The 8 Best Business Credit Cards for Independent Contractors [Self-Employed, Freelancers]

By / Credit Card Guides

Business credit cards for self-employed workers, freelancers, and independent contractors keep business spending separate from personal finances and turn everyday expenses into rewards. The right card depends on where a business spends most, whether the priority is travel or cash-back, and how large an annual fee makes sense.

The 8 cards below cover a range of budgets and spending styles. Review the eligibility requirements near the end before applying.

Quick Overview of the Best Credit Cards for Independent Contractors

The American Express® Business Gold Card carries the highest flexible earning rate on this list at 4x points, applied automatically to the 2 categories where a business spends most each billing cycle, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year. For a lower annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3x points in 4 categories that fit many contractors: travel, shipping, advertising, and internet, cable and phone service — up to $150,000 of these purchases annually.

Several picks charge no annual fee, including The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (rates & fees), Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (rates & fees). Some also offer a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months.

Freelancers and sole proprietors can apply as a business using a Social Security number, with no separate business entity required.

»Related:
How To Get a Business Credit Card (Regardless of Your Company’s Size)

The Best Credit Cards for Independent Contractors

SCROLL FOR MORE

Card Name

Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Earning Rates

Best For

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 (rates & fees)

 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 travelers

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.

Highest flexible category earn rate

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.

Best all-round moderate-fee card

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 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 everyday earning, no annual fee

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

Capital One Venture Business Card

 100,000 milesCapital One Venture Business CardEarn 100,000 Miles once you spend $10,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. $95 2x-5x milesCapital One Venture Business Card

  • 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
  • 2x miles on every purchase

Flat-rate travel miles

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

Category cash-back, no annual fee

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

 $250The American Express Blue Business Cash™ CardEarn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. $0 1%-2% cash-backThe American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

  • Earn 2% cash-back on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1% thereafter.
  • Earn 1% cash-back on all other purchases.
  • Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
  • Terms Apply.

Automatic statement credit via cash-back

Amex Business Platinum Card

The Amex Business Platinum card suits independent contractors who travel often and want lounge access and premium travel protections.

  • Annual fee: $895
  • Earns 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com, 2x on eligible purchases in key business categories and on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more — up to $2 million of these purchases annually — and 1x on other purchases (Source: American Express)
  • Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, plus a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, which helps contractors who fly to clients or job sites
  • Thousands of dollars in statement credits for travel and business expenses annually (many require enrollment in advance)
  • No foreign transaction fees and QuickBooks integration for expense tracking (rates & fees)

Amex Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold card fits contractors whose spending shifts month to month, since its bonus categories adjust automatically.

  • Annual fee: $375
  • Earns 4x points on the 2 eligible categories where the business spends most each billing cycle, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year, then 1x
  • The 6 eligible categories include U.S. gas stations, restaurants, transit, wireless service, advertising, and technology purchases, which cover a wide range of freelance costs.
  • No preset spending limit and no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)

Ink Business Preferred Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is a strong all-around choice with a midrange fee and bonus categories that align with common contractor costs.

  • Annual fee: $95
  • Earns 3x points on the first $150,000 spent each account anniversary year across travel, shipping, advertising with social media sites and search engines, and internet, cable, and phone service, then 1x (Source: Chase)
  • Points can be transferred to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel.
  • Cell phone protection and primary rental car coverage on business trips

Amex Blue Business Plus Card

The Amex Blue Business Plus card is a $0-annual-fee option for freelancers to earn transferable points on general spending.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earns 2x Membership Rewards points on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year, then 1x.
  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.74% – 28.49%. (rates & fees)
  • No fee for employee cards and no categories to track (rates & fees)

Ink Business Unlimited Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card gives contractors a flat cash-back rate with a $0 annual fee and no tracking required.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earns unlimited 1.5% cash-back on every purchase
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 16.74% – 24.74% thereafter.
  • Cash-back converts to transferable points when paired with a card such as the Ink Business Preferred card.

Capital One Venture Business Card

The Capital One Venture Business card offers flat-rate travel miles at a modest annual fee.

  • Annual fee: $95
  • Earns 2x miles on every purchase and 5x on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit and no foreign transaction fees.
  • Miles transfer to Capital One airline and hotel partners.

Ink Business Cash Card

The Ink Business Cash card pairs bonus cash-back categories with a $0 annual fee, which fits contractors with office supply and utility costs.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earns 5% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services, 2% on the first $25,000 at gas stations and restaurants, then 1%
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 16.74% – 24.74% variable thereafter.
  • Cash-back converts to transferable points with a card such as the Ink Business Preferred card.

Amex Blue Business Cash Card

The Amex Blue Business Cash card delivers straightforward cash-back with a $0 annual fee and automatic statement credits.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Earns 2% cash-back on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1%
  • Cash-back is applied automatically to the billing statement, so there is nothing to redeem.
  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.74% – 28.49%. (rates & fees)

Business Credit Card Requirements for Self-Employed Workers and Freelancers

  • Most issuers look for good to excellent personal credit, generally a FICO score of 670 or higher. Approval also weighs income, existing debt, and credit history.
  • A Social Security number is sufficient to apply; an Employer Identification Number is not required.
  • Sole proprietors and freelancers can apply as a business of one, with no LLC or registered business name needed.
  • No separate business revenue is required, since applications consider personal income if you’re applying as a sole proprietor.
  • A personal guarantee is typically required, which makes the cardholder personally responsible for the balance (Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).
  • Applying usually triggers a hard inquiry, and business card activity can sometimes appear on a personal credit report (Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).

How We Selected the Best Credit Cards for Independent Contractors

These cards were chosen for how well they fit freelance and contractor spending, with emphasis on rewards rates, annual fees, welcome offers, and benefits such as expense tools and travel protections. Cards that earn transferable points or offer flexible cash-back were favored over cards with limited redemption options. For the full scoring process, see the Upgraded Points credit card rating methodology.

Final Thoughts

The best card for an independent contractor depends on spending patterns, how often the business travels, and whether the preference is earning points or cash-back.

Frequent travelers may prefer the Amex Business Platinum card, while the Ink Business Preferred card balances rewards and cost, and the Ink Business Unlimited card keeps cash-back simple. Check the eligibility requirements before applying.

Featured Image Credit: SFIO CRACHO via Adobe Stock modified by Upgraded Points LLC

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a business credit card if you’re self-employed?

A business credit card is not required, but it helps keep business and personal expenses separate, which simplifies bookkeeping and taxes. Self-employed individuals, including freelancers and sole proprietors, are generally eligible to apply.

Can you use a personal credit card if you’re a contractor?

A personal card can be used for business purchases, but a dedicated business card makes it easier to track deductible expenses and separate finances. A tax or bookkeeping professional can advise on the right setup for a specific situation.

Can a freelancer or independent contractor apply for a business credit card?

Yes. Freelancers, independent contractors, and sole proprietors can apply as a business of one. A Social Security number is accepted, and no incorporation or registered business name is required.

What credit score is needed for a business credit card for self-employed workers?

Most business cards in this guide list good to excellent credit as recommended, which generally means a FICO score of 670 or higher. Approval also considers income, existing debt, and credit history.

Can I get a business credit card as a freelancer with no business revenue?

Yes. Issuers evaluate total personal income rather than separate business revenue, so a new or part-time freelance operation can still qualify. Reporting a realistic income figure on the application matters.

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

Applying usually results in a hard inquiry on the personal credit report, which can lower a score slightly for a short period. Business card accounts and activity may also appear on a personal credit report, depending on the issuer (Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).

Should I use a personal or business credit card as a freelancer?

A business card keeps business spending separate and often earns bonus rewards in business categories. A personal card can work for very small or occasional freelance income, though separating expenses gets harder as the business grows.