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Blog

8 best corporate credit cards for your business

Publié

December 4, 2024

Mis à jour

August 19, 2025

Temps de lecture

20 MIN

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Corporate credit cards let employees directly make on-the-job purchases with company funds. Standout providers come with rewards programs that help companies earn points or cash back on business purchases. And your best options will also come with spending controls that help finance teams and supervisors monitor compliance with internal purchasing policies. 

This guide will unpack how to get a corporate credit card that best suits your business needs. It’ll also demystify the subtle distinctions between different business-owned card types. 

What is a corporate credit card?

Companies issue corporate credit cards to employees for work-related expenses—like travel, events with clients, supplies, and any other purchases needed on the job. Also known as commercial credit cards, corporate credit cards relieve employees from dipping into personal accounts for business expenses. 

And since they’re owned and operated by businesses, standout corporate credit cards let companies manage spend by setting purchasing restrictions tailored to employee needs. 

What is a corporate charge card?

The terms “corporate credit card” and “corporate charge card” may sound similar and may be used interchangeably, but they can have subtle differences that businesses should keep in mind when weighing their options. 

  • Corporate credit cards: Offer revolving credit, meaning accountholders can make minimum payments one billing cycle and roll the remaining balance over to the next. Interest is typically charged on the outstanding balance. 

  • Corporate charge cards: Don’t allow balances to carry over. Businesses have to make payments in full by the due date every billing cycle.  

While corporate credit cards can offer more payment flexibility, they can incur steep interest rates for unpaid balances. Standout corporate charge cards, meanwhile, can come with tighter controls that help businesses pre-emptively block out-of-policy charges and set more restrictions on vendors and transaction amounts.

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The corporate card with a built-in back office

How do corporate credit and charge cards work?

Much like personal or small business credit cards, corporate cards come with spending limits, recurring billing cycles, and (usually) rewards programs. Companies need to regularly pay a designated minimum amount off a corporate credit card’s balance or, in a corporate charge card’s case, pay the balance off in full. And since corporate card issuers report to business credit bureaus, payment history, credit utilization, and account openings all impact a company’s business credit score. 

However, businesses, not individual cardholding employees, typically assume liability for paying off corporate credit cards by making a “business guarantee” (instead of employees pulling up a “personal guarantee.” Corporate credit cards also typically come with support services (sometimes through software) that let companies set spending controls to restrict use—since the cards are only intended for business-related purchases and, without guardrails, are vulnerable to noncompliant transactions. 

Also keep in mind that liability criteria varies across different issuers and card types. Some cards allow individual liability, meaning employees pay the bill upfront and submit expense reports for reimbursement. In this case, card issuers may check individual employees’ personal credit with a “soft pull,” i.e., not  impacting their credit score, in order to issue the card.

Types of corporate credit cards

If you’re new to the world of corporate credit cards, you may find a lot of similarities with your personal credit cards. But there are significant differences too. 

Unlike personal cards, corporate cards (like those from Rippling, Brex, and the big banks) are used for business spending, and they’re often integrated with expense management software. 

The best corporate or business credit card for your company depends on factors such as the size of your business, its spending patterns, and the specific benefits and perks that fit your day-to-day business needs.

There are several types of corporate credit cards, each serving different purposes. The key types include:

Individual liability cards

Individual liability cards are company credit cards that employees use for business expenses, but the employee is responsible for paying the bill at the end of the month. After making a payment, the employee submits an expense report and requests reimbursement from the company. 

These kinds of cards are a good option for companies with employees who travel often or make a variety of business purchases. Because the account is in their name, it adds accountability and promotes responsible spending. The individual cardholder may see some effects on their credit report if the card account isn’t managed responsibly

Corporate liability cards

With corporate liability cards, the responsibility for payments and keeping the account in good standing falls to the organization. When an employee makes a business purchase, it goes on the company’s credit card account. The company reviews charges to ensure they comply with corporate policy and handles payment directly. 

Corporate liability cards are a good option for mid-sized to large companies where tighter spend control and expense tracking are critical. They shift the burden of managing the card to the company and make it easier to enforce internal spending policies. 

Card programs

Corporate card programs include virtual cards, purchasing cards (P-cards), prepaid cards, and departmental cards. These programs offer a more customizable approach to spending as the cards come with granular controls that enable businesses to limit expenditures by cost or by vendor. Card programs typically include tools that provide real-time monitoring and expense management

For large companies, card programs offer increased spending control and reduced admin work, making them an attractive solution. They’re especially valuable for businesses scaling operations or seeking to automate approvals and streamline reporting.

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You’ve never had control over card spend like this

Why use a corporate credit or charge card?

Here’s a look at the biggest pros of using corporate credit cards, along with some cons of ineffectively managing them. 

Advantages of corporate cards

  • Enhanced expense tracking and management: Corporate cards eliminate the drawn-out, manual expense reimbursement process that takes significant time for employees to file and managers to approve. Companies can consolidate employee spend and make bulk payments across cardholders instead of one-by-one. 

  • Streamlined spending controls: Since businesses own and administer corporate cards, employers can typically set customizable spending limits and restrict purchases based on merchant, location, type of transaction, and more—ensuring responsible use across the workforce. Employers can also quickly lock compromised cards and revoke cardholder access to employees leaving the company. 

  • Improved cash flow management: Corporate credit cards and corporate charge cards help finance teams better track spending patterns by department, vendor, and types of purchases, allowing them to build high-visibility reports that inform the budgeting process.  

  • Access to rewards and incentives: Most corporate cards come with rewards programs like cash back or points on purchases, with special rates for travel, dining, and other business expenses. Employers can choose to pass perks from these rewards cards off to cardholding employees, so they can, for example, redeem airline miles accumulated on business for personal trips. While this boosts morale and helps companies attract and retain talent, businesses can also choose to keep rewards in-house and use them to save costs down the road. 

Disadvantages of corporate credit and charge cards

  • Risk of misuse: Doling out the same, no-strings-attached corporate card to multiple employees can be risky. According to a recent survey, 62% of company credit cardholders know of instances where corporate cards were misused for non-business purposes. 

  • High fees interest rates: Corporate credit cards can come with high annual fees and interest rates—which often vary between 17% and 30%—as well as steep penalties for late payments.

  • Administrative oversight: Finance teams and business leaders may be spread thin managing spend across all their corporate card holders. Without the proper controls in place, they may be unpleasantly surprised to see big-ticket, out-of-policy purchases at the end of the month that throws off cash flow. And the company may be held liable for paying off those unauthorized charges. 

8 best corporate credit and charge cards

Which corporate card is best? It depends on your business size, credit needs, and rewards wants (among other factors). Here are the standout options for top business credit cards and corporate charge cards. 

1. Best for spend management: Rippling Corporate Card

Rippling Corporate Cards unify employee and spend data, allowing you to create hyper-custom card policies and automate control over how, when, and where employees can spend. By connecting corporate card usage directly with employee data, Rippling gives you precise control over spending and policy enforcement, leading to better financial oversight with less administrative work, allowing companies to enforce spend exactly how they want—automatically. 

But automated spending controls are only the beginning. Rippling also offers branded physical cards, instant virtual cards, and rewards for every dollar you spend with no cap and no expiration, complete with industry-leading cashback at 1.75%. It’s no wonder that the Rippling Spend Corporate Card received a 5-star review from NerdWallet.

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Corporate cards with rewards for your business

2. Best for travel rewards: American Express Corporate Platinum Card

Companies with busy corporate travel programs could benefit from the American Express Corporate Platinum Card, which offers access to more than 1,400 airport lounges, up to $200 in annual credits for incidentals on a designated airline, and credits for CLEAR memberships, Global Entry, and TSA PreCheck. Card administrators can set spending limits, monitor compliance, and use accumulated rewards points for company purchases. While this card membership comes with a breadth of travel rewards, its $550 annual fee is higher than industry average. 

3. Best sign-up bonus: Chase Ink Business Preferred

The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card currently offers 90,000 bonus points if users spend $8,000 on qualifying purchases within three months. The Business Preferred credit card doesn’t come with any foreign transaction fees, which helps cardholding employees who travel internationally for business, and has customizable rewards redeemable for cash back, gift cards (which teams can use for employee recognition), and travel. The card also offers bonus points for money spent on shipping and other business categories.

Chase also issues a similar Ink Business Unlimited credit card that offers $750 bonus cash back if you spend $6,000 within three months, as well as an Ink Business Cash card that offers $350 if you spend $3,000 within three months. 

4. Best for unlimited cash back: Capital One Spark Cash Select

This corporate credit card lets businesses earn unlimited 1.5% cash back that doesn’t expire on every purchase. It also doesn’t have an annual fee, offers free cards to every employee a business wants to issue a card to, and allows cardholders to earn extra cash back on hotel and rental car purchases made within its travel portal. You can also earn a $500 bonus if you spend $4,500 with the card within three months.  

5. Best for simplified cash back: American Express Blue Business Cash Card

This American Express corporate credit card offers 2% cash back on eligible purchases for up to $50,000 spent within a year of the account opening. It also has 0% APR for the first year (after which a variable APR kicks in) and comes with damage insurance for car rentals. The Blue Business Cash credit card doesn’t have an annual fee, and businesses can assign an account manager to oversee transactions to monitor compliance with spend policy. American Express also has a similar Blue Business Plus Credit Card that offers 15,000 membership rewards points as a welcome bonus, in lieu of cash back. 

6. Best for low interest: US Bank Business Platinum

With a 0% APR for its first 18 billing cycles, this corporate credit card gives businesses more time than most competitors to pay off balances before high interest rates kick in. It also doesn’t come with an annual fee and allows administrators to set card controls based on time, place, and vendor amount. While this card can be helpful for small businesses that want extra time to pay off balances interest-free, it doesn’t come with a major rewards program. 

7. Best bonus categories: American Express Business Gold Card

Companies that spend big on specific business categories—like transit purchases or media advertising—stand to earn substantial rewards from this corporate credit card. American Express’ Business Gold Card offers 4x points on two eligible business categories for up to $150,000 annually, as well as bonus rewards for flights and hotels booked within the provider’s travel portal. The card also comes with up to $20 in statement credits for purchases at FedEx and office supplies stores, but carries a $375 annual fee. 

8. Best for everyday business spending: Capital One Spark 2x Miles

This corporate credit card earns double miles for every purchase, regardless of category, and five times the miles for hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One’s travel portal. Account managers can set spending limits and view purchasing data as soon as transactions go through. According to The Points Guy, a third party evaluator, its 50,000 mile welcome bonus is worth $925. There is no intro annual fee for this card, but it becomes $95 after the first year. 

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How to choose the right business credit card

Most business-focused cards offer many of the same benefits: they help you simplify spending, build your credit, and in some cases, offer rewards and other perks. But once you dig into the details, you'll find that corporate cards vary widely in their features. With so many options available, taking the time to find the right card can make a big difference for your business. Whether you're a small business owner or managing a finance department at a large organization, these are some key considerations to keep in mind:

Company size and structure

The card should fit the size of your business. If you’re a solopreneur or small business, opt for a card that provides the features you actually need, not a bunch of bells and whistles. Look for flexible spending limits and simplified card management. 

Large organizations have different needs, including cards for multiple employees and teams, customizable spend limits, centralized expense tracking, and seamless integration with accounting platforms.

Credit requirements

What does it take to qualify for the card? In most cases, you’re going to need a fair to good credit score. However, if your business is new or lacks an established credit history, there are still options, such as secured cards or cards that assess creditworthiness using alternative data. 

Larger companies with strong credit can often save money by negotiating higher limits and more favorable terms with the card issuer.

Rewards programs 

Not all rewards programs are equal. To get the most out of a program, pick the one that best fits how you spend. Whether you're earning points for travel or cash back on day-to-day expenses, the right rewards program can really pay off. Pick the program that best fits your company’s spending.

Spending categories 

Many corporate cards offer additional rewards in specific categories. Choose a card that gives higher rewards in the areas where your business spends the most, such as travel and dining. By earning more rewards on frequent purchases, businesses of all sizes can maximize these benefits.

Expense management tools

If tracking expenses is a challenge, consider cards with built-in spend management tools. Features like receipt capture, accounting software integration, and real-time alerts can help keep you organized year-round. These tools not only simplify day-to-day management but also make tax time much easier.

Software like Rippling Spend consolidates all of your company’s finances in one place, giving you complete control over spend. While most expense management solutions only allow for basic employee-manager approval chains, with Rippling expense management’s advanced policy engine, you can set hyper-custom policies based on the vendor, dollar amount, and expense category, helping you block out-of-policy expenses with ease. 

Annual fees and APRs

When choosing a corporate credit card, it’s essential to balance the card’s costs against the benefits it offers. If the card’s perks save you time and money, a high annual fee can be worth it. Interest rates are another key factor. If you plan to pay off your balance each month, a higher interest rate may not be a concern. However, if you carry a balance, a lower interest rate will save you more in the long run. The goal? Maximize value while minimizing costs.

How to qualify for a corporate credit card

Corporate credit cards can have stringent eligibility criteria. Some options, as the name suggests, are often reserved for established corporate entities—S Corps, C Corps, and LLCs—meaning small business owners and sole proprietors may want to look into a small business credit card instead. 

While the exact corporate credit card requirements vary by issuer, businesses typically need a high business credit score, strong annual revenue, 10 or more employees (some issuers set a minimum number of cardholders), and oftentimes credit card charges of $250,000 or more each year. 

Certain issuers work better for certain company sizes. While some cards only require business to have $75,000 in a business bank account (making it a solid option for startups), American Express requires at least $4 million in annual revenue. Chase’s corporate cards, by contrast, require annual credit card spend of $10 million. 

When applying for corporate credit card, expect to provide issuers with:

  • Audited financial statements in line with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)

  • Supplementary financial documents like bank statements, tax returns, and loan agreements

  • Articles of incorporation (and other details about your business structure)

  • An Employer Identification Number (EIN) and other tax information

  • Business credit reports

  • Contact information for an owner, president, treasurer, or other authorized officer

Businesses may need to meet additional requirements, like providing vendor references, a business address, and proof that the company is at least a year old.

Tips for managing a corporate credit card 

To get the most out of your corporate credit card, follow these six practical tips:

1. Set clear spending policies and card limits

Clearly define the types of expenses that are allowed and the spending limit for each cardholder. This helps prevent misuse and keeps team spending within your company budget. 

2. Use real-time expense tracking tools

Pick a corporate card provider or expense platform with real-time alerts for every transaction. This helps you flag suspicious usage while keeping corporate card spending under control. 

3. Integrate card usage with accounting software

Connect your corporate cards with your accounting platform so transactions update automatically. Not only does this save you time, but it also reduces manual busy work and delivers reliable, audit-ready bookkeeping. 

4. Monitor employee card activity regularly

Review transaction reports at least monthly. This helps you catch mistakes or out-of-policy spending early. Regular audits keep your team accountable and prevent unexpected budget hits.

5. Pay balances in full to avoid interest charges

Paying off your balance every month is a good habit to get into. Not only does it benefit your credit score and stabilize your cash flow, but you’ll also save money by avoiding financing charges. 

6. Take advantage of rewards and perks strategically

Don’t forget to use all those points and rewards that you earned. But be strategic when you use them. Save them for times when you need to get more out of your budget. 

How does a corporate credit card affect your credit?

While a corporate credit card can simplify your business’s expense management, it’s important to know how it impacts your business and personal credit scores.

Corporate cards (company liability)

In most cases, corporate card issuers report your activity to the business credit bureaus. By making payments when they’re due and avoiding high balances, you can boost your company’s credit score, which may lead to better terms from lenders and vendors. Missing a payment typically impacts your business credit score, not your personal one. This separation of personal and corporate credit scores is a key advantage for business owners and their teams.

Small business cards (personal guarantee)

With most small business cards that include a personal guarantee, your personal credit is directly tied to the account. This means that business-related activity, such as applying for or using the card, can impact your personal credit score. For instance, applying for one of these cards can trigger a hard inquiry on your personal credit report. If the card issuer reports to the consumer credit bureaus, your usage and balances might impact your personal credit score. This is especially true for sole proprietors whose personal and business finances are often closely linked.

Before applying for any kind of corporate or business card, be sure to ask the card issuer how they report activity. Knowing how and to whom they report can help protect your personal credit score. 

 

Effortlessly manage spend with Rippling’s corporate charge card

While corporate credit cards can empower employees to make needed business purchases while earning points or cash back for their employer, interest rates from unpaid balances can grow steep. There’s an alternative solution that gives companies granular, up-to-the-minute control of employee spend—with minimal admin upkeep.  

Rippling’s corporate charge cards tightly integrate with the rest of your workforce management processes, allowing for automations that save significant time on tedious administrative work. 

For instance, you can automatically issue cards during onboarding and revoke them during offboarding, tee up hyper-customized policies that automatically block purchases based on the vendor, dollar amount, and expense category, and set access permissions that help teams run reports on their own slice of spend.

By connecting corporate card usage directly with employee data, Rippling gives you precise control over spending and policy enforcement, leading to better financial oversight with less administrative work. You can also use Rippling’s full Spend suite to consolidate corporate cards with Expense Management, Headcount Planning, Payroll, and Bill Pay for complete visibility and automated policy controls across every type of spend—saving you time and money in a single platform. 

That tight integration with employee data is exactly what makes Rippling so powerful, as one finance leader explains: “The fact that we can link permissions to our Rippling data structure and centralize it around who people report to and what department they're located in—a way that's all driven from employee data in an updated system—is very helpful, rather than trying to integrate to another expense platform,” said Sean English, CFO of V-Check.

Frequently asked questions

Can an LLC get a business credit card?

Yes, LLCs can qualify for a business credit card, which can help the entity organize expenses (which helps uphold limited liability protections), build business credit, and leverage rewards perks. An LLC may need good credit history and proven annual revenue to qualify. And the LLC owner may need to put up a personal guarantee to assume liability for any unpaid balances. 

Does opening a corporate credit card hurt your credit?

Corporate credit cards are usually issued to companies, not individual cardholders. While employees’ personal credit typically won’t be affected by corporate credit card use (unless they put up a personal guarantee), opening an account may impact business credit scores, since activity gets reported to business credit bureaus. 

What is the difference between a corporate credit card and a small business credit card?

Corporate credit cards and small business credit cards both have monthly billing cycles, credit limits, and rewards perks. But they differ in crucial ways. Here’s how they stack up:

  • Corporate credit card: Owned by a business entity and used by its employees. Companies set spending controls and use expense reports to reconcile statements. Corporate cards are reserved for established corporations—C Corps, S Corps, or LLCs—that meet certain revenue criteria. 

  • Business credit card: For small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent contractors looking to separate business and personal expenses. They’re owned by individuals instead of business entities and typically have higher credit limits and more business-centric rewards programs than personal credit cards. This card often requires applicants to put up a “personal guarantee” to assume debt if their business can’t pay it off. The best business credit cards come with rewards programs and some spend management capabilities.

The corporate card with a built-in back office

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Rippling et ses filiales ne fournissent pas de conseils fiscaux, comptables ni juridiques. Ce document a été préparé à titre d’information uniquement ; il n’est pas destiné à fournir des conseils fiscaux, comptables ni juridiques, et ne doit pas être utilisé comme tel. Vous devez consulter vos propres conseillers fiscaux, comptables et juridiques avant de vous engager dans une quelconque activité ou transaction connexe.

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