Best business credit cards that reward you for making money

Some are serious, buttoned-up and make you work hard to earn the best rewards. Others are more casual, relaxed and just want to travel. Some can get you into an exclusive airport lounge, while others will pay for you and your partner to go on vacation after one year of loyalty. 

And like a good business leader, having the right business credit card can have a huge impact on your bottom line. 

But which business credit card is right for you? 

Between $1,000+ welcome bonuses and free nights at four-star hotels, here are the best business credit cards in 2024. 

Best business credit cards of 2024

• Best overall: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
• Best travel: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Best for road warriors:
• Best travel card for small business: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Best for lounge access and perks: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best value premium card: Capital One Venture X Business
• Best flat-rate cash back card: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
• Best cash back card for sole proprietors: American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
• Best airline: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Best hotel: IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Best overall: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

While the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card may not have the most competitive rewards structure among business rewards cards, its top-tier welcome bonus—combined with $0 annual fee—make it virtually untouchable in terms of raw cash back potential for businesses. 

Why we like this card: There’s a scene in Horrible Bosses where a side character says “I’ll do it for $30,000.” When the protagonists put up the mildest resistance, he goes “fine, it’s $5,000 now.” 

Befuddled, the main characters take the deal. 

I feel like something similar must have happened with the Ink Business Cash card. At some point, Chase probably considered a $200 to $250 welcome bonus with this card, right in line with its competitors (e.g. the Amex Blue Business Cash). But early testers shrugged their shoulders, so Chase went, “fine, it’s $750 now.”

Needless to say, this is a wildly-high welcome bonus for a no-fee business rewards card. You’ll get $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 and— get this—a 10% Business Relationship Bonus If you have the Ink Business Cash card plus a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary. A phone rep with Chase confirmed that this includes the welcome bonus, too. 

That eye-popping figure is more than enough to make up for the Ink Business Cash card’s otherwise humdrum rewards: 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year plus 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. The card also lacks the complimentary travel insurance that no-fee Chase cards are known for. 

But again, these shortcomings vanish into insignificance when there’s an $825 welcome bonus on the table, a 0% introductory APR for 12 months from account opening (after that, the variable APR will be 18.49%–24.49%), and no annual fee in sight. 

Check out our full review of the Chase Ink Business Cash. 

How to pair Chase cards for maximum value

As if cash wasn’t enough, here’s how to stretch your welcome bonus even further. 

For context, all Chase cards with “Ink,” “Freedom”, or “Sapphire” in the name generate Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can also move points from one credit card account to another (Chase calls this feature “Combine Points”) and even from a business account to a personal account. 

Here’s the kicker: any points that are sitting in an Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® account get a 25%/25%/50% bonus multiplier when redeemed through Chase Travel, respectively. 

That means you could move your welcome bonus from your Ink Business Cash card to your Chase Sapphire Preferred account, and then spend it on an additional 25% worth of travel. You can also transfer it to one of Chase’s 14 transfer partners – including World of Hyatt – where it could be worth well over $1,500 in hotel bookings. 

To learn more about how Combine Points can help you truly maximize your Chase Ultimate Rewards points – and which cards to use – check out Better Together: How to combine Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for maximum travel rewards. 

Ink Business Cash card benefits

• $0 annual fee
• 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 
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months from account opening (after that, the variable APR will be 18.49%–24.49%)
• 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 (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 (including your welcome bonus, according to a Chase phone rep we spoke with). 
• Rental car insurance
• Purchase Protection
• Extended Warranty Protection

Best travel: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

If you like the sound of the Ink Business Cash card but you’re willing to shell out $95 for vastly improved travel benefits, the Ink Business Preferred (also by Chase) is a smart choice. You’ll have to spend a ton of money to trigger its welcome bonus, however, so you may want to time your application accordingly. 

Why we like this card: As hinted, the Ink Business Preferred card is essentially the Ink Business Cash with upgraded travel benefits and a $95 annual fee. You’ll get 3x points per $1 (up to $150,000 combined) spent on shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone, and advertising with social media sites and search engines, 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠ and some travel insurance and Cell Phone Protection to boot. 

The card also comes with a whopping 90,000-point welcome bonus worth $1,200 cash or $1,500 towards travel. The caveat is that you have to spend an equally eye-watering $8,000 within three months to trigger it. 

That’s an average monthly spend of $2,666.67, which may be way beyond the budget for many contractors and sole proprietors. That said, I know folks who are “timing” their Ink Biz Preferred card application for when they know they’ll have several big business purchases to make within the following 90 days. 

Just keep in mind that Ink Business Preferred has no 0% introductory APR period, so you’ll have to pay off your balance each month to avoid accruing the card’s relatively high 21.24%–26.24% variable regular interest. 

For more details and analysis, check out our Chase Ink Business Preferred review.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Another perk of both the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Preferred cards is that they’re part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem. Chase Ultimate Rewards may be the best overall credit card rewards program we’ve tested thanks to its high individual point values, flexible redemption options, solid list of 14 transfer partners and intuitive menu design. 

As a baseline, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are always worth at least a penny in cash redemption – which isn’t the case with Amex Membership Rewards (0.6 cents) or Capital One Miles (0.5 cents). If you can save them for travel, you should know that the Ink Business Preferred and Sapphire Preferred cards unlock 25% bonus value on all points redeemed through Chase Travel (50% for the Sapphire Reserve). 

These three cards also unlock the ability to transfer points to one of Chase’s over a dozen transfer partners, a list that includes Marriott, Hyatt, United Airlines, British Airways, Southwest and more. 

It’s a bummer that none of Chase’s no-fee rewards cards have the ability to transfer points, but otherwise, Chase Ultimate Rewards sets the bar for intuitive, high-value credit card rewards programs. 

Learn more in Chase Ultimate Rewards: Everything you need to know in 2024. 

What’s the difference between the Ink Business Preferred and the Sapphire Preferred?

Two of Chase’s most popular rewards cards are the Ink Business Preferred and the Sapphire Preferred. Both charge a $95 annual fee, get 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠ and are generally geared towards travel rewards in general. 

But a few key differences stand out. 

First and most obvious, the Ink Business Preferred card is designed to be used for business purchases, per the card agreement. We’ve rarely heard of anyone actually getting dinged or penalized for using their business rewards card for personal purchases, but it’s against the rules nonetheless. 

Second is the size and spending requirement of the welcome bonus. As mentioned, the Ink Business Preferred offers a hefty 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. For the Sapphire Preferred, both the bonus and its spending requirement are cut clean in half (60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.). 

Finally, the two cards are arguably neck-in-neck when it comes to travel rewards. The Sapphire Preferred offers 3x points on dining,3x points on select streaming services , 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs) plus 2x points on travel purchases, while the Ink Business Preferred offers 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel, 3x points per $1 (up to $150,000 combined) spent on shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone, and advertising with social media sites and search engines. That gives the latter card a 1X lead on specifically travel purchases, but the Sapphire Preferred closes that gap with a $50 annual hotel credit. 

The biggest differences, then, might be a) the Ink Business Preferred card being a “business purchases only” card and b) the Sapphire having a more attainable (albeit smaller) welcome bonus. 

Learn more in our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred. 

Ink Business Preferred card benefits

• $95 annual fee
• 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• 3x points per $1 (up to $150,000 combined) spent on shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone, and advertising with social media sites and search engines (1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases). 
• Earn 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Employee cards at no additional cost
• No foreign transaction fees
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance
• Rental car insurance
• Cell phone protection (up to $1,000 per claim with a $100 deductible)
• Purchase Protection
• Extended Warranty Protection

Best for road warriors: U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Credit Card

For those of us who spend more time on the pavement than the tarmac, the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Credit Card is an excellent road trip companion. You’ll get $750 cash back will be awarded if eligible Net Purchases totaling $6,000 or more are made to the Account Owner’s Card within 180 days from account opening, 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants and a handy $100 credit towards accounting software, all for a $0 annual fee. 

Why we like this card: While it’s begging for a shorter name, the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card certainly isn’t short on value. For starters, you’ll get a $750 cash back will be awarded if eligible Net Purchases totaling $6,000 or more are made to the Account Owner’s Card within 180 days from account opening, which rivals the Ink Business Cash card’s welcome bonus. Plus, you’ll get a 0% purchase rate for 12 months to help you finance some of that $6,000 if necessary. 

Outside of the welcome bonus, the U.S. Bank Triple Cash card offers unlimited 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants. In other words: it’s a business road warrior’s ideal companion. 

The U.S. Bank Triple Cash card could’ve easily stopped there since it charges no annual fee, but it just keeps heaping on the value in the form of a $100 subscription credit towards FreshBooks, QuickBooks or other accounting software. So not only does the card help you reduce your spending on the road, it helps you deduct it, too. 

The complete lack of any hotel benefits is completely understandable, but it does underscore the need to pair the U.S. Bank Triple Cash card with one of the Best hotel cards for maximum travel rewards (as well as some much-needed travel insurance).

U.S. Bank Triple Cash card benefits

• $0 annual fee
• Earn $750 cash back will be awarded if eligible Net Purchases totaling $6,000 or more are made to the Account Owner’s Card within 180 days from account opening
• 0% purchase rate for 12 months
• 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants (1% cash back on all other eligible purchases). 
• $100 statement credit towards recurring subscription software like FreshBooks or QuickBooks. 

Best travel card for small business: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

The #1 value of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Expressproposition is simplicity. You’ll get 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership, 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases for the first $50,000 in purchases per year (1x point per dollar thereafter), some financing/accounting tools and that’s about it. But for many contractors and sole proprietors, that may be all you want. 

Why we like this card: The Blue Business Plus card’s rewards structure feels like a response to something. It feels like Amex saw Chase offering 3X on office supplies and thought “yeah, but who really buys staples anymore?”

After all, countless thousands of small business owners will never have to step into an Office Depot to effectively run their business. From graphic designers to cupcake artisans, electricians to mobile mechanics, many may simply prefer to earn 2X on absolutely everything. 

And that’s what the blessedly-simple Amex Blue Business Cash provides. In addition to 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases for the first $50,000 in purchases per year (1x point per dollar thereafter), the card offers 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (then a variable APR of 18.49%–26.49%), and seamless integration with QuickBooks and Vendor Pay by Bill.com. 

You’ll also get Amex’s Expanded Buying Power feature, which allows you to make select purchases beyond your credit limit and simply adds the excess to your next minimum payment amount. 

While the welcome bonus is relatively weak for a business rewards card, the Amex Blue Business Plus offers solid rewards, handy accounting tools and some much-needed simplicity to compensate. 

For more detail see our Blue Business Plus card review.

Amex Membership Rewards

If we ran Amex, the first thing we’d do is change “Amex Membership Rewards” to “Amex Travel Rewards.” 

Reason being, the program really isn’t as general-purpose as the name implies. Points are only worth 0.6 cents each in statement credit, meaning the Blue Business Cash card’s 15,000-point welcome bonus is worth less than a Benjamin in cash. 

But if you can save your Membership Rewards Points for travel, the world opens up to you— quite literally. Amex has an unrivaled list of transfer partners including Delta, Hilton, Marriott, Air France/KLM and more, and most transfer ratios are at least 1:1. That gives you a ton of ways to move points around and score some amazing deals on flights and hotels. 

As a direct result of the program’s flexibility, we’ve seen folks stretch the value of their Membership Rewards points to 2 cents per point (cpp), 3 cpp and sometimes even 5 cpp when flying international business class. 

So if you’re looking for a credit card rewards program that’s almost entirely focused on travel and you don’t mind giving up a decent cash redemption option, Amex’s Membership Rewards might be a great fit for your business travel needs. 

To learn more, check out American Express Membership Rewards: Everything you need to know in 2024. 

Amex Blue Business Plus card benefits

• No annual fee
• Earn a 15,000-point welcome bonus after spending $3,000 within three months. 
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months. 
• 2X on up to $50,000 in combined annual spending on all eligible purchases (1X thereafter). 
• Amex Expanded Buying Power
• Purchase Protection
• Extended Warranty Protection

To view rates and fees of the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, see this page

Best for lounge access and perks: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

With a titanic welcome bonus, over $1,000 in business- and travel-related statement credits, access to over 1,400 airport lounges and more, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express bends over backwards to justify its $695 annual fee to business owners who are constantly on the move. 

Why we like this card: First thing’s first, the Amex Business Platinum card requires you to spend $20,000 within 90 days to trigger its welcome bonus. That should give you some idea of who this card is for—and who it isn’t for. 

If that number doesn’t scare you, and the card’s $695 annual fee doesn’t either, then the Amex Business Platinum has a staggering amount of value to offer in return. To start things off, you and up to two guests will get unlimited access to over 1,400 airport lounge locations worldwide (though guest access rules may vary by lounge). You’ll also get a bevy of annual statement credits including up to $360 towards global hiring site Indeed and an up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the card (select one qualifying airline). 

Oh, and there’s instant Gold-equivalent status with Marriott, Hilton, and several rental car agencies, a protective wall of travel insurance (e.g. Trip Delay, Trip Cancellation/Interruption) and access to Amex’s Business Platinum Travel Service to help make tailored recommendations and clear travel headaches. 

Oddly, one place the Amex Business Platinum falls embarrassingly short is in actual point rewards. You’ll get 5x points on flights and prepaid hotel stays booked through amextravel.com and 1.5x points on purchases in select business categories (US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers)    , which falls short of many no-fee business rewards cards. 

But if you’re primarily interested in lounge access, a waterfall of benefits and a sky-high welcome bonus, the Amex Business Platinum might be a fit. 

Learn more in our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.

Amex Business Platinum lounge access

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how airport lounge access with the Business Platinum card works. 

Amex’s “Global Lounge Collection” comprises six total lounge networks: The Centurion Lounge, Delta SkyClub, Priority Pass Select,  Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium and Lufthansa Lounges. Together, the combined network gives you access to over 1,400+ lounges in over 500 airports worldwide. 

As mentioned, most of the network-affiliated lounges also allow Amex Business Platinum cardholders to bring up to two guests for free. Centurion Lounges allow guest access after spending $75,000 in a year, Delta SkyClubs allow you to bring guests at a rate of $50 per person, while Lufthansa doesn’t appear to extend any sort of guest privileges to Platinum cardholders at all. 

Point being, we wouldn’t operate under the assumption that your Amex Business Platinum instantly grants you and your posse instant lounge access everywhere you go. You’ll want to check the latest terms and conditions for that lounge network first. 

The final thing to know is that you’ll generally have to create an account with each lounge network in order to activate your Platinum card benefits. It would be great if we could just wave our Amex Business Platinum at the front desk like a Multipass, but unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work that way. 

Amex Business Platinum credits

Here’s a complete list of the Amex Business Platinum card’s statement credits as of Q3 2024: 

• $400 towards Dell Technologies (up to $200 semi-annually), ending 12/31/2024
• $360 towards Indeed.com, ending 12/31/2024
• $150 towards Adobe Creative Solutions, ending 12/31/2024
• $120 towards wireless phone services (up to $10 monthly)
• $200 Airline Fee Credit (good for non-fare expenses like drinks and bags)
• $199 CLEAR Plus Credit

Fans of the regular, non-business Platinum card will notice some variations in how the two cards approach statement credits. So let’s just expand on the differences between the two cards in general. 

What’s the difference between The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and The Platinum Card® from American Express?

The Amex Business Platinum is more than just a “business-themed” Platinum card. In fact, the two cards share shockingly little in common. With so many credits and benefits on the line, picking the right one can make a $1,000+ difference to your balance sheet. 

So what are the key differences?

• Welcome bonus: The regular Platinum card’s welcome bonus is smaller (100,000 points versus 250,000) but far more attainable, requiring you to spend “just” $8,000 within six months.
  
• Statement credits: While the Business Platinum offers statement credits that are generally geared towards small business ownership, the regular Platinum card’s credits are centered around daily spending and luxury travel. There’s a $200 hotel credit, $155 Walmart+ credit, $240 towards streaming services, $200 Uber Cash and more.
  
• Points: Both cards let you earn 5X on prepaid flights and hotels, but the Business Platinum has an added 1.5X category for select business purchases. To be honest, though, both cards have mediocre point rewards. 

All things considered, the Business Platinum is better for business owners and road warriors who are fairly confident they’ll a) take advantage of the statement credits each year and b) spend enough to trigger the titanic welcome bonus. Those who want lounge access, instant status and other luxury travel benefits without the business-y trimmings will prefer the regular Platinum card. 

To learn more, check out our full review of the regular Platinum Card. 

Amex Business Platinum card benefits

• $695 annual fee
• Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership 
• 5x points on flights and prepaid hotel stays booked through amextravel.com, 1.5x points on purchases in select business categories (US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers)    , 1x points on all other eligible purchases 
• Access to the Global Lounge Collection for you and up to two guests (in most cases)
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• Hilton Honors Gold status
• Premium car rental privileges (read: status with various rental agencies)
• Business Platinum Travel Service
• Amex Preferred Access
• Fine Hotels + Resort benefits (e.g. free breakfast)
• $400 in Dell statement credits ($200 semi-annually)
• $360 Indeed.com statement credit
• $150 Adobe Creative Solutions credit
• $120 in wireless phone service credits ($10 monthly)
• $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the card (select one qualifying airline)
• $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal)
• Trip Delay insurance
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance
• No foreign transaction fees
• Free employee cards (note that employee cards do not offer lounge access or other benefits)

To view rates and fees of the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page

Best value premium card: Capital One Venture X Business

The Capital One Venture X Business is the cheapest business rewards card on the market that offers unlimited airport lounge access. Plus, you’ll get numerous other ways to recoup your $395 annual fee with a $300 annual credit for booking through Capital One Travel , up to 10X miles on purchases through Capital One Travel and a 150,000 Miles welcome bonus (albeit with an obscene spending requirement).  

Why we like this card: While a card charging a $395 annual fee may not evoke “good value” at first glance, the Capital One Venture X Business still makes a surprisingly compelling case for itself. 

For starters, it’s the cheapest business card on the market—by quite a wide margin—that still manages to offer unlimited airport lounge access. You and up to two guests (in most cases) will get complimentary access to over 1,300 lounge locations worldwide. To put that into perspective, to purchase a similar Priority Pass Prestige membership would cost you $469 annually and doesn’t include free guest access.

On top of that, Capital One essentially credits you most of your annual fee via a $300 annual credit for booking through Capital One Travel . You’ll also get a one-time $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, a $100 experience credit good at the Premier Collection of fancy hotels, 10X miles on hotels and rental cars, 5X Miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere-with no limits or category restrictions. 

The only frustrating feature of the Capital One Venture X Business card is the welcome bonus. It’s 150,000 miles worth $1,500 in travel, but you have to spend a frankly-ridiculous amount on the card within three months to trigger it. By contrast, the regular Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card card has half the welcome bonus (75,000 miles), but you only have to spend a fraction within three months to get it. 

But aside from a bafflingly unreachable welcome bonus and a curious lack of travel insurance, the Capital One Venture X Business card still manages to justify its $395 annual fee for business travelers – especially if you value lounge access above all else. 

For more info see our full review of the Venture X Business.

Capital One Venture Miles

As the name implies, Capital One Venture Miles are all about travel redemption. You won’t want to spend them on cash back or statement credit, since they’re only worth 0.5 cents per pop that way. 

Instead, you’ll want to save them for your next travel plans. When redeemed through Capital One Travel they’re typically worth a penny a pop, so a 150,000-mile welcome bonus will get you $1,500+ worth of travel. 

Capital One also has a solid list of 18 transfer partners, 16 of which accept Capital One Miles at a 1:1 ratio. The list is heavily biased towards international airlines, though there are still ways you can book domestic flights through SkyTeam/Star Alliance partners on the list (e.g. booking United through Air Canada or Delta through Turkish Airlines). 

So in a nutshell, Capital One Venture Miles aren’t ideal for cash back or domestic flights, but if you’re a frequent international traveler it’s almost tailor-made for you. Learn more in Capital One Miles: Everything you need to know. 

Venture X Business airport lounge access

If you’re looking for a business rewards card that grants unlimited lounge access, you may have noticed that the Amex Business Platinum card opens the door to over 1,400 lounges worldwide while the Venture X Business card only covers a “mere” 1,300. 

There’s a reason for that – Capital One’s list of lounge partners is slightly shorter overall and includes Priority Pass, Plaza Premium Group and Capital One Lounges. So if you’re choosing between the two cards, you may want to see which lounges Amex covers versus Capital One – especially in your home airport. 

But the good news is that the Capital One Venture X Business card generally allows you to bring two guests, as well. Guest passes are normally in the $30 to $50 range, so you can save a bundle if you frequently travel with your employees. 

What’s the difference between the Venture X and the Venture X Business?

The Venture X and Venture X Business cards share most facets in common. They both charge a $395 annual fee, help you justify it with a $300 annual travel credit, grant unlimited lounge access and help you earn up to 10X on travel purchases. 

The first and most obvious difference is the welcome bonus. The Venture X offers 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening while the Venture X Business offers 150,000 Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. 

On top of that, the Venture X Business is a “pay-in-full card” while the regular Venture X isn’t. That means you’re not allowed to carry a balance month-to-month – if you fail to pay the card in-full, you’ll be hit with a 2.99% late fee and your account will be considered “past due,” which could seriously damage your credit. So if you do plan to stretch your spending to earn the welcome bonus, just be sure you’re ready to pay it off. 

All told, both the Venture X and Venture X Business are a great choice for business travelers to score cheap lounge access. The latter just comes with more risk (but also more reward). 

Learn more in our full review of the regular Venture X card. 

Capital One Venture X Business card benefits

• $395 annual fee
• Earn 150,000 Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• $300 annual credit for booking through Capital One Travel
• 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X Miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel plus 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere-with no limits or category restrictions. 
• Airport lounge access to over 1,300 locations worldwide
• Capital One Smart Booking (read: price matching and price drop protection)
• $100 statement credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Free employee cards
• Flexible spend capacity

Best flat-rate cash back card: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (by Chase) keeps things simple with unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase and a $0 annual fee. Sure, 1.5X points trails the Amex Blue Business Cash card’s 2% cash back, but the Chase card has a much higher welcome bonus to compensate along with no annual limits. 

Why we like this card: We’ve teased the other two Ink cards (Cash and Preferred) for having business rewards categories straight out of 1994, such as 5X on cable and office supply stores. But in fairness, Chase has a third option that does away with purchase categories altogether: the Ink Business Unlimited. 

Like its cousin the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, the Ink Unlimited simply gives you unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase all year round. That falls short of the 2% cash back offered by its rival the Amex Blue Business Cash Card, but there are still several reasons we’d prefer to have the Chase card in our wallet. 

First, the Ink Business Unlimited has a far bigger welcome bonus – you’ll earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, versus $250 cash back after spending $3,000 within three months with the Amex. Second, the Ink Business Cash card generates points, which as we know, can be moved over to an Ink Business Preferred/Sapphire Preferred/Sapphire Reserve account for added travel value. And finally, the Ink Business Unlimited doesn’t have a spending cap like the Amex does. 

So if you’re looking for a no-fee business rewards card with simple rewards and maximum cash back, the Ink Business Unlimited is an excellent choice. Learn more in our full review.

Chase Ink car rental insurance

Another major advantage held by the Chase Ink Business rewards cards is primary rental car insurance when using the car for business. 

For context, many business/travel rewards cards these days include free rental car insurance. You’ll often see this listed as an “auto rental collision damage waiver” or “car rental loss and damage insurance.” 

But whether that coverage is primary or secondary makes a huge difference. If your card offers primary insurance, you can go straight to your card’s benefits administrator to file a claim. But if your card has secondary auto rental insurance, you have to file a claim with your own auto insurance provider first. Not only is this more time consuming, it can result in you having to pay your full deductible and your provider raising your premiums. 

So if you plan to lean on your business reward card’s free rental car insurance at the Enterprise/Hertz/Budget counter, you might want to choose a card that offers primary over secondary insurance since it can help save on premiums (and paperwork). 

To learn more, check out How credit card rental car insurance saves money on every rental. 

Ink Business Unlimited card benefits

• $0 annual fee
• Earn a $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 0% introductory purchase APR for 12 months from account opening (after that, the variable APR will be 18.49%–24.49%) 
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
• Rental car insurance
• Purchase Protection
• Extended Warranty Protection
• Employee cards at no extra cost

Best cash back card for sole proprietors: American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

With a relatively low spending requirement for its welcome bonus ($250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months), a blanket 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year (then 1%) and a suite of handy accounting tools, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is ideal for contractors, sole proprietors and other small business owners who want maximum cash back without having to overspend. 

Why we like this card: If you’ve been comparing the cash welcome bonuses of the business rewards cards on this list, you’ve probably noticed that they tend to be fairly generous ($750+), but they also require your and your business to spend a staggering amount of money to earn ($6,000 to $30,000 within 90 days). 

The Amex Blue Business Cash card bucks that trend, asking you to spend “just” $3,000 in three months to earn $250 cash back. And that’s not the only way this card is far friendlier to small business owners. You’ll also get a blanket 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year (then 1%), 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (after that, the variable APR will be 18.49%–26.49% variable) and seamless integration with QuickBooks and Vendor Pay by Bill.com.

Like its brother the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, the Blue Biz Cash also bestows you with Amex’s Expanded Buying Power feature, which allows you to make a large purchase beyond your regular credit limit, simply adding the excess to your next minimum payment. Combined with 0% APR, this can be especially handy if you need a new graphics card, DSLR camera or authentic Neapolitan pizza oven for your next stage of business growth. 

So if you’re a small business owner who values simple 2% cash back rewards, handy accounting tools and a welcome bonus that doesn’t require you to spend used car money to earn, the Amex Blue Business Cash is an excellent choice. Learn more in our full review.

Amex Blue Business Cash card benefits

• $0 annual fee
• Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (after that, the variable APR will be 18.49%–26.49% variable)
• 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year (then 1%)
• Amex Expanded Buying Power
• QuickBooks and Vendor Pay by Bill.com integration
• Rental car insurance
• Purchase Protection
• Extended Warranty Protection
• Free employee cards

To view rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, see this page

Best for airlines: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Like a “Delta-themed Amex Platinum,” the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card charges a lofty annual fee ($650) but includes lounge access, free checked bags, $700+ in various statement credits and a valuable Companion Certificate at renewal.