If you want a business credit card that won't cost you anything out of pocket, narrow your search to no-annual-fee options.
There are many business cards with no annual fees to choose from, whether you want to earn cash back or travel rewards. Some even offer substantial benefits and introductory 0% APRs that can help you save money on big expenses.
Business Insider's team of credit card experts reviewed dozens of business credit cards with no annual fee to bring you our top picks. We compared benefits, reward types, earning rates, and potential drawbacks to eliminate all but the best choices for every type of business owner.
This list highlights our top recommendations for the best no annual fee business credit card you can apply for right now.
Best No Annual Fee Business Credit Cards of 2025
| Best for | Card | Annual Fee |
| Cash back | The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card | $0 () |
| Office expenses | Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | $0 () |
| Everyday use | U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card | $0 |
| Amazon | Amazon Business Prime Card | $0 |
| Reward maximizers | Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card | $0 |
| Building credit | Capital One Spark 1% Classic | $0 |
Best for Cash Back
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is one of our picks for the best small business credit cards with no annual fee.
It earns flat-rate cash back on all purchases, and comes with basic business benefits such as complimentary employee cards, expense management, QuickBooks integration, and vendor payments via Bill.com.
This popular American Express business card is also one of the best 0% intro APR business credit cards, especially for not having an annual fee.
Annual fee: $0
0% intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then a 17.49% – 27.49% Variable APR ()
Earning rate: 2% cash back on everyday eligible business purchases (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and 1% cash back on all other purchases
Foreign transaction fee: 2.7%
Welcome bonus: $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first three months of account opening
Benefits:
- Rewards automatically redeem as statement credits
- Expense management tools and QuickBooks integration
- Pay vendors directly via Bill.com
Read more in our Amex Blue Business Cash card review.
Pro tip: If you love this card but prefer earning valuable Amex points, look into the nearly identical The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. Its rewards can be used like cash back, or pooled with other American Express cards that earn transferable rewards to book premium travel through American Express transfer partner airlines and hotels.
Best for Office Expenses
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is one of Business Insider's favorite small business credit cards, earning big rewards on common business expenses like office supplies, Internet and phone services, dining, and restaurants.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year and 2% back at gas stations and resturants up to an annual cap across each bonus category. They earn 1% on all other purchases.
This Chase business credit card earns cash back in the form of valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. Chase points can be redeemed like cash if you only have this card, or combined with rewards from other top Chase cards for travel through Chase transfer partners like Southwest, United, Marriott and Hyatt.
Annual fee: $0
0% intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a 17.49% - 25.49% Variable APR
Foreign transaction fee: 3%
Earning rate: 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus: $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
Benefits:
- Automatic semi-annual reviews for credit line increases from Chase
- Primary car rental insurance for business trips
- Free employee cards and expense management tools
- Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
Read more in our Chase Ink Business Cash credit card review.
Pro tip: If you value banking with Chase but don't want to chase bonus categories, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card may be a better fit for you. It offers very similar benefits but earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases — no more, no less.
Read more in our Chase Ink Business Unlimited credit card review.
Best for Everyday Use
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card is the best no annual fee business credit card if you want to earn straightforward cash back everyday expenses like gas, office supplies, and dining.
It comes with an annual $100 software credit to use for business subscriptions like FreshBooks or Quickbooks, and earns generous rewards on common office expenses.
Annual fee: $0
0% intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 billing cycles, then a 17.99% - 26.99% Variable APR
Foreign transaction fee: 3%
Earning rate: 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations (transactions of $200 or less), office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Welcome bonus: $750 cash back after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases to the Account Owner’s Card within 180 days from account opening
Benefits:
- Annual $100 credit for business software subscriptions
Read more in our U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards card review.
Best for Amazon
The Amazon Business Prime Card can save your small business a lot of money on Amazon, AWS services, or Whole Foods purchases.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on the first $120,000 spent across eligible purchases from these Amazon brands each calendar year. Alternatively, you can select 90-day 0% APR terms for repaying certain purchases in lieu of earning cash back.
Annual fee: $0
0% intro APR: None by default; 90 days interest-free on select eligible purchases
Foreign transaction fee:
Earning rate: 5% cash back on the first $120,000 of select U.S. Amazon purchases or 90 days of interest-free payment terms; 2% cash back on U.S. purchases at restaurants, gas stations and wireless phone services purchased directly from service providers; 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus: $125 Amazon Gift Card upon approval
Benefits:
- Redeem rewards for Amazon Shop With Points
- Choose between cash back or zero interest terms on eligible purchases
- Complimentary employee cards
- Lost baggage reimbursement and secondary rental car insurance
Read more in our Amazon Business Prime credit card review.
Best for Reward Maximizers
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card is the best no annual fee business credit card for choosing your own bonus categories.
Cardholders earn 2% cash back on dining, and 3% in one of several approved categories up to a combined limit of $50,000 each year:
- Gas stations
- Office supply stores
- Travel
- TV/telecom and wireless
- Computer services
- Business consulting services
If you're a qualifying Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you can earn up to 75% more rewards.
Annual fee: $0
0% intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and on any balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening, then a 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR
Foreign transaction fee: 3%
Earning rate: 3% cash back in your chosen category (from an approved list) and 2% cash back on dining on the first $50,000 per calendar year in combined purchases, then 1%; and 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus: $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening
Benefits:
- Expense management tools including QuickBooks integration
- Travel accident insurance and emergency ticket replacement
Read more in our Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards credit card review.
Best for Building Credit
The Capital One Spark 1% Classic is the best no annual fee business credit card for building credit. It's designed for small business owners with low or fair credit who don't need a secured business credit card, and it earns generous rewards for a business credit card for bad credit.
This card has a high APR, so make sure you pay off your balance in full each month to avoid incurring high-interest debt.
Annual fee: $0
0% intro APR: 30.49% Variable APR
Foreign transaction fee: None
Earning rate: unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and unlimited 1% cash back on every other purchase
Welcome bonus: None
Benefits:
- Strong earning rate for a business credit card for bad credit
- Expense management tools and virtual card numbers available
- Complimentary employee cards and transaction tracking
Learn more in our review of the Capital One Spark Classic for Business card.
When to Get A No Annual Fee Business Credit Card
Most business owners should have at least one business credit card with no annual fee. Since there's no cost associated with keeping the card open, you can use no annual fee business credit cards for many years to build your business credit.
They're ideal for autopay on monthly recurring expenses like utilities, and often come with business tools like expense management and free employee authorized user cards.
Good for New Business Owners and Freelance Workers
You don't need to have a full-fledged LLC to open a business credit card. Even if you just have a cottage industry side hustle or freelance, a no annual fee business credit card can help you keep your personal and professional expenses separate while offering a financial line of credit to help you start and maintain your business.
Leverage No Annual Fee Business Credit Cards for Bank Relationships
Many of the best business credit cards come from major issuers like Amex, Chase, and Capital One that also offer more robust credit cards with annual fees. If you ever want to upgrade or apply for a premium business credit card from one of these issuers, having one of their no annual fee business credit cards can improve your chances of approval.
No Annual Fee Business Credit Card Customer Reviews
In addition to compiling our own research on the best business credit cards with no annual fees, Business Insider's personal finance experts researched online forums such as Facebook and Reddit to see what everyday business owners have to say.
Chase Ink: Very Popular with Small Business Owners
Chase offers several business credit cards under the Chase Ink brand that are popular with business owners on Reddit, and one business accountant said most of their clients have Chase Ink credit cards.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are the best options with no annual fee, with easy rewards and strong customer support for cardholders.
Both cards offer generous credit card welcome bonuses, which also factored into Redditors' considerations when choosing a new business credit card with no annual fee.
Capital One Credit Cards Are Business Owner-Friendly
Several Redditors highlighted Capital One's fee-free policy for employee business cards and straightforward rewards as selling factors in their final choices.
While the Capital One Spark 1% Classic is the primary card featured in this guide, this issuer offers several other options business owners may want to consider down the road, especially if you're willing to pay an annual fee.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best No Annual Fee Business Credit Cards
There are many no annual fee business credit cards on the market. To make the cut, each of Business Insider's top recommendations offer at least one of the following characteristics:
- A generous welcome bonus that's relatively easy to earn
- Above-average earning rates on select office categories, or generous flat-rate returns on all purchases
- Notable ongoing benefits such as expense management, free employee credit cards, or travel insurance
You can read about how we rate and review credit cards for a closer look at our methodology.
FAQs
What is the best business credit card with no annual fee?
There are many robust business credit cards with no annual fee. Our top recommendations include The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card for flat-rate cash back, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card for generous rewards on office supplies and Internet or cell phone services, and the Amazon Business Prime Card for Amazon, AWS, and Whole foods purchases.
Should I pay an annual fee for my business credit card?
It's time to consider paying an annual fee on a business credit card when you spend enough each year to justify the cost for earning better rewards, or if you travel enough to make ancillary benefits like airport lounge access worth the expense. Until that point, many of the best no annual fee business credit cards offer generous rewards and sufficient benefits for most small businesses to thrive.
How do I choose the best no annual fee business credit card?
The easiest way to choose the best business credit card with no annual fee for your company is by first deciding which rewards and benefits matter most to you. If you value cash back rewards you can use to offset the cost of your company expenses, focus on no annual fee business credit cards that earn at least 1.5% back per dollar spent. If you want to earn points and miles for travel, look for business credit cards that earn rewards you can redeem for extra value on flights, hotels, and rental cars.
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