Choosing a business credit card can be a daunting task. It often seems like every credit card company has an in-your-face marketing campaign trying to convince you to sign up for their card. How do you decide which one is best? The answer to that question depends on your priorities. Some cards specialize in reward opportunities. Others offer a chance to reduce your existing debt. Before choosing a card, you need to first define your needs.
1. Best rewards credit card: Ink Plus Business Card from Chase
If you want a business card that offers serious travel rewards, the Ink Plus Business Card from Chase is your best bet. After spending $5,000 within the first three months, you will get 50,000 bonus points, which is approximately $625 in travel rewards. Afterwards, you will continue to earn points on purchases. Office, internet and cable TV purchases are particularly valuable, offering five points for every dollar spent. This card has an annual fee of $95, but the fee is waived for the first year of card use. The variable APR is 15.24%. It’s important to remember that business credit cards are not regulated by the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, and interest rates for business cards can change at any time.
2. Best card for lowering your cost of debt: No Balance Transfer Fee Slate Card from Chase
If you are carrying significant credit card debt from month to month, the No Balance Transfer Fee Slate Card from Chase offers a solution. If you transfer a balance from another card within 60 days, there is no fee, and there is a 0% APR on purchases for 15 months. Did we mention that there is no annual fee? You’d be hard-pressed to find a better option if you have a high balance dragging you down.
3. Best credit card for financing: Citi Diamond Preferred
If you plan on making a large purchase with a credit card, you will want to avoid interest rates for as long as possible. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer credit cards offer 0% APR, even at an introductory level. However, the Citi Diamond Preferred card bucks the trend. It offers a 0% APR for a period 18 months. There is currently no other card with a similar offer. In addition, the Citi Diamond Preferred card is a consumer card, and it is thus protected under the CARD Act. In other words, you don’t need to worry about wildly fluctuating interest rates once the 18-month period is over.
It’s important to remember that the terms of credit card offers can change based on your income and credit history. You may find that you are not eligible for certain offers if you do not meet certain criteria. Regardless of where you fall in the eyes of credit card companies, you can always tap into alternate forms of financing. The Advance Funds Network offers unsecured lines of credit to small businesses even if you do not have an extensive credit history or a high credit score.
