Best business credit cards of January 2026

This card is ideal for business owners who travel frequently, want to earn valuable rewards on both business and everyday purchases and appreciate premium benefits like travel protections, airport lounge access and no foreign transaction fees.

If you’re looking to turn business expenses into meaningful travel rewards — and want premium perks usually reserved for personal cards — the Sapphire Business Card’s strong earning power, flexible redemption options and travel-friendly benefits make it a standout choice.

If you want access to the Centurion Lounge and other top-tier travel perks, you might consider the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. While it carries a hefty $895 annual fee (see rates and fees), it offers 5 Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com, access to thousands of lounges worldwide and earns  1.5 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases in select business categories (on up to $2 million per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).

Business travelers who can take advantage of this card’s statement credits and would benefit from perks like lounge access and hotel elite status.

If you’re often on the go for work trips, this Amex Business Platinum card is a solid choice. It’s packed with travel-related statement credits and benefits in addition to offering business-specific perks that are pretty straightforward to use.

If you’re in the market for a premium business card but don’t want to commit to the Amex Business Platinum, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠. Like its consumer counterpart, the Sapphire Reserve for Business earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points and also offers business-related statement credits and perks.

Business owners who spend in the card’s bonus categories will love its up-to-8% return (based on TPG’s valuations). Bonus categories where you can earn up to 4 points per dollar each billing cycle (up to $150,000 spent annually, then 1 point per dollar) include transit purchases; U.S. purchases for online, TV and radio advertising; monthly wireless phone service charges made directly from U.S. service providers; U.S. purchases at gas stations; U.S. purchases at restaurants; and U.S. purchases from electronic goods retailers and cloud system providers. You’ll also enjoy perks like Amex Offers. 

“No other card provides the earning potential and adaptability this card has. Sure, its annual fee isn’t cheap, but I love the fact that I don’t need to think about what purchases I put on this card. It will automatically adapt and provide 4 points per dollar in my top two spending categories each billing cycle (up to $150,000 of these purchases yearly, then 1 point per dollar).” — Ryan Smith, former credit cards writer

If you’re looking for a lower annual fee or a card that earns bonus points on more purchase categories (not just your top two per month), consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You’ll earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel, shipping, select advertising purchases and internet, cable and phone services (on up to $150,000 in annual combined purchases, then 1 point per dollar). Its annual fee is just $95.

Business owners whose spending habits fluctuate will love the fact that this card has no preset spending limits. It adapts to you, which can be great when you need to spend more around busy periods or to restock inventory. If you can pay your bill in full each month (which is required on this card), you’ll love this spending flexibility.

High-spending businesses can take home a ton of cash-back without worrying about complicated travel rewards.

If you’d prefer to earn transferable rewards points or get higher earnings in your most common spending categories, the American Express® Business Gold Card might fit well in your wallet. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar (an 8% return on spending based on TPG’s valuations) in your top two spending categories each billing cycle on up to $150,000 of these purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar.

Business owners who want to earn a transferable currency will love Capital One miles, which have grown in value and redemption options over the past few years. You’ll also enjoy a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $120) and the flexibility to use your miles to cover travel expenses at a fixed value of 1 cent apiece. If you’re looking for a card that earns valuable miles without needing to track bonus categories, this is it.

You’ll earn transferable points on every purchase without worrying about bonus categories, all for a low annual fee.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has the same $95 annual fee but earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points instead of Capital One miles. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel, shipping, select advertising purchases and internet, cable and phone services (on up to $150,000 in annual combined purchases, then 1 point per dollar); you’ll earn 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

There are two types of business owners who will benefit from this card. The first is the person looking for a card with a lucrative earning structure but no annual fee. The second is someone who needs a card for those “other” expenses that fall outside the bonus categories offered by other rewards cards in their wallet. This is an ideal card for everyday business expenses.

“I have the Chase Ink Business trilogy — the Ink Business Cash Credit Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card. The first two cards maximize my points-earning on things like office supply, internet and phone purchases, while the Ink Unlimited covers everything else with a flat 1.5% earn rate. The fact that I have the Ink Preferred means I can convert my cash back from the Ink Unlimited into more valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This no-annual-fee card will stay in my wallet for years to come.” — Matt Moffitt, senior credit cards editor

If you’re looking for a card that rewards you based on your banking relationship, the Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card earns 1.5% back on all purchases. Those with banking and investment accounts at Bank of America can bump their earning rate up to 2.625% on all purchases thanks to Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business.

This is a good option for business owners who prioritize earning cash back rewards over points and miles and who don’t want to deal with the hassle of tracking bonus spend categories.

If you’re looking for a simple business card that earns unlimited cash back and offers some business perks, consider adding the Capital One Spark Cash card to your wallet.

If your small business would be better off with a no annual fee, consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. It features a lower cash back reward rate but also comes with a decent welcome bonus.

Freelancers, those with a side hustle, newcomers to points and miles and those with varying expenses will love this card and the fact that it doesn’t require tracking any bonus categories to maximize earnings. Instead, its flat earning rate provides value on all purchases without an annual fee required to unlock its full potential.

“There are very few no-annual-fee cards that award fully transferable points, but the Amex Blue Business Plus is one of them. Not only that, but you'll earn 2 Membership Rewards points for every dollar you spend (on up to $50,000 each year). That's a fantastic return of 4% back based on TPG's valuations, making this a great option for your small-business needs.” — Nick Ewen, director of content

If you want a card without an annual fee that doesn’t have the earning limits of the Blue Business Plus, look at the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. You’ll earn 1.5% back on all purchases (and can convert these into transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you have other eligible Chase credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card). Doing so would yield a 3% return on all spending based on TPG’s valuations.

This is an ideal card for business owners whose primary expenses are at office supply stores, telecommunications providers, gas stations or restaurants thanks to those bonus categories. You can earn handsomely in these categories without paying an annual fee to keep the card in your wallet.

“I love this card for awarding 5% back on my telecommunication services and office supply purchases, all with no annual fee. But my favorite perk is taking those cash-back rewards and combining them with my earnings from the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This means I’m effectively earning 5 fully-transferable Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar I spend in these categories — which I then can transfer to valuable partners like World of Hyatt and Air Canada Aeroplan.” — Nick Ewen, director of content

If your expenses are spread across many categories, you may prefer a card that earns a flat rate on all purchases. Consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, which earns 2 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on all purchases (on up to $50,000 of purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar) and has no annual fee (see rates and fees).

Business owners who can qualify for Preferred Rewards status should consider this card thanks to its accelerated earning rates that are based on your banking and investment accounts. Additionally, this card is a solid option for business owners looking for a quality cash-back rate on a card without an annual fee and without annual earning limits.

For no annual fee, earning up to 2.625% back on your business expenses is a solid return.

Consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card if you don’t have qualifying accounts with Bank of America or prefer to earn points in the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem. The Ink Unlimited earns 1.5% back on all purchases, but you can redeem these as transferable Ultimate Rewards points if you have other eligible Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

Small business owners who regularly book flights on Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines.

Between the Companion Fare, free checked bags, preferred boarding and triple points on select airline purchases, the card delivers excellent value for small businesses that fly Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines more than a few times per year. 

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a worthy alternative with flexible rewards and travel protections, while the American Express® Business Gold Card offers customizable bonus categories and Membership Rewards points that transfer to 20 travel partners.

Those who want elite-like benefits with United — such as priority boarding and free checked bags — but aren’t willing to shell out for premium cards with lounge access will love this card. Its earning rates, perks and moderate annual fee are a powerful combination for those who fly United a few times a year.

“As a frequent United traveler, I actually have a couple of United credit cards that unlock different perks and benefits. While I initially got the United Business Card for the bonus and to keep business expenses separate, I keep it for the discount on inflight purchases, the 5,000 annual mile bonus for having both a business and personal United card and the $125 statement credit for charging $100 or more on United purchases at least five times to the card each year.” — Summer Hull, director of content

If you’re looking for points you can use with United and in other ways, see if the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a better fit for your wallet. For a $95 annual fee, this card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners, including United, though you do miss out on the airline-specific perks.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business card provides an excellent balance of benefits while maintaining a low annual fee. Cardholders can enjoy various perks, including  complimentary Gold Elite status and valuable travel protections. It's worth noting that the card offers the highest earning potential for points on Hilton purchases, as is common with cobranded cards. Please keep in mind that enrollment may be required for certain benefits.

“With generous perks like Gold status and the ability to unlock top-tier Diamond status with $40,000 of spend in a calendar year, the Hilton Honors Business Card is all about giving you perks beyond your money’s worth with a reasonable annual fee.” — Kyle Olsen, former points and miles reporter.

Unlike some other cards, the American Express® Business Gold Card does not provide hotel status. However, it offers the advantage of earning American Express Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to Hilton or utilized with a wide range of hotel and airline partners. This flexibility allows cardholders to maximize their rewards by choosing with diverse options beyond just Hilton.

Business owners who can both take advantage of those day-of-travel perks and maximize this card’s earning structure. It accrues 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases; 2 points per dollar spent on local transit and commuting(including rideshare), 2 points per dollar on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel; and 1 point per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.

“It made sense for me to get this as my first Southwest card given that I live in Austin, where almost 40% of flights are operated by Southwest. I get the most value out of this card by taking advantage of the upgraded boardings, inflight Wi-Fi credits and 9,000 anniversary bonus points, which help offset the significant annual fee.” — Matt Moffitt, senior credit cards editor

If you only fly Southwest a handful of times per year or want a lower annual fee, you should consider the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card instead. You'll enjoy a 25% discount on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi purchases, have the chance to spend your way toward A-List status, get a shortcut toward the Companion Pass and receive two EarlyBird check-ins each year (through Dec. 31,2025)