Business credit cards for startups: A complete selection guide

Business credit cards fuel startup growth by providing capital access, building business credit, and simplifying expense management without depleting your cash reserves. The right card becomes your financial ally, offering spending flexibility when revenue remains unpredictable.

Startups need specialized cards that match their unique financial profiles. Ramp's Business Credit Card offers startup-friendly underwriting with no personal guarantee requirement and powerful expense management software built in. Other viable options include the Chase Ink Business Preferred for marketing-heavy startups, American Express Blue Business Cash for companies with varied expenses, and Capital on Tap for flexible rewards without annual fees.

Why startups need a business credit card

Mixing personal and business finances creates tax nightmares, accounting confusion, and legal vulnerability for your startup. A business credit card solves this fundamental problem by creating a clear financial boundary that protects both you and your company. This separation isn't just good practice—it's essential for sustainable growth.

Dedicated business cards give your startup significant advantages over relying on bank accounts or personal cards:

• Build business credit independently: Your startup establishes its own credit profile separate from your personal finances. Each on-time payment strengthens your business credit score, opening doors to better financing options and supplier terms as you grow.
• Streamline expense tracking: Stop sifting through personal and business purchases on the same statement. A dedicated business card centralizes all company spending, creating clear financial visibility and making expense categorization automatic.
• Manage cash flow strategically: Cover essential expenses during revenue gaps without depleting your cash reserves. Pay for inventory, software subscriptions, or marketing campaigns when timing matters, then settle the balance when customer payments arrive.
• Keep founders protected: Business cards with no personal guarantee requirements protect your personal assets and credit score if your startup faces financial difficulties. This separation creates appropriate boundaries between your business and personal finances.
• Access higher spending limits: Startup-focused business cards typically offer higher limits than personal cards, giving you the purchasing power to seize growth opportunities without hitting frustrating caps.

Choosing the best business credit card for your new business

The ideal business card varies from one startup to another. A SaaS company with high digital marketing spend needs different features than a consulting firm with frequent travel expenses. Your funding situation, growth stage, and spending patterns should drive your selection process.

Your primary financial goals should guide card selection. Startups focused on extending their runway need cards with low fees and interest rates. Companies prioritizing growth benefit from cards with high limits and flexible terms. Businesses emphasizing profitability require cards that maximize rewards on existing spend.

Start by evaluating these key factors to find a card that truly supports your business model rather than forcing you to adapt to its limitations:

1. Know the eligibility requirements

Each business credit card comes with its own eligibility requirements. To qualify for most offers, you typically need:

• Good credit: The most attractive small business credit cards typically require a personal guarantee from the business owner, backed by a credit score of 700 or higher. However, if you have an adequate business credit score, you may be able to bypass the personal guarantee and credit check.
• Proof of profitability: It may be difficult to qualify for a business credit card if your company isn’t profitable yet or if your profit margin is slim.
• Agreement among ownership: If your startup is a partnership, lenders will typically require all members of the partnership who own more than 25% of the business to agree to open the account. As such, anyone who owns more than 25% of your business will likely need to be listed on the application, including their names, addresses, birthdays, and Social Security numbers.

Note that some business credit cards can use your startup performance metrics to underwrite your business instead of looking at credit history or a personal guarantee.

2. Look for rewards that fuel growth

Credit card rewards are commonplace among credit card issuers today. Rather than thinking of rewards and perks as extras, it’s better to consider them tools to help you grow your company.

Most cards only offer rewards or bonus points on eligible purchases in certain spending categories like office supply stores, travel expenses, or dining. How you can redeem your membership rewards also varies by card, so you’ll want to consider your options: Do you want elevated travel rewards or more flexible ways to redeem your points?

To avoid the complexity of trying to spend within the right bonus categories, you might consider looking for a card that offers universal cashback on all purchases. That way, you don’t have to tailor where you spend your money, and you’ll know the value of the rewards every time you make a purchase.

3. Evaluate fees and interest

If you don’t anticipate paying off your balance in full monthly, prioritize cards with low interest rates. Some offer 0% introductory APR periods for balance transfers and initial purchases.

However, interest often isn’t the only fee you’ll pay as a cardholder. Some other fees to watch for include:

• Annual fees
• Cash advance fees
• Balance transfer fees, both during and after the intro APR period
• Foreign transaction fees
• Late payment fees
• Returned check fees

Understand all potential fees before applying. Alternatively, consider corporate purchase card which function as charge cards without interest charges.

4. Compare terms and conditions

Each card operates under different terms. Some cards automatically apply default interest rates after a single late payment, while others only penalize after multiple missed payments.

Remember that as the business owner, you may face personal liability if your business cannot make payments, potentially affecting your credit score and financial health.

5. Prioritize spend management features

Effective spend management determines whether startups grow or fail. The best cards come with spend management software built in. Some features to look for include:

• Employee cards: Look for cards that offer unlimited physical and virtual cards, allowing your team to make purchases while minimizing the need for reimbursement
• Real-time reporting: Automated expense tracking and reporting features let you see where you’re spending your money. The best spend management software will identify savings insights to help you optimize your business spending, like flagging duplicate software subscriptions or redundant vendor charges.‍‍
• Receipt matching: Automated receipt matching can help automate your expense reporting workflow, freeing up hours of work

Business credit card eligibility for startups

LLCs, sole proprietorships, and startups can qualify for business credit cards even without established business credit. You can apply using your personal credit score or by providing a personal guarantee.

With poor or no credit history, secured cards offer a pathway to build business credit without requiring existing credit history. Once you establish credit with a secured card, you often become eligible for traditional business cards.

Corporate cards provide another alternative for new businesses. Some offer sales-based underwriting based on monthly revenue, allowing qualification based on cash flow rather than credit history.

Best business credit cards for startups

Credit cards serve three essential functions for startups: they provide access to capital, help manage expenses, and build business credit. The best options excel in all three areas while adding specialized features like accounting integrations and customizable spend controls.

1. Ramp Business Credit Card

The Ramp Business Credit Card is the best overall card for startups and new businesses. It is the ideal choice for startups looking for higher credit limits, cashback rewards, advanced expense management software, and flexible ways to qualify. All you need is an EIN and $25,000 in a business bank account to qualify, and there’s no credit check or personal guarantee.

Benefits include:

• Credit limits up to 30x higher than traditional credit cards
• Sales-based underwriting makes for an easier qualification process
• Advanced expense management automation and accounting integrations
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fees

Once you’re approved, you can issue as many physical or virtual cards as you need, and you get instant access to Ramp’s modern financial software at no additional cost. On top of Ramp’s built-in card controls, you get receipt matching, travel booking, automated expense reporting and approvals, and AI-powered spending insights to help you save time and money.

2. Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

The Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is best option for travel rewards. But besides being suited for businesses with frequent travel needs, it also offers rewards on categories like shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and digital advertising. Any spending in these categories earns 3x points per $1 spent up to $150,000.

Benefits include:

• Earn 3x points on travel, shipping, internet and phone services, and qualifying ad spending
• Unlimited 1x points on all other categories
• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Travel
• $95 annual fee is reasonable for businesses that value travel rewards
  

3. United Business Card

The United Business Card is the best choice for small businesses that prefer traveling on United Airlines. You can quickly rack up United miles with double mileage rewards on business expense categories like dining, gas, and office supplies. Plus, perks like a free checked bag, two passes a year for United lounge access, and priority boarding are appealing to business travelers.

Benefits include:

• United mileage rewards on travel and business expenses
• Bonus spending categories are useful for growing startups
• Perks like priority boarding and free checked bags for frequent travelers
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee for the first year

4. U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect World Elite Mastercard

The U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect World Elite Mastercard is an attractive choice for startups that want flexible and extensive travel rewards. You can earn 5x points on hotels and rental cars booked through U.S. Bank’s travel portal, 4x points on airfare, gas, alternative fuels, and dining, and 1x point on all other purchases.

Benefits include:

• Attractive rewards and benefits for frequent travelers
• Elevated rewards points for many common business expense categories
• Priority Pass membership gives you access to airport lounges
• Annual fee waived for the first year

How to get a business credit card as a startup

Startups can access business credit cards regardless of age or revenue size by selecting the right card type and preparing a strong application.

1. Choose the right type of business card

Most traditional banks issue these cards and evaluate your personal credit score (typically requiring 670+), income, and financial history when making approval decisions. Consider these cards when:

• Your personal credit score exceeds 670
• You want to earn travel rewards or cash back on business purchases
• You're comfortable being personally responsible for business debt
• Your business expenses align with category-specific bonus rewards (like 3x points on travel, dining, or office supplies)
• You value sign-up bonuses that can range from $500-$1,000 in value

Corporate cards and fintech alternatives often skip personal credit checks and instead evaluate your business metrics. These cards typically assess your bank account balance (usually requiring $25,000+ in reserves), monthly revenue patterns (minimum $10,000/month for most options), investor funding status and cash reserves. Choose these cards when:

• You maintain a business bank balance exceeding $25,000
• Your startup processes $10,000+ monthly through business accounts
• You want to avoid personal liability for business debt
• You prioritize spend management features and software integrations over rewards
• You need higher credit limits than your personal credit history would support

2. Gather your application information

The documentation you'll need varies depending on your chosen card type.

For traditional bank business cards that check personal credit, prepare your full legal name, Social Security Number, current physical home address (P.O. boxes aren't accepted), and documented personal annual income. You'll also need your legal business name exactly as registered, business address, company phone number, business structure documentation (LLC, corporation, partnership), and date your business was established. These cards typically require your personal credit score to be 670+ and may request 1-2 years of business tax returns.

For no-credit-check business cards, the requirements shift toward business performance metrics. You'll typically need to provide your business bank account details for direct connection (account numbers, online credentials, bank name), verification of monthly revenue and cash flow, and funding documentation if applicable. Most of these providers require minimal personal information beyond basic identity verification and focus instead on your business bank balance (typically $25,000+) or monthly transaction volume.

All card types typically request estimated monthly card spending to help set your initial credit limit. Traditional banks often start with conservative limits ($1,000-$5,000) based on personal credit history, while fintech providers frequently offer higher initial limits based on your verified cash reserves.

You can apply using only your SSN as a sole proprietor with either card type. However, having an EIN creates clear separation between personal and business finances, simplifies tax reporting, and helps establish your business as an independent entity with creditors.

3. Submit your application

These strategies improve your approval odds:

• Apply for cards that match your qualification profile to avoid unnecessary credit inquiries
• Include all revenue streams, including consulting or freelance work related to your business
• Provide accurate contact information for verification purposes
• Be prepared to explain any recent credit inquiries or negative items in your credit history

Several factors influence how long you may have to wait for approval. In some cases, you’ll receive an instant decision within a matter of seconds. If the lender needs more information or further review, the process could take anywhere from a couple days to a few weeks.

Get Ramp’s business credit card for startups

Launching a startup means making big moves with limited runway. While most traditional bank see your early-stage business as a risk, Ramp sees your potential.

Ramp's Business Credit Card eliminates credit checks and personal guarantees while giving you access to robust expense management tools to run your business more efficiently.

Here's why business owners choose Ramp:

• No fees: Launch your startup with Ramp's business credit card and finance automation software without spending a penny. No annual fees, no setup fees, no hidden costs.
• Straightforward rewards: Earn cash back on every purchase you make, with no complicated categories or rotating bonuses to track.
• Complete expense control: You can set custom spending limits for each team member, automate receipt collection with mobile scanning, and approve expenses in seconds from anywhere.
• 8x faster month-end close: Connect Ramp directly with QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, or NetSuite to automatically categorize transactions and reconcile expenses, saving your team hours of manual work each month.
• Fast approval: Most businesses get approved within 48 hours.

Join thousands of growing startups that use Ramp to scale faster while maintaining complete visibility and control over their finances.