Can I get a business credit card as a sole proprietor or freelancer?

Yes. You don't need an LLC or corporation to apply for a business credit card. Sole proprietors, freelancers, and gig workers can apply using their Social Security number and personal credit history. You can use your legal name as the business name and report any business income, even if it's part-time or side income.

Do business credit cards affect my personal credit?

It depends on the issuer. Most issuers (Chase, Amex, Capital One) do a hard pull of your personal credit at application and may report the account to personal credit bureaus. Some cards (like Brex) don't require a personal guarantee and don't impact personal credit. Late payments on business cards can affect your personal credit if the issuer reports to personal bureaus.

What's the difference between a business card and a corporate card?

Business cards are designed for small to mid-size businesses and are typically backed by a personal guarantee from the business owner. Corporate cards are for larger companies with established business credit and revenue, don't require a personal guarantee, and offer more advanced expense management features.

Can I use a business credit card for personal expenses?

While technically possible, it's strongly discouraged. Mixing personal and business expenses complicates tax preparation, could jeopardize your LLC's liability protection, and may violate the card's terms of service. Keep business and personal spending on separate cards.

How do business card sign-up bonuses compare to personal cards?

Business card bonuses are often more valuable â the Chase Ink Preferred offers 100,000 points (worth $1,250+ for travel), compared to 80,000 for the personal Sapphire Preferred. However, business cards often have higher minimum spending requirements ($3K-$8K vs. $500-$4K for personal cards).

Can I get a business credit card as a sole proprietor or freelancer?

Yes. You don't need an LLC or corporation to apply for a business credit card. Sole proprietors, freelancers, and gig workers can apply using their Social Security number and personal credit history. You can use your legal name as the business name and report any business income, even if it's part-time or side income.

Do business credit cards affect my personal credit?

It depends on the issuer. Most issuers (Chase, Amex, Capital One) do a hard pull of your personal credit at application and may report the account to personal credit bureaus. Some cards (like Brex) don't require a personal guarantee and don't impact personal credit. Late payments on business cards can affect your personal credit if the issuer reports to personal bureaus.

What's the difference between a business card and a corporate card?

Business cards are designed for small to mid-size businesses and are typically backed by a personal guarantee from the business owner. Corporate cards are for larger companies with established business credit and revenue, don't require a personal guarantee, and offer more advanced expense management features.

Can I use a business credit card for personal expenses?

While technically possible, it's strongly discouraged. Mixing personal and business expenses complicates tax preparation, could jeopardize your LLC's liability protection, and may violate the card's terms of service. Keep business and personal spending on separate cards.

How do business card sign-up bonuses compare to personal cards?

Business card bonuses are often more valuable â the Chase Ink Preferred offers 100,000 points (worth $1,250+ for travel), compared to 80,000 for the personal Sapphire Preferred. However, business cards often have higher minimum spending requirements ($3K-$8K vs. $500-$4K for personal cards).

Business Cards

7 Best Business Credit Cards of 2026

Turn your business expenses into rewards. From 100K-point sign-up bonuses to 5% back on office spending, these are the cards that pay you to run your business.

Updated April 2026Editorially IndependentExpert Reviewed

100K

Top Sign-Up Bonus

Best Category Rate

Free

Employee Cards

Best No-Fee Option

Full Reviews: Best Business Cards

Best Overall Business Card

Chase Ink Business PreferredÂ®

Up to 3x

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $95

Sign-Up Bonus: 100,000 points after $8K in 3 months

Best for: Businesses with significant travel, shipping, and advertising spend

Pros

3x on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, social media and search advertising (first $150K/year), 100K-point sign-up bonus worth $1,250+ for travel, points transfer to 14+ airline/hotel partners

Cons

$95 annual fee, 3x categories capped at $150K combined, only 1x on other spending, no employee cards free with points

Best Flat-Rate Business Card

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

2% on everything

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $150

Sign-Up Bonus: $1,200 after $30K in 3 months

Best for: High-spending businesses that want simplicity

Pros

Unlimited 2% on every purchase with no category restrictions, $1,200 sign-up bonus, no preset spending limit, employee cards at no extra cost

Cons

$150 annual fee, charge card (balance due in full each month), high spending requirement for sign-up bonus, no 0% intro APR option

Apply Now at Issuer Site

Best No-Fee Business Card

American ExpressÂ® Blue Business Cash

Up to 2%

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $0

Sign-Up Bonus: $250 after $3K in 3 months

Best for: Small businesses that want cashback without an annual fee

Pros

2% on all purchases up to $50K/year (then 1%), $0 annual fee, 0% intro APR for 12 months, expanded buying power over credit limit

Cons

2% rate capped at $50K annually, no transfer partners, Amex acceptance slightly less universal, limited travel perks

Best for Office Spending

Chase Ink Business CashÂ®

Up to 5%

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $0

Sign-Up Bonus: $350 after $3K in 3 months

Best for: Businesses with high office supply, internet, and phone expenses

Pros

5% on office supplies, internet, cable, and phone (first $25K/year), 2% at gas and restaurants (first $25K/year), 1% everything else, $0 annual fee, pairs with Sapphire

Cons

5% and 2% categories capped at $25K each, 1% base rate on uncategorized spending, 3% foreign transaction fee

Apply Now at Issuer Site

Best Adaptive Categories

Amex Business Gold Card

Up to 4x

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $375

Sign-Up Bonus: 70,000 points after $10K in 3 months

Best for: Businesses with variable spending across multiple categories

Pros

4x on top 2 spending categories each month (from 6 options: airfare, advertising, shipping, computer hardware/software/cloud, gas, restaurants), up to $150K/year, 25% airline bonus when booking via Amex Travel

Cons

$375 annual fee, 4x limited to top 2 categories only, capped at $150K/year, remaining categories earn 1x, charge card variant available

Apply Now at Issuer Site

Best Business Travel Card

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

2x on everything

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $95

Sign-Up Bonus: 50,000 miles after $4.5K in 3 months

Best for: Businesses that want travel rewards with simple earning

Pros

Unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels/rentals via Capital One, miles transfer to 15+ airline/hotel partners, no foreign transaction fees, employee cards at no extra cost

Cons

$95 annual fee, 2x base rate matched by flat-rate cashback cards, sign-up bonus less competitive than Ink Preferred, no lounge access

Apply Now at Issuer Site

Best for Startups

Brex Card

Up to 8x

Rewards Rate

Annual Fee: $0

Sign-Up Bonus: Variable (10Kâ50K points based on deposit)

Best for: VC-backed startups and tech companies

Pros

Up to 8x on rideshare, 5x on travel via Brex, 4x on restaurants, 3x on recurring software, built-in expense management and receipt capture, no personal guarantee required

Cons

Requires business bank account or significant deposit, best rates require Brex exclusive use, not available to all business types, charge card model

Apply Now at Issuer Site

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Ink PreferredÂ®	Spark Cash Plus	Blue Biz Cash	Ink CashÂ®
Top Earn Rate	3x	2%	2%	5%Best
Annual Fee	$95	$150	$0Best	$0
Sign-Up Bonus	100K ptsBest	$1,200	$250	$350
Transfer Partners	14+Best	None	None	14+ (via Sapphire)
Employee Cards	Free	Free	Free	Free
Best For	Travel/Ads	High Spend	Small Biz	Office Costs