The 10 best rewards business cards of January 2023

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Opening a rewards credit card for your business spending is a smart move, whether you want to earn cash back to put back into your small business, or rack up points and miles to redeem for travel down the road. You don’t even need to own a full-time business or have an LLC to qualify for a small-business credit card; even side gigs like delivering for Instacart, operating an Airbnb, or freelancing can make you eligible.

There are dozens of great small-business credit cards for every type of venture, and the best of these earn valuable rewards and come with compelling benefits that can make running your business easier. 

Here are the best business rewards credit cards on the market.

Compare the best business rewards credit cards

The best business rewards credit card reviews

Why the Blue Business Cash card is worth it: The no-annual-fee American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card earns decent cash back on all purchases and a good welcome bonus. It’s an excellent choice for business owners who want high reward rates, but don’t want to keep track of bonus categories.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers an excellent cash-back rate — 2% cash back on all purchases on the first $50,000 spent each calendar year (then 1% back). Your cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars. There’s also a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening (then a 17.49% – 25.49% Variable APR) that can help you save some money on interest if you have large purchases on the horizon.

Cardholders get access to a suite of small-business tools and features, including access to the American Express business app, which can help you scan and organize receipts and export expense reports. Employee cards are free to add, and you can easily set up spending limits. You’ll also receive a decent range of benefits, like purchase protection, extended warranty, car rental insurance, and access to discounts through Amex Offers**.

Review: Amex Blue Business Cash card review

Why the Ink Business Unlimited card is worth it: The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a great pick if you want a no-annual-fee card that earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no spending caps or fussy bonus categories. Plus, it comes with an excellent elevated welcome bonus offer.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card starts new cardholders off with one of the highest welcome bonuses of any no-annual-fee small-business card: $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Even though it’s marketed as a cash-back card, you’ll actually earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are worth 1 cent each toward statement credits, gift cards, or travel booked through Chase.

Your rewards become more valuable if you also have an annual-fee Chase card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. That’s because you can combine your points into one of these accounts, then transfer them to Chase’s airline and hotel partners to book award travel at potentially a much higher value.

New cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months (then a 16.99% – 22.99% Variable APR). In addition, you’ll get access to excellent benefits, including roadside dispatch, account management tools, and travel emergency assistance.

Review: Ink Business Unlimited card review

Why the Ink Business Cash card is worth it: If your business spends a lot in eligible categories, the Ink Business Cash® credit card could help you earn maximum cash back on your expenses. With a big elevated welcome bonus offer and up to 5% cash back on spending, this is an excellent no-annual-fee option.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Like the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, the no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash® credit card earns rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and comes with a whopper of a welcome bonus offer: $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. However, instead of flat-rate cash back on all purchases, the card earns bonus rewards in certain categories:

• 5% cash back (5 points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent (then 1x) in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year
• 2% cash back (2 points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent (then 1x) in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• 1% cash back (1 point per dollar) on all other purchases with no cap

This card won’t make sense if your business doesn’t spend much at office supply stores, gas stations, restaurants, or on cable, internet, and phone services. But if you do, the Ink Business Cash® credit card has the potential to be very rewarding.

There’s also a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months (then a 16.99% – 22.99% Variable APR) which can help you save money if your business has large purchases to make that can’t be paid off all at once. You’ll also get access to business management tools and benefits like purchase protection, extended warranty, and roadside dispatch.

Review: Chase Ink Business Cash card review

Why the US Bank Triple Cash card is worth it: Want to earn rewards and get a generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers? The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Card checks all the boxes, and it comes with a substantial welcome bonus, too.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn $500 cash back after spending $4,500 on purchases on the account holder’s card in the first 150 days of opening your account.

The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Card is a rare combination of solid earning, a generous bonus, and a long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers — all with no annual fee. The welcome bonus offer is an excellent deal, but just be aware authorized user purchases won’t count toward the minimum spending requirement, which isn’t the case on most other cards.

This card earns 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the US Bank Rewards Center, 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Again, if these bonus categories match your typical business expenses, you could do very well with the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Card.

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Card also has a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles (then a 18.24% – 27.24% Variable APR). This is a terrific option for folks looking to pay down credit card debt without incurring higher interest or pay off larger purchases (such as computers and other tech. equipment) over multiple billing cycles. 

Cardholders can also receive an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses like FreshBooks or QuickBooks, which is a nice deal for a no-annual-fee card. Other benefits include World Elite Mastercard benefits and access to Rewards Center Earn Mall. 

Review: US Bank Triple Cash Rewards card review

Why the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card is worth it: If your business needs the flexibility of no preset spending limit and spends enough to justify paying an annual fee in exchange for 2% cash back with no limits, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus
could be a great fit. Plus, cardholders can now earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel. 

Welcome bonus offer: Earn $500 after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 after spending $50,000 in the first 6 months of account opening.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus earns 5% back on travel bookings and 2% back on all other purchases (no caps or limitations). Although the card has a $150 annual fee, there’s no limit to earning 2% back on everything. 

The welcome bonus is particularly compelling for high-spending businesses: $500 after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 after spending $50,000 in the first 6 months of account opening. And, because it’s a charge card, there’s no preset spending limit, giving you some flexibility if you have a particularly large expense to charge. There’s no APR because you need to pay your balance off in full each month (otherwise, a 2.99% monthly late fee applies).

Big spenders can also be rewarded with an annual spending bonus: Each year when you spend $200,000 or more on your card, you’ll earn a $200 cash bonus. That’s in addition to built-in perks like extended warranty***, car rental insurance***, roadside assistance***, and travel emergency assistance services***.

Review: Capital One Spark Cash Plus card review

Why the Blue Business Plus card is worth it: There aren’t many no-annual-fee cards that earn flexible travel points, and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a particularly good option with a strong welcome bonus offer and up to 2 points per dollar earning across the board.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership.

If earning valuable Amex Membership Rewards points is part of your travel strategy, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express should be on your radar. It earns a generous 2 points per dollar on all purchases, on up to $50,000 in spending per year (then 1x). This makes the card ideal for businesses that don’t spend much past that threshold.

Beyond the welcome bonus of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, cardholders can expect a few solid benefits from the card, like purchase protection, extended warranty, car rental insurance, and small-business management tools. This card is also part of the Amex Trifecta — a trio of cards that can help you earn 2x to 5x Amex points on every single purchase you make. 

Review: Amex Blue Business Plus card review

Why the Ink Business Preferred card is worth it: If you like earning flexible travel points and don’t mind paying a modest annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card should be on your shortlist. Between a massive welcome bonus offer, great earning categories, and top-notch benefits, this card is hard to beat.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is ideal for small-business owners who spend a lot in popular business categories, especially for those who like to maximize their rewards by redeeming them for travel. The card starts you off with a huge welcome bonus of 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s potentially worth $1,800 in travel (based on Insider’s valuation of Chase points) when you transfer points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners and book award travel.

Cardholders earn 3 points per dollar on up to $150,000 in combined spending each year (then 1 point per dollar) on:

• Shipping purchases
• Advertising purchases on social media sites and search engines
• Internet, cable, and phone services
• Travel (including airfare, hotels, rental cars, and more)

All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. If these categories are typical expenses for your business, you could take home a huge haul of rewards from this card each year.

One downside: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card doesn’t offer an introductory 0% APR. That said, it comes with plenty of other benefits that can potentially save you money, including cell phone protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, extended warranty, and purchase protection.

Review: Ink Business Preferred card review

Why the Capital One Spark Miles card is worth it: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business
earns unlimited 2x miles on all purchases and offers a welcome bonus worth at least $500 in travel. Its rewards are simple to use toward travel purchases, but you can unlock even more value by transferring miles to airline and hotel partners.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

If you’re looking for a straightforward travel credit card with a rewards program that’s as simple as they come, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business is an excellent option. Along with a strong welcome bonus offer, the card earns 2x miles on all purchases (except hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One, which earn unlimited 5x miles).

You can redeem Capital One miles at a rate of 1 cent each to “erase” travel purchases made with your card, which is great if you don’t want to fuss with award charts or complicated loyalty programs. But if you want to squeeze the most value from your miles, transferring them to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners is an option too, and you could potentially get a much higher return that way.

Cardholders get some sweet benefits with this card as well, including up to a $100 credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, two free Capital One Lounge visits each year, and small-business management tools.

Review: Capital One Spark Miles for Business card review

Why the Amex Business Platinum card is worth it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
has a high annual fee, but it’s more than worth it if you take advantage of the card’s premium perks, including airport lounge access, up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee credits**, and up to $400 in Dell statement credits** each year.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership.

With a $695 annual fee, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express certainly isn’t for everyone. However, it can put much more than that in value back into your pocket if you make the most of its wide array of upscale benefits and earning opportunities.

Cardholders earn:

• 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
• 1.5 points 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
• 1 point per dollar on everything else

Along with the aforementioned benefits, cardholders can take advantage of up to $120 in credits for U.S. wireless providers each calendar year**, up to $360 in Indeed credits each calendar year**, up to $150 in Adobe credits each calendar year**, and up to $189 back per year in credits for CLEAR® membership**.

Review: Amex Business Platinum card review

Why the Amex Business Gold card is worth it: The American Express® Business Gold Card
is only a good fit for certain types of businesses, but if you spend a lot in its bonus categories, it can supercharge your Amex Membership Rewards points earning.

Welcome bonus offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.

The American Express® Business Gold Card is an excellent customizable rewards business credit card for folks capable of paying the pricey annual fee. For $295 annual fee, you’ll earn 4 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar on two spending categories (from a list) of your choosing up to $150,000 per calendar year (1 point per dollar thereafter). Eligible 4x categories are: 

• Airfare purchased directly from airlines
• US gas stations
• US restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
• US shipping providers
• US computer hardware, software, and cloud systems from select technology providers
• US purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)

So if your business spends big in these categories, the American Express® Business Gold Card is worth the extra expense. 

Cardholders can also take advantage of excellent travel and purchase benefits, including a 25% points rebate on first- and business-class flights (up to 250,000 points back per calendar year) booked through Amex Travel, baggage insurance, trip delay insurance, and extended warranty.

Review: Amex Business Gold card review

Airline and hotel business credit cards

Most major hotel chains and US airlines offer co-branded small-business credit cards. If you’re a frequent traveler and you’re loyal to any of these programs, you should definitely look at these options.

Airline co-branded credit cards earn frequent flyer miles on every purchase, and usually come with benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding. 

Delta

United Airlines

American Airlines

Southwest Airlines

Alaska Airlines

Hotel business credit cards allow you to earn hotel points on your business spending, and many of these cards offer complimentary elite status and annual free reward nights.

Hilton

Marriott 

Hyatt

IHG

Wyndham

Business rewards credit cards frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Jasmin Baron, CEPF

Editor