The Benefits of Small Business Credit Cards

Small business credit cards offer many great features. They not only provide easy access to credit to help you manage your cash flow, they also come with numerous benefits that can be helpful in the day-to-day management of your business. Best of all, the cash-back or rewards programs, which most small business cards offer, can actually help you save money.

Many business credit cards have high initial credit lines, depending on the credit history of your business. Most small business credit cards also come with attractive introductory 0% APR deals, often lasting as long as 12 to 15 months. You may wish to consider 0% balance transfer cards if you need a temporary cash infusion for an existing business or start-up capital for a new venture. While most cards offer the 0% APR rate on either balance transfers or purchases only, a few offer 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers, providing you with the greatest flexibility.

It is not uncommon for small business credit cards to offer a favorable interest rate after the initial introductory period expires, often as low as 5%. That is a great deal, if you are looking for a permanent low-interest loan. Of course, rates can vary over time, so take time to compare credit cards before you decide which card might work best for your business, and read the terms and conditions of each card carefully.

Many business owners opt to carry several credit cards—one with a low interest rate or 0% APR offer for carrying balances, and one for charging expenses that they will pay off in full every month. This strategy lets you take full advantage of the cash back or rewards benefits of your small business credit card, letting you earn up to 5% cash back on business-related purchases, such as office supplies or gas. Or, you may opt for a card that lets you earn travel rewards, enabling you to leverage your spending towards free airline trips, seat upgrades, and last-minute ticket purchases.

To maximize rewards earnings, consider adding employees as additional cardholders, a service offered for free by most small business credit cards. To control expenses, simply set spending limits for each employee; many cards even let you set limits for how much an employee can spend in specific categories.

Adding employees as cardholders also enables you to consolidate your business expenses into one main account. This greatly facilitates book-keeping – simply download your card statement into your accounting software each month. Or, if you prefer, you can get expense reporting from your card broken down by employee, a service offered for free with most business credit cards.

In addition to business cards, credit cards for individuals also offer many benefits, and our site contains a wide selection. Benefits include introductory periods with 0 apr, rewards, cash back, low interest or frequent flyer miles. Each of the card categories on our site that are for individuals also includes the same business credit cards listed above.