Best cash back business cards of May 2024

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

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Best cash back business credit card

Key takeaways

2%

Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year

1%

Earn 1% cash back on all purchases thereafter

5/5

Best cash back business credit card

All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.

Spark Cash Select from Capital One

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Best for simple rewards

Key takeaways

1.5%

Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases

5%

Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

4.8/5

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Best for 5% cash back

Key takeaways

5%

Earn 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

2%

Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year

1%

Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn

4.7/5

Apply Now

On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website

U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card

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Best for customized cash back

Key takeaways

5%

Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center

2%

Earn 2% back in the top two categories where you spend the most each month automatically

1%

Earn 1% back per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

4.3/5

Best for customized cash back

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi

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Best for gas

Key takeaways

4%

Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 spent per year, 1% thereafter

3%

Earn 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases

2%

Earn 2% cash back on purchases from Costco and Costco.com

1%

Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases. A Costco membership is required to apply

4.1/5

Ink Business Premier® Credit Card

Best for big spenders

Key takeaways

5%

Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®

2.5%

Earn 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more

2%

Earn 2% cash back on all other business purchases

4.5/5

Apply Now

On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website

Capital One Spark Classic for Business

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Best for fair credit

Key takeaways

1%

Earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase

5%

Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

4.5/5

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card

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Best for 0% intro APR

Key takeaways

5%

Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Rewards Center

3%

Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants

1%

Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

4.1/5

Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

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Best for Amazon

Key takeaways

5%

5% back or 90 days terms on eligible U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership

2%

2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers

1%

1% back on all other purchases

4.5/5

All information about Amazon Business Prime American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.

How do cash back rewards work?

Cash back rewards for business work the same way as those for consumer cash back credit cards. In general, for every eligible dollar you spend, you can get a percentage of your purchase back.

Here’s how that works: If you spend $1,000 on a business credit card with a cash back rewards rate of 2%, you’ll earn $20 cash back.

Your cash back rate(s) will depend on your card’s terms. Some offer a flat rewards rate for all purchases, while others create rewards tiers or have rotating categories.

Flat-rate cash back

With flat-rate cash back, you’ll earn the same rewards rate for all qualifying purchases. These kinds of cards can simplify rewards tracking and help you avoid having to opt into bonus categories to maximize your rewards.

Tiered-rate cash back

Some of the top business credit cards for cash back offer tiered rewards — a higher rate on certain spending categories. With tiered-rate cards, if you make purchases outside of the top-earning categories, you won’t go away empty-handed. Instead, you’ll simply earn a lower cash back rate on those purchases.

Some tiered-rate cards have spending caps in bonus categories. If your card has a spending cap, you’ll generally earn a higher cash back rate on qualifying purchases before you hit the cap. Then, you’ll earn a lower rate on purchases above that threshold.

Rotating category cash back

If your business needs change on a regular basis, you might be keen on a card with rotating cash back categories. These cards aren’t common. The U.S. Bank Business Leverage, for example, automatically awards a higher rate to your top two eligible spending categories each month.

Introduction to cash back business cards

Your number one priority when considering cash back business credit cards should likely be the value your business will get from each card. Some card qualities to consider as you compare cards are:

• Rewards rates for everyday purchases
• Introductory APRs that can save you money on interest
• Perks that align with your business needs, including travel protections and discounts on services you frequently use

Also consider what it takes to qualify for different cards on your list. Some cards require excellent credit, while others have more generous qualification criteria. The best cash back business credit card for you will likely be the one that offers the best rewards that you can qualify for today. As your credit profile or spending patterns change, you can always apply for a card that better suits your business.

How to maximize rewards on large business expenses

To maximize rewards on cash back business credit cards, you’ll want to consider your card balance, welcome offers and other business credit cards you already use.

• Card balance. You’ll want to pay your credit card bill in full each month to get the most bang for your cash back rewards buck. Why? Because every dollar you pay in interest pretty much negates a dollar earned in cash back rewards. Average credit card APRs are high, so you could find any rewards quickly eclipsed.
• Welcome offers. If you’re opening a business credit card, look for those with healthy sign-up bonus offers for new card holders. Ideally, you’ll want the highest cash back bonus for a spending requirement that you can hit with your regular expenses.
• Your other business credit cards. Before opening a new account, assess your current cards so you can look for cash back cards that offer rewards in different spending categories. This strategy helps you have a card ready to earn rewards on a wide variety of purchases.

How to pick a card for a variety of business expenses

If your top spending categories cover a variety of business expenses, you may want to consider a business rewards credit card with a flat cash back rate or automatically-adjusting rewards categories. For example, our best cash back business credit card, the Blue Business Cash, earns 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in spending each calendar year (then 1%), making it a solid go-to card on up to $50,000 each year.

Pros and cons of cash back business credit cards

Pros:

• Cost savings. You can use cash back rewards to reduce your overall purchasing costs.
• Reward variety. With so many cash back business credit cards available, there’s sure to be one that rewards how your business spends money.
• Employee cards. Business cards often allow the account owner to issue employee cards, which can help with expense management and boost cash back rewards.

Cons:

• Rewards caps. Some cards cap rewards in bonus categories on an annual basis, which might curtail the cash back earning potential of companies with bigger budgets.
• Spend to earn. Cash back business credit cards require spending to earn rewards. Sadly, rewards are rebates, not up-front discounts.
• Interest can negate cash back. Unless you pay your balance in full each month, interest charges on carried balances can quickly outweigh your cash back rewards.

How to apply for cash back business cards

To apply for a business cash back credit card, you’ll need to:

1. Research cards. Look for those that fit your credit score, as well as those that offer the best possible balance between rewards structure and business spending habits.
2. Complete the credit application. You may be able to submit your application online, by phone or in person. You’ll generally provide details about your business and either your company’s employer identification number (EIN) or your Social Security number (SSN). The application will generate a hard credit inquiry on your personal credit report.
3. Await your decision. Some credit card issuers offer approval decisions on the spot. If you’re declined, you’ll receive a letter with the reason. You can then use that information to improve your credit and apply again in the future.

Methodology

Our money and data analytics teams evaluated 20 cash back business credit cards. We then narrowed down our list of the best cash back business cards by giving them a star rating out of five based on the following factors and our editorial judgment:

Pricing and fees (40%)

Cards with competitive variable APRs and no or lower fees received a boost compared to cards with higher fees and rates We considered annual fees, foreign transaction fees, employee card fees, late fees and balance transfer fees.

Rewards value (25%)

We used spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate the cash back earnings you could expect to get by using a card for your everyday spending.

Benefits (10%)

Cards that offer benefits such as cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty and a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers received a boost.

Sign-up bonus value (10%)

Many rewards cards offer bonus cash back to consumers who spend a certain amount in their first months with the card. We boosted cards that offer more value.

Spending limit flexibility (10%)

Charge cards and cards that otherwise don’t impose strict credit limits received a boost.

Annual credits and bonuses (5%)

Credit cards that come with credits and bonuses for spending in categories including groceries, dining, entertainment and gas received a boost.

What didn’t make the cut

• Capital One Spark Cash Plus
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  The information for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
  
  
  : This card offers a variety of strong features for business owners who spend a lot, including a $1,200 cash bonus after spending $30,000 in the first three months of account opening, but we prefer the Ink Business Premier for big spenders.
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: While this card offers similar features to the Ink Business Cash, it lacks bonus categories, which can curb reward earning potential.
• Bank of America® Business Advantage credit cards (such as the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card): Each of these business cash back credit cards could be a great choice for Bank of America customers in the Preferred Rewards program, but didn’t beat out other offerings. For instance, they offer lower sign-up bonuses than many of the cards that made our list.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

To view rates and fees for Spark Cash Select from Capital One
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The information for the Spark Cash Select from Capital One has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


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To view rates and fees for The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
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The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, please visit this page.

To view rates and fees for Capital One Spark Classic for Business
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The information for the Capital One Spark Classic for Business has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, please visit .

To view rates and fees for Amazon Business Prime American Express Card
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The information for the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, please visit .

*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by CNN Underscored Money: Spark Cash Select from Capital One
*


The information for the Spark Cash Select from Capital One has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
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The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card
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The information for the U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
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The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, Capital One Spark Classic for Business
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The information for the Capital One Spark Classic for Business has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card
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The information for the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


, Capital One Spark Cash Plus
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The information for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


and Amazon Business Prime American Express Card
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The information for the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.