Best high-limit business credit cards

Having a business credit card can be a lifeline for small business owners with high monthly expenses. Opening a high-limit business credit card allows you more flexibility with spending, whether it’s funding a new marketing campaign, investing in new equipment or covering other big upcoming purchases.

Along with perks like free employee cards and purchase protection, many business credit cards come with access to business tools for added value.

Here are some of the best options for high-limit business credit cards that also offer cash back, travel rewards, startup perks and more.

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best for expanded buying power

Why we picked it: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express comes equipped with Amex’s Expanded Buying Power benefit, which allows you to spend past your credit limit (approval is on a case-by-case basis). The amount you spend over your credit limit will then be rolled into your minimum payment, which you still must pay to avoid any penalty fees. The Blue Business Plus also comes with a decent welcome bonus and carries no annual fee.

Pros

• Points don’t expire
• No blackout dates for travel
• Can redeem points for gift cards, shopping, travel, entertainment, merchandise, charity
• Can transfer points to a wide variety of frequent flyer programs
• Terms apply

Cons

• Must go through American Express to book rewards-funded travel
• 2X point rate drops to 1X point after $50,000 in purchases each year
• Fee to transfer points to frequent flyer programs
• Small fee for booking airfare through American Express Travel

Who should apply: Blue Business Plus is ideal for business owners who occasionally need to make large purchases that would otherwise extend beyond typical credit limits.

Who should skip: Business owners looking for the best rewards rates are better off looking elsewhere as this card offers lower rates than many of the top business cards. The higher rewards tier is capped at $50,000 spending annually, then you only earn 1 point per dollar spent, so it’s not the best card for bigger businesses with annual expenses beyond that.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus: Best for cash back

Why we picked it: Not only does the Capital One Spark Cash Plus offer a high credit limit, but it also earns unlimited 2 percent cash back on all purchases. You can boost your rewards total by adding employee cards, which are free, so each employee earns rewards with card spending, too. Earning flat-rate cash back on everything means there’s no need to track spending in specific categories.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus also comes with a generous welcome bonus offer: You can earn up to a $1,000 cash bonus — a $500 cash bonus if you spend $5,000 in the first three months after you open your account, and an additional $500 cash bonus if you spend $50,000 in the first six months of opening the account. Keep in mind that this is a charge card, so you must pay your balance in full each billing cycle.

Pros

• Valuable welcome bonus
• Annual bonus of $200 if you spend $200,000 in a year
• No preset spend limit since it’s a charge card
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• $150 annual fee
• Must pay your balance in full each billing cycle
• Lower rewards rates than other top cards in popular categories
• High spending requirements for annual cash back bonus

Who should apply: This card is perfect for business owners who want access to higher credit limits and earn cash back rewards on all spending regardless of category.

Who should skip: Small businesses with more modest spending habits may not get enough value from the Capital One Spark Cash Plus to justify its $150 annual fee. As a charge card, it’s not ideal for business owners who need to carry over a balance occasionally.

Chase Ink Business Preferred: Best for flexible rewards

Why we picked it: The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card not only offers one of the highest welcome bonuses among business cards, but it’s also a gateway to one of the most flexible travel rewards programs around — Chase Ultimate Rewards. The program allows cardholders to apply rewards toward a host of redemption options, including travel, cash, gift cards and much more. Plus, this card makes your Chase points worth 25 percent more when redeemed for travel when booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal.

The Ink Business Preferred boasts other worthy perks, too, like free employee cards, no foreign transaction fees and a laundry list of travel and purchase protections. The card features a high combined purchase limit in popular business spending categories like shipping purchases, select advertising purchases and internet, cable and phone services.

Pros

• Sizable welcome bonus offer
• High combined purchase limit on bonus categories ($150,000 per year)
• Points worth 25 percent more when used for travel booked through Ultimate Rewards portal
• Several airline and hotel transfer partners

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Who should apply: Business owners who spend considerable money in the card’s bonus categories should consider applying for the Chase Ink Business Preferred. It’s also a top choice if you’re looking for flexible rewards you can use for travel when needed and other options at other times.

Who should skip: This card isn’t ideal if your spending habits don’t align with Ink Business Preferred’s bonus categories. While its $95 annual fee is lower than many cards, it’s still something to consider, especially if you don’t plan to take advantage of the card’s many travel benefits.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express: Best for business travel

Why we picked it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a high-limit business credit card with no preset spending limit. Unlike typical credit cards, the Business Platinum card allows you to carry a balance for select charges in some cases.

This card is also among the top-tier options for business travel. Not only does it earn 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels purchased through the Amex website, it comes with access to an abundance of luxury travel perks, credits and more. Its most valuable feature might be airport lounge access, to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide — including the exclusive Centurion lounges.

Pros

• Airport lounge access
• $189 annual Clear credit
• Fine Hotels + Resorts Complimentary Night or Property Credit
• Several statement credit offers on select purchases
• Terms apply

Cons

• $695 annual fee
• Must redeem for travel through Amex Travel
• Fee to transfer points to frequent flyer programs

Who should apply: The Amex Business Platinum is for business owners who spend considerable money on business travel. It’s also for businesses that spend enough to meet the card’s higher spending requirement to earn the welcome offer. Considering the bevy of travel perks, it’s geared toward those who prefer to travel in luxury and want access to airport lounges.

Who should skip: With a $695 annual price tag, this card isn’t for business owners who travel infrequently or wouldn’t take advantage of most of the card’s additional benefits. Many other business credit cards earn rewards without the high annual fee.

Comparing the high-limit business credit cards

How to choose a high-limit business credit card

When looking for the right high-limit business credit card, consider the following factors before applying for a card.

• Rewards: Some cards offer a specific type of rewards like airline miles, hotel rewards points or cash back. Others offer flexible rewards redeemable in several ways. Knowing the type of rewards you want to earn will narrow down the field of eligible cards.
• Other cardholder benefits: Card benefits don’t stop with earning rewards. Consider other benefits you want access to when choosing a business credit card. Additional benefits may include free employee cards, travel and purchase protections and perks, compatibility with your accounting software and more.
• Interest rates: Your interest rate is important, especially if you plan to carry a balance from month to month. If that’s the case, you might want to consider a business card that offers 0 percent APR on purchases for an extended period.
• Fees: Many business cards that earn rewards carry an annual fee. Fees vary significantly from no fee to over $500 annually and beyond. Other fees may include late fees and foreign transaction fees.

Frequently asked questions

Do business credit cards check personal credit?

When applying for a business credit card, the issuer will conduct a hard pull on your personal credit score, especially if your business credit score isn’t established yet. This is mostly to see how risky it is to extend you (and your business) credit. Plus, the issuer will likely require you to personally guarantee for your business card.

What is a good credit limit for a business card?

The American Banking Association reported that in the first quarter of 2022 the average credit limit for super-prime consumers was $12,097 and $7,610 for prime cardholders. Though issuers are pretty tight-lipped about their maximum credit limits, for both personal and business accounts, a good credit limit could likely be higher than those reported for consumer cards, since businesses tend to spend way more annually.

How do you get a business credit score?

Formally establishing your business as a separate entity from you will help you get a business credit score, such as opening a business checking account and applying for an employer identification number. Then, much like personal credit scores, you build up your score by using credit products, such as loans, credit accounts with merchants and business credit cards.

Bottom line

The best high-limit business credit cards keep your business moving while earning you valuable rewards. Maximize your rewards potential by using your card for all business-related expenses. Always remember to pay your balance in full each month to avoid costly interest charges and enjoy the full value of your rewards. And last, keep in mind that your personal credit score and other factors typically determine business card limits. Individuals with very good to excellent FICO credit scores are more likely to get approved and secure higher card limits.

Methodology

CreditCards.com’s experts weighed multiple factors on dozens of credit cards when deciding on the best high-limit business credit cards. Some of these factors include: credit limits, rewards structure and annual fees, if any. We also considered any additional card perks that may benefit specific business types such as travel insurance, purchase protection and welcome bonuses.