Best business credit cards for startups and new businesses of November 2023

Those whose business spending aligns with the bonus categories on this card can reap generous rewards at an affordable annual price. The card also comes with a large welcome bonus and some valuable travel and purchase protections. But bigger spenders should be mindful of the categories and spending caps to get the most out of the card.

Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus: $900 cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card includes primary auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. And if you also have another premium Chase Ultimate Rewards® card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, then you can combine these points and your rewards can be transferred to airline and hotel partners.

For small business owners who want to earn simple and generous rewards without shelling out for an annual fee, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express * The information for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) is an excellent choice. Just be aware that if your company spending goes above and beyond the $50,000 spending cap, another card could yield more value.

Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus: 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Foreign transaction fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to U.S. dollars.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card comes with secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹, extended warranty² and purchase protection² policies. It also features extensive expense management tools. But the real benefit is in earning Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee. These points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners at a potentially greater value than just redeeming your earnings for cash back.

Every new business has some expenditures, but when your personal credit is just fair it can be hard to qualify for a business credit card. The Capital One Spark 1% Classic * The information for the Capital One Spark 1% Classic has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. fills that niche by catering to those whose credit is in that middle ground between “meh” and “wow”. The 1% cash-back rewards are a nice extra, too.

Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: 1% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Welcome bonus: None.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card offers cash back and comes with extended warranty coverage. But its primary benefit is that it’s one of the few small business cards that’s available to applicants with fair credit.

Many business credit cards offer low intro APR offers on purchases, but it’s less common to find balance transfer offers. The U.S. Bank Business Platinum card offers both, making it a sensible choice for those in need.

Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: None.
Welcome bonus: None.
Foreign transaction fees: 3% of each foreign transaction.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles, followed by a variable APR of 17.24% to 26.24%. A balance transfer fee of either 3% of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater, applies, but you may be able to find similar offers on cards that have more to offer once the intro period expires.

Those who already find value in their Amazon Business Prime membership are likely to find exceptional value in carrying the Amazon Business Prime from American Express card. There’s no downside to earning generous cash back on your spending or having the option to pay your purchase off over time without interest for 90 days.

Annual fee: $0 (but a Business Prime membership is required).
Rewards: 5% back in rewards on the first $120,000 spent each calendar year or 90 Days Terms on eligible U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership. Earn 2% at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and 1% on other purchases.
Welcome bonus: Get a $125 Amazon.com gift card upon approval.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card includes a generous suite of benefits including baggage insurance², secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹, extended warranty coverage² and purchase protection². Like any cobranded card, however, if you don’t spend a significant amount within the Amazon ecosphere, this card is not the best choice for your business.

The Brex 30 Card * The information for the Brex 30 Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is unique in that it’s not a typical corporate card. A new company or business that meets their funding criteria may be eligible to apply and there’s no personal guarantee requirement as with most other business cards. This makes it a great choice for young or international company founders who may not have a strong credit profile yet.

Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: 7 points per $1 on rideshare, 4 points per $1 on travel booked through Brex Travel, 3 points per $1 on restaurants, 2 points per $1 on recurring software and 1 point per $ on everything else.
Welcome bonus: 10,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card offers an excellent rewards program that allows you to transfer points to airline miles or use your rewards for nontraditional business expenses like billboard advertising. But it isn’t a traditional credit card, or even a charge card as you have to place money on deposit with a Brex account.

Those who spend a lot of time on the road will find plenty to like in the Wyndham Rewards Business Earner Card. For a modest annual fee, the card earns exceptional rewards on gas and at Wyndham properties.

Annual fee: $95.
Rewards: 8 points per $1 spent on Hotels By Wyndham and gas purchases, 5 points per $1 on marketing, advertising and utility purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus: Earn 45,000 points, enough for up to six free nights, after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Free nights can require up to 30,000 points per bedroom at participating properties and are subject to availability. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points.
Foreign transaction fees: 0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card’s strength is its rewards program, which now features many vacation rental properties. However, most of the hotels in the Wyndham portfolio are value-priced properties. The card also offers cell phone protection, extended warranty coverage and redeem 10% fewer Wyndham Rewards points for Go Free awards.

Travel rewards enthusiasts value Membership Rewards for the ability to transfer points to dozens of airline and hotel transfer partners, typically at a greater value than just booking through Amex Travel. A business owner seeking the biggest travel rewards bang for their buck will likely find tremendous value in the choose-your-own-rewards structure of this card.

Annual fee: $295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24) (terms apply).
Rewards: 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year on the 2 select categories your business spends the most each month, 3 points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com and 1 point per $1 for other purchases.
Welcome bonus: 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card includes baggage insurance², secondary car rental insurance¹ and trip delay coverage³. You also receive extended warranty² and purchase protection². But perhaps the most valuable perk with this is the ability to transfer your rewards to airline and hotel partners at a potentially greater value than if you redeemed them for cash back.

Companies who plan to spend big and don’t need to carry a balance can appreciate the simple and generous rewards on the Spark Cash Plus Card. The unlimited rewards on this card are the best you’ll find on any flat-rate business card.

Annual fee: $150.
Rewards: 2% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Welcome bonus: $1,200 cash bonus after spending $30,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fees: See Terms.
Other benefits and drawbacks: A big advantage of this card is its large welcome bonus. But you’ll have to pay a $150 annual fee, negating these benefits for businesses with modest spending needs.

Modest spenders seeking a generous and straightforward cash-back card can benefit from this no-annual-fee option. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card * The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) also comes with some valuable extras, especially notable for a card at this price point.

Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
Welcome bonus: $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Foreign transaction fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
Other benefits and drawbacks: This card comes with secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹, extended warranty² and purchase protection² policies. It also features extensive expense management tools. And the chance to earn 2% cash back without paying an annual fee is a strong benefit.