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With the right business card, you can maximize your purchases and help your business. For one, you can earn rewards on your business purchases and also enjoy the perks that come with that card. These perks can include free software credits, cell phone protection, roadside travel insurance, and more. Secondly, you can earn points or miles to help propel your travel goals. Alternatively, you can earn cash back to help with your expenses. Thirdly, you can work on building your business credit score.
Hot Offer: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3x points on the first $150,000 in combined annual spending for travel, shipping purchases, search engine or social media advertising, and cable, Internet, and phone services.
Even if you are newly self-employed with zero employees, it’s easier to get a business credit card than you may think. The business credit card application process is similar to getting a personal credit card. The one key difference is you must enter your business information plus your personal information. Here’s what you should know about how hard it is to get a business credit card.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Who Can Get a Business Credit Card?
You only need to earn some type of self-employment business income to qualify for some of the best credit cards for self-employed professionals. Even if you are a part-time freelancer or just bought your first rental property and still work full-time in corporate America, you can get a business credit card.
You can even qualify if you have a side hustle income like driving for Uber, having an Etsy shop, or flipping items on eBay. When you apply, you will need to state what business industry you are in. As long as your business is in one of these categories, you can apply.
Unlike business loans, many business credit cards don’t require a minimum revenue amount or time in business to qualify. You can apply for one even if you don’t have an employee identification number (EIN). Of course, being an established business boosts your approval odds.
Most business credit cards offer instant approval when you apply online.
Good or Excellent Personal Credit
The approval process starts with having a strong personal credit score. The best business credit cards require a 670 personal credit score or higher. This is the start of “good credit.” Premium cards, like The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, will need a 740 credit score to qualify.
Your personal credit score gives banks a glimpse into how you manage your personal credit. Although you will use business income to pay your monthly statement balance, missing payments can affect your personal credit score. You may also be required to use your personal assets to repay your card balance even if your business fails.
In addition to your credit score, you will need to report your annual personal income. Don’t be discouraged if your credit score isn’t great. Some of the easiest credit cards to get come packed with plenty of benefits.
You can always use one of the best business credit cards with no annual fee to help you build your credit score.
Consider Getting an EIN
You can apply for a business credit card with your Social Security number or Employee Identification Number (EIN). A Social Security Number is the more likely option if you are a sole proprietor, although anyone with business income can get an EIN. If you turn your business into a partnership or LLC, you are required to get an EIN.
Having an EIN can increase your approval odds as it’s an extra layer of credibility. Even if you’re a sole proprietor, you might consider getting one even if you don’t need one yet. It is free to get an EIN and you can apply for one from the Internal Revenue Service. Applying online lets you receive your EIN the same day.
Check Your Business Credit Score
It’s also a good idea to check your business credit score if you have one. Banks use this score when you apply for a business loan but not as often for business credit cards. Still, making sure there are no reporting errors can help avoid unnecessary delays.
Having a high business credit score means you are more likely to get a higher credit limit as well.
Related Articles: Best Places to Get Free Credit Score Checks Without Affecting Your Credit
Beware of Bank Application Rules
You might consider applying for business cards that earn rewards points you can pool with your personal credit cards. This can include Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, or frequent flyer miles. Being able to pool your points is an awesome perk of business credit cards.
Regardless of your personal credit score or annual revenue, you must still be aware of the bank’s application rules. For instance, the Chase 5/24 rule applies to Chase cards. If you have opened or been listed as an authorized user on at least 5 credit cards in the last 24 months, Chase will most likely reject your application.
You should also pay attention to the bonus offer terms and conditions. If there is a business and personal version of an airline or hotel credit card, you can usually earn the bonus with both cards.
Related Articles: The Best Small Business Credit Cards for Travel Rewards
Best Business Credit Cards to Get First
There are lots of great business cards you can own, but here are some of the best.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
New The Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders can earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases on their Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
The annual fee is $695 (See Rates & Fees).
This card “has it all” if you are a frequent flyer.
- Complimentary airport lounge access, including Centurion, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Club (enrollment may be required)
- 1:1 airline and hotel point transfers
- 35% points back (up to 500,000 points annually) when booking award flights on AmexTravel.com
- Earn up to 5x Membership Rewards® points per $1 spent on flights and prepaid hotels at amextravel.com; Earn 1x points for each dollar spent on eligible purchases.
Cardholders earn 1.5x points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
Plus, get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
Additionally, unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
Cardholders can get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when they use their Business Platinum Card®.
Additional Benefits
With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, with The American Express Global Lounge Collection®. Enrollment is required for some lounges.
Cardholders can take advantage of the Pay Over Time Option, a flexible payment option to help manage cash for purchases of $100 or more.
Your points are most valuable when redeemed for award flights. You get 35% of your points back when booking qualifying flights directly through American Express, up to 500,000 points annually.
Related: Check out our picks for the best American Express business cards.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3x points on the first $150,000 in combined annual spending for travel, shipping purchases, search engine or social media advertising, and cable, Internet, and phone services with the Ink Business Preferred Card. All other purchases earn an unlimited 1 point per $1 spent.
New Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card cardholders can earn 120k bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,200 cash back or $1,500 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Your points are worth 1 cent each when redeeming cash rewards. Each point is worth 25% more when booking award travel directly through Chase. You can also transfer your points to 1:1 airline and hotel partners, including United, Southwest, Emirates, and Hyatt, to find more value.
Related: The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is also one of the best credit cards for advertising spending.
Click to learn more if you can’t decide between the American Express Business Platinum vs Chase Ink Business Preferred.
American Express Blue Business Cards
If you prefer flat-rate rewards, check out the Amex Blue Business Credit Cards lineup. You earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on the first $50,000 in annual purchases. All remaining purchases earn an unlimited 1 point per $1 for the rest of the year. Plus, you only need to 670 personal credit score to have the best approval odds.
You will need to decide if you want to earn cash rewards or travel rewards as there are two different Blue Business cards.
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is best for travel rewards and pooling your Membership Rewards® points. Each point is worth 1 cent each when booking award flights on AmexTravel.com. You can also transfer your points to any of the American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners.
There is a $0 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).
Cardholders can also enjoy more flexibility to use their card for more purchases and rewards when buying above their credit limit. The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to American Express, and other factors.
New The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express cardholders can earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after they spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within their first 3 months of Card Membership.
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card
For cash rewards, get The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases of up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement. Your monthly rewards balance automatically applies as a statement credit.
It also comes with Expanded Buying Power which gives cardholders the ability to spend beyond their credit limit. Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to American Express, and other factors.
New The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card cardholders can earn a $250 statement credit after they make $3,000 in purchases on their Card in their first 3 months.
This card has a $0 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).
Summary
It’s easier to get a business credit card than you think. You can qualify for some of the best cards with a 670 personal credit score and some business income. Getting approved doesn’t have to be as stressful as you might imagine it to be.
Related Posts:
- How Many Credit Cards Can You Have?
- Best Chase Business Credit Cards
- How Hard Is It To Apply For Amex Business Platinum?
For rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
And for rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
