6 Best Business Credit Cards for Startups and New Businesses [2026]

By / Credit Card Guides

Business credit cards for new businesses and startups can help you separate company spending from personal finances, open up quick access to credit, and start building a business credit profile. The right card also rewards common startup costs like advertising, shipping, and technology, and many add tools such as employee cards and expense management.

This guide compares 6 strong options across rewards, annual fees, and benefits.

Before applying, check the business credit card requirements section below to confirm eligibility.

Quick Overview of the Best Business Cards for New Businesses

The American Express® Business Gold Card earns 4x points on the top 2 categories where a business spends the most each month, up to $150,000 per year combined across both categories — a strong fit for businesses with concentrated spending.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3x points on advertising, shipping, internet, cable, phone, and travel on up to $150,000 per year, and it charges a $95 annual fee. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express carries an $895 annual fee (rates & fees) but offers the broadest travel benefits of any card on this list, which makes it best suited to startups with frequent travel.

Three options with no annual fee suit simpler needs. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns a flat 1.5% cash-back on every purchase. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns up to 5% cash-back on office supplies and on internet, phone, and cable services. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns 2x points on the first $50,000 in purchases each year.

Most new businesses can apply using a Social Security number, and an EIN is not required. The best choice comes down to where the business spends, travel frequency, and whether you will use a card’s annual credits.

Best Business Credit Cards for New Businesses

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Card

Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Earning Rates

Best For
American Express® Business Gold Card NEW OFFERAs High As 200,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.American Express® Business Gold CardAs High As 200,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $15,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

$375 (rates & fees)

 1x-4x pointsAmerican Express® Business Gold Card

  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Terms Apply.

Concentrated category spend for bonus earnings
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card NEW OFFER100,000 pointsInk Business Preferred® Credit CardEarn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. $95 1x-3x pointsInk Business Preferred® Credit Card

  • Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Marketing, shipping, and travel spend
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express NEW OFFERAs High As 300,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer. The Business Platinum Card® from American ExpressAs High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. $895 1x-5x pointsThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express

  • Earn 5x Membership Rewards® points on eligible travel purchases like flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid short-term rentals booked through Amex Travel
  • Earn 2x points (up to $2 million per calendar year) on each eligible purchase at:
    • U.S. construction material
    • Hardware suppliers
    • Electronic goods retailers
    • Software & cloud system providers
    • Shipping providers
    • Purchases of $5,000 or more
  • Earn 1x points on other eligible purchases

Frequent business travel
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express 15,000 pointsThe Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American ExpressEarn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.

$0 (rates & fees)

 1x-2x pointsThe Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point on other purchases.
  • Terms Apply.

Simple, flat-rate points earning
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card LIMITED TIME OFFER$750 $1,000Ink Business Unlimited® Credit CardEarn $750 $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening. $0 1.5% cash-backInk Business Unlimited® Credit Card

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase

Flat-rate cash-back
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card LIMITED TIME OFFER$750 $1,000Ink Business Cash® Credit CardEarn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening. $0 1%-5% cash-backInk Business Cash® Credit Card

  • Earn 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
  • Earn 2% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases on dining and gas each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 1% cash-back on all other purchases

Bonus category cash-back

Best Overall Business Cards for Startups and New Businesses

American Express® Business Gold Card (Top Pick)

The Amex Business Gold card is the most flexible everyday earner on this list, automatically rewarding a business’s top spending categories each month.

  • Annual fee: $375 (Source: Amex)
  • Earning rates: 4x points on the top 2 eligible categories each month, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year, then 1x.
  • Key startup benefit: The bonus categories are chosen automatically based on where the business spends most, so shifting monthly costs still earn 4x.
  • Points can be transferred to American Express’ hotel and airline partners or redeemed through AmexTravel.com
  • Welcome offer: As High As 200,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $15,000 in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card pairs a large welcome offer with bonus points on the categories new businesses may use most.

  • Annual fee: $95
  • Earning rates: 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, and phone services, and advertising with search engines and social media, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each year, then 1x (Source: Chase).
  • Key startup benefit: Cell phone protection of up to $1,000 per claim, with a $100 deductible, when the monthly bill is paid with the card.
  • Points transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or can be redeemed through Chase Travel.
  • Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Business Platinum card is built for startups with heavy travel, trading a high annual fee for premium travel perks and statement credits.

  • Annual fee: $895
  • Earning rates: 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com, plus 2x on select business purchases (up to $2 million in purchases per year), then 1x (Source: American Express).
  • Key startup benefit: Access to more than 1,550 airport lounges through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, plus more than $3,000 in annual statement credits toward business tools. Enrollment is required for some benefits.
  • Welcome offer: As High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $20,000 in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Best Alternative Business Cards for Startups and New Businesses

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card keeps earning simple with flat-rate cash-back and no annual fee, making it a solid first card for a new business.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earning rates: Unlimited 1.5% cash-back on every purchase.
  • Key startup benefit: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 16.74% – 24.74% thereafter.
  • Welcome offer: Earn $750 $1,000 bonus cash-back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Amex Blue Business Plus card earns transferable Membership Rewards points at a flat rate with no annual fee.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earning rates: 2x points on the first $50,000 in purchases each year, then 1x.
  • Key startup benefit: Employee cards at no extra cost (rates & fees) plus purchase protection and extended warranty coverage.
  • Welcome offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

The Ink Business Cash card is the sister card to the Ink Business Unlimited card, swapping flat-rate rewards for higher cash-back in set categories.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earning rates: 5% cash-back on up to $25,000 in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each year, 2% on dining and gas on up to $25,000 combined per year, then 1%.
  • Key startup benefit: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 16.74% – 24.74% variable thereafter.
  • Welcome offer: Earn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months after account opening.

Business Credit Card Requirements for New Businesses

New businesses without a physical presence and no income can still qualify for a business credit card. To qualify, applicants typically need a good or excellent credit score and can apply using their Social Security Number if they don’t yet have an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

Business applicants don’t need an LLC or an established corporation, as they can apply individually as a sole proprietor or freelancer using their personal details. Business credit card applications typically trigger a hard inquiry on the applicant’s personal credit report.

»Related:
How To Apply and Qualify for a Small Business Credit Card [2026]

How We Selected the Best Business Credit Cards for New Businesses

Each card here was evaluated on the factors that matter most to a new business: annual fee, earning rates in common startup categories, welcome offer value, and business tools like employee cards and expense management. Cards were compared using Upgraded Points’ credit card rating methodology, which weighs rewards, benefits, and costs.

Offer valuations reflect Upgraded Points’ valuations at the time of publication.

Final Thoughts

The right business card comes down to spending patterns, credit profile, and rewards goals. Businesses with concentrated category spend often favor the Amex Business Gold card, those focused on marketing and travel lean toward the Ink Business Preferred card, and frequent travelers consider the Amex Business Platinum card.

Check the credit card eligibility requirements before applying.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a business credit card for a new business?

Most issuers check the applicant’s personal credit report for a business card application. Approval odds improve with a strong payment history, steady personal income, and low balances on existing cards. A corporation, LLC, or employees are not required, and a sole proprietorship with a Social Security number is enough to apply.

Can a sole proprietor apply for a business credit card?

Yes. Sole proprietors, freelancers, and gig workers can apply using a Social Security number, and an EIN is not required. The business name can simply be the applicant’s legal name (Source: Chase).

Can I get a business credit card for a new business with no revenue?

Yes. A business with no revenue can still qualify, because issuers evaluate personal income and personal credit rather than business revenue. Income from a job, freelance work, or other sources can be listed on the application.

How do I build credit for my LLC?

Open a business credit card in the LLC’s name, then use it responsibly by making on-time payments and keeping balances low. Consistent, responsible use over time builds a strong business credit profile.

What credit score is needed for a business credit card?

The most rewarding business cards generally call for good-to-excellent credit. This is a general guideline rather than a fixed rule.

Can I get a business credit card with bad credit?

It is possible, but the top cards will likely be out of reach. With bad credit, a secured or low-limit card used responsibly can rebuild a score over time, which opens the door to premium business cards later.

Do any business credit cards for new businesses offer 0% intro APR?

Yes. The Ink Business Unlimited card and Ink Business Cash card both offer 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then a variable APR (16.74% – 24.74% as of writing).

Will applying for a business credit card affect my personal credit score?

Usually. Most issuers run a hard inquiry on the personal credit report, which can lower the score by a few points temporarily. Business card activity generally does not appear on the personal credit report unless the account becomes seriously delinquent.

How many credit cards should a small business have?

It depends on the business. A single card can cover most needs, though 2 or 3 cards can help maximize rewards across different spending categories.