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The best business credit cards with no annual fee for May 2024
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If you’re curious about your options for business credit cards with no annual fees, we’ve got you covered. This article will list our top picks for no-annual-fee business credit cards, the benefits of no-fee cards, and how to choose the best credit card offer for your business needs based on its rewards structure.
Do all business credit cards have annual fees?
Not all business credit cards have annual fees. There are several card offers on the market with no annual fee, offering a cost-effective option for small business owners or startups. Corporate credit cards are another option that often come with no annual fees.
6 best business credit cards with no annual fee
Can I get business credit without an LLC?
There are credit card options for businesses without an LLC structure. Many small business credit cards are available to anyone, including sole proprietors and freelancers. You’ll usually just have to show that you’re making money independently, and you will have to use your Social Security number to apply if you don’t have a tax ID number for your business.
Which business credit cards only require EIN?
Many unsecured business credit cards, secured credit cards, and corporate cards only require an EIN to apply. Some providers will ask for your SSN as well, but won’t use it to perform a personal credit check. If you want a card that only requires EIN and doesn’t ask for your SSN, consider a corporate card.
Benefits of a business credit card with no annual fee
Businesses of all sizes can enjoy several benefits from business credit cards without an annual fee. For one, it’s often easier for new businesses to qualify for these cards. Many of them are made for companies with recently established credit, so you won’t need an excellent credit history to apply.
Since the card doesn’t cost your business anything, getting and keeping a no-annual-fee card open is a great way to build a positive credit profile. You won’t need to worry about finding ways to offset the cost of the card. Instead of paying to qualify for future savings, you can earn cashback on purchases immediately.
Rewards and discount options for business credit cards with no annual fees
The best business credit cards with no annual fees will also come with a good rewards program.
With all the different rewards credit cards on the market, you’re likely wondering how each credit card reward works. Here’s what you need to know about the types of credit card rewards you might encounter.
Points systems
A points system allows you to accumulate points based on the spend amount or spend percentage. For example, some cards may offer 1 point for every $1 you spend on everyday business purchases but 3 points for streaming services or rideshares. Each issuer's reward rates, conversion rates, and redemption options will vary based on the card.
With rewards points, your business earns points instead of dollars. The value of your points depends on what you redeem them for. Imagine you’ve accumulated 40,000 points, and redeemed these for a $400 flight, then your points are worth one cent each. However, if you manage to search for another flight for $800, the point value has now doubled to two cents each. These points can be redeemed for various items, such as gas gift cards, travel purchases, merchandise, cashback, or even charitable donations.
Some cards give cardholders an additional way to earn bonus points through a welcome offer or sign-up bonus offer. After opening your account, you’ll need to meet a spending requirement in a predetermined time window. For example, spending $5,000 in 3 months after account opening could get you an additional 50,000 points.
To redeem your points, your card issuer will typically require you to enter their rewards center to view your redemption options. When redeeming points, make sure to review all your potential redemptions. Since the value can change based on the rewards, checking with your issuer before making any final purchases is best.
Gift card and statement credits
Many credit cards reward cardholders with gift cards or statement credits. For example, your credit card may reward you with a $50 gift to a popular e-commerce site as a welcome bonus and then 5% on each purchase made from the same site after that. Your card may also offer 1-3% on purchases from gas stations, phone services, or office supply stores.
With statement credits, you’ll get money credited to your account after making specific purchases, helping to bring down your balance.
Cashback
Cashback rewards systems are fairly straightforward. Each time you use your card to make a purchase, you’ll get a percentage of the purchase back in cash. Let’s say you have a cashback rate of 1.5% on eligible purchases. A purchase of $100 puts $1.50 into your rewards account. Most cards allow you to redeem these rewards through a deposit to your bank account, a credit to your account balance, or pre-paid gift cards.
Many cashback credit cards may offer you benefits to enjoy additional savings. The card might offer you extended warranties, return guarantees, purchase protection, or the lowest-advertised price match. These extra perks vary between issuers, so check your card’s benefits guide for its terms.
While some credit cards offer a flat cashback rate on all purchases, others offer bonus categories with higher cashback rates. For instance, you might enjoy a cashback rate of 1% on all purchases but get 5% cashback on all travel purchases booked through their online portal.
Miles rewards
Miles rewards are similar to points systems. For each dollar you spend, you earn miles that work as travel currency. Miles-earning business credit cards allow companies to redeem miles for travel rewards like discounted flights, access to airport lounges, seat upgrades, hotel stays, and other travel expenses.
Frequent flyers often choose cards that offer additional miles in travel categories to get the most miles. When using miles to book a flight or hotel stay, you’ll need to sign in to your card issuer’s online portal. If you need to book with a different airline, some travel cards give cardholders the option to transfer their points to travel partners.
0% intro APR
Many cards with no annual fee also offer cardholders a low introductory APR offer, typically 0% for the first year of billing cycles. The introductory period can range from six to twenty-one months, but the most common period is one calendar year from account opening. During this time, you won’t pay interest on any purchases or transactions you make.
Some no-annual-fee credit cards may also apply the 0% intro APR rate to balance transfers—just check what terms apply. Once the 0% intro APR period is over, you’ll be subject to a variable APR percentage from your card issuer.
Anniversary bonuses
Anniversary bonuses will entitle you to some reward every account anniversary year. That is, every 12 months since you’ve opened your card. This reward could be bonus cash, travel rewards, or extra rewards points to redeem.
Insurance coverage
Certain credit cards provide insurance coverage for car rentals if you use your credit card to book the rental. Instead of the basic insurance offered by the rental company, your card could give you access to more thorough coverage. They may also provide rideshare protection or reimbursements for delayed flights if they offer this coverage.
Get card smart
If you’re looking for a fee-free card for your business, consider Ramp. Our corporate cards come with no annual fees, late fees, card replacement fees, or interest. Plus, earn 1.5% universal cashback on your purchases.
All you need to sign up for Ramp is an EIN number attached to a registered business and at least $75,000 in a U.S. bank account for your business. We don’t need your SSN or business credit score. Plus, our e-commerce underwriting program may help you get a higher credit limit than a traditional credit card.
Ramp’s spend management software and real-time insights also help you manage business expenses and get control of your cash flow. We also empower employees to spend responsibly with customizable spend limits and vendor controls on unlimited free employee business cards.
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