Most small business credit cards are issued to the business but still require a personal guarantee from the business owner, meaning you're personally responsible for the debt if the business can't pay. That's true even for cards with strong rewards or long intro periods, so it's worth reading the issuer's terms carefully before applying. If you're still building out how to fund your business more broadly, the U.S. Small Business Administration's guide to funding a business is a useful independent starting point.
Below, each card lists its annual fee, purchase APR, rewards structure, and intro offer (if any) exactly as published by the issuer. Nothing here is a ranking, an application, or a promise of approval — only the issuer can tell you whether you qualify.
How these cards were chosen
- Each card's terms are publicly listed on the issuer's own website.
- The list spans several different issuers rather than favoring one company.
- Only cards with a clearly disclosed annual fee and purchase APR are included.
- A mix of flat-rate and category-based rewards is included to fit different spending patterns.
- The order below is not a ranking — it's organized to show a range of structures.
1. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: bonus categories for heavier business spend
May fit: Business owners with regular spending on shipping, advertising, phone/internet, or travel.
This card earns 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent each anniversary year across a combined bucket of shipping, advertising, internet/cable/phone, and travel purchases — a wide net for many service and retail businesses. Once that cap is reached, those purchases drop to the base earning rate for the rest of the year.
Chase values points redeemed for travel through its own portal at 25% more than their face value, which can meaningfully boost the return on the welcome bonus of 100,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first three months.
The card carries a $95 annual fee and a 17.99%–26.99% variable purchase APR, so the bonus categories and travel redemption bump are most valuable if the balance is paid in full each month rather than carried.
2. Spark Cash Plus: flat cash back with a fee-refund feature
May fit: Businesses with excellent credit and high annual spending who want simple, uncapped cash back.
Spark Cash Plus earns an unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, with no categories to track. The card also refunds its $150 annual fee in full if your business spends at least $150,000 in a year, which can make it effectively free for higher-volume spenders.
New applicants can earn a $2,000 cash bonus after spending $30,000 in the first three months — a high threshold that fits businesses with substantial regular expenses more than very small operations.
There's no preset spending limit, but this card requires the balance to be paid in full each month rather than carried, and Capital One lists creditworthiness for it as typically excellent.
3. Signify Business Cash® Card: no annual fee with an intro 0% period
May fit: Businesses that want flat cash back and a temporary break from interest on purchases.
This Wells Fargo card earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards on business purchases with no annual fee and no category tracking required. It also includes a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months, which can help if you're financing a near-term expense.
After the intro period ends, the ongoing purchase APR moves to a 16.74%–24.74% variable range, so the value of the intro period depends on paying down any balance before it expires.
A $500 cash rewards bonus is available after spending $5,000 in the first three months, and the card includes employee cards at no additional cost, which can help if your team shares purchasing duties.
4. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: no annual fee, flat 1.5% back
May fit: Businesses that want a no-annual-fee flat-rate card without tracking categories.
The Ink Business Unlimited earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no annual fee, pairing that with a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases.
A welcome offer of $750 cash back is available after spending $6,000 in the first three months, and the card includes employee cards at no additional cost.
Once the intro period ends, the purchase APR settles into a 16.99%–24.99% variable range, and foreign transaction fees apply, which is worth noting for businesses that purchase internationally.
Comparing the total cost, not just the rewards
Rewards rates and welcome bonuses are easy to notice, but the total cost of a business card comes from the combination of annual fee, purchase APR, and how closely your spending matches the bonus categories. A card with a higher annual fee can still be the cheaper option if your spending pattern lets you clear that fee through rewards, while a flat-rate, no-fee card may suit a business with more unpredictable expenses.
Because most small business cards require a personal guarantee, carrying a balance affects more than just the business — it's tied to your personal credit and finances as well. Paying the statement balance in full each month is the most reliable way to avoid interest charges eating into any rewards earned.
Before applying, it's worth reading the issuer's own page in full, since terms, fees, and offers can change, and only the issuer can confirm what you'd actually be approved for.