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Business + Get AlertsEntrepreneurs place value on every single dollar they make — both through their core business competencies and through bonuses they earn on their credit cards. This is especially vital for small companies and startups, where every little bit of money you generate can make a big difference. As such, we recommend taking care in choosing your small-business credit card, and in this article, we’ll round up some of the most promising contenders.
Understanding the different types of credit cards
The best way to think about credit cards is in terms of a few major categories: flat-rate card rewards, zero percent APR and fair credit being the most essential. Here’s an explanation of each type of card, along with our pick for the best card in each field.
Flat-rate reward cards
The great thing about a flat-rate card is that you’re always going to earn back the same amount of money, no matter what kind of purchase you’re making. There is no tiered reward structure in place, which makes this a good option for small-business owners who just want to have one card at their disposal.
Our pick: As for a specific flat rate reward card, we like the Capital One Spark Cash for Business. We like it for its simplicity. This card offers unlimited 2 percent cash back, which is a pretty smart deal for any entrepreneur to consider.
Zero percent APR cards
The zero percent APR card comes with no annual fee and is a smart option for when you need to make a major inventory purchase. Earning cash-back rewards while enjoying a long period of debt-free interest provides a lot of flexibility, which is something small companies thrive on.
Our pick: The Ink Business Cash card offers everything you want in this category: a lengthy interest-free period, flexible reward structures and no annual cost to worry about. Again, we like it because it’s simple.
Fair credit cards
The last category includes cards that are extremely cheap to maintain, so long as you’re able to pay off the balance each month. For smaller-scale purchases, this is a great way to borrow money for your business.
Our pick: The one we like most in this field is the Capital One Spark Classic. Just be sure you don’t plan to carry a lot of debt on this card. Ideally, you’ll have this one for small month-to-month borrowing and a card from one of our other categories for longer-running debt.
Choosing the perfect credit card
There’s no one right way to settle on a credit card, and in fact, your business might benefit from having a couple of different ones. We urge you to read through all the details on any card before you sign up, and to think about how it will work for your small business. These three recommendations are ones to start with, but there are plenty of other great cards out there that are worth your consideration.
About the author: Amanda E. Clark is the president and editor-in-chief of Grammar Chic Inc., a full-service professional writing company. She is a published ghostwriter and editor, and currently under contract with literary agencies in Malibu, California, and Dublin, Ireland. Since founding Grammar Chic in 2008, Clark, along with her team of skilled professional writers, has offered expertise to clients in the creative, business and academic fields. The company accepts a wide range of projects and often engages in content and social media marketing, drafts resumes, press releases, web content, marketing materials and ghostwritten creative pieces. Contact Clark at www.grammarchic.net.