6 Best Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee [2023]

Getting a business credit card is one of the very first steps you should take when starting a new business. And when you’re just starting, you might not think too much of choosing the best business credit card since you’re spending very little.

However, starting on the right foot can lay the foundation for smooth business operations and good overall business hygiene; and if you’re looking for a low-risk way to get your business a credit card, you should consider one without an annual fee.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through all of the best business credit cards with no annual fee — let’s get right into it!

The 6 Best Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee — Overview

SCROLL FOR MORE

What To Look For in a Business Credit Card With No Annual Fee

When looking for a business credit card with no annual fee, you should, quite simply, look to make sure that the card you’re considering is a business credit card and that it doesn’t have an annual fee.

Also, make sure the annual fee is actually $0, instead of the card having an introductory annual fee.

Other than that, getting a credit card that earns the most rewards will yield the highest overall return.

Benefits are also important, but there aren’t that many ultra-valuable benefits afforded to cards with no annual fee, so there’s less distinction in that realm.

Now, let’s talk about the best business credit cards with no annual fee!

The 6 Best Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee

1. The Blue Business Plus Credit Card^® from American Express

The Amex Blue Business Plus card is the winner when it comes to the best business credit card with no annual fee.

The real reason why you want to hold it is that you can get 2x Membership Rewards points per dollar on everyday purchases for your business, up to $50,000 per calendar year. Beyond that, earn 1x points.

The Amex Blue Business Plus card gets you access to the Membership Rewards program, which is worth noting because getting access to a transferable program without having to pay an annual fee (rates and fees) is rare.

Also, you’ll get access to Amex Offers, purchase protection, extended warranty, secondary rental car insurance, and employee cards for no additional annual fee (rates and fees).

Why We Like Earning Amex Membership Rewards Points

According to our valuations, Amex points are the most valuable type of transferrable points available, worth 2.2 cents each.

By transferring your points to the Amex transfer partners, you can get upwards of 10 cents per point, especially if you book award travel like Emirates first class or Lufthansa first class.

You can also use your points to book flights through Amex Travel or get statement credits, gift cards, charitable donations, online merchandise, and more.

Hot Tip: Here’s a look at even more ways to earn tons of Amex Membership Rewards points!

2. Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card is the runner-up pick because it offers outsized returns on all purchases without compromising on the flexibility of your rewards.

The biggest selling point of this card is the unlimited 1.5% cash-back on business purchases with no caps. That means you don’t need to worry about bonus categories, caps on earnings, and blackout dates.

In addition, you can earn 5% cash-back on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025.

This credit card covers you with purchase protection, extended warranty, primary car rental insurance, roadside assistance, zero liability fraud protection, and employee cards for no additional fees. Don’t forget the card has a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.24% - 24.24% thereafter.

But one of the most important attributes of this card is that if you have the right credit card pairing, you can convert your cash-back to valuable Ultimate Rewards points at a 1% to 1x ratio.

Why We Like Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, based on our valuations.

That means if you happen to have an Ultimate Rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card, you can convert your 1.5% cash-back to 1.5x points, which is equal to a 3% return on spending.

Of course, the best way to get outsized value from your points is to transfer them to airline and hotel partners for luxury award travel.

You can also use your Chase points for Chase travel portal bookings, Pay Yourself Back, gift cards, cash-back, Amazon.com purchases, online shopping, and more.

3. Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card

Another great business credit card with no annual fee is the Ink Business Cash card, which is a fellow member of the family of Ink credit cards issued by Chase.

The major difference between the Ink Business Cash card and the Ink Business Unlimited card is in the earning structure:

• Earn 5% cash-back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year
• Earn 5% cash-back on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• Earn 2% cash-back at gas stations and restaurants on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year
• Earn 1% cash-back on other purchases

As a reminder, these rewards can be converted to Ultimate Rewards points if you have an Ultimate Rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Ink Business Preferred card.

That will transform your 1%, 2%, or 5% cash-back into 1x, 2x, or 5x points, respectively. That means you’ll max out at a 10% return on spending!

Just like the Ink Business Unlimited card, you’ll get benefits like primary car rental coverage, purchase protection, extended warranty, zero liability protection, fee-free employee cards, and roadside assistance.

4. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

The Amex Blue Business Cash card is the only featured credit card that strictly focuses on cash-back.

The Ink Business Unlimited card and Ink Business Cash card both earn rewards that can be converted to transferrable points, whereas the Amex Blue Business Cash card earns only cash-back.

This card could be a great choice if you don’t need (or want) to earn travel rewards.

Then, earn 2% cash-back on everyday business purchases, up to $50,000 per year. After that, earn 1% cash-back on other purchases.

The cash-back is automatically credited to your statement every billing cycle, so you don’t actually even need to worry about redeeming your rewards.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card also includes a benefit known as Expanded Buying Power, which gives you the ability to spend beyond your credit limit to get business done.

There’s also purchase protection, extended warranty, secondary rental car insurance, and fee-free employee cards (rates and fees).

5. Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles Select card is packed with value and doesn’t have an annual fee.

You’ll earn up to 5x Capital One miles on purchases:

• 5x Capital One miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
• 1.5x Capital One miles on other purchases

This is one of the few cards where you can access a full list of transfer partnerships without paying an annual fee.

Beyond that, there’s an extended warranty, secondary rental car insurance, roadside assistance,  zero fraud liability, no foreign transaction fees, and employee cards for no additional annual fee.

Why We Like Earning Capital One Miles

Many don’t know that Capital One miles can be just as useful as Amex points or Chase points, which is why we value them at 1.8 cents apiece.

By accessing Capital One’s list of transfer partners, you can book flights like British Airways business class or Etihad first class.

Other ways to use Capital One miles include Capital One Travel bookings, Amazon.com purchases, PayPal transactions, gift cards, and cash-back. However, the redemption methods will almost always lead to a lower value.

6. Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit

The last card we’ll be discussing is the Capital One Spark Cash Select card. Currently, this lovely card offers a welcome bonus, which will accelerate the rewards you initially earn.

Also, you are eligible to get up to 5% cash-back on purchases:

• 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 1.5% cash-back on other purchases

Additionally, you can get access to roadside assistance, zero fraud liability, virtual card numbers with Eno, extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, and fee-free employee cards.

Final Thoughts

Finding a business credit card with no annual fee is easy. Finding one that actually meets your needs and earns substantial rewards is surprisingly difficult.

That’s why we put all of the products to the test and ranked them all in this guide. That way, you can get the highest ROI possible from business purchases you’d be making anyway.

Other benefits like 0% introductory APR on purchases, purchase protection, and no foreign transaction fees add even more value to the equation.

The best business credit cards with no annual fee are offered by Chase, Amex, and Capital One.

Now, you have all of the information you need to get yourself a fantastic no-annual-fee business credit card with the confidence of knowing you’re picking the best option.

The information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, click here.