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Business credit cards offer a range of rewards and cash back opportunities, including bonus points for travel, equipment, or office supplies. Find the best business rewards credit card in our guide.
Chelsea Krause is a writer who specializes in accounting, payroll, and small business loans. She has been helping small business owners manage their finances since 2016. She is a QuickBooks Certified User and former eCommerce store owner. Her accounting expertise has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford as well.
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Chelsea KrauseChelsea Krause is a writer who specializes in accounting, payroll, and small business loans. She has been helping small business owners manage their finances since 2016. She is a QuickBooks Certified User and former eCommerce store owner. Her accounting expertise has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford as well.
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Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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Erica SeppalaErica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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Whether you want to earn as much cash back as possible, enjoy premium air travel perks, get hotel benefits, or target unique spending categories like office supplies, you need a business credit card with rewards that work for you.
We’ve compiled a list of the best business rewards credit cards with rewards options to fit multiple business spending habits and rewards redemption options.
Several of the overall best business credit cards make it on our list of the best rewards credit cards as well, so you can be confident in making a good credit card decision for your business.
200,000 points if you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months + $500 statement credit if you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel in the first 3 months
Annual fee: $695
1x - 5x points
200,000 points if you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months + $500 statement credit if you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel in the first 3 months
Whether you’re looking for the best cash-back rate, the best travel rewards, or the best rewards card with no annual fee, the best rewards credit card for your business provides the kind of spending rewards that suit your business needs and help you save money.
How The Best Business Rewards Cards Compare
Annual Fee
APR
Rewards Rate
Welcome Offer
Chase Ink Business Cash
$0
17.49% - 25.49% (variable)
1% - 5% cash back
$350 when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months
Chase Ink Business Preferred
$95
20.24% – 26.24% (variable)
1x - 3x points
90,000 points when you spend $8,000 within 3 months of opening your account
Spark® Miles from Capital One®
$95 ($0 the first year)
25.24% (variable)
2x - 5x miles
50,000 miles if you spend $4,500 on purchases within the 3 months of account opening
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
$150
None
2% cashback
$2,000 cash bonus when you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
$0
17.49% - 27.49% (variable)
1x - 2x points
15,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
American Express Business Platinum
$695
Pay Over Time APR 18.49% - 27.49% (variable)
1x - 5x points
200,000 points if you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months + $500 statement credit if you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel in the first 3 months
Chase Ink Business Cash: Overall Best Business Rewards Credit Card
5% cash back on common business expense categories
Generous welcome bonus
No annual fee
0% for 12 months
Cons
Top cash back categories limited to $25K/year in purchases
APR jumps to a high variable rate after the first year
Why We Chose Chase Ink Business Cash As The Overall Best Business Rewards Credit Card
Chase Ink Business Cash makes the list as the overall best business rewards credit card because of its large selection of rewards. Whether you're looking for competitive cash-back rates, a generous welcome offer, or introductory APR, Chase Ink Business Cash has them all.
There are also additional unique perks like a 10% bonus if you pair your Chase credit card with a Chase business bank account. We also like that this cash-back credit card tends to be less complicated than cards with points reward structures, has multiple reward redemption options, and that rewards don't expire.
Chase Ink Business Cash Rewards
Chase Ink Business Cash offers competitive rewards, including the following cash-back rewards rates:
5% cash back on your first $25K/year on purchases at office supply stores, Lyft rides, and select business utilities
2% cash back on your first $25K/year on purchases at gas stations and restaurants
Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
Chase Ink Business Cash’s current welcome bonus is $350 when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months.
There’s also a 10% one-year anniversary bonus if you pair your Chase Ink Business Cash card with a Chase Business Checking account.
You can redeem your rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more. Your rewards also don’t expire, which is a huge perk.
Chase Ink Business Cash Rates & Fees
Between no annual fee and an introductory APR of 0% for 12 months, Chase Ink Business Cash offers competitive fees overall (unless your business has many foreign transactions).
Annual Fee: $0
APR: 17.49% – 25.49% (variable)
Foreign Transaction Fee: 3%
Late Payment Fee: $40
When To Choose Chase Ink Business Cash
You want a mix of credit card rewards including flat-rate cash-back, a welcome bonus, and introductory APR
You have an existing Chase business banking account and want to capitalize on credit card rewards
You plan on transferring balances or making a large purchase and want APR of 0% for 12 months
All points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel
Free employee cards
Cons
Annual fee of $95
Relatively high ongoing APR
Why We Chose Chase Ink Business Preferred As The Best Business Rewards Credit Card For Welcome Bonuses
When it comes to welcome bonuses, Chase Ink Business Preferred offers one of the largest welcome bonuses in the business credit card space.
If you intend to do significant spending on your new business credit card immediately upon getting it, the Chase Ink Business Preferred card rewards is worth looking into. You can receive 90,000 points when you spend $8,000 within 3 months of opening your account.
Chase Ink Business Preferred Rewards
Here are Chase Business Ink Preferred’s cash-back rates:
5x points on Lyft rides
3x points on your first $150,000/year in purchases on travel, shipping, certain utility services, and some advertising purchases
Unlimited 1x points on all other purchases
There’s a welcome bonus offer of 90,000 points when you spend $8,000 within 3 months of opening your account. You can transfer your points at full 1:1 value to 13 airline and hotel travel partner programs. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Another big plus of Chase Ink Business Preferred is that your rewards don’t expire so long as your account remains open.
Chase Ink Business Preferred Rates & Fees
Annual fee: $95
APR: 20.24% – 26.24% (variable)
Foreign transaction fee: $0
Late payment fee: $40
When To Choose Chase Ink Business Preferred
If a generous welcome bonus is important to you
If you plan on having large spending in the first few months of your card to maximize your rewards
You want to generous cash-back of a Chase Ink Business card with no foreign transaction fee (unlike Chase Ink Business Cash)
Unlimited 5x miles on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2x miles on all other purchases
Generous welcome bonus
Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Cons
High ongoing APR
Annual fee of $95 ($0 the first year)
Why We Chose Capital One Spark 2x Miles As The Best Business Rewards Credit Card For Travel
The Capital One Spark 2x Miles card is an excellent choice for businesses with significant travel needs -- not only will you be earning 2x miles with every business purchase, you'll also earn 5x miles on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Large businesses won't have to worry about hitting any spending limits on earning bonus miles, as these rates are unlimited. Add in a nice welcome bonus, no foreign transaction fees, and a travel credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and you have an excellent business credit card for maximizing travel benefits.
Capital One Spark 2x Miles Rewards
If you’re looking to earn reward miles instead of cashback, the Capital One Spark 2x Miles credit card has you covered with the following mileage-earning rates:
Unlimited 2x miles on every purchase
Unlimited 5x miles on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
As a welcome bonus, you can earn 50,000 miles if you spend $4,500 on purchases within the 3 months of account opening. You can transfer your miles to one of 15+ travel partner programs for a good selection of redemption options.
Other perks include a $100 travel credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.
Capital One Spark 2x Miles Rates & Fees
While we appreciate that Capital One Spark waives the first year of annual fees and has no foreign transaction fees (a must for a travel-focused card), the APR is quite high. Make sure you take this into account if you plan on carrying a monthly balance.
Annual fee: $95 ($0 the first year)
APR: 25.24% (variable)
Foreign transaction fee: $0
Late payment fee: up to $39
When To Choose Capital One Spark 2x Miles
You want to earn travel rewards
You want a business credit card with no spending limits
You need a card with no foreign transaction fees
You don’t plan on carrying a monthly balance often as the APR is quite high
Unlimited 5% cash back on travel purchases made through Capital One’s travel portal
$2,000 cash bonus when you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
Your annual fee will be waived if you spend over $150,000 on the card that year
Cons
$150 annual fee
Requires excellent credit
Why We Chose Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus As The Best Flat-Rate Cash Back Business Credit Card
While plenty of credit cards offer high cash-back rates on certain expense categories, very few business credit cards offer a cash-back rate of 2% on all your purchases. The Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus card does exactly this -- and it doesn't cap the amount of yearly spending that will earn you cash back at this rate, either.
For this reason, the Spark Cash Plus card is our favorite flat-rate cash-back business credit card. Throw in the huge welcome bonus and higher cash-back rates for travel and you have quite a value proposition for businesses intending to use their credit card heavily.
Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus Rewards
Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus offers the following cash-back rewards:
Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
Unlimited 5% cash back on travel purchases made through Capital One’s travel portal
Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus has a welcome offer of $2,000 cash bonus when you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months.
Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus Rates & Fees
Annual Fee: $150 (this fee will be waived each year you spend over $150K on the card)
APR: None*
Foreign Transaction Fee: $0
Late Payment Fee: 2.99% of the unpaid portion of your minimum payment
*Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus is a charge card. There’s no APR because the card must be paid in full each month.
When To Choose Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus
You want an unlimited flat 2% cash-back rate
You prefer a charge card structure and don’t need to carry a monthly balance
You want a card with no foreign transaction fees
You want to capitalize on the generous welcome bonus
2x rewards are limited to your first $50K/year in spending
Why We Chose American Express Blue Business Plus As The Best Business Rewards Credit Card With No Annual Fee
The Amex Blue Business Plus card is an ideal business credit card for those who want to earn rewards at a healthy clip without being subject to an annual fee. You'll earn 2x points for your first $50K/year in spending across all spending categories and 1x points thereafter.
You'll also get an introductory APR of 0% for 12 months and a decent welcome bonus. This combination of perks is impressive for no annual fee and is definitely worth considering for small businesses.
American Express Blue Business Plus Rewards
Amex Blue Business Plus offers the following rewards rates:
2x points on your first $50K/year in business purchases
1x points on all further spending
American Express Blue Business Plus card offers 15,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
There’s also an intro APR of 0% for 12 months.
American Express Blue Business Plus Rates & Fees
Annual fee: $0
APR: 17.49% – 27.49% (variable)
Foreign transaction fee: 2.7%
Late payment fee: up to $39
When To Choose American Express Blue Business Plus
You want no annual fee
You want an introductory APR
You don’t plan on doing a large amount of spending (more lucrative rewards and lower spending caps exists with other cards)
5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
Complimentary Global Lounge Collection access
Generous welcome offer
$200/year airline fee credit
Cons
$695 annual fee
Complex points-earning structure
Why We Chose American Express Business Platinum As The Best Business Rewards Credit Card For Luxury Travel Benefits
With a hefty annual fee of $695, the American Express Business Platinum card isn't the most practical travel credit card for most small business owners, but if you're looking for a rewards program offering unparalleled premium travel benefits, the Business Platinum card is hard to beat.
The Amex Business Platinum card offers 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, 1x points on everything else, access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection with access to 1,400+ airport lounges across 140 countries, and more. These perks make it worth the cost for businesses that do a significant amount of travel.
American Express Business Platinum Rewards
American Express Business Platinum offers the following cash-back rewards:
5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
1.5X points on certain business purchase categories and on all purchases above $5,000
1x points on everything else
You can get 200,000 points if you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months + $500 statement credit if you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel in the first 3 months.
Other Amex Business Platinum perks include:
Access to 1,400+ airport lounges in 140 countries through the Amex Global Lounge Collection
$200 airline fee credit annually
Get 35% of your points back when you use them to book travel through Amex Travel
You’ll also find partner discounts with companies like Dell, Indeed, Adobe, and more.
American Express Business Platinum Rates & Fees
Annual fee: $695
APR: Pay Over Time APR 18.49% – 27.49% (variable)
Foreign transaction fee: $0
Late payment fee: $39 or 2.99%
When To Choose American Express Business Platinum
If you do a large amount of business travel
You want luxury travel rewards
You plan on spending enough to offset the large annual fee
Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing credit cards and credit card providers since 2018. Our writers have tested dozens of cards, evaluating rewards and perks, rates and fees, features, eligibility requirements, customer service, and user reviews. Read more about how we rate credit cards.
Weighted Rating Breakdown
Rewards & Perks 40%
Rates & Fees 30%
Features 15%
Eligibility Requirements 5%
Customer Service 5%
User Reviews 5%
When comparing different cards, we consider many data points, including the relative cost of standard or extra fees, the range and value of benefits and perks offered, APR, availability, and credit score requirements. Our lists of the best cards include only those we’ve deemed worthwhile from multiple vantage points, and share qualities such as widespread accessibility, low APR, flexible rewards, and additional perks like employee cards.
We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure the credit cards included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.
How To Choose The Right Business Rewards Credit Card
When looking for a business rewards credit card, people tend to focus, understandably, on the rewards offered. However, your rewards redemption options are also important, as they can determine how far your rewards will go. In many cases, a card will have multiple redemption options, with some options valuing your points more highly than others. Understand how your credit card rewards redemption options work before you spend all your points on the option that least values your points.
Another thing to consider: Carrying a large monthly balance can quickly cost you more in interest than you’ll earn in rewards for your purchases. As with consumer credit cards, try to prioritize paying off your card each month. That way, you can treat your cash back or rewards points as bonus cash, not as a way to partially offset your interest payments.
Note that if your credit isn’t at least considered “good,” the business credit cards available to you will likely have lackluster rewards programs, if they offer any rewards at all. Just know that responsibly using the best business credit cards for bad credit can boost your credit score and, in time, qualify you for a business credit card with a better rewards program.
FAQs About Business Credit Card Rewards
Is my personal credit score checked when I apply for a business credit card?
Yes. Almost all issuers check with consumer credit bureaus when you apply for a business credit card.
How can I build my business credit fast?
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to build credit fast. As long as you pay off your debts and keep your accounts from running delinquent, your credit score should rise. Our guide to building business credit contains more info.
Do I lose rewards on returned credit card purchases?
In most cases, you will lose your rewards on returned purchases. However, you may be able to keep rewards points if you accept in-store credit for the returned item.
Will I lose rewards points if I pay my credit card balance early?
In most situations, you earn your points based on when you bought an item or service. It doesn’t matter when you pay your balance; you should still earn your reward points when paying the balance early.
How do I redeem my credit card rewards?
It depends on the rewards program. Some allow you to request cash back via statement credit or check. Others offer points you can redeem for gift cards, physical items, flights, car rentals, or hotel rooms.
Chelsea Krause is a writer who specializes in accounting, payroll, and small business loans. She has been helping small business owners manage their finances since 2016. She is a QuickBooks Certified User and former eCommerce store owner. Her accounting expertise has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford as well.
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Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
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