Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
- A personal credit card will not build your business credit history. Business and personal credit are two separate things. A sole proprietor can have excellent personal credit but no business credit history. Opening a business credit card is one way to establish and build your business credit history — which may make it easier to get a business loan or line of credit in the future — as a sole proprietor.
- But a personal card will definitely affect your personal credit. When you use a personal credit card, issuers report lots of information to the three personal credit bureaus. If you put a bunch of business expenses on this card, that could affect your personal debt-to-income and credit utilization ratios — which in turn could affect your credit score. With business credit cards, on the other hand, credit card companies typically only report late payments to consumer credit bureaus.
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
- A personal credit card will not build your business credit history. Business and personal credit are two separate things. A sole proprietor can have excellent personal credit but no business credit history. Opening a business credit card is one way to establish and build your business credit history — which may make it easier to get a business loan or line of credit in the future — as a sole proprietor.
- But a personal card will definitely affect your personal credit. When you use a personal credit card, issuers report lots of information to the three personal credit bureaus. If you put a bunch of business expenses on this card, that could affect your personal debt-to-income and credit utilization ratios — which in turn could affect your credit score. With business credit cards, on the other hand, credit card companies typically only report late payments to consumer credit bureaus.
Here are the best sole proprietorship business credit card from our partners
Credit card▼ | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 4.9/5 Best for Sign-up bonus | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 4.8/5 Best for Cash back on office spending | $0 | 1%-5% Cashback | $350 | Apply now on Chase's website |
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees | 4.6/5 Best for Intro APR + cash back rewards + Intro APR + cash back on gas | $0 | 1%-3% Cashback | $750 | Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.8/5 Best for Premium travel perks and rewards | $695 | 1x-5x Points | 150,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard® Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 Best for Travel rewards | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | 1x-5x Points | 60,000 Points | Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees |
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.8/5 Best for Secured card to build your personal credit | $0 | N/A | N/A | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Credit card▼ | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 4.9/5 Best for Sign-up bonus | $95 | 1x-3x Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | 4.8/5 Best for Cash back on office spending | $0 | 1%-5% Cashback | $350 | Apply now on Chase's website |
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees | 4.6/5 Best for Intro APR + cash back rewards + Intro APR + cash back on gas | $0 | 1%-3% Cashback | $750 | Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.8/5 Best for Premium travel perks and rewards | $695 | 1x-5x Points | 150,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard® Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 Best for Travel rewards | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | 1x-5x Points | 60,000 Points | Apply now on US Bank's website Rates & Fees |
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 4.8/5 Best for Secured card to build your personal credit | $0 | N/A | N/A | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Discover business products tailored to your needs
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I'M INTERESTED IN:
Our pick for
Sign-up bonus
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
on Chase's website
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No intro APR offer
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
Our pick for
Cash back on office spending
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
on Chase's website
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- New cardholder bonus offer
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
- 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 at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- 10% Business Relationship Bonus If you have the Ink Business Cash card plus a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
Our pick for
Intro APR + cash back rewards
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
Pros
- Bonus cash back categories
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period on purchases
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
Pros
- Bonus cash back categories
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period on purchases
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Introducing the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® the card that gives back on all your eligible business needs.
- Earn $750 in cash back. Just spend $6000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days of opening your account.
- Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants.
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
- Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center.
- No limit on total cash back earned.
- Rewards never expire.
- Earn an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses such as FreshBooks or quickbooks.
- Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2022 World's Most Ethical Company® - Ethisphere Institute, February 2022.
- Terms and conditions apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Intro APR + cash back on gas
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
Pros
- Bonus cash back categories
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period on purchases
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
Pros
- Bonus cash back categories
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period on purchases
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Low rate outside bonus categories
- Introducing the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® the card that gives back on all your eligible business needs.
- Earn $750 in cash back. Just spend $6000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days of opening your account.
- Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants.
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
- Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center.
- No limit on total cash back earned.
- Rewards never expire.
- Earn an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses such as FreshBooks or quickbooks.
- Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2022 World's Most Ethical Company® - Ethisphere Institute, February 2022.
- Terms and conditions apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Premium travel perks and rewards
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Pros
- Lounge membership
- Transfer partners
- Bonus categories
- Automatic elite status
- Premium travel protections
Cons
- High annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
- Lounge membership
- Transfer partners
- Bonus categories
- Automatic elite status
- Premium travel protections
Cons
- High annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase 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.
- Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Travel rewards
U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard®
Pros
- Bonus categories
- Welcome offer
- Annual fee waived for the first year
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- No intro APR offer
Pros
- Bonus categories
- Welcome offer
- Annual fee waived for the first year
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- No intro APR offer
- Introducing the U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect™ World Elite Mastercard®, the business travel card that's 5X more rewarding.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points, worth $600 if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center.
- Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend.
- Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers.
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
- Rewards never expire.
- Earn a $25 statement credit for every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter.
- Points transfer between business and consumer U.S. Bank Altitude products (excluding Reserve).
- Airport lounge access - Priority Pass™ Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide, plus four complimentary visits per membership year.
- Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2022 World's Most Ethical Company® - Ethisphere Institute, February 2022.
- Terms and conditions apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Secured card to build your personal credit
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Pros
- No annual fee
- Qualify with limited/bad credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Report to three major credit bureaus
Cons
- Requires minimum deposit
- No rewards
- High APR
Pros
- No annual fee
- Qualify with limited/bad credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Report to three major credit bureaus
Cons
- Requires minimum deposit
- No rewards
- High APR
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
- Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
- Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking to access your account from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
View Rates & Fees
Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash℠ Card
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard®
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card
- Business name: Use your own name if you don’t have a formal business name.
- Business contact information: Use your personal address and phone number if you don’t have a dedicated office or business phone.
- Federal Taxpayer Identification Number: Use your Employer Identification Number. Don’t have one? Your Social Security number will also work.
- Industry type: Note what field you work in, whether it’s retail, professional services or deliveries.
- Annual revenue: Your total business income for the previous year before taxes and expenses. New businesses with no prior revenue can put $0.