What are the best business credit cards for an LLC (limited liability company)? We’ll compare factors such as annual percentage rates, rewards, annual fees and qualifying criteria. We’ll also look at cards that don’t require personal guarantees.
Some of the best LLC credit cards for businesses today include the following, ranked in no particular order:
Related: What Is APR – and How Does It Affect Your Business Loan?
1. American Express Blue Business Cash Card
Annual fee: No annual fee
APR: 0% for the first 12 months of using your account, then a variable annual percentage rate of 14.74%-22.74%
Rewards: 2% cash back credited for qualifying purchases up to $50,000 each calendar year, with 1% cash back after exceeding the annual limit
Introductory Bonus: As an incentive to sign up, this LLC business credit card offers a $250 statement credit after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Why It Makes Our List
Some of the reasons the American Express Blue Business Cash Card makes our list as one of the best credit cards for an LLC include::
- Accepted at 99% of U.S. merchants who process credit cards
- Allowance to spend beyond your limit with Expanded Buying Power, based on a bonus limit determined by variables such as your payment history and card usage
- Travel rewards, including coverage for auto rental loss or damage to vehicles rented with your card, subject to qualifications, plus access to a Global Assist Hotline for assistance in travel emergencies
- Expense management tools, including use of a business app, syncing with QuickBooks, cash back for vendor payments and the ability to issue cards to employees
- Extended warranty protection for eligible purchases
- Purchase protection for qualifying purchases damaged or stolen
- Dispute resolution assistance for fraudulent or inaccurate charges
- Unique American Express offers (Amex Offers)
The Blue Business Cash Card’s low introductory APR, zero annual fee, strong cash rewards and Expanded Buying Power to cover cash-flow emergencies make this a standout on our best business credit card for LLC companies list. Online approval takes as little as 30 seconds.
2. American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card
Annual fee: No annual fee
APR: 0% APR for the first 12 months of using your account, then a variable APR of 14.74%-22.74%
Rewards: Membership rewards points on any spending category, with double points for the first $50,000 spent annually and single points on purchases above that amount
Introductory Bonus: As an incentive to sign up, American Express offers 15,000 membership rewards points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases within your first 3 months.
Why It Makes Our List
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card is a candidate for the best credit card for LLC expenses if you prefer a rewards points structure to a cash-back approach. For example, if you travel frequently, rewards points may total more value than cash back. Other features, including Expanded Buying Power, are similar to the Blue Business Cash Card.
3. Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card
Annual fee: No annual fee
APR: 0% introductory APR for your first 12 months, which then converts to a variable APR of 13.99%-19.99%
Rewards: 5% cash back each year on your first $25,000 in combined purchases on Internet, phone and cable bills and office supplies; 2% cash back each year on your first $25,000 in combined purchases from restaurants and gas stations; unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases
Introductory Bonus: As an incentive to sign up for the Business Cash credit card, Chase offers $750 bonus cash back if you spend $7,500 during your first 3 months as an account holder.
Why It Makes Our List
Chase’s Ink Business Cash card makes our list as one of the best business credit cards for LLCs because it features:
- Option to redeem rewards for cash, travel, gift cards and Apple purchases using the Chase Ultimate Rewards program
- Free cards for employees with spending limits set by an employer
- Monitoring and protection through personalized notifications, fraud protection and purchase protection for damages and theft
- Auto rental collision damage waivers
- Roadside dispatch assistance
- Travel and emergency assistance services for medical and legal referrals when traveling (and in other covered situations)
Its low introductory APR, zero annual fee and cash back rewards make the Chase Ink Business Cash credit card a great resource and a contender for the best business credit card for new LLC companies. Companies that make frequent expenditures on items such as utilities, office supplies, travel and dining may find this card exceptionally valuable.
4. Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Annual fee: $95
APR: 16.74%-21.74% variable APR
Rewards: Triple rewards points for every dollar spent on your first $150,000 in combined purchases on travel, shipping, advertising through social media and search engines and spending on Internet, cable and phone services; a point for every dollar spent on other purchases
Introductory Bonus: As an incentive to sign up for the Ink Business Preferred credit card, Chase offers 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 within your first 3 months as a cardholder.
Why It Makes Our List
The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card represents a premium alternative to the Ink Business Cash card, offering substantial rewards in return for an annual fee.
There is no expiration date for rewards points as long as your account remains open. Additionally, Chase’s Ultimate Rewards points redemption program offers cash back, gift cards and travel, with 25% more for travel points.
This card can be a valuable resource for your LLC if your major expenses include Internet marketing, shipping or travel.
5. U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card
Annual fee: No annual fee
APR: 0% APR for the first 15 billing cycles, followed by a variable APR of 15.49%-24.49%
Rewards: 3% cash back on eligible purchases at cell phone service providers, office supply stores, gas stations and restaurants; 1% cash back on other eligible purchases; $100 credit every 12 months for recurring expenses on software subscriptions to products such as FreshBooks and QuickBooks
Introductory Bonus: As an incentive for signing up for this LLC credit card, U.S. Bank offers $500 in cash back after you spend $4,500 on the account owner’s card within 150 days after opening your account.
Why It Makes Our List
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card offers attractive rewards incentives for LLCs. This card’s key features include:
- Unlimited rewards with no expiration
- Mobile payment options using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay
- Security protections, including chip technology, 24/7 fraud monitoring and zero fraud liability
- 24/7 dedicated service
- Expense management tools, including an app to access and sync expenses, options to set controls for employee cards and the ability to generate reports.
This is one of the best credit cards for a small business LLC because of its extended introductory APR and cash back rewards. For companies that incur significant expenses in eligible categories, the Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card can be a money-saving way to finance your business.
6. Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus Credit Card
Annual fee: $150
APR: No APR when you pay your balance in full every month; 2.99% monthly late fee if you fail to pay by the end of the month
Rewards: 2% cash back on purchases in all categories without restrictions; $200 annual cash bonus each year you spend at least $200,000
Introductory Bonus: As an incentive for getting the Spark 2% Cash Plus card, Capital One offers a $1,000 cash bonus, divided into a $500 bonus when you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months and another $500 when you spend $50,000 in your first 6 months.
Why It Makes Our List
Capital One’s Spark 2% Cash Plus card provides companies possessing strong cash flow with the ability to finance expenses without incurring interest.
Card features include:
- No preset spending limit, with limit adjusted based on your credit profile, payment history and spending habits
- Automatic bill payment setup
- Virtual card numbers for secure online purchases
- $0 fraud liability
- Downloadable purchase records
- Year-end spending summaries
- Ability to assign account managers to handle purchases and payments, review spending and resolve disputes
Because you’ll be required to pay off your balance each month to avoid APR fees, you’ll need excellent credit when applying for this business credit card for your LLC. Capital One defines excellent credit as having no history of bankruptcies or loan defaults, no payments over 60 days late on any credit cards, medical bills or loans within the past year and a prior history of having a loan or credit card with a credit limit above $5,000 for the past 3 years.
To verify your creditworthiness, one of the business credit card requirements for an LLC is that all business owners provide their legal names, addresses and Social Security numbers. Your business will also need to provide your company’s legal name, address and tax identification number. If you have a good credit score and strong cash flow, this card may be the card for you.
7. Brex Cards
Annual fee: No annual fee
APR: No interest
Rewards: Rewards points multiplied by 8 times for rideshare expenses, 5 times for eligible Brex travel expenses, 4 times for restaurant bills, 3 times for subscription software costs and 1 time for other spending categories
Why It Makes Our List
Brex, which specializes in providing technology companies with financial services, offers credit card products geared toward this market and is useful to businesses in other niches. Brex cards act like debit cards, drawing from a funds balance.
The cards are available in 2 forms. One is for companies of any size, while the other is for companies that qualify for set size and revenue criteria.
This small business credit card for LLC firms features:
- No minimum balance
- Limits based on the company’s financial information rather than business owner’s personal finances, based on variables such as cash on hand, spending patterns and credit record
- Card balances paid down daily from the cardholder’s account
- Expense tracking tools
- Integration with software such as QuickBooks and Xero
- Unlimited cards for employees with the ability to control limits and track team spending
- Zero-liability fraud protection
- Reporting to credit tracking providers to build your business credit score
For companies that meet size and revenue requirements, Brex allows cardholders to pay balances monthly, account limits of 10-20 times that of standard business cards and rewards points of up to 7 times for all expense categories.
Qualifying and underwriting decisions are based on your company’s employer identification number rather than personal credit information. Because of this, applying won’t affect your personal credit score, and you don’t need to provide a personal guarantee. These features make the Brex card a particularly good option for newer LLCs still building a credit history. Using a Brex card can help lay a foundation to qualify for other business credit cards.
Choose the Best Credit Card for Your LLC
What’s the best LLC credit card for your business? The right choice for you depends on considerations such as APR, what types of expenses your company spends money on, your ability to qualify and whether you want to avoid a personal guarantee.
The cards we’ve considered give you a range of options in these areas, encompassing everything from cards geared toward startups to cards designed for companies with strong credit history and cash flow.
Keep in mind, business credit cards are only one tool for financing your LLC. For larger expenses, you may wish to consider forms of business financing, such as loans and lines of credit. Take a few minutes to fill out our free, no-obligation prequalifying form to get your loan options.
