval, but you often need to wait for the card to arrive before you can start using it — typically seven to 10 business days. A handful of cards, including Brex and Capital On Tap, offer instant access to a virtual card. Once approved, you can start using your virtual card right away.
The information related to the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
