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Best Business Credit Cards With No Credit History

Check out these robust options for starter credit cards to help build your credit score if you are a business owner without a credit history.

    Jason Vissers
  • UPDATED

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The primary way people can build up their credit scores and establish a healthy credit history is to make monthly credit card payments on time. But if you’re a new business owner without a credit card or credit history, you might wonder: how do you build up your credit when you don’t have a credit card in the first place?

Thankfully, you can, in fact, get a startup business credit card with no credit history.

Several business credit cards can help those with no credit history cover daily expenses while building their credit scores. The typical no-credit credit card requires a security deposit, after which you’ll be extended a credit line equal to that of your deposit. Unfortunately, unsecured no-credit credit cards are hard to come by, though they do exist. Lastly, corporate credit cards like Brex can be obtained with no credit history, but these credit cards tend to require lots of cash in the bank and/or a high monthly revenue.

Let’s delve deeper into the world of the best business credit cards for those with no credit.

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Brex

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  • Annual Fee: None
  • Rewards: Up to 8 points per $1 spent
  • Eligibility: Must meet a number of business metrics
  • Annual Fee: None
  • Rewards: Up to 8 points per $1 spent
  • Eligibility: Must meet a number of business metrics

Apply Now

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OpenSky Secured Visa Card

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  • Annual Fee: $35
  • Rewards: None
  • Eligibility: Have a monthly income greater than your monthly expenses
  • Annual Fee: $35
  • Rewards: None
  • Eligibility: Have a monthly income greater than your monthly expenses

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Discover it Secured

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  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: 2% cash back at gas stations & restaurants
  • Eligibility: No particular business/income requirements disclosed
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: 2% cash back at gas stations & restaurants
  • Eligibility: No particular business/income requirements disclosed

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Revenued Business Card

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  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: 3% cash back on all purchases
  • Eligibility: Must have 6+ months in business, maintain a positive account balance, and a monthly revenue of $10K+
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: 3% cash back on all purchases
  • Eligibility: Must have 6+ months in business, maintain a positive account balance, and a monthly revenue of $10K+

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Spark Classic from Capital One

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  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: 1% cash back on all purchases
  • Eligibility: Average credit recommended (you may be able to qualify with no credit history)
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: 1% cash back on all purchases
  • Eligibility: Average credit recommended (you may be able to qualify with no credit history)

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Platinum Secured from Capital One

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  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: None
  • Eligibility: No particular business/income requirements disclosed
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: None
  • Eligibility: No particular business/income requirements disclosed

Visit Site

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Credit One Platinum Visa For Rebuilding Credit

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  • Annual Fee: $75 due immediately, $99 annual fee thereafter
  • Rewards: 1% cash back on gas, groceries, mobile phone, internet, cable, and satellite TV services
  • Eligibility: No particular business/income requirements disclosed
  • Annual Fee: $75 due immediately, $99 annual fee thereafter
  • Rewards: 1% cash back on gas, groceries, mobile phone, internet, cable, and satellite TV services
  • Eligibility: No particular business/income requirements disclosed

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Citi Secured Mastercard

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  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: None
  • Eligibility: No history of bankruptcy within the past 2 years
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Rewards: None
  • Eligibility: No history of bankruptcy within the past 2 years

Visit Site

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

Table of Contents

8 Best Business Credit Cards For Those With No Credit History

It can be difficult to find startup business credit cards with no credit history, but it’s not impossible. The following credit cards can be obtained with no credit history and can be used to cover business expenses.

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Brex Card: Best No Credit History Credit Card For Tech Startups

Total Rating 4.8
Rewards & Perks5.0

Rates & Fees5.0

Features5.0

Eligibility Requirements3.4

Customer Service4.0

User Reviews4.1



Pros

  • No credit check
  • No personal guarantee
  • Up to 8x points on common business expenses when you make automatic daily repayments

Cons

  • Only for businesses with high growth potential and lots of cash in the bank
  • Cannot carry a balance month-to-month

Why We Chose Brex For Tech Startups

Brex set out to disrupt the traditional credit card underwriting model with its startup-friendly unsecured business credit card. To qualify for the Brex corporate card, you do not need any credit history whatsoever, as Brex does not check your credit score. Instead, the company takes into account factors such as your cash balance, your spending patterns, and your investors. As such, while the card requires no credit history, it is geared toward the needs of startups (especially tech startups) with high growth potential, not mom-and-pop retail shops.

Another great feature for startups: The Brex Card does not require a personal guarantee, so you won’t be held personally liable for any business debt.

Brex Rewards

  • 8x points for ridesharing apps and taxis
  • 5x on travel
  • 4x at restaurants
  • 3x on eligible Apple purchases through the Brex Rewards portal
  • 1.5x on advertising
  • 1x on everything else

To earn points at these rates, you’ll need to pay off your Brex card daily 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, etc.). And if you don’t qualify for the exclusive program, you’ll just earn an unlimited 1 point per dollar spent.

Additional reward options are available for tech and science businesses.

Brex Eligibility Requirements

Brex does not check your credit when you apply for a Brex card, nor does it require a personal guarantee. However, you will have to demonstrate to Brex that your business has serious potential. To that end, Brex has a complex set of eligibility requirements.

If you want a Brex card with a requirement for daily repayments, your business will need to meet at least one (not all) of the following criteria:

  • Received an equity investment of any amount (accelerator, angel, or VC) or plans to in the near future
  • Earns $1 million+/year in revenue
  • Has more than 50 employees
  • Tech startups who are on a path to meeting the criteria above, and are referred by an existing customer or partner, may still be eligible

If you want to make monthly repayments, the requirements are stricter.

  • If your business is part of an accelerator and meets the requirements for daily payments, you’re also qualified for monthly payments
  • If you’ve received venture funding, you’re qualified for monthly repayments
  • If you’ve received at least $100,000 in angel funding and plan to raise capital from an accelerator or VC in the future, you’re qualified for monthly repayments
  • For startups, unless you’re referred to the company by a Brex partner, you’ll need at least $50K in the bank to make monthly repayments
  • A mid-market company or enterprise company will need at least $400K/month in revenue

Get Started With Brex

Read our in-depth review

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OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card: Best For No Credit Check

OpenSky Secured Visa Card


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Pros

  • No credit check
  • Reports to the big three credit bureaus
  • Doesn’t require a bank account

Cons

  • $35 annual fee
  • A security deposit of at least $200 is required

Why We Chose The OpenSky Secured Visa For No Credit Checks

When you apply for the OpenSky Secured Visa, you do not undergo a credit check, making this card ideal for businesses with no credit history. And unlike with a corporate card like Brex, there are no revenue or business size requirements to qualify. That's because this is a secured credit card -- so long as you make a security deposit of at least $200 ($3,000 maximum) to establish your credit line, you're almost certainly good to go.

This credit card helps you establish a credit history by reporting your spending to the big three credit bureaus. Unfortunately, the card sports a $35 annual fee and a 3% foreign transaction fee, and though you may be able to upgrade to an unsecured card after six months, this card (the OpenSky Visa Gold card) is available by invitation only, and OpenSky provides little information about it. However, the card's APR comes in under 22% (as of March 2023), which beats the APRs of many credit cards pitched to people with no credit or poor credit.

OpenSky Secured Visa Rewards

Unfortunately, the OpenSky Secured Visa does not offer any rewards for your spending.

OpenSky Secured Visa Eligibility Requirements

The OpenSky Secured Visa’s eligibility requirements are very lenient.

  • Be a US citizen or permanent resident
  • Have a monthly income greater than your monthly expenses
  • Make a $200+ security deposit

OpenSky states on its website that 85% of those who apply for the OpenSky Secured Visa are accepted.

Get Started With OpenSky Secured Visa Card

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Discover it Secured: Best Secured Credit Builder Card

Discover it Secured


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Annual Fee

$0

Minimum Recommended Credit

Poor

Rewards Rate

2% or 1% cash back

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Good cash back program for a card of this type
  • Reports to the big three credit bureaus

Cons

  • A security deposit of at least $200 is required
  • Relatively high APR

Why We Chose The Discover it Secured Card For Secured Credit Building

The Discover it Secured card is a traditional credit-building card in that it requires a security deposit. Your deposit, which must be between $200 and $2500, will become your credit limit. And like most cards operating in this space, the card reports to the three major credit bureaus. For this reason, and for the fact that the card offers impressive rewards for a card of this type, we had to include this card in our article.

We also like that this card carries no annual fee, and after eight months, you may be able to upgrade to an unsecured card.

Discover it Secured Rewards

The Discover it Secured card offers an impressive level of rewards for a card of this type. You’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases. What’s more, at the end of your first year, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned by that point.

Discover it Secured Eligibility Requirements

Discover it Secured does not specify any particular eligibility requirements for the Discover it Secured card. A recent bankruptcy or a complete lack of income may be deal-breakers, but for everyone else, you should be able to qualify for this card so long as you can make the required $200+ deposit.

Get Started With Discover it Secured

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Revenued: Best No Credit History Credit Card For Flat 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 personal guarantee or credit check
  • Unlimited 3% cash back on all purchases
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Factoring costs can be high
  • Can’t build your credit with card use

Why We Chose Revenued For Best Flat Cash Back

Technically, the Revenued Business Card is not a business credit card. It's actually a prepaid spending card tied to your future business revenue. If you qualify for the Revenued card, you'll get a revolving line of credit, with your future sales being your collateral. This is why the Revenued card has no personal guarantee requirement, nor does the company run credit checks on applicants.

In terms of standout features, the Revenued Business Card's generous cash back rate of 3%, which applies to all eligible purchases, might be the best flat cash back rate for any business spending card currently on the market. In light of this, we're happy to feature Revenued in this best-of list.

With the Revenued card, instead of paying interest on what you borrow, you pay a fixed factor rate. The arrangement is akin to invoice factoring.

Revenued Rewards

Revenued’s flat 3% cash back rate is ideal for businesses whose spending is not concentrated on particular categories like travel or restaurants. It truly is a remarkable rewards rate, especially for a card that doesn’t have any credit score requirements.

While Revenued doesn’t offer any additional partner discounts, it does offer an eye-opening welcome bonus: $500 cash back after you spend $5,000+ within three months of getting your card.

Revenued Eligibility Requirements

Though Revenued does not require a personal guarantee and has no credit score requirements, there are some benchmarks your business will have to meet in order to qualify for the Revenued Business Card.

  • Your business must be US-based
  • You must have 6+ months of business history
  • You must have a business bank account and maintain a positive account balance (an average daily balance of $1K+ is preferred)
  • You must maintain a monthly revenue of $10K+

Get Started With Revenued Business Card

Read our in-depth review

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Spark Classic from Capital One: Best No Credit History Credit Card For Instant Approval

Spark Classic from Capital One

Total Rating 2.9
Rewards & Perks1.6

Rates & Fees3.2

Features5.0

Eligibility Requirements4.2

Customer Service4.0

User Reviews3.7

Annual Fee

$0

Minimum Recommended Credit

Fair

Rewards Rate

Unlimited 1% cash back

Pros

  • No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
  • Cash back offered
  • Reports to the business credit bureaus

Cons

  • May not be able to get the card with no credit
  • High APR

Why We Chose Spark Classic As Best For Instant Approval

The Spark Classic from Capital One is a business credit card for rebuilding credit. As such, the card comes with business perks, such as free cards for your employees and instant approval, which is great if you need some business spending flexibility ASAP.

This unsecured card (no deposit required) also helps you build your business credit score, as the Spark Classic reports to the business credit bureaus (but not the personal ones). However, while you may be able to get approved for the card with no credit history, you'll have a better chance of approval if you have at least some credit history. Plus, the card's high APR (currently 29.74% variable) means that you should avoid carrying a significant month-to-month balance if at all possible.

Spark Classic from Capital One Rewards

One of the few no-annual-fee credit cards available for business owners that require only average personal credit, the card offers a modest cash back rate of 1% for all your purchases.

Spark Classic Eligibility Requirements

The Spark 1% Classic (as it is sometimes referred to) from Capital One is listed as requiring fair credit for approval. However, if your credit history is bad to nonexistent, you may still have a chance at approval, which is why you might still consider applying for this credit card if its business features appeal to you.

Get Started With Spark Classic from Capital One

Read our in-depth review

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Capital One Platinum Secured: Best No Credit History Credit Card For No Annual Fees

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 or foreign transaction fees
  • You may get a credit limit higher than your deposit amount

Cons

  • No rewards for your spending
  • High APR

Why We Chose The Capital One Platinum Secured Card As The Best No Annual Fee Option

The Secured Mastercard from Capital One offers an unusual benefit for a secured credit card: You may be able to get a credit limit higher than the amount of your security deposit. If you're approved, you'll get an initial $200 credit limit, but your required security deposit will be either $49, $99, or $200, depending on Capital One's assessment of your creditworthiness. You can also get access to a higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments on time.

Combine this with the fact that the card charges no annual fee, and we're happy to give the Capital One Platinum Secured card a spot on this list. Just be aware of the card's high APR.

Capital One Platinum Secured Rewards

While we love that this card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, you won’t earn any rewards for your spending.

Capital One Platinum Secured Eligibility Requirements

You won’t need a credit history in order to be considered for the Platinum Secured card, but Capital One will assess your income and debt before approval.

Get Started With Platinum Secured from Capital One

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Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit: Best For No Deposit

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

  • No security deposit required
  • Reports to the big three credit bureaus
  • 1% cash back on select spending categories

Cons

  • $75 fee charged immediately, $99 annual fee thereafter
  • Your initial credit line is just $300 ($225 after subtracting your initial $75 fee)

Why We Chose The Credit One Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit As The Best No Deposit Choice

The Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit (note that the issuer is Credit One, not Capital One) is an unsecured credit option for borrowers with bad/limited credit who can't or won't pay a security deposit. However, you might not want to make this card your first choice due to the fees involved.

If you are approved to get this card, you'll have to pay a $75 annual fee immediately, thus reducing your credit line from $300 to $225 right off the bat. Unfortunately, after the first year, your annual fee rises to $99/year, billed at $8.25/month.

Nonetheless, as one of the few unsecured credit card options available to business owners with no credit history, the Credit One Platinum Visa merits your consideration.

Credit One Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit Rewards

The Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit offers 1% cash back on eligible gas and groceries plus mobile phone, internet, cable, and satellite TV service purchases.

Credit One Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit Eligibility Requirements

Credit One Bank does not detail any income or business requirements for this card. And though the card is marketed as being for borrowers with bad credit, you may be able to qualify without any credit history at all.

Get Started With Credit One Platinum Visa For Rebuilding Credit

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Citi Secured Mastercard: Best For Upgrading To An Unsecured Card Later

Citi Secured Mastercard


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Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Reports to the big three credit bureaus

Cons

  • No spending rewards
  • Fairly high APR

Why We Chose The Citi Secured Mastercard As The Best Choice For Upgrading To An Unsecured Card Later

The Citi Secured Mastercard is another secured credit card -- one intended for people with no credit or limited credit history. The card requires a security deposit of between $200-$2,500, which will be the basis for your credit limit. Citi will report your credit activity to the major consumer credit bureaus, so with responsible card use, the Citi Secured Mastercard can help you qualify for a quality unsecured credit card somewhere down the road.

There's no annual fee, but the APR is relatively high, so take this into consideration.

Citi Secured Mastercard Rewards

The Citi Secured Mastercard does not offer any rewards for your purchases.

Citi Secured Mastercard Eligibility Requirements

The only definitive requirement listed for this card is that you must not have any pending bankruptcy, nor can you have filed for bankruptcy within the past two years.

Get Started With Citi Secured Mastercard

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Our Methodology For Choosing The Best Business Credit Cards For No Credit

Most business credit cards require a credit history — a good credit history, typically — so we didn’t have a huge number of options to review for this article.

For the credit card options that did fit the bill, we reviewed the terms & conditions of the card in question, along with any promotional information from the card issuer and reviews of the card posted by users to product review websites. We verified that these cards can, indeed, be obtained without a credit history, and we made sure that the terms and fees weren’t too terrible. However, most of these cards do sport high APRs, as that is largely unavoidable in this field, unless you qualify for a corporate credit card.

How To Get A Startup Business Credit Card With No Credit History

Let’s discuss what you’ll need to do to get a startup business credit card with no credit history.

Know What You’ll Need To Provide When You Apply

Many entrepreneurs and startup owners may be seeking a credit card for the very first time. If this is you, here’s what you’ll need to provide when you apply for a credit card:

  • Your legal name
  • Your birth date
  • Your address
  • Your Social Security number (your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN) may suffice if you don’t have a Social Security number
  • Your annual income

Find A Co-Signer

If you have no credit history whatsoever, you’ll find it easier to get a credit card if you can find someone with a solid credit history — perhaps a parent or guardian — to co-sign your credit card application.

However, this comes with major drawbacks: Your co-signer will have access to your finances and spending decisions, and if you don’t use your credit card wisely, it’s not just your credit score on the line. Miss a payment, and your co-signer’s credit will be negatively impacted as well.

Seek A Secured Credit Card

Though you can find credit cards for people with no/bad credit that do not require a security deposit, these cards are few and far between. Your best bet for being approved is to apply for a secured credit card.

Because these credit cards are secured by your initial deposit, the bank does not take on any risk by approving you for one of these credit cards. Additionally, many issuers of secured credit cards will let you upgrade to an unsecured credit card after you’ve used your card responsibly over a certain period of time.

See If You Pre-Qualify For A Credit Card

Several of the big credit card issuers have pre-qualification tools on their websites that can tell you which of their credit cards you may qualify for based on the personal information you enter. Using these pre-qualification tools will not affect your credit score.

Unfortunately, pre-qualifying for a credit card doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be approved. It’s also possible that applying for the credit cards you pre-qualify for will negatively impact your credit, so be selective when determining which credit cards to apply for.

No Credit History Credit Cards: FAQs

Can I get a business credit card with no credit?

Yes, it is possible to get a business credit card with no credit. The two types of business credit cards you can get with no credit are corporate credit cards like the Brex Card and secured business credit cards like the Capital One Platinum Secured card. Additionally, there are many different no-credit personal credit cards you can get if you’re willing to use a personal credit card for business use.

Do issuers check personal credit to get a business credit card?

Business credit card issuers will often run a check on your personal credit score as well as your business credit score when you apply. However, not all business credit card issuers will do this. For example, Brex does not check your personal credit when you apply.

Can I use my EIN instead of my SSN to apply for a credit card?

Though you can use your EIN to apply for most business credit cards, you’ll still have to provide your SSN as well with most card issuers. One exception is the Brex Card, which requires you to submit your EIN but not your SSN.

What is the easiest business credit card to get approved for?

Secured business credit cards like the Discover it Secured card are the easiest types of credit cards to get if you’re a new business owner with little to no credit history. There are even a few unsecured credit card options you may qualify for, such as the Capital One Spark Classic card. However, you may need at least fair credit to get approved for cards like these.

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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
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