Best Business Credit Cards for Fair Credit of 2024
Best for Cash Back
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card *
5.0
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
1.5% Reward Rate
Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
28.49% variable APR
Credit Score
Bad/Poor(0 - 649)
Our Expert Take
This card is unique in that it’s available to business owners with less-than-stellar credit (in exchange for a security deposit), earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases and charges no annual fee.
Pros & Cons
- No annual fee
- Solid rewards for a secured card
- Potential to graduate to an unsecured version
- Deposit required
- Foreign transaction fee: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each transaction
- Balance transfer fee: 4% of each transaction
Card Details
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Rewards have no annual cap and don’t expire
- Open your account with a security deposit (minimum $1,000). Upon approval your credit line will be equal to your deposit account
- No annual fee
N/A
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Best for No Security Deposit
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business *
5.0
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
Up To 5% Reward Rate
Earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase; earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked throughRead More
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
29.99% Variable
Credit Score
Average, Fair, Limited
Our Expert Take
This card is among the few options open to business owners with limited or fair credit. It offers a path to rebuilding credit while earning 1% cash back on all purchases — and charges no annual fee. However, plan to pay the entire balance each month to avoid the high APR.
Pros & Cons
- Free employee cards
- No foreign transaction fee
- Applicants with limited or fair credit may qualify
- Business spending management tools
- Base rewards rate is only 1%
- No welcome bonus
- No intro APR offer
- High APR
Card Details
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions
- No annual fee
- Build and strengthen credit for your business by using this credit card responsibly
- $0 fraud liability for unauthorized charges if your card is lost or stolen
- Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases
- Rewards won’t expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount
- No foreign transaction fees
None
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Here’s a Summary of the Best Business Credit Cards for Fair Credit
Credit Card
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card *
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business *
Credit Card
Best For
Credit Score
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card *
Best for Cash Back
Bad/Poor
$0
N/A
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business *
Best for No Security Deposit
Average, Fair, Limited
$0
N/A
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
N/A
None
Best Business Credit Cards for Fair Credit
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card *
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The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card* earns solid flat-rate cash back on every purchase and doesn’t charge an annual fee.
Rewards: Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Annual fee: $0
Regular APR: 28.49% variable APR
Other benefits and drawbacks: The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card* does require a deposit as collateral, but offers several great benefits, including: lost luggage assistance, emergency ticket replacement, legal and medical referrals when away from home, an auto rental collision damage waiver and purchase and extended warranty protections. These benefits and solid rewards earnings help it compete with many major unsecured cards that are only available to those with better credit.
Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business *
[ jump to details ]
If you’re looking for an unsecured business credit card that will consider applicants with fair credit, the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business* fits the bill.
Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Annual fee: $0
Regular APR: 29.99% Variable
Other benefits and drawbacks: The Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business* offers free employee cards and doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Your credit usage will be reported to the three major credit bureaus, so with responsible use you should see improvements to your credit score over time. The card also gets you extended warranty and shopping protection, security alerts and $0 fraud liability.
Methodology
The best business credit cards for fair credit were chosen based on welcome bonuses, fees, rewards and other perks. Keep in mind, what may be best for some consumers might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.
To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards.
How Does a Business Credit Card for Fair Credit Work?
Business credit cards work much like personal credit cards. The main distinction is you’ll use the card exclusively for business purchases. That keeps your business expenses separate and makes it easier to budget how much cash flow you’ll typically need.
Here’s how business credit cards work:
- Put business purchases on your business credit card.
- When your billing cycle closes, review the statement with your balance and minimum amount due.
- Take advantage of the grace period to maximize your cash flow if needed.
- Pay the balance in full to avoid interest charges on your account.
- The amount of your payment gets added back to your available credit limit.
Some credit cards allow you to choose a statement closing date that works best for your business.
Best Business Credit Cards 2024
Find the best business card for you & identify which factors matter for your business
Learn More
How To Get a Business Credit Card for Fair Credit
After you decide you need a credit card for your business, your next steps are to:
- Assess your personal and business credit to determine which cards you may qualify for.
- Determine if you want a charge card or a credit card.
- Gather your information, including your Social Security number for sole proprietors or Employer Identification number for other business types, projected income and monthly spending amounts.
- Apply—answer the application questions to the best of your ability.
- Wait to receive your new business credit card or try again at a later time.
If you’re denied, you still have options. You can continue to build your business credit or ask for reconsideration.
How To Qualify for a Business Credit Card for Fair Credit
You’ll want to have an established business that spends on legitimate business needs before applying for any business credit card. You don’t need a million-dollar business to qualify. In fact, freelance work or side hustles like tutoring, coaching, writing or other activities can be enough.
Having a deposit account, such as a business checking account, could give you a boost toward approval if your bank issues the business credit card you want. Banks like to nurture relationships with their customers.
Pro Tip
In most cases, your personal credit will guarantee your business credit lines. This is especially true if your business doesn’t have its own credit history yet. Improving your personal credit can be beneficial to your business credit card applications.
How To Choose the Best Business Credit Card for Fair Credit
If you have fair credit and want a credit card for your business, the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business* is likely to be your best unsecured bet. You can also consider secured business cards, or you may be able to find a local or regional bank with options not available nationwide.
If you have fair credit, work to improve your credit score so you can choose among a wider range of cards. Many strong business credit cards exist, and you’ll be more likely to find a better fit (or find one at all) if your credit is good or better.
Honestly evaluating where you are on your credit journey is the jumping off point for choosing the best business credit card for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I get a credit card with a 650 credit score?
You may be able to receive approval for a credit card with a 650 credit score, but your options will be sparse compared to those who have higher credit scores. In this case, you may want to consider a secured credit card, which requires you to provide the bank with a deposit to act as collateral against your credit line. Working to improve your credit score can help you access many more rewarding options.
What credit score is fair credit?
FICO defines fair credit as a score in the 580 to 669 range. VantageScore rates credit in the 601 to 660 range as fair.
Which credit bureau do business credit cards report to?
In addition to Dun & Bradstreet, which is a popular credit reporting agency with business lenders, some business credit cards report to the same three major credit bureaus as personal cards: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
What is the best credit card for a business with fair credit?
If you’re a business owner with fair credit, Forbes Advisor recommends the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business* if you need to apply for a card right away. It may be better to work on improving your credit score before applying for a card so you have more choices with better benefits.
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Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circ*mstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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