Best Business Credit Cards for Instant Approval of 2024

NerdWallet's editorial picks: Best instant approval business credit cards

Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.

If you need to make an immediate purchase, American Express offers instant card numbers for almost all of its small-business cards, according to a company spokesperson. (Co-branded cards like the Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express and Amazon Business Prime American Express Card are exceptions; however, cardholders can spend instantly with the co-branded merchant.) The no-annual-fee The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card may be a good fit for fast spending thanks to its long introductory annual percentage rate, or APR, offer and solid cash-back rate. Learn more and apply.

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is one of the best business travel cards, offering unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent, with no caps or restrictions. There’s also no annual fee for the first year and a solid welcome bonus: Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Business owners who are approved for a Capital One business credit card can call the issuer's dedicated small-business support line to see whether they qualify for an instant virtual card number. Not all owners will qualify. Those who don’t need to wait seven to 10 business days for their physical card to arrive. (See rates and fees.) Learn more and apply.

The Capital on Tap Business Credit Card promises a decision within 48 hours of applying, and if approved, you’ll get instant access to your virtual card so you can start using it immediately. It is also one of the few business cards available to business owners with fair credit. Beyond instant spending power and flexible approval, the Capital on Tap Business Credit Card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, 24/7 customer support and business-friendly features, including realtime spending insights and unlimited employee cards with customizable spending limits. Learn more and apply.

The Brex Card is available to well-funded, registered businesses and looks at cash flow and revenue, rather than the business owner's personal credit history, to determine creditworthiness. If approved for a Brex Card, you’ll get instant access to your virtual card number and can issue virtual cards for employees as well. The Brex Card also doesn't require a personal guarantee and earns rewards. Learn more and apply.

The BILL Divvy Corporate Card requires a personal credit check, but it's a soft pull. That’s similar to pre-qualification in that applying has no effect on your personal credit score. You will need at least fair credit to qualify (a FICO score of 650+), but BILL also considers factors like cash balances. Its threshold for those (typically at least $20,000) is lower than the Brex Card ($50,000), making the BILL Divvy Corporate Card potentially more accessible for some business owners. BILL also offers unlimited virtual card numbers. Learn more and apply.

How to get fast approval on a business credit card

Having good to excellent credit (a FICO score of at least 690) and little debt will give you the best chance of fast approval. Most business credit cards require a score of 690 or higher, and some require a score of at least 720.

If you’ve been in business for a while and can demonstrate your annual business revenue, that will likely help.

Applying for a card online can also speed up the process. Plus, a handful of issuers will give you a virtual card number and credit line right away, so you can start spending immediately.

» MORE: How to get a credit card for a new business

Preapproval vs. pre-qualification vs. instant approval

These terms may sound similar, but they have different meanings — and they may affect your credit differently.

A preapproval is a business card application offer that usually comes directly from an issuer. If you've ever gotten a letter or email offering you a business credit card, that's likely the result of a preapproval. Preapprovals are typically based on your existing relationship with that financial institution (for example, if you have a business checking account with them) or that issuer pulling your credit and deciding it wants your business. This kind of credit inquiry is known as a soft pull, and it doesn't affect your credit score.

Pre-qualification is you asking the issuer whether you're likely to be approved. Unlike a preapproval, you have to initiate a pre-qualification. To pre-qualify, you proactively provide the issuer with some basic information about yourself and your business. It then runs a soft credit check to see if you might qualify for the business card you're interested in. Again, the soft pull doesn't ding your personal credit, making pre-qualification a great tool to help you avoid wasting time or impacting your score by applying for a card you can’t get.

Preapprovals and pre-qualification are rare with business cards. When available, they can let you understand potential card options — but neither guarantees you’ll be approved.

Instant approval requires an actual application with a hard credit check. You'll still need to go through the standard application steps, which will involve a hard credit pull that may impact your credit score. That process can end with an instant approval, though — some issuers say they can deliver a decision in as little as 60 seconds after you apply for a business credit card.

» MORE: How much does applying for a new credit card affect your credit?

How long does it take to get approved for a business credit card?

Some business credit card issuers can offer near-instant approval decisions. But there’s no hard-and-fast rule about how quickly applications can be processed. Credit card companies need to take time to review your business financials as well as your personal credit history.

Factors that could slow down the application process include:

• Having bad credit (typically a personal FICO score below 630) or frozen credit.

• Entering incorrect information on your application.

• Having a discrepancy on your credit report — for instance, if you’ve moved recently, your application could take up to two weeks to be approved.

» MORE: Get a free credit score from NerdWallet

All information about the Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express has been collected independently by NerdWallet.

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