Best Business Credit Cards 2026: Top Picks for Cash Back, Travel and 0% APR

The right business credit card does more than just provide a payment method — it becomes an active financial tool that earns meaningful rewards on every dollar you spend, provides employee cards with spending controls, simplifies expense tracking and tax preparation, and in some cases offers a critical 0% introductory APR period that functions as free short-term financing for business investments. Choosing the right card (or combination of cards) based on your specific spending patterns and business needs can put hundreds or even thousands of dollars back into your business annually.

This guide covers the best business credit cards available in 2026, organized by category: best for cash back, best for travel rewards, best 0% APR introductory offers, and best for startups with limited credit history. We include key terms, rewards rates, annual fee assessments, and the specific business profiles each card serves best.

What to Look for in a Business Credit Card

Before diving into specific card recommendations, understanding the key metrics that determine card value for your business will help you evaluate options intelligently. The most important factors are: rewards rate (cash back percentage or points per dollar for your primary spending categories), the value of the sign-up bonus relative to minimum spend requirements, annual fee versus annual rewards value, introductory APR offer for new purchases or balance transfers, and the practical features that reduce administrative burden — expense categorization, accounting software integration, employee card controls, and year-end summary reports.

The best card for your business is the one that maximizes rewards on your actual top spending categories. If your biggest expenses are digital advertising and software subscriptions, a card that gives 3x rewards on those categories outperforms a flat-rate 2% cash back card by a meaningful amount. Take time to review your last three months of business spending to identify your top categories before making a final decision.

Best Business Cash Back Credit Cards 2026

Cash back cards are the most straightforward and popular category for small business owners who prefer simple, predictable value over more complex travel rewards programs. The best cash back business cards earn 2 to 5 percent on major spending categories and require no redemption complexity — earnings are applied directly to your statement or deposited in your bank account.

American Express Blue Business Cash Card — Best Flat-Rate Cash Back

The American Express Blue Business Cash Card earns an unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases up to $50,000 per year, then 1% after that — with no annual fee. For businesses with diverse spending that does not cluster in specific bonus categories, this flat 2% rate beats the effective rate of most tiered-rewards cards when you factor in spending that falls outside bonus categories. The card also offers Expanded Buying Power, which allows spending slightly above your credit limit without penalty (with automatic repayment required), useful for unexpected large business purchases. The lack of an annual fee means the math on value is simple: earn more than you spend on fees, which at $0/year means every dollar of cash back is pure profit.

Chase Ink Business Cash — Best for Office and Communications Spending

The Chase Ink Business Cash card earns 5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services (on the first $25,000 per year), 2% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% on all other purchases — with no annual fee. For businesses with significant office supply or technology subscription spending, the 5% category is genuinely transformative. Many business owners also maximize this card by purchasing gift cards (Visa, Amazon, and others) at office supply stores at the 5% rate, effectively earning 5% cash back on a much wider range of business expenses. The sign-up bonus (typically worth $750 in cash back when minimum spend is met) makes this one of the strongest new cardholder offers available.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus — Best for High-Volume Spenders

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus earns an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases with no category restrictions and no annual cap — making it the best choice for businesses with spending that regularly exceeds $50,000 per year (where the Amex Blue Business Cash drops to 1%). The $150 annual fee is easily offset by the 2% unlimited rate, and the card offers a $200 annual bonus for spending $200,000 or more per year. Unlike most consumer cards, the Spark Cash Plus is a charge card with no preset spending limit and requires payment in full each month, making it best suited for businesses with consistent cash flow.

Best Business Travel Rewards Credit Cards 2026

Travel rewards cards deliver their highest value for business owners who travel regularly for work and are willing to invest the time to understand the points and miles programs that power them. The best travel rewards cards earn 3 to 10 points per dollar on travel and dining categories, offer meaningful sign-up bonuses worth $500 to $1,500 or more in travel, and provide premium travel benefits — lounge access, trip insurance, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits — that add tangible value for road warriors.

Chase Ink Business Preferred — Best Overall Travel Rewards Card

The Chase Ink Business Preferred earns 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and digital advertising (on the first $150,000 per year) and 1x on all other purchases. Points are earned in Chase Ultimate Rewards, one of the most valuable transferable points currencies available — transferable to airline and hotel partners including United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott, and others, where value can reach 2 cents per point or more. The sign-up bonus is typically worth $1,000 in travel when minimum spend is met. The $95 annual fee is easily justified for businesses spending meaningfully in the 3x categories. For a business owner spending $5,000 per month on advertising and technology, this card generates over $1,800 per year in Ultimate Rewards value.

American Express Business Platinum Card — Best Premium Travel Card

The Amex Business Platinum is the premium travel card for high-spending business owners who value luxury travel benefits. It earns 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, 1.5x on purchases over $5,000, and 1x on everything else. The card’s benefits package is extensive: access to 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide (Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta), a $400 annual Dell Technologies credit, a $150 Adobe credit, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, trip delay and cancellation insurance, and a Fine Hotels + Resorts program with complimentary room upgrades and late checkout. The $695 annual fee is substantial but justified for executives who regularly travel internationally and will capture a majority of the benefit credits.

Best Business Credit Cards for 0% APR

For businesses that need to finance equipment purchases, inventory builds, or marketing campaign investments without paying interest, a card with a long 0% introductory APR on new purchases functions as an interest-free business loan — a valuable tool when used strategically with a clear repayment plan in place before the promotional period ends.

American Express Blue Business Cash Card — Best 0% APR Offer

The Amex Blue Business Cash card (mentioned above for cash back) also currently offers one of the longest 0% introductory APR periods on new purchases available for a no-annual-fee business card — typically 12 months, making it the dual-purpose winner for cash back and interest-free financing. The 0% rate applies to purchases only (not balance transfers), and the standard variable APR applies after the promotional period, so full repayment before the period ends is essential.

U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card — Longest 0% APR Period

For businesses prioritizing the longest possible interest-free financing window, the U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card typically offers up to 18 months of 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers — among the longest introductory periods available on any business card. The trade-off is that this card earns no rewards, making it purely a financing tool rather than an ongoing rewards vehicle. The strategy for maximum value is to use this card during its introductory period for major planned investments, then transition to a rewards card once the balance is paid off.

Best Business Credit Cards for Startups and New Businesses

Startups and new businesses without an established credit history face more limited card options, since most premium rewards cards require good to excellent personal credit (typically 700+ FICO score) and sometimes established business revenue history. Several solid options exist for this segment.

Brex Business Card — Best for Venture-Backed Startups

Brex is specifically designed for startups and offers credit based on company cash balances rather than personal credit history — making it accessible to founders who have raised funding but lack personal credit profiles suitable for traditional business cards. Brex earns strong rewards on the categories startup teams spend most: 7x on rideshare, 4x on travel, 3x on restaurants and software subscriptions. There is no personal guarantee required, which is a significant benefit for founders who want to protect personal assets.

Maximizing Business Credit Card Value

The most important practice for maximizing business credit card value is concentrating spending. Using one or two cards strategically (a bonus-category card for your top spending categories and a flat-rate card for everything else) rather than spreading spending across multiple cards ensures you hit minimum spend thresholds for sign-up bonuses and maximize rewards earning in your strongest categories. Set up automatic bill payments for all regular business expenses on your rewards card, use your card for all vendor payments where credit is accepted (not just large purchases), and redeem rewards strategically — for travel cards, transferring to airline partners typically delivers 50 to 100 percent more value than simple statement credit redemptions.

Conclusion

The best business credit card for your company depends on your spending patterns, travel habits, and financial priorities. For most small business owners, the Chase Ink Business Cash (for bonus category maximizers) or the Amex Blue Business Cash (for flat-rate simplicity) delivers the best combination of rewards value and annual fee efficiency. For frequent business travelers, the Chase Ink Business Preferred offers exceptional Ultimate Rewards earning at a justifiable $95 annual fee. Whatever card you choose, use it for all eligible business spending, pay in full each month to avoid interest charges that would negate rewards value, and review your card selection annually as your business spending patterns evolve.