GM Business Card review: Solid earnings but inflexible rewards

GM Business Mastercard overview

The GM Business™ Mastercard® offers plenty of value for businesses with a fleet of General Motors vehicles but not much value for anyone else. You'll enjoy healthy earning rates with no annual fee but minimal perks and redemption options for those who don't spend a lot with GM. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

If you're a business owner who has a fleet of vehicles as part of your business, you may have considered getting the GM Business Card. On the one hand, the card earns bonus rewards on General Motors purchases as well as at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores. On the other hand, you can only use your rewards to buy or lease GM vehicles.

If you spend a lot on GM vehicles, you may be able to get some solid value out of the card's earning rates. If not, however, this card isn't the one for you.

The card has limited benefits compared to its competitors, lacking in things like annual statement credits. Its rewards are also inflexible compared to those of other cards, without the ability to use your rewards for general purchases or redeem them into a checking account.

The GM Business Card has no annual fee, and we recommend you have a credit score of 670 to get approved for it. Now, let's examine the card details.

The information for the GM Business Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

GM Business Card pros and cons

GM Business Card welcome offer

With the GM Business Card, new cardholders can earn $750 in bonus earnings to redeem with GM after spending $5,000 in the first five months from account opening.

That's a decent return for a business card with no annual fee, but you can do better with more general card offerings. And if you aren't spending much at GM, $750 to redeem with the company won't be very helpful.

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Cardholders also receive a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first nine months and a variable APR of 18.24% to 28.24% based on their creditworthiness thereafter.

Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses currently available

GM Business Card benefits

The GM Business Card doesn't offer much in the way of lavish perks, but you will enjoy standard protections like rental insurance, identity theft protection and zero liability for unauthorized purchases.

You'll also get access to personalized assistance with GM's Business Assistant Concierge, plus no foreign transaction fees or cash advance fees to go along with the $0 annual fee.

GM Business cardholders can also receive discounts on certain business-related services, such as Zoho Marketing Plus, Intuit Quickbooks Online and TurboTax federal products. While these perks are nice, other business cards with better rewards feature discounts or statement credits for certain business-related expenses.

Those are somewhat standard perks for a business card and, therefore, not especially impressive. Unlike many of our favorite business cards, this card has no annual credits and no complimentary membership to any services, GM-related or otherwise. If you want more valuable perks, you'll want to look at a different card.

Related: Key differences of business cards vs. personal cards

Earning rewards with the GM Business Card

With the GM Business Card, you'll get 5% back on GM Genuine and ACDelco Parts, eligible accessories or paid certified service at authorized GM dealerships. You'll also earn 3% back at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores and 1% back on everything else.

Again, those are solid rates if you spend a lot at GM, but they're unremarkable if you can't make use of that 5% bonus category. The 3% earning category is nice, but you can get the same (or better) earning rates on cards that offer plenty more general benefits.

For instance, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees) earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business and has no annual fee. Plus, its cash-back rewards are much more flexible and can turn into transferable travel rewards with the right card pairing.

Related: Your guide to the Chase Ink Business credit cards

Redeeming rewards with the GM Business Card

It's important to note that rewards earned on the GM Business Card can only be redeemed to buy or lease an eligible GM vehicle, such as a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac, at a participating GM dealership.

That's an extremely narrow redemption option, making this card only viable for businesses with multiple GM vehicles (or in the market for GM vehicles).

The good news is that these rewards never expire on active accounts in good standing, so you can save up your rewards for your next big GM purchase.

But again, this is a far more inflexible option compared to any number of business cards on the market. Like many people, I don't have a fleet of GM vehicles to maintain — so I prefer earning flexible cash-back rewards with a card like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (see rates and fees).

Related: Best cash back cards

Which cards compete with the GM Business Card?

There are plenty of general business cards that go toe-to-toe with the GM Business Card:

• If you want more perks: The Capital One Venture X Business comes with premium travel perks like an annual travel credit and lounge access. To learn more, read our full review of the Venture X Business Credit Card.
• If you want more general rewards: The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every business purchase, and you can maximize your rewards by pairing it with other Chase cards to turn your cash back into transferable Ultimate Rewards points. To learn more, read our full review of the Ink Business Unlimited.
• If you prefer American Express: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns lucrative Membership Rewards points on everyday business spending. This card is best suited for small businesses with limited revenue. To learn more, read our full review of the Blue Business Plus.

For additional options, check out our full list of the best business credit cards.

Related: Business credit cards: What they are and how they work

Is the GM Business Card worth it?

Despite its very limited redemption options, the GM Business Card can make sense for businesses looking to earn rewards toward a big GM purchase in the future. Most people, however, will get far more value from a different credit card.

Bottom line

Business owners can take advantage of this card's earnings rates and put them toward a vehicle purchase while also enjoying a few standard perks with no annual fee.

But again, unless you're regularly spending a lot on GM vehicles, you'll be better off with a general business card that earns more flexible cash back or travel rewards.

Related: 6 small-business card welcome bonuses with low spending requirements