The 4 best store cards for small businesses: Get cashback for your SMB
There are plenty of expenses that come with running a business. Luckily, business credit cards make it easy to save money or get cashback rewards on those costs. And while there are plenty of business card cards to choose from, store credit cards reward customers who often shop at a particular store.
When choosing the right in-store credit card for your small business, it's important to find one that offers plenty of rewards on purchases you already make and allows you to spend those rewards in a way that works for you.
Here is our list of the six best in-store credit cards for small businesses.
Amazon Business Prime American Express Card
Best for online shopping
Many small businesses find themselves doing their shopping online these days. If that's the case for your business, then the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card might be the right choice for you.
When you accrue rewards, you can either redeem them for Amazon gift cards or apply them directly to charges on your credit card statement. Another perk is the robust manager controls. You can easily add and remove employees, set spending limits, track employee purchases, and more. You can also use your card to pay bills with Vendor Pay by Bill.com, allowing you to take advantage of more rewards.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- Competitive rewards
- Manager controls
Cons:
- Amazon Prime membership is required
- High penalty APR
- Forfeit points by canceling your Amazon Prime membership or making a late payment
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Best for business travel
- Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.
- After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 Miles per dollar (that’s an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year.
- Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.
- After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 Miles per dollar (that’s an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year.
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is an excellent option for businesses that travel often. You earn three miles per dollar on Delta purchases and one mile per dollar on other purchases as a cardholder. Additionally, once you've spent $150,000 in a calendar year, you're upgraded to one and a half miles per dollar spent.
In addition to the miles rewards, your Delta SkyMiles card comes with plenty of other travel perks, including: Delta Sky Club guest passes, no foreign transaction fees, concierge service, free credit for global entry or TSA PreCheck, and more. All the perks that come with this Delta card do come with a price tag. The card has an annual fee of $550, which is higher than most.
You also can't use your rewards on anything except travel, which means you lose out if you stop traveling. Don't worry, though -- rewards never expire, meaning you can always use them later.
Pros:
- Earn rewards for flights, seat upgrades, and more
- Large welcome bonus
- No limit or expiration on miles
Cons:
- High annual fee
- High spending required to maximize rewards
- Rewards are limited to travel
Staples More Account Credit Card
Best for office supplies
- 5% back in rewards on Staples More Account purchases.
- 5% back in rewards on Staples More Account purchases.
For businesses that regularly find themselves purchasing office supplies, the Staples More Account Credit Card is a great option. The card comes with plenty of perks, including up to 5% cashback in rewards on each purchase, both in-store and online. Another benefit of the Staples card is the deferred financing plans. Deferred financing is available interest-free for 6, 12, or 18 months, depending on how much you spend.
There are also some downsides to the card. First, issued rewards expire on the last day of the month following the month in which they were issued. As a result, you have to use them quickly or lose them. Another downside to this card is the interest rate. Rates can go up to 29.99%, which is higher than many competitors.
Pros:
- No-interest deferred financing plans
- Excellent rewards
- Free next-day delivery
- No annual fee
Cons:
- High-interest rates
- It can only be used at Staples
- Rewards expire quickly
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
Best for Costco members
- 4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- 4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
The Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card is designed for small businesses that are also Costco members. This card comes with plenty of benefits, including no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. This card also offers competitive rewards.
One of the downsides of the Costco business card is that you can only redeem your rewards once per year, and the rewards are also tied to your Costco membership. And if you cancel your membership, you'll not only have your card canceled, but you'll lose the rewards you've accrued that year.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Competitive rewards
- Rewards no matter where you shop
Cons:
- Only available to existing Costco members
- Cashback redemption is only available once per year
- Cancelling Costco membership cancels the card and forfeits rewards
- Limit on gas rewards
Lowe’s Business Rewards American Express Card
Best for home improvement businesses
- 3X Points at restaurants and office supply stores in the US, and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers.
- 2X Points at Lowe's.
- 1X Points on other purchases.
- 3X Points at restaurants and office supply stores in the US, and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers.
- 2X Points at Lowe's.
- 1X Points on other purchases.
The Lowe's Business Rewards American Express Card is a great option for home improvement businesses or companies that spend a lot of money on these sorts of expenses. The card comes with cashback offers that include: 5x points in the first six months on purchases made at Lowe's and 2x points on purchases at Lowe's, Lowes.com, or LowesforPros.com.
While the card comes with excellent rewards, they can only be redeemed for Lowe's gift cards. As a result, this card is best for businesses that shop at Lowe's frequently. Additionally, you must have at least 2,500 points to redeem.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- 0% introductory APR
- Access to Lowe's ProServices
Cons:
- Foreign transaction fees
- Rewards only redeemable for Lowe's gift cards
- Redemption starts at 2,500 points
How did we choose these credit cards?
There are many business credit cards on the market, and we narrowed it down to just six. We chose the cards on this list by considering factors such as sign-up bonuses, rewards, fees, and functionality.
To make sure we chose the best cards for most businesses, we looked at common business expenses to find cards that offered benefits on those expenses.
Ultimately, we sought to find the best in-store credit card for a variety of different spending purposes, from online shopping to travel to office supplies.
Which one is the right credit card for you?
With the number of business credit cards available today, it can be difficult to decide which is right for you.
The most important question to ask yourself is: What do I spend money on now? Once you know that, you can find the card that offers the best perks for your current spending.
Are there alternatives worth considering?
The six credit cards on this list are some of the best store cards for small businesses. But a store card doesn't necessarily make sense for every business.
Instead, you might also consider two of the other credit cards for small businesses, which aren't limited to a single retailer:
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
How do small businesses get credit cards?
To get a credit card for your business, you'll have to undergo a business credit check. For new businesses, you may need to provide a personal guarantee using your personal credit.
Which store credit card is best for small businesses?
The best store credit card depends on your small business needs. For example, businesses that travel frequently might find the Delta SkyMiles to be the best, while companies that frequently buy online might prefer the Amazon business card.
What credit score is needed to get a business credit card?
Business credit cards often require a personal credit score of about 700 to get the best credit card offers.
Is getting a store credit card a good idea?
A store credit card can be a great idea if your business frequently shops at one retailer, but in other cases, a card that isn't specific to a particular store might be a better option.
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