Buying Guide: What Business Credit Card Features Matter and Why?


Rewards

Rewards covers the different ways business credit card holders can earn rewards, as well as identifying stipulations associated with the rewards. The best business credit cards will have multiple ways to earn bonus rewards and no blackout dates or expirations. In addition, the most generous bonus rewards will be tailored specifically towards common business purchases. Rewards is an important category because it allows businesses to find the credit card that provides the highest rewards for its most common purchases.

1:1 Rewards Earnings

The credit card offers 1 Point, 1% Cash Back, or 1 Mile per dollar spent.

2:1 Rewards Earnings

The credit card offers 2 Points, 2% Cash Back, or 2 Miles per dollar spent.

3:1 Rewards Earnings

The credit card offers 3 Points, 3% Cash Back, or 3 Miles per dollar spent.

4:1 Rewards Earnings

The credit card offers 4 Points, 4% Cash Back, or 4 Miles per dollar spent.

5:1 Rewards Earnings

The credit card offers 5 Points, 5% Cash Back, or 5 Miles per dollar spent.

Additional Rewards for Cell Phone Services

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for cell phone services.

Additional Rewards for Dining

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for making dining purchases.

Additional Rewards for Gas

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for making gas purchases.

Additional Rewards for Internet Services

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for internet services.

Additional Rewards for Office Supplies

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for making office supply purchases.

Additional Rewards for Other

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for making other types of purchases.

Additional Rewards for Travel

You can accumulate greater than 1 Point, 1 Mile, or 1% Cash Back per dollar for making travel purchases.

Bonus Offered

The credit card offers bonus rewards you can earn throughout the year.

No Blackout Dates

There are no blackout travel dates to use your points, miles, or cash back rewards.

No Expiration

Your rewards points, miles, or cash back rewards will never expire.

Sign-Up Bonus

The credit card offers a sign-up bonus reward.

Unlimited Rewards

You can accumulate an unlimited amount of points, miles, or cash back rewards with your credit card.

Reward Redemption

Reward Redemption refers to the different ways rewards accumulated with the business credit card can be redeemed. Some of the common redemption options include cash back, airline travel, car rentals, gift cards, and other merchandise. Determining which business credit card offers the best rewards is difficult, as the needs of each organization are different. Reward Redemption is an important category because it enables organizations to redeem rewards according to unique preferences.

Redeem for Airline Travel

Rewards can be redeemed for airline travel.

Redeem for Car Rental

Rewards can be redeemed for car rental.

Redeem for Cash Back

Rewards can be redeemed as cash back or statement credit.

Redeem for Gift Cards

Rewards can be redeemed for gift cards.

Redeem for Hotel

Rewards can be redeemed for hotel.

Redeem for Merchandise

Rewards can be redeemed for merchandise.

Redeem for Other

Rewards can be redeemed for other categories, such as magazine subscriptions or charity donations.

Redeem Online

You can redeem your points, miles, or cash back rewards online.

Benefits

Benefits identifies additional services that often accompany business credit card ownership. Depending on the credit card, Benefits will include access to services like fraud liability, 24/7 live service, and access to exclusive events. The best business credit cards will also offer emergency support, purchase security, and price protection. For those interested in getting the most from their business credit card, the amazing thing about benefits is that they are generally available to cardholders at no additional cost and oftentimes are underutilized.

24/7 Live Service

You can speak with a live representative at any time of day about your credit card.

Emergency Support

The credit card offers emergency support.

Exclusive Events

You have access to exclusive events with the credit card.

Fraud Liability

The credit card offers fraud liability protection.

Free Employee Cards

The credit card offers employee cards at no additional cost.

Partner Point Transfer

You can exchange your points for equal value with participating partners of the credit card, like hotels or airlines.

Price Protection

You will be reimbursed the difference of any purchase made within a certain time period if you find a lower advertised price.

Purchase Security

You will receive a refund for any item that a retailer doesn't accept as a return within a certain time period.

Spending Reports

You can receive reports and/or statements that tracks spending throughout the year.

Insurance Coverage

Insurance Coverage addresses the different types of insurance that accompany business credit card ownership. Roadside assistance, car rental insurance, travel insurance, and other travel-related benefits are included in this category. The best business credit cards will also include flight insurance, lost luggage insurance, and extended warranties on purchases. Insurance Coverage is a less critical category, but for businesses with extensive travel needs, these features can reduce unnecessary expenditures and save a lot of money for the organization.

Car Rental Insurance

The credit card offers car rental insurance.

Extended Warranty

The credit card offers an extended warranty on purchases.

Flight Insurance

The credit card offers flight insurance.

Lost Luggage Insurance

The credit card offers lost luggage insurance.

Roadside Assistance

The credit card offers roadside assistance.

Travel Insurance

The credit card offers travel insurance.

Balance Transfers

Balance Transfers discusses features associated with transferring existing balances onto the business credit card. Balance Transfers will include information regarding the standard transfer rate, as well as any introductory offers. The majority of business credit cards facilitate balance transfers, but the best business credit cards will offer interest-free introductory rates for several months. Balance Transfers is a less important category of business credit cards, but the information will be valuable in situations where interest relief is necessary.

Introductory Balance Transfer Rate (APR)

The credit card offers an introductory balance transfer rate (APR).

No Balance Transfer Fee

The credit card does not have a fee for balance transfers.

Transfer from Credit Cards

You can transfer a balance from another credit card.

Transfer from Loans

You can transfer a balance from a loan to the credit card.

Application

Application refers to the different ways to apply for the business credit card, and whether instant approval is available. Having the ability to apply online is the most important option, but in certain circumstances, it might be convenient to apply on the phone or in person. Instant approval is a feature offered by most credit cards, but it is often dependent upon creditworthiness.

Apply By Phone

You can complete the credit card application process via phone.

Apply In Person

You can apply for the credit card live in person.

Apply Online

You can complete the entire credit card application process online.

Instant Approval

The card offers instant approval for the credit card.

What are the Different Types of Business Credit Cards?

Small Business Credit Cards

Small businesses will be interested in finding a credit card with no annual fee and exceptionally competitive interest rates. Making sure the bonus rewards align with the normal purchases of the small business is going to be critical. Business credit cards allow cardholders to earn bonus rewards through gas purchases, shipping, office supply purchases, advertising, and other business-specific charges. Because small business budgets can be tight at times, finding small business credit cards that assign bonus rewards for everyday business purchases like these can be extremely valuable.

The best small business credit cards will have competitive interest rates, minimal fees, and will offer substantial bonus rewards for office supplies or other common small business purchases. The ability to have multiple credit cards on the same account will be useful, as will complimentary benefits like roadside assistance, extended warranties, purchase protection, and fraud liability. Cash back will always be an appreciated redemption option, but similar to corporate credit cards, diverse redemption opportunities will be most beneficial. Ultimately, small business credit cards should help the company save money in every way possible and empower it to accomplish its objectives.

Corporate Credit Cards

The credit card needs of corporations or other large organizations will be diverse. To begin with, corporations will likely have higher credit limits and will need the ability to add multiple credit cards to the same account without excessive charges. Corporations will also be less worried about annual fees and more interested in ensuring that rewards categories aren’t being capped at a low limit. Travel will be more common with corporations, so earning bonus rewards for airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and other travel-related purchases while avoiding high foreign currency transaction costs will be appreciated.

The best business credit cards for corporations will include a variety of additional benefits like travel insurance, car rental insurance, and fraud liability. In addition, a 24/7 concierge program can be a useful resource for getting an important client access to an exclusive event. Some corporations allow employees to keep and redeem bonus points earned through flights and other purchases. Other organizations will pool all the points and redeem them in ways beneficial to the organization. In either situation, a rewards program with broad redemption opportunities will be advantageous.