Why 2025 Is a Sweet Spot for Business-Card Rewards
Higher operating costs and fiercer competition among issuers mean richer welcome bonuses, broader bonus categories, and tighter integrations with accounting apps. Cards that “paid for themselves” a few years ago now earn for you — if you pick the right one and redeem wisely.
How We Ranked the Cards
- Earning power (base rate + category multipliers)
- Welcome-bonus ROI (value after fees)
- Redemption flexibility (cash, points transfers, travel portals)
- Annual fee vs. perk value
- Business-specific extras (virtual cards, spend controls, software sync)
- Ease of approval (personal guarantee, EIN-only options)
Data came from issuer sites, NerdWallet, Forbes Advisor, and The Points Guy, current as of July 2025.
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Rank | Card | Annual Fee | Current Welcome Bonus | Base Earn Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ink Business Preferred® | $95 | 90k points after $8k spend / 3 mo | 3× select categories | Overall value |
| 2 | Amex Business Platinum® | $695 | 150k MR points after $20k / 3 mo | 1× (1.5× on big purchases) | Premium travel |
| 3 | Capital One Spark Cash Plus | $150 | $2,000 after $30k / 3 mo | 2 % cash back | Simple, high spend |
| 4 | Ink Business Unlimited® | $0 | $750 after $6k / 3 mo | 1.5 % cash back | No-fee flat rate |
| 5 | Ink Business Cash® | $0 | Up to $750 after tiered spend | 5 %/2 % tiers | Office supplies & telecom |
| 6 | Amex Blue Business Plus® | $0 | 15k MR points after $3k / 3 mo | 2× on first $50k | Everyday spend, no fee |
| 7 | BoA Business Advantage Customized Cash | $0 | $300 online cash bonus | 3 % chosen category | Category flexibility |
| 8 | U.S. Bank Business Leverage® | $95 ($0 1st yr) | 75k points after $7.5k / 4 mo | 2× top categories | Automatically adjusting categories |
| 9 | CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum | $99 ($0 1st yr) | 65k AA miles after $4k / 4 mo | 2× AA, gas, dining | Airline perks |
| 10 | Brex Card for Startups | $0 | Up to 50k points (Brex Exclusive) | 7× ride-share, 4× travel, 3× dining, 2× SaaS | VC-backed startups, no PG |
#1 Ink Business Preferred® – Best Overall
Why it wins: 3× on travel, shipping, advertising and telecom (up to $150k/yr); points transfer to 14 airline/hotel partners; modest $95 fee. The 90k-point bonus is worth ≈$1,845 toward travel.
Ideal for: Businesses that pour money into ads, cloud, or client travel.
Insider tip: Pair with the no-fee Ink Unlimited to sweep up 1.5× on everything else and pool points for larger transfers.
#2 Amex Business Platinum® – Luxury Travel Powerhouse
$695 stings, but statement credits (airline fee, Dell, Indeed, Adobe, wireless) can outstrip it if you redeem. The 150k-point intro bonus is the richest generic offer right now.
Ideal for: Founders who live in airports and value Centurion Lounge access.
Pro move: Book flights via Amex Travel—Get 35 % back on Pay-with-Points for your selected airline or business/first-class tickets, trimming net cost.
#3 Capital One Spark Cash Plus – Simple 2 % Everywhere
No categories, no limits, just 2 % cash back and a beefy $2,000 bonus (after $30k spend). Must pay in full monthly, but the $150 fee is waived every year you charge $150k+.
Ideal for: High-volume spenders who prefer straight cash over points.
Hack: Convert cash to miles by funneling through Capital One’s Miles-earning personal cards if you also hold one.
#4 Ink Business Unlimited® – Flat-Rate Champ, Zero Fee
Earn 1.5 % cash back on everything and pocket a $750 welcome bonus after $6,000 spend. No annual fee, 0 % APR for 12 months on purchases.
Ideal for: Side hustles or service businesses with mixed expenses.
Stacking tip: Move rewards into an Ink Preferred or Sapphire Reserve® account and turn cash back into transferrable points at a 1:1 ratio.
#5 Ink Business Cash® – Category King for Offices
5 % on office-supply stores and internet/phone/cable, 2 % on gas and dining (on first $25k combined). Welcome bonus up to $750 with tiered spend, and no annual fee.
Ideal for: Agencies, law firms, or anyone who buys reams of paper and pays hefty telecom bills.
Warning: Watch the $25k cap—blow through it and you’re back to 1 %.
#6 Amex Blue Business Plus® – 2× Points, No Fee
Straight 2× Membership Rewards on the first $50k each year, then 1×. Current standard bonus is 15k points after $3k spend.
Ideal for: Freelancers or LLCs that want no-fee points to feed an Amex Platinum or Gold.
Hidden perk: “Expanded Buying Power” lets you charge above your limit when cash flow spikes (Amex decides how much).
#7 BoA Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards – Pick Your 3 %
Choose 3 % in one of six categories (gas, office supply, travel, TV/telecom, computer services, or consulting), 2 % on dining, 1 % everything else up to $50k. No annual fee.
Ideal for: Owners who know their single biggest spend and want to set-and-forget.
Boost: Preferred Rewards for Business clients can lift those rates by 25-75 %.
#8 U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® – Auto-Adjusting Rewards
Earn 2× on your top two spending categories each month (from a list of 50+) and 1× on the rest. 75k-point bonus offsets the $95 fee (waived year 1).
Ideal for: Firms with unpredictable costs that hate micromanaging categories.
Heads-up: Points transfer only to U.S. Bank’s limited travel portal — cash back may be smarter.
#9 CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® – Airline Loyalists
65k AA miles for $4k spend (worth ≈$1,073 per TPG valuations). Free checked bag, preferred boarding, and 25 % savings on in-flight purchases. $99 fee waived first year.
Ideal for: Teams that fly American Airlines out of hubs like DFW, CLT, MIA, or PHX.
Trick: Spend $30k/yr to earn a Companion Certificate — valuable on pricey domestic routes.
#10 Brex Card – No Personal Guarantee, Startup-Friendly Rewards
VC-backed or high-revenue startups can snag up to 50k points welcome offer and earn 7× on ride-shares, 4× on travel, 3× on restaurants, 2× on software, 1× elsewhere. No annual fee, no PG, and built-in spend controls.
Ideal for: Fast-growing tech companies that value Silicon-Valley-style perks (AWS, Slack credits).
Caveat: Must keep substantial cash in linked Brex Business Account to remain “Brex Exclusive.”
How to Choose the Right Card for Your Business
- Audit your top three expense categories for the past 12 months.
- Calculate net rebate: (Earn rate × spend) – annual fee.
- Decide on cash vs. points — cash boosts margin; points stretch travel budgets.
- Check qualification hurdles (credit score, EIN-only, minimum revenue).
- Confirm software integration with QuickBooks, Xero, or your ERP.
Pro Tips to Maximize Rewards
- Pair complementary cards: e.g., Ink Preferred + Ink Cash for 3× travel and 5 % office supplies.
- Leverage employee cards (most are free) and set spend caps.
- Front-load big purchases within the intro-bonus window.
- Pay taxes or inventory through processors when the fee < cash-back rate.
- Track everything automatically with expense-management tools like Ramp, Divvy, or QuickBooks.
Mistakes That Kill Value
- Carrying a balance (interest > rewards).
- Letting points expire or get devalued.
- Mixing personal and business charges (audit risk).
- Applying for too many cards too fast (credit score hits, Chase 5/24 issues).
FAQs
Can I hold more than one business card?
Yes. Multiple cards can diversify categories and increase total credit lines without hurting personal 5/24 counts if they stay off your personal report.
Are rewards taxable?
Generally no, because they’re rebates — but cash-back earned without associated purchases (e.g., referral bonuses) may be 1099-MISC income.
What if I don’t have an EIN?
Sole proprietors can apply with an SSN, but some lenders still want basic “business” evidence (invoices, website, Square account).
Charge card or credit card?
Charge cards (Amex, Brex, Ramp) require pay-in-full and often have no preset limits. Choose them if cash flow is steady and you crave higher ceilings.
How soon can I product-change?
Most issuers let you downgrade after 12 months, but you’ll forfeit any unredeemed statement-credit perks tied to the original product.
Final Thoughts
Smart businesses treat credit-card rewards as micro-revenue streams. Match the card to your spend pattern, pay on time, and those points or cash rebates become a silent partner in your growth. Ready to level up? Pull last year’s expense report, crunch the numbers with our table above, and pick the plastic (or metal) that gives you the biggest bang per swipe. Happy earning!
