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Best Business Credit Cards for Bad Credit of April 2024

By Katherine Fan, Kelsey Sheehy
Last updated on March 12, 2024
Edited byRyan Lane
Fact checked and reviewed

⏰ Estimated read time: 8 minutes

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Business credit cards for bad credit can help entrepreneurs with a personal FICO score below 630 access and build business credit. These cards typically fall into two buckets: secured cards and corporate cards.
Secured business cards are relatively easy to get but require a cash security deposit. While secured business cards can build business credit, they won't help your personal credit score. A secured personal card is a good option to do that, if you want to qualify for unsecured business credit cards down the road.
Corporate cards typically don't require a credit check, but you need strong annual revenue and a sizable bank balance to qualify. They’re also only available to incorporated businesses. If approved, corporate credit cards offer perks and rewards similar to traditional business credit cards.
Note: Some of our selections can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you’ll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.

Looking for a business credit card?

See our overall favorites, or choose your business type to find the best options for you.

Our top overall picks

on Nerdwallet's secure site

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Business credit cards for bad credit can help entrepreneurs with a personal FICO score below 630 access and build business credit. These cards typically fall into two buckets: secured cards and corporate cards.
Secured business cards are relatively easy to get but require a cash security deposit. While secured business cards can build business credit, they won't help your personal credit score. A secured personal card is a good option to do that, if you want to qualify for unsecured business credit cards down the road.
Corporate cards typically don't require a credit check, but you need strong annual revenue and a sizable bank balance to qualify. They’re also only available to incorporated businesses. If approved, corporate credit cards offer perks and rewards similar to traditional business credit cards.
Note: Some of our selections can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you’ll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.

Looking for a business credit card?

See our overall favorites, or choose your business type to find the best options for you.

Our top overall picks

on Nerdwallet's secure site

Here are the best business credit cards for bad credit from our partners

Credit cardNerdWallet ratingAnnual feeRewards rateIntro offerLearn more

Brex Card

Apply now

on Brex's website

3.1/5

Best for Corporate cards

$0

1x-7x

Points

10,000

Points

Apply now

on Brex's website

Ramp Card

Apply now

on Ramp's website

3.7/5

Best for Corporate cards

$0

1.5%

Cashback

N/A

Apply now

on Ramp's website

BILL Divvy Corporate Card

Apply now

on BILL Spend & Expense's website

2.9/5

Best for Corporate cards

$0

1x-7x

Points

N/A

Apply now

on BILL Spend & Expense's website

Capital on Tap Business Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital on Tap's website

3.9/5

Best for Business credit card for fair, average credit

$0

1.5%

$200

Apply now

on Capital on Tap's website

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Secured cards to build personal credit

$0

1%-2%

Cashback

Cashback Match™

Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Rates & Fees

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

4.9/5

Best for Secured cards to build personal credit

$0

1.5%-5%

Cashback

N/A

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

Credit cardNerdWallet ratingAnnual feeRewards rateIntro offerLearn more

Brex Card

Apply now

on Brex's website

3.1/5

Best for Corporate cards

$0

1x-7x

Points

10,000

Points

Apply now

on Brex's website

Ramp Card

Apply now

on Ramp's website

3.7/5

Best for Corporate cards

$0

1.5%

Cashback

N/A

Apply now

on Ramp's website

BILL Divvy Corporate Card

Apply now

on BILL Spend & Expense's website

2.9/5

Best for Corporate cards

$0

1x-7x

Points

N/A

Apply now

on BILL Spend & Expense's website

Capital on Tap Business Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital on Tap's website

3.9/5

Best for Business credit card for fair, average credit

$0

1.5%

$200

Apply now

on Capital on Tap's website

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Rates & Fees

5.0/5

Best for Secured cards to build personal credit

$0

1%-2%

Cashback

Cashback Match™

Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Rates & Fees

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

4.9/5

Best for Secured cards to build personal credit

$0

1.5%-5%

Cashback

N/A

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Rates & Fees

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Our picks for

Corporate cards

Brex Card

Apply now

on Brex's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
10,000 Points

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • Qualify with limited/bad credit
  • Bonus categories
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No personal guarantee

Cons

  • Complicated rewards structure
  • High capital requirement for approval
  • Daily repayment may be required

Brex Card

NerdWallet rating 

3.1/5
Apply now

on Brex's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
10,000 Points

Ramp Card

Apply now

on Ramp's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A

Pros

  • No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
  • Simple, straightforward rewards
  • No personal guarantee or credit check
  • Direct integrations with popular tools and card-level spending controls and alerts

Cons

  • Balance must be paid in full each month
  • Not available to sole proprietors or unincorporated businesses

Ramp Card

NerdWallet rating 

3.7/5
Apply now

on Ramp's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A

BILL Divvy Corporate Card

Apply now

on BILL Spend & Expense's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
N/A

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Card-level spending controls

Cons

  • Complicated rewards structure with limits on redemption
  • Balance must be paid in full each billing cycle

BILL Divvy Corporate Card

NerdWallet rating 

2.9/5
Apply now

on BILL Spend & Expense's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x-7x Points
Intro offer
N/A

Our pick for

Business credit card for fair, average credit

Capital on Tap Business Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital on Tap's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%
Intro offer
$200

Pros

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • 24/7 customer service

Cons

  • Not available to sole proprietors, charities or nonprofits
  • Must enroll in automatic payments

Capital on Tap Business Credit Card

NerdWallet rating 

3.9/5
Apply now

on Capital on Tap's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%
Intro offer
$200

Our picks for

Secured cards to build personal credit

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
Cashback Match™

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Reports to the three major credit bureaus
  • Qualify with limited/bad credit
  • Earns rewards
  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • Requires minimum deposit
  • High APR

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

NerdWallet rating 

5.0/5
Apply now

on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2% Cashback
Intro offer
Cashback Match™

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A

Pros

  • Qualify with limited/bad credit
  • Reports to the three major credit bureaus
  • Earns rewards
  • No minimum redemption amount
  • Rewards don't expire
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • High APR
  • No new cardholder bonus offer
  • No bonus categories

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

NerdWallet rating 

4.9/5
Apply now

on Capital One's website

Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%-5% Cashback
Intro offer
N/A

NerdWallet's editorial picks: Best business credit cards for bad credit

Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.

Corporate cards

Corporate credit cards typically don't require a personal credit check — the
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
is an exception — but they do require a minimum bank balance of $20,000 or higher and substantial annual revenue.
NerdWallet star rating:
3.7
The
Ramp Card
's main selling point: It does not require a credit check or personal guarantee. You just need strong revenue and a healthy bank balance. The corporate charge card also offers unlimited cash-back rewards and card-level spending controls with no annual fee. Learn more and apply.
NerdWallet star rating:
3.1
The
Brex Card
doesn't require a personal credit check and business owners can apply with an EIN only. There's also no personal guarantee. Instead, Brex determines creditworthiness by evaluating a company's cash balance, spending patterns and investors. The Brex card also offers a decent welcome bonus, earns ongoing rewards and offers direct integration with popular accounting and bookkeeping software. Learn more and apply.
NerdWallet star rating:
2.9
Unlike other corporate cards, the
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
does require a credit check, but the card's underwriting criteria are more flexible than other business credit cards. The
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
generally requires a minimum FICO score of 650 or higher, but the issuer also factors annual revenue and business bank account balance into approval decisions. If approved, you can earn up to 7x points on restaurants and 5x points on hotels, though weekly payments are required to hit the top tier. Learn more and apply.

Business credit cards for fair, average credit

Most business credit cards require a personal FICO score of 690 or higher to qualify, but the following options are available to business owners fair or average credit — typically a FICO score between 630 and 689.
NerdWallet star rating:
3.9
Capital on Tap says applicants with a FICO score of 670 or higher have the best chance of approval, but the card is available to business owners with fair credit. The
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
offers
1.5%
cash back on all purchases, no annual fee and the potential for a low APR. One important note: This card is not available to sole proprietors, which excludes the majority of businesses. Learn more and apply.
NerdWallet star rating:
3
The rewards rate on the
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
isn't going to wow anyone; there's no sign-up bonus and the APR is high. What makes this card valuable is that it's available to business operators with fair credit, who don't have a lot of options in business credit cards.

Secured cards to build business credit history

A secured business credit card is one way to establish and build your business credit. Prioritize on-time payments and aim to keep credit utilization below 30% to have a positive impact on your business credit score.

First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card

This card has not been rated by NerdWallet
The
First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card
reports card activity to Dun & Bradstreet, one of the three main business credit bureaus, so on-time payments will help build your business credit score. This secured card does require a credit check (personal credit) and security deposit (between $2,000 and $10,000 in multiples of $100) which dictates your credit limit. This card charges a $
39
annual fee.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card

This card has not been rated by NerdWallet
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no cap or expiration date on the rewards you earn. The card has a minimum security deposit of $1,000, which is equal to your credit limit and subject to credit approval. Bank of America will periodically review your secured card and may upgrade you to an unsecured card if and when you qualify. This card has no annual fee.

Secured cards to build personal credit

If bad personal credit is preventing you from financing your business, a secured personal credit card can help you improve your credit over time and unlock better financing options down the road.
NerdWallet star rating:
5
While there aren't Discover business credit cards, this personal secured credit card offers a generous cash-back program. Responsible habits will automatically trigger an evaluation from Discover after seven months of holding the card. Note that your original deposit, or security, must be paid through a bank account. Learn more and apply.
NerdWallet star rating:
4.9
The
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
offers an impressive combination of features for those with poor credit. A deposit is required, but in exchange you get a
$0
-annual-fee card that reports to all three credit bureaus; an automatic credit limit review after six months; and a possible upgrade path to an unsecured Capital One card. Oh, and 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, plus 1.5% back on all other purchases, which equals what you'd find on many unsecured cards (see rates and fees). Learn more and apply.

How do you apply for a business credit card with bad credit?

  • Know your credit score. Most issuers check your personal credit score when you apply for a business credit card because you will need to guarantee the debt (i.e., promise to repay it if your business can't). Your options will be limited if you have a FICO score below 630, which is considered bad credit. If you have time, take some quick steps to build credit — like paying off existing debt or disputing errors on your credit report — to help your score before applying.
  • Find the right card for your business. Poor or thin credit may be the biggest factor in the card you choose, but you’ll still want to consider a card’s terms and individual features to determine the best fit for your company. First National Bank’s business secured card charges an annual fee, for example, but offers a higher potential credit line (with deposit) than other secured cards.
  • Make your deposit, if necessary. No-deposit business credit cards for bad credit are uncommon. Most likely, you’ll have to opt for a secured credit card that requires a deposit, which the lender can take in instances of nonpayment. Bank of America’s business secured card, for example, requires a security deposit of at least $1,000 and then limits your spending to that deposited amount.
  • Use your business credit card wisely. Getting a business credit card won’t help bad personal credit: Most business card providers only report negative behavior to consumer credit bureaus. But good habits like making on-time payments and paying in full can build your business credit. Plus, some issuers, like Bank of America, will monitor your secured card usage and let you upgrade to an unsecured account.

Alternatives to business credit cards for bad credit

Secured cards are tied to a cash deposit, which makes them among the easiest business credit cards to get. That's because card issuers can simply take that deposit if you fail to pay what you owe, making them more willing to work with business owners with poor personal credit or no credit history.
But if you need more money than a secured card’s credit limit, bad-credit business loans may be an option. For example, Fundbox’s business line of credit is worth up to $150,000 to business owners with a credit score of at least 600 and six months in business. If you’re a startup with bad credit, an option like invoice financing could make sense depending on your business model.
You may also want to consider a personal loan for bad credit or personal credit card for bad credit. While NerdWallet recommends separating your personal and business finances, these products can offer short-term financing and the opportunity to strengthen your credit for future business borrowing needs.
And if you're simply looking for a way to manage your business's spending — instead of increasing its spending power — a business debit card may be a fit. These prepaid options won't help with your business or personal credit scores, but they can make it easier to track employee purchases and pull expenses into your accounting software.
Last updated on March 12, 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best credit cards for small business based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of small-business operators. Factors in our evaluation include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as special financing arrangements, free cards for employees or tools for managing business expenses. Learn more about how we rate business credit cards.
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Find a business credit card that works as hard as you do

Looking to earn rewards or build your credit? We’ll help match you to the perfect business credit card based on your qualifications.