There’s a lot to love about flat-rate rewards business credit cards. No matter what you’re spending on and when you’re spending, these cards will offer you consistent, dependable rewards across the board. Flat-rate rewards business credit cards can take a few different forms—maybe you’ll earn the same amount of cash back or a consistent rewards point multiplier, for instance. Whichever suits your business more.
And the best flat-rate rewards business credit cards don’t just give you access to consistent rewards, but they also provide unlimited earning potential.
That means you won’t have to worry about hitting a threshold for your highest rewards rates—there won’t be a spending cap on the best flat-rate rewards business credit cards. Meanwhile, most business credit cards with tiered rewards programs will only allow you to earn a top reward rate on up to a certain amount of spending each year.
We look at the best flat-rate rewards business credit cards for unlimited, even rewards for every dollar you choose to spend on your business.
Why You Might Need a Flat-Rate Rewards Business Credit Card
The best flat-rate rewards business credit cards can be a huge benefit to many companies—and if they’re right for you, you’ll love these cards. Here’s how to know if a flat-rate rewards business card is a good fit:
1. You spend on unconventional business expenses.
If you’re not spending primarily on traditional business costs, then you probably aren’t spending in the spending categories that tiered rewards programs reward the most. Unless you’re spending the most on office supplies, shipping expenses, travel, or other common small business costs, then a tiered rewards program will probably leave you earning a mere 1% cash back or 1x rewards for most of your spending.
If you’re making a lot of non-conventional business purchases, or your spending is highly variable across categories from month to month, then a flat-rate business credit card should be your primary business credit card. That way, all of the purchases you make the most—be them groceries or knitting supplies—will earn more than 1% or 1x, which will seriously add up.
2. Your other business credit card has a tiered rewards program.
Alternatively, you might have already found your perfect tiered rewards card that provides huge returns for your most frequent expenses, but you’re still getting just 1% or 1x for intermittent purchases. That’s where a flat-rate business credit card ought to come into play.
Getting a flat-rate business credit card for the purchases that only earn 1% or 1x on your tiered rewards card can seriously upgrade your spending. You might use a tiered rewards card for office supplies and see a 3% cash back return, but then use your flat-rate card for more obscure—but no less significant—purchases like holiday gifts for your employees.
Smart use of a flat-rate rewards business credit card in tandem with a tiered rewards program card means you’re earning as much as possible without juggling so many cards.
3. You’re tired of tracking your rewards.
Or, you also might just be tired of tracking your spending to make sure you’re getting the most rewards possible. Tiered rewards programs involve a lot of questions and contingencies. Each purchase you make with a tiered rewards card will come with uncertainties like spending caps, vendor classifications, and rotating top-earning categories. It’s enough to drive a small business owner mad.
So, you might move over to a flat-rate rewards business credit card for no reason more than peace-of-mind. You’ll be able to spend—and allow your employees to spend—knowing that you’re earning as much as possible, no matter which expenses end up on your account.
4 Best Flat-Rate Rewards Business Credit Cards for Small Business Owners
You know why you should want a business credit card with flat-rate rewards, but now you’ll need to know which to choose.
Though all of these picks for the best flat-rate business credit cards will have their unlimited, even rewards in common, they’ll all vary widely from that meeting point. Some will offer flat-rate cash back, and others will offer you flat-rate rewards points. Beyond that, most all will have some distinguishing to make them stand out from the pack.
Chase Ink Unlimited: Best Overall Flat-Rate Rewards
The Chase Ink Unlimited is the first and the newest of the flat-rate rewards business credit cards we’ll spotlight. The Ink Unlimited allows you to earn 1.5% cash back for every dollar you spend, but there’s a lot more to this card. You’ll also earn $500 cash back when you spend $3,000 within the first three months after you open your account.
You’ll be able to save with the Ink Unlimited, too—its 12-month 0% intro APR period means that you can carry balances from month-to-month without accruing any interest at all. After that first year, your APR will set in at a rate that depends on your creditworthiness and the market prime rate, so be sure to check the issuer’s terms and conditions to get the latest APR information.
And finally, you’ll be able to access this card deal for no annual fee at all, so you won’t have to sink a lump sum every year into being a cardholder.
Overall, the Ink Unlimited delivers essentially anything you can ask of a card—cash back, a welcome offer, a 0% intro APR period, and no annual fee. If you’re looking for a flat-rate cash back card that offers a well-rounded package, then look to the Ink Unlimited’s total package.
Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Best Flat-Rate Cash Back Rewards
Another top flat-rate rewards business card that also offers cash back rewards is the Capital One Spark Cash for Business. This card will give you an unlimited 2% cash back for every dollar you spend with it. Plus, you’ll also earn a $500 cash back welcome offer if you spend $4,500 in your first three months after opening your account.
The Spark Cash will outperform the Ink Unlimited for big spenders—the additional 0.5% cash back you’ll get for every dollar and the higher welcome offer threshold make the Spark Cash a better fit for bigger budgets.
And you’ll need to earn more to make up for the cost that the Spark Cash comes with—though Capital One will waive the annual fee for your first year with the Spark Cash, an annual fee of $95 will set in for your second year and onward.
Plum Card from American Express: Best Flat-Rate Rewards with Flexible Payment
Though the Plum Card is yet another flat-rate business rewards card that offers up cash back for your spending, its cardholder experience is certainly a unique one—the Plum Card actually offers up some of the most flexible terms on the market.
It gets its flat-rate title from the unlimited 1.5% cash back it rewards you for any payments you’re able to make early within 10 days of your statement positing. But as a charge card, the Plum Card doesn’t quite qualify as a flat-rate business credit card. You won’t have a set limit on your credit with this flat-rate business credit card, so you’ll be able to spend without worrying about maxing out your available credit.
The Plum also offers an unparalleled grace period of 60 days, which will allow you to take your time with paying down your balance without incurring late fees. And from month-to-month, you’ll be able to choose what kind of Plum cardholder you want to be—the early bird who gets the 1.5% cash back or the late-comer who avoids late payment fees.
Keep in mind though, this kind of flexibility comes at a cost. Though American Express will waive your first annual fee with the Plum Card, you’ll have to pay the relatively high $250 fee each year thereafter.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®: Best Flat-Rate Travel Rewards
Finally, the flat-rate travel rewards business credit card that made it to our list is the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®. This card offers up 1.5x travel rewards for every dollar you spend with it—but will also up your returns to 3x travel rewards for every purchase you make through the Bank of America® travel portal. And all of these rates will be completely unlimited.
You’ll also gain access to a 9-month 0% intro APR period with this card, along with a 25,000-mile welcome offer once you spend $1,000 within your first 60 days with the card. And you’ll be able to access the very best flat-rate travel rewards business credit card for no annual fee at all.
Picking the Best Flat-Rate Rewards Business Credit Card
With all of these rates, offers, and fees laid out in front of you, you’ll need to start thinking next steps. If you’re looking for cash back rewards, then you’ll need to decide whether the Ink Unlimited, the Spark Cash, or the Plum Card are the right fit for you. But if you’re looking for travel rewards, then the Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® is almost certainly your best bet.
As we explained from the get-go, it’s prudent for pretty much any business owner to have a flat-rate business credit card in their wallet at-the-ready. Whether it’s a supplement or a mainstay, a flat-rate business credit card is an asset to a small business’s finances.
The post The 4 Best Flat-Rate Rewards Business Credit Cards appeared first on Fundera Ledger.
from Fundera Ledger https://www.fundera.com/blog/best-flat-rate-rewards-business-credit-cards
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