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The Best Business Credit Cards For Bad Credit

Need to build credit? These credit cards for small businesses with bad credit can help you raise your business credit score, establish a credit history, and earn rewards.

    Jason Vissers
  • Last updated onUpdated

  • Chelsea Krause
  • REVIEWED BY

    Chelsea Krause

    Lead Staff Writer

Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.

A poor credit score makes finding business funding a challenge, which is why business credit cards for bad credit are crucial for business owners facing credit struggles. This article will discuss the types of credit cards available to business owners with bad credit.

After you’ve found success in using a bad credit business card to support your business and build your credit, you may find that you qualify for some of the best business credit cards overall.

Learn More About Our Top Picks

CompanySummaryNext StepsSummary
Ramp

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  • Best no personal guarantee card for bad credit
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • Must be a US corporation, LLC, or LP with $75K+ in the bank
  • Best no personal guarantee card for bad credit
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • Must be a US corporation, LLC, or LP with $75K+ in the bank

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Brex

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  • Best corporate card for bad credit
  • Up to 8x points on business expenses
  • Must meet one of four strict business conditions to qualify
  • Best corporate card for bad credit
  • Up to 8x points on business expenses
  • Must meet one of four strict business conditions to qualify

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Spark Classic from Capital One

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  • Best unsecured card for bad credit
  • 1% cash back on all purchases
  • Must have fair personal credit
  • Best unsecured card for bad credit
  • 1% cash back on all purchases
  • Must have fair personal credit

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Revenued Business Card

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  • Best bad credit business card for cash back
  • 3% cash back on all purchases
  • Must have 6+ months in business, $1K+ in the bank, & $10K+/month in revenue
  • Best bad credit business card for cash back
  • 3% cash back on all purchases
  • Must have 6+ months in business, $1K+ in the bank, & $10K+/month in revenue

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Credit One Platinum Visa For Rebuilding Credit

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  • Best unsecured personal credit card for bad credit
  • 1% cash back on certain purchases
  • Personal credit score of 580+ required
  • Best unsecured personal credit card for bad credit
  • 1% cash back on certain purchases
  • Personal credit score of 580+ required

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Discover it Secured

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  • Best secured personal card for bad credit
  • 2% cash back on up to $1,000 of gas & restaurant purchases per quarter
  • Personal credit score of 300+ recommended
  • Best secured personal card for bad credit
  • 2% cash back on up to $1,000 of gas & restaurant purchases per quarter
  • Personal credit score of 300+ recommended

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Platinum Secured from Capital One

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  • Best personal card for rebuilding credit
  • No rewards
  • No more than 1 loan default or 3 declined credit card applications in the last 3 months
  • Best personal card for rebuilding credit
  • No rewards
  • No more than 1 loan default or 3 declined credit card applications in the last 3 months

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OpenSky Secured Visa Card

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  • Best bad credit personal card for startups
  • No rewards
  • Security deposit required; no credit score requirements
  • Best bad credit personal card for startups
  • No rewards
  • Security deposit required; no credit score requirements

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

Table of Contents

Can You Get A Small Business Credit Card With Bad Credit?

Business credit cards can absolutely be a funding route for new business owners and entrepreneurs with past credit challenges. While bad credit will, unfortunately, prevent you from getting a top-tier rewards card, there are business credit cards you can qualify for if you have bad credit.

A small business credit card for bad credit can not only help you finance your business — it can also help you boost your credit score and qualify for a better card later on. Read on to check out your best options!

Bad Credit Options For Business Credit Cards

Business owners facing credit difficulties can typically qualify for the following types of business credit cards for bad credit.

Secured Credit Cards

Secured credit cards require a security deposit that usually (though not always) establishes the amount of your credit line. These cards tend to either have low credit score requirements or none at all. With responsible use, you may be given the option to upgrade to an unsecured card.

Corporate Credit Cards

Corporate credit cards typically don’t require a check of your personal credit score when you apply, though they may require that your business be a corporation or LLC. They may also require cash in the bank, lots of monthly/annual revenue, and/or automated daily repayments.

Charge Cards

Charge cards often have relaxed credit score requirements compared with ordinary credit cards due to the fact that charge cards don’t let you carry a balance from month to month. Note that while nearly all corporate cards are charge cards, not all charge cards are corporate cards.

Unsecured Credit Cards

Some unsecured credit cards can be obtained by applicants with bad credit. However, these cards have low credit limits (especially at first) and high APRs. Furthermore, these cards tend to be personal credit cards that can be used for business purposes, not dedicated business credit cards.

Of these credit card types, secured cards tend to be the easiest to get, followed by unsecured personal cards. The other card types tend to come with significant business requirements, albeit ones unrelated to your credit health (business income, cash-on-hand, and/or other factors).

The 8 Best Business Credit Cards For Bad Credit

The following business credit cards for bad credit are meant for different business types and have varying eligibility requirements, but what they all have in common is that they either have minimal credit score requirements or none at all. Let’s delve into the details.

Ramp: Best No Personal Guarantee Card For Bad Credit

Ramp


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Rewards Rate

Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases

Annual Fee

$0 for the standard package, $15/user/month for Ramp Plus

Business Size

Corporations and LLCs with $75K+ in the bank

Pros

  • No personal guarantee required
  • No credit check required
  • Unlimited 1.5% cash back
  • Savings insights tool that identifies unnecessary spending

Cons

  • High cash-in-bank requirements
  • No high-earning rewards categories

Why We Chose Ramp As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

Ramp's corporate charge card is unique in that it carries no fees whatsoever -- no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no late fees, no employee card fees, and no interest fees (Ramp is a charge card and you can't carry a balance). You even get expense management software and employee spend controls -- all for free.

We love that Ramp has no personal guarantee requirement to qualify for its corporate card. This means that you won't be held personally liable in the event that your business goes under and you can't pay off your card debt (though your credit score will certainly suffer). Additionally, you won't undergo a credit check when you apply.

Ramp's flat cash back rate of 1.5% benefits companies whose spending is diffuse and cuts across categories. On the other hand, if your spending is concentrated on, say, rideshares or software subscriptions, you'll earn more spending rewards with another corporate card program.

Ramp Rewards & Benefits

Ramp offers 1.5% cash back on all business spending. There are no limits on the amount you can earn, and your rewards are redeemable in the form of a statement credit.

Ramp also offers you access to $175,000 in rebates and credits with partner services like Slack and Amazon Web Services. Additionally, Ramp gives you features such as bill payment and a savings insights tool that helps your company identify extraneous and unnecessary spending, such as duplicate subscriptions and redundant software purchases. With these features, Ramp claims that “Businesses that use Ramp save an average of 3.5% on spend.”

Ramp Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Ramp corporate card, your business must be a US-based corporation, LLC, or LP. Individuals, sole proprietors, and other types of unregistered businesses need not apply. Furthermore, you must have at least $75,000 in cash in a US bank account.

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Brex: Best Corporate Card For Bad Credit

Brex


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Pros

  • Earn 8x points on rideshares, 5x on Brex Travel, 4x on restaurants, 3x on Apple products, and 1x on everything else
  • No credit check required
  • No personal guarantee required
  • Automated bill pay & spend management

Cons

  • Strict eligibility requirements
  • You must make Brex your exclusive corporate card to earn maximum rewards

Why We Chose Brex As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

If you're running a startup with high growth potential but poor credit (or even no credit history whatsoever), the Brex corporate charge card is a unique value proposition.

Brex doesn't check your credit score when you apply, nor does it require a personal guarantee. If you're approved for a Brex card, you'll find that Brex offers vastly higher points-earning rates than just about any other credit card available to borrowers with poor credit. You can earn as much as 8x points on rideshare purchases and 5x points on travel purchases -- a remarkable value for any type of business credit card, much less one that can be obtained with bad credit.

Brex Rewards & Benefits

With the Brex card, you can earn points at the following rates:

  • 8x points for spending on ridesharing apps and taxis
  • 5x on travel purchases
  • 4x at restaurants
  • 3x on Apple products
  • 3x on recurring software subscriptions or 1.5x on advertising purchases
  • 1x on everything else

To earn points at these rates, you’ll need to sign up for automatic daily repayments and use Brex as your exclusive corporate card. If you pay monthly, your rewards rate will be 1x lower for each category (7x on rideshares, 4x on travel, and so on). And if you don’t make Brex your exclusive business card, you’ll only earn 1 point per dollar spent.

Additional cash back options are available for life science companies and certain companies seeking custom flat-rate rewards.

You can use your points to pay for travel expenses, redeem them for gift cards, or cash them in. What’s more, Brex offers automated bill pay, spend management, partner rewards, a mobile app, and other benefits.

Brex Eligibility Requirements

Unfortunately, although you don’t need a minimum credit score to qualify, Brex’s eligibility requirements are steep and complex.

Apply for a Brex card with daily repayments, and you’ll need to meet at least one (not all) of the following conditions:

  • You’ve received an equity investment from an accelerator, angel investor, or VC (or you plan to in the near future)
  • You earn over $1 million/year in revenue
  • Your company has 50+ employees
  • Your business is a tech startup, is en route to meeting one of the above criteria, and is referred by an existing Brex partner or customer

The requirements for a Brex card with monthly repayments are even more stringent:

  • Must have received accelerator, VC, or angel investor funding
  • Startups must have $50K+ in the bank (or possibly less if you’re referred by certain Brex partners)
  • Mid-market and enterprise companies must have $400K+/month ($4.8 million+/year) in revenue

Get Started With Brex

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Capital One Spark Classic: Best Unsecured Card For Bad Credit

Spark Classic from Capital One


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Annual Fee

$0

Minimum Recommended Credit

Fair

Rewards Rate

Unlimited 1% cash back

Pros

  • Unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases
  • No annual fee
  • Employee cards available for no additional cost

Cons

  • High APR
  • Fair credit required

Why We Chose Capital One Spark Classic As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

When it comes to unsecured business credit cards for those with less than stellar credit, the Capital One Spark Classic deserves a look. Marketed as a business card for people with "average" credit (generally a 580 FICO score or above), it carries a high ongoing APR, which is the card's main drawback.

Though this card's cash back rate is modest, this is the norm for unsecured business credit cards for fair credit. Plus, the Spark Classic carries no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and you can get additional employee cards (for which you can set customized spending limits) at no extra cost. Considering this, adding the Spark Classic to this article was an easy call for us to make.

Another benefit of the Spark Classic is that Capital One reports your card activity to several business credit bureaus so you can improve your business credit score, provided you make your payments on time.

Capital One Spark Classic Rewards & Benefits

This card will see you earning an unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, which is relatively good for an unsecured business credit card accessible to those with fair credit.

Capital One Spark Classic Eligibility Requirements

You’ll need at least fair credit to qualify for the Spark Classic, which generally means a FICO score over 580.

Get Started With Spark Classic from Capital One

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Revenued: Best Bad Credit Business Card For Cash Back

Revenued Business Card


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Annual Fee

$0

Minimum Recommended Credit

N/A

Rewards Rate

3% cash back on eligible purchases

Pros

  • No credit check required
  • Unlimited 3% cash back on all purchases
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Can’t be used to build credit
  • High factoring costs

Why We Chose Revenued As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

Technically, the Revenued Business Card isn't a business credit card. It's a prepaid Visa spending card tied to your banking account. Revenued won't check your credit when you apply, though you will have to meet other business metrics, which we'll describe below.

This card's 3% universal cash back rate is exceptional for any business credit card, meriting this card's inclusion in our article. However, the card does have one big drawback: it can't be used to build credit. Your repayments won't be reported to the credit bureaus. As such, this card's utility is limited, but it does give business owners with bad credit a means of making business purchases while earning a high cash back rate, which is why the Revenued card deserves a spot on our list.

Revenued Rewards & Benefits

With the Revenued card, you’ll earn 3% cash back on every purchase — a remarkable rate. Plus, Revenued is currently offering a welcome bonus of $500 in cash back when you spend $5,000 on your card within your first three months of card use.

What’s more, the card carries no annual fee, foreign transaction fee, or any other common fee to speak of.

Revenued Eligibility Requirements

While there are no credit score requirements to meet with the Revenued card, you’ll need 6+ months of business history, an average daily bank balance of $1K+, and at least $10K in monthly sales in order to qualify.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with Revenued, while you won’t actually be paying interest, you’ll be paying a factoring fee between 1.1 and 1.5 instead, as your credit line is tied to your future business revenue (somewhat resembling a merchant cash advance). Your factor rate may be rather high, but at least you’ll only incur factoring fees on the portion of your credit line that you use, not on your full credit limit.

Get Started With Revenued Business Card

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Credit One Bank Platinum Visa: Best Personal Credit Card For Bad Credit

Credit One Platinum Visa For Rebuilding Credit


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Annual Fee

$75 for the first year; $99 thereafter

Minimum Recommended Credit

Poor

Rewards Rate

1% cash back

Pros

  • 1% cash back on gas, groceries, and monthly mobile phone, internet, cable, & satellite TV services
  • Certain accounts get a 24-day interest grace period each month

Cons

  • $39 annual fee
  • Fair credit required

Why We Chose Credit One Bank Platinum Visa As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

The Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit isn't a business credit card -- it's a personal credit card that can be used by entrepreneurs with iffy credit as a credit card option. The Credit One (not Capital One) Bank Platinum Visa carries an APR that, while high, is relatively typical. Certain accounts will be given a monthly interest grace period of at least 24 days after the close of each billing cycle.

This card carries an annual fee of $39, which is unfortunate, but it is absolutely a funding option for entrepreneurs with credit struggles who don't qualify for the other cards on this list due to a lack of business history and/or insufficient business revenue.

Credit One Platinum Visa Rewards & Benefits

The nicest benefit of the card is undoubtedly the 1% cash back you’ll earn on gas, groceries, mobile phone plans, and cable, internet, and satellite TV services. However, there’s also a $19 charge to add another authorized user (such as an employee) and a 3% foreign transaction fee. Therefore, while using the Credit One Bank Platinum Visa will see you earning cash back and can help you boost your credit score, it might not be the most appealing card for some users.

Credit One Platinum Visa Eligibility Requirements

You’ll need at least fair credit (580+) to qualify for the Credit One Bank Platinum Visa card.

Get Started With Credit One Platinum Visa For Rebuilding Credit

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Discover it Secured: Best Secured Personal Credit Card For Bad Credit

Discover it Secured


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Annual Fee

$0

Minimum Recommended Credit

Poor

Rewards Rate

2% or 1% cash back

Pros

  • 2% cash back on up to $1,000 on gas station & restaurant purchases each quarter, 1% cash back on everything else
  • Discover matches all the cash back you earn in your first year
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • High APR
  • Security deposit required

Why We Chose Discover it Secured As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

Discover it Secured is a secured consumer credit card that can be used for business. The minimum deposit is just $200, while the max reaches up to $2,500. You can expect a high-ish APR of 24.49% (variable), and the card carries a grace period of 25 days until interest on purchases starts to accrue. The card carries no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.

As this card does not sport any particular credit score requirement, you're likely to be able to obtain it no matter what your credit score. The only requirement to qualify is that you must have a bank account. That, combined with the maximum cash back rate of 2% that you'll earn on certain purchases (very impressive for a secured credit card), made that card an obvious choice for this list.

Discover it Secured Rewards & Benefits

For rewards, you’ll get 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in spending per quarter). This 2% rate is among the highest you can snag for poor-credit cards. All other purchases get 1% cash back.

On top of those base rewards, Discover will match whatever you earn for your first year — effectively giving you 4% back on gas station and restaurant purchases and 2% everywhere else.

Discover it Secured Eligibility Requirements

This card carries no credit score requirements — you may qualify for the Discover it Secured with a credit score in the 300s.

Get Started With Discover it Secured

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Platinum Secured From Capital One: Best For Rebuilding Credit

Platinum Secured from Capital One


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Annual Fee

$0

Minimum Recommended Credit

N/A

Rewards Rate

N/A

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Flexible due dates
  • Security deposit is refundable when you upgrade

Cons

  • High APR
  • No rewards

Why We Chose Capital One Platinum Secured As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

The Capital One Platinum Secured card is a no-frills secured personal credit card for bad credit. With no rewards-earning and a high APR, it shouldn't be your first choice for a credit card for your business, but if you're unable to qualify for some of the others, it may be a useful instrument for you. Use this card responsibly, and you can both rebuild your credit and get your deposit back with an upgrade to the unsecured Platinum card.

You'll need to make a deposit of $49, $99, or $200 to use this card. Luckily, once you're approved, you can choose the payment due date that works best for your schedule. However, this card's APR runs high. If at all possible, try not to carry a balance month-to-month.

Capital One Platinum Secured Rewards & Benefits

You won’t earn any rewards for your spending with the Platinum Secured card.

Capital One Platinum Secured Eligibility Requirements

This card doesn’t carry any credit score requirements. However, you’ll need to have no more than one loan default or three declined credit card applications in the last three months prior to applying.

Get Started With Platinum Secured from Capital One

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OpenSky Secured Visa: Best For Startups With Bad Credit

OpenSky Secured Visa Card


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Pros

  • Lower APR than many similar cards
  • No credit check

Cons

  • $35 annual fee
  • No rewards

Why We Chose OpenSky Secured Visa As A Top Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

It's a secured credit card with no rewards program, but when it comes to startup business credit cards for bad credit, the OpenSky Secured Visa has some key advantages.

First, the OpenSky Secured Visa's APR is lower than that of many competing credit cards in this space. Second, when applying for this card, you won't undergo a credit check at all, so you won't have to worry about your credit score taking a hit. The minimum deposit is $200, and the maximum is $3,000.

The downside: there's a $35 annual fee and a 3% foreign transaction fee. On the whole, the OpenSky Secured Visa isn't the most appealing credit card in this space, but it's definitely an option to consider if you don't qualify for some of these other cards.

OpenSky Secured Visa Rewards & Benefits

You won’t get any rewards for your spending with the OpenSky Secured Visa.

OpenSky Secured Visa Eligibility Requirements

There are no credit score requirements associated with the OpenSky Secured Visa. You don’t even need a bank account to qualify. You will need to show that your monthly income is greater than your monthly expenses, however.

Get Started With OpenSky Secured Visa Card

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Why We Don't Recommend This Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

BILL Spend & Expense (Divvy)

BILL Spend & Expense (formerly Divvy) is a strong corporate card option for small- to mid-sized businesses. Offering up to 7x points on certain business purchase categories, robust budget management features, and unlimited physical and virtual cards, the former Divvy card stacks up well with other products in the corporate card space. However, BILL Spend & Expense no longer accepts applicants with bad credit — your business and personal credit “typically must be good to very good” in order to qualify.

Choosing The Right Business Credit Card For Bad Credit

If all these credit card options leave you feeling overwhelmed, consider your business situation and which type of business credit card for bad credit best suits your particular situation.

  • If you have a profitable corporation or LLC with poor credit — or little/no credit history at all — consider a corporate credit card.
  • If you want a credit card to use on business expenses and your credit score is in the 500s, consider applying for an unsecured personal credit card.
  • If you want a credit card to use on business expenses but you have a credit score under 500, or if you have a startup with no credit history whatsoever, consider a secured personal credit card.

Getting a credit card can be difficult if you don’t have (or don’t want to provide) a social security number. However, it’s possible to get a credit card using just your EIN, which has the added benefit of letting you avoid personal liability and a hard credit pull. Read our guide to getting a business credit card with only an EIN for more details.

If you have bad credit but are pondering your other business financing options, our article on the best startup loans for bad credit contains some useful advice. Likewise, if you’re thinking about a business line of credit, our piece on business lines of credit for bad credit summarizes your top options.

Rebuild Your Credit & Qualify For More Business Funding Options

We wanted to end this post by pointing you toward resources that can help you build up your credit score and expand your business funding opportunities.

FAQs About Small Business Credit Cards For Bad Credit

Getting a credit card is especially tough when you have a poor credit history. Here are some common questions about credit cards for those with poor credit.

Is a secured or unsecured card better for building credit?

Strictly in terms of building credit, an unsecured business credit card is better because issuers will more consistently report your activity to bureaus. However, it may be easier to qualify for a secured card, and secured credit cards can still provide an avenue to building and bettering your credit history.

What’s the difference between personal and business credit cards?

Business cards may offer rewards or benefits targeted toward business spending habits. For instance, a business card may provide a higher reward rate for spending money on office supplies or allow you to request employee cards for free. Additionally, business credit card issuers may report your activity to business credit bureaus. In contrast, your personal credit card history only gets sent to consumer bureaus.

Otherwise, these types of cards are rather similar. Many offer rewards and benefits as well as ways to carry a balance. Note, however, that issuers of business credit cards may ask specific questions about your business.

Entrepreneurs and business owners can use personal credit cards for business purchases. However, you should follow some general guidelines to make sure you are utilizing your credit card in a way that will best benefit your business. Learn more about best practices for using personal cards for a business.

Can you get a business credit card with bad personal credit?

It’s possible to get a business credit card even if you have bad personal credit. Several secured business credit cards may be within reach for you, along with a few unsecured personal cards that you can use for business.

Can I use my EIN to get a credit card?

You can use just your employer identification number (EIN) to apply for certain business credit cards. Some such cards let you apply with your EIN instead of a Social Security number. Don’t have an EIN? Find out how to get one or how to find your EIN number on documentation.

What credit score is needed for a small business credit card?

The credit score you’ll need to qualify for a small business credit card depends entirely on the card in question. Some small business credit cards require excellent credit (740+), while others will accept applicants with bad credit (300-579). Other such cards fall somewhere in-between.

A few small business credit cards won’t check your credit score at all when you apply.

Can you get an unsecured credit card with a 500 credit score?

Yes. Certain corporate credit cards, such as Brex and Ramp, accept applicants with credit scores of 500 or lower. However, corporate credit cards have stringent business requirements unrelated to your credit score. If your business is brand new or isn’t earning much revenue yet, consider an unsecured personal credit card like the Discover it Secured card, which accepts applicants with credit scores of 500 or less.

Can I get a credit card with a score of 540?

Yes. Many credit cards, both secured and unsecured, will accept an applicant with a credit score of 540.

Can you get a business credit card without income?

You may be able to get a business card if you’re not earning business income yet, but in most cases, you will need to be drawing an income in some form in order to qualify for a business credit card.

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Jason Vissers

Jason Vissers

Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Jason has been writing about small business software platforms, services, and financing since 2015. Jason’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Time/NextAdvisor, Home Business Magazine, CreditCards.com, GoBankingRates, TheLadders.com, and other publications. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from San Diego State University and currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jason Vissers
View Jason Vissers's professional experience on LinkedIn.