Best cash-back business credit cards of August 2023
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BLUEPRINT
Published 3:32 a.m. ET Aug. 1, 2023
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If you’re looking for a business credit card to maximize rewards on business expenses, it’s hard to beat cash for simplicity and flexibility. Identifying the right cash-back business card for your operation is a smart money move. Plus, the best cash-back business cards may offer additional helpful features, such as intro APR periods, free employee cards and financial management tools.
The right business cash-back credit card for someone else’s business may not be the right card for your business, as everyone’s spending habits are unique. However, our list of the best cash-back business credit cards is a great place to start.
We analyzed a broad swath of cash-back business credit cards, from a variety of issuers, to curate a list of the very best on the market. Here are our selections.
Be sure to compare these cards to those on our list of the best business credit cards to view them outside of the context of this specific list. Though there are a wide range of cards, our list may not have the best card for your unique needs as a business owner.
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Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
: Best cash-back business credit card
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Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card *
The information for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best for custom rewards
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Amazon Prime Business American Express Card *
The information for the Amazon Prime Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best for Amazon Prime members
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The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card *
The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best for capped flat-rate cash back
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Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
: Best for uncapped flat-rate cash back
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U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card *
The information for the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best for rewarding traditional business expenses
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Capital One Spark Cash Plus *
The information for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best for high-expenditure businesses
Best cash back business credit cards of August 2023
Best cash-back business credit card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Best for custom rewards
Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
*The information for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best for Amazon Prime members
Amazon Prime Business American Express Card
*The information for the Amazon Prime Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best for capped flat-rate cash back
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
*The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best for uncapped flat-rate cash back
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Best for rewarding traditional business expenses
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
*The information for the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best for high-expenditure businesses
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
*The information for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Compare the best credit cards for cash back business credit cards:
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Get a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
Get an Amazon.com Gift Card upon approval for the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card.
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Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn $500 in cash back after spending $4,500 on the account owner’s card in the first 150 days of opening the account.
Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers mid-range benefits and doesn’t charge an annual fee. Coupled with decent reward earnings and a healthy welcome bonus, the card offers a great all-around option for many small business owners.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 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% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: Earn $750 cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Zero fraud liability protection, free employee cards, auto rental collision damage waiver, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel and emergency assistance services, roadside dispatch, purchase protection and extended warranty protection.
The information for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card * The information for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers a cash-back program you can tailor to fit your individual business needs. This flexibility, along with the fact that Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business customers can earn cash back at an elevated rate, earns this card a spot on our list of best cash-back business credit cards.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: Earn 3% cash back in the category of choice, 2% cash back on dining and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year and then 1%.
- Welcome bonus: Earn a $300 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each transaction.
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Travel accident insurance, auto rental damage insurance, emergency ticket replacement, lost luggage assistance, legal and medical referrals when away from home and the ability to monitor Dun & Bradstreet business credit scores for no extra charge. The card also offers autopay and the ability to download transactions into QuickBooks. Customers who have Bank of America business checking accounts and qualify for the bank’s highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier can earn up to 75% more rewards with the card.
The information for the Amazon Prime Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Amazon Prime Business American Express Card * The information for the Amazon Prime Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers a generous cash-back rate for purchases with Amazon, AWS and at Whole Foods. Though your cash-back earnings on eligible Amazon purchases are capped at an annual amount each year, that cap is high enough many small businesses may never hit it — and the card’s extra benefits provide plenty of other reasons to use it, anyway.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: Earn 5% back in rewards on the first $120,000 spent each calendar year or 90 Days Terms on eligible U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership. Earn 2% at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and 1% on other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: Earn a $125 Amazon.com gift card upon approval.
- Foreign transaction fees: None.
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Option to choose 90-day payment terms on eligible purchases (payment terms and cash back can’t be combined); Amazon Business Enhanced Data Views, which allows business owners to view their purchase data in detail; Amazon Shop with Points, which allows customers to use their points for purchases; the ability to connect your account to QuickBooks and Vendor Pay with Bill.com. Plus, the card features baggage insurance coverage¹, car rental loss and damage insurance², extended warranty¹ and purchase protection¹. Note that an eligible Amazon Prime membership is required to qualify for this card.
The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card * The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) offers a best-in-class flat-rate cash-back rewards program, but with a cap on the rewards your business can earn at the elevated rate. However, its simplicity makes it an attractive option for business owners not interested in carrying a card that earns more in certain bonus categories but a lower base rate on other purchases.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases, up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
- Welcome bonus: None.
- Foreign transaction fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Car rental loss and damage insurance², the Global Assist® Hotline³, Vendor Pay by Bill.com, extended warranty protection¹ and purchase protection¹.
With unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card isn’t the top-earning business rewards card around. However, with a useful set of benefits, and the ability to redeem rewards through Chase Ultimate Rewards® — one of the most flexible rewards currencies on the market — this card still merits consideration for business owners whose spending doesn’t fit neatly into specific bonus categories that other cards may reward.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: Earn 1.5% cash back on purchases.
- Welcome bonus: Earn $750 cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fee: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Employee cards at no additional cost (and you can set spending limits on these cards), purchase protection, extended warranty protection, auto rental collision damage waiver and roadside dispatch.
The information for the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card * The information for the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers decent rewards for businesses with expenses that fall into several traditional business purchase categories, including gas stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants. It also offers an intro APR and a handful of convenience benefits, plus an annual software statement credit.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Rewards Center, 3% cash back at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cellphone service providers and restaurants and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Welcome bonus: Earn $500 in cash back after spending $4,500 on purchases in the first 150 days of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 3% of each foreign transaction.
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Annual $100 statement credit toward recurring software subscription expenses such as FreshBooks or QuickBooks, a no-extra-charge online tool to track business spending and access to the Real-Time Rewards program that allows users to shop nearly anywhere and redeem rewards instantly.
The information for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Capital One Spark Cash Plus * The information for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is a smart choice for businesses with high expenses and high revenue. Its flat cash-back rate extends to virtually all purchases (with elevated earnings on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel), meaning rewards are simple and easy-to track. Plus, there’s no preset spending limit, offering flexibility for when you need the power to spend big. But know you can’t carry a balance — the card must be paid off each month, otherwise you’ll incur a monthly late fee.
- Annual fee: $150.
- Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Welcome bonus: Earn $1,200 cash bonus after spending $30,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: See Terms.
- Other benefits and drawbacks: Virtual card numbers, access to Capital One Travel, extended warranty, free employee cards (you can set customized spending limits on these) and get the $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000 on the card.
What is a cash-back business card?
A cash-back business card rewards business owners with cash back when they make a purchase on the card. The amount of cash back awarded varies depending on the specific card, but in general, business credit cards offering cash back may earn between 1% and 5% back for spending in categories such as office supplies and cable or telephone providers.
“Cash back cards don’t always give you the best “bang for the buck” compared to travel and other rewards cards but the truth is if you are running a business cash is king. Getting what your business needs and what gives it the most flexibility can often be the optimal choice regardless of how the math works out. And these days for many businesses who want to avoid or at least minimize debt, cash to fund and grow a business is the best perk of all,” says Bobbi Rebell, CFP®, Founder, Financial Wellness Strategies and author, Launching Financial Grownups.
Pros and cons of cash-back business cards
Cash-back business cards offer a number of advantages for businesses and their owners. The primary benefit — which will come as no surprise — is the ability to earn cash back from business-related purchases. But business credit cards often provide additional benefits and perks such as travel or purchase protections and extended warranty benefits too. These cards may also offer introductory APRs or generous welcome bonuses.
Another central advantage to business credit cards vs. consumer credit cards is the ability to draw a clear distinction between business finances and personal finances for the purposes of liability protection. For tax and legal reasons, establishing that your business and personal finances are separate can be highly beneficial, so having a separate account with a separate ledger of business transactions is a smart move in the long run.
In general, business credit cards won’t report to your personal credit as long as your account is in good standing. This can be beneficial if your business has heavy utilization and you don’t want that impacting your personal credit score. Just know there are business cards that report all activity to your personal credit, and if you fall late on payments, virtually any business card will report that — so your personal score can suffer due to bad behavior on a business card.
And beware that cash-back business cards, like consumer credit cards, tend to have higher interest rates than other types of borrowing. That means it’s important not to rely on business credit cards for longer-term financing. Consider business credit cards a convenient way to manage cash flow, facilitate better record-keeping and take advantage of any benefits or perks your card may offer, rather than a loan. It’s best to pay your bill on time and in full each month.
Who should get a cash-back business card?
Cash-back business cards are best suited to those who make frequent business purchases using a credit card. Business owners, entrepreneurs and freelancers can all benefit from using cash-back business cards for both rewards and the additional benefits.
For example, introductory APRs can help finance equipment purchases or other big-ticket expenses, as long as the business has a responsible plan to pay off any balances before the end of the intro period. And welcome bonuses can provide a nice boost to rewards when covering a large batch of expenses in a relatively short period of time.
If your business is new and doesn’t yet have revenue to report, the issuer may allow you to provide estimated revenue based on what you expect to earn. Just note that you should be honest, and shouldn’t inflate your estimate or pretend to have a business if you don’t.
How to get a cash-back business card
Applying for a cash-back business card is relatively straightforward and quite similar to applying for a consumer card. You’ll need to apply for the card through a credit card issuer either online or over the phone. You can also mail in applications, but the process will be much slower.
During the application, you’ll need to provide information such as business name, address and income. Small business credit cards will also typically require a personal guarantee, meaning that the business owner will use their personal credit to apply for the card and guarantee that even if the business fails, the owner remains responsible for any balance remaining.
Comparing cash-back business cards
Before choosing a card to apply for, compare the rewards rate, annual fee and any other benefits a business cash-back card may offer — not only to other cash-back business credit cards but to other business rewards credit cards more broadly. Even if you know you want to earn cash back, you may find other benefits and reward structures worth exploring.
Also be sure to read and compare the terms and conditions so you fully understand any restrictions or fees associated with any cards you’re considering. Finding the right business credit card for your needs can seem daunting, given the volume of offers on the market, but by careful elimination and comparison of cards, you’ll likely find one that’s right for your business.
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. Factors weighed when selecting the best cash-back business credit cards included cash-back rates, foreign transaction fees, introductory APRs and benefits such as car rental coverage and extended warranty protections.
No, cash back earned on a business credit card is considered a rebate on purchases by the IRS and is not considered income. Check with your tax advisor for specific questions pertaining to your situation.
Yes, you can use your business’s EIN (Employer Identification Number) to apply for a business credit card. Typically, the card issuer will require a personal guarantee and also run a credit check on you, the owner of the business, using your Social Security number (SSN).
It may be possible to obtain a business credit card with a low personal credit score, but your choices may be limited to secured business credit cards. The best business cards on the market typically require good-to-excellent personal credit, generally meaning a FICO score of 670 or higher.
No, it is not advisable to use a business credit card for personal expenses as this can pose liability issues. Usually, a main goal of a business credit card is to help establish the business entity’s financial and legal separation from your personal finances, and mixing personal and business transactions across cards weakens the demonstration of this separation.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
³Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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