A business card puts your freelance costs on a statement of their own, so they’re easy to add up when you deduct them at tax time. Pay it from a business bank account to keep the business money apart from yours too. You can apply as a sole proprietor without forming an LLC first, and no card here charges an annual fee.
Choose by where your money goes. If it’s spread across many kinds of purchases, a card that pays the same rate on everything earns more, with no categories to track. Some freelancers put a big share of their spending into a few costs, like phone and internet, gas, or Amazon orders. For them, a card with a higher rate on those costs can earn more, up to any yearly cap on that rate.
Best for U.S. Bank clients: U.S. Bank Business Essentials™ Visa® Card
Consultants who keep $10,000 in U.S. Bank business checking earn 2.5% on up to $10,000 of purchases a billing cycle, and everyone else gets 2% on everything, with no cap.
- What Sets It Apart: No yearly cap on its 2%, and an extra 0.5% for businesses with a $10,000 checking balance at U.S. Bank
- Welcome Offer: $500 cash back after $5,000 in purchases within 150 days; employee cards’ purchases count
- Rewards: 2% cash back on every purchase; 2.5% on the first $10,000 in eligible purchases each billing cycle with a $10,000 average balance in qualifying U.S. Bank business checking; 6% on prepaid hotels and car rentals in the Travel Center
- Features: Free employee cards; U.S. Bank Spend Management; auto rental coverage, purchase security, and extended warranty protection
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% for 12 billing cycles on purchases; none on balance transfers
- APR: 16.99% to 27.99% variable
- Cost: Balance transfers 5% ($5 minimum); foreign transactions 3%; cash advances 5% ($10 minimum); late payments $41
- Pros: No cap on the 2%; no U.S. Bank account needed; free employee cards
- Cons: 3% foreign transaction fee; the 2.5% rate needs $10,000 in U.S. Bank business checking; no intro APR on balance transfers; points expire after 12 inactive statement cycles
For more information, read our full U.S. Bank Business Essentials™ Visa® Card Review.
Best for on-and-off work: Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash® Card
Side hustlers whose work comes and goes keep every reward, since rewards don’t expire while the account is open, and earn 2% on every purchase with no cap.
- What Sets It Apart: An uncapped flat 2% that asks for no annual fee or banking relationship
- Welcome Offer: $500 for spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Rewards: 2% cash rewards on every business purchase; no categories or cap
- Features: Free employee cards with spending limits; Priority Pass membership, paying for each lounge visit; rental car coverage; $250,000 travel accident insurance; rewards as a statement credit, gift cards, travel, or a donation
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases
- APR: 16.99% to 24.99% variable
- Cost: 3% foreign transaction fee; cash advance fee of $10 or 5%, whichever is greater; late fee up to $40
- Eligibility: No Wells Fargo account needed; a business tax ID only if the business has one; details on each owner of 25% or more
- Pros: Uncapped 2%; free employee cards that earn 2%; rewards don’t expire while the account is open; rental car and travel accident coverage
- Cons: 3% foreign transaction fee; no bonus categories; no purchase, warranty, or cell phone protection; the owner personally liable for every charge
For more information, read our full Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash® Card Review.
Best for hands-off rewards: The American Express Blue Business Cash® Card
Designers who charge less than $50,000 a calendar year get 2% back, credited to the statement automatically each month, with room to spend over the credit limit through Expanded Buying Power.
- What Sets It Apart: 2% back on up to $50,000 a year with no annual fee; cash back credited automatically
- Welcome Offer: Statement credit of up to $500 after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months; exact amount shown before you accept
- Rewards: 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year; 1% after that; paid as a statement credit
- Features: Expanded Buying Power above your credit limit; employee cards earn cash back; purchase protection up to $1,000 per item; extended warranty up to 1 extra year; secondary car rental coverage
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases
- APR: 16.99% to 28.74% variable
- Cost: 2.7% foreign transaction fee
- Pros: Full 2% with no categories to track; no annual fee; welcome offer shown before you accept
- Cons: 1% past $50,000 a year; 2.7% foreign transaction fee; no points to transfer
For more information, read our full The American Express Blue Business Cash® Card Review.
Best for travel points: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Photographers who fly to shoots earn 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 a calendar year, and the points transfer to 19 airline and hotel programs.
- What Sets It Apart: 2 transferable points per dollar with no annual fee, on up to $50,000 a year
- Welcome Offer: Up to 50,000 points after $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months; American Express shows your offer before you accept the card
- Rewards: 2X until $50,000 of purchases a calendar year, then 1X; points worth 1 cent on American Express Travel flights, 0.6 cent as a statement credit; 19 airline and hotel transfer partners
- Features: No-fee employee cards that earn points for you; Expanded Buying Power, which can let you charge past your credit limit; purchase protection up to $1,000 per item; extended warranty; secondary car rental coverage
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% on purchases for 12 months
- APR: 16.99% to 28.74% variable
- Cost: 2.7% foreign transaction fee
- Pros: One flat rate; points transfer to 19 airline and hotel programs; free employee cards that earn points
- Cons: 1X after $50,000 a year; 1.2% back as a statement credit; 2.7% foreign transaction fee; a fee on transfers to U.S. airlines
For more information, read our full The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Review.
Best for car rentals: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Event planners who rent cars for work get theft and collision coverage on business rentals that pays before their own auto insurance, plus 1.5% back on every purchase.
- What Sets It Apart: Points that move to a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred card, for transfers to airlines and hotels
- Welcome Offer: $750 after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months; may be withheld if you’ve had this card or another no-fee Chase business card
- Rewards: 1.5% on every purchase, with no cap, as points worth a cent each
- Features: Three free months of Instacart+, with a $20 monthly Instacart credit while a member, through 2027; free employee cards with spending limits; rental car coverage that pays first on business rentals; purchase protection; extended warranty
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% on purchases for 12 months; none on balance transfers
- APR: 16.99% to 24.99% variable
- Cost: 3% foreign transaction fee
- Eligibility: Sole proprietors and side businesses can apply with a Social Security number, even with $0 in revenue
- Pros: Points worth more through a Sapphire card; rental coverage that pays first; 120-day purchase protection
- Cons: Trails 2% cards in cash; 3% foreign transaction fee; bonus may be withheld from past no-fee Chase business cardholders; subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule
For more information, read our full Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Review.
Best for fair credit: Capital One Spark Classic for Business
Capital One offers it for fair credit and reports its activity to the personal credit bureaus, so a gig worker who pays on time can help their score, while late payments can hurt it.
- What Sets It Apart: The only card in Capital One’s business lineup that takes fair credit, and it costs nothing to keep
- Rewards: 1% cash back on every purchase; 5% on hotel stays and car rentals booked in Capital One Business Travel; cash back never expires
- Features: Activity reported to the personal credit bureaus; free employee cards with spending limits; account managers, virtual card numbers, and QuickBooks exports; $0 fraud liability
- Annual Fee: $0
- Security Deposit: None; the limit depends on your personal credit and finances
- APR: 29.24% variable
- Cost: No foreign transaction fee
- Credit Needed: Fair; a pre-approval check doesn’t affect your score
- Eligibility: Business owners, sole proprietors included, who apply with their SSN; revenue and time in business can count
- Pros: Open to fair credit; a pre-approval check that doesn’t affect your score; on-time payments can help your personal score; cash back never expires
- Cons: Just 1% back; no welcome bonus or intro APR; a carried balance costs more in interest than its purchases earn; late payments and high balances can hurt your personal score
For more information, read our full Capital One Spark Classic for Business Review.
Best for phone & internet: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Writers who pay for phone and internet and shop at office supply stores earn 5% on the first $25,000 of those purchases each account year.
- What Sets It Apart: No-fee 5% on monthly phone and internet bills, plus points that transfer to travel partners once moved to a Sapphire card
- Welcome Offer: $750 cash back after you spend $6,000 within the first 3 months
- Rewards: 5% on internet, cable, and phone service and at office supply stores, and 2% at gas stations and restaurants, each on the first $25,000 of combined spending each account year; 1% on everything else
- Features: Free employee cards; points movable to a Sapphire card or the Ink Business Preferred, worth 1.5 cents each there by our count; purchase protection and extended warranty
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% on purchases for 12 months
- APR: 16.99% to 24.99% variable
- Cost: 3% foreign transaction fee
- Pros: 5% on cell, landline, internet, and cable or satellite service; travel transfers through a Sapphire card; primary business rental car coverage
- Cons: 1% outside its categories, below the Ink Business Unlimited’s 1.5%; no 5% on office supplies from discount, department, or electronics stores; bonus may be withheld from past no-fee Chase business cardholders; 3% foreign transaction fee
For more information, read our full Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Review.
Best for gig drivers: U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
Rideshare and delivery drivers earn 3% at gas stations and EV chargers with no yearly cap, on each fill-up or charge of $200 or less.
- What Sets It Apart: Uncapped 3% back in four everyday business categories, plus a yearly $100 software credit
- Welcome Offer: $750 cash back after $6,000 in purchases on the owner’s card within 180 days
- Rewards: 3% at gas stations and EV chargers (up to $200 a transaction), office supply stores, cell phone carriers, and restaurants; 5% on hotels and car rentals prepaid in the Travel Center; 1% on the rest; no cap
- Features: $100 yearly credit after 11 straight months of software subscriptions; free employee cards with Spend Management; rental car, purchase, and warranty coverage
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% for 12 billing cycles on purchases and on balances transferred within 30 days of opening
- APR: 17.49% – 26.49% variable
- Cost: 5% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum); 3% foreign transaction fee
- Eligibility: U.S. business owners 18 or older, sole proprietors included
- Pros: No cap on the 3% categories; $100 software credit; same 0% intro as the Business Shield
- Cons: 1% outside the four categories; 1% on gas or charging over $200; no 3% at wholesale clubs or supercenters; 3% foreign transaction fee
For more information, read our full U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card Review.
Best for a choice category: Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card
Web developers can make computer services its 3% category, and that rate and its 2% on dining apply to the first $50,000 of those purchases each calendar year.
- What Sets It Apart: A 3% category you choose and can change monthly, worth up to 5.25% with Bank of America balances
- Welcome Offer: $500 once you spend $5,000 in the account’s first 90 days; online only
- Rewards: 3% in one of six categories you choose and 2% on dining, on the first $50,000 a year combined; 1% on everything else; 25% to 75% more with Preferred Rewards for Business
- Features: Free employee cards; travel accident insurance and auto rental coverage; purchase security and extended warranty; QuickBooks downloads
- Annual Fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% for 7 billing cycles on purchases
- APR: 16.99% to 26.99% variable
- Cost: 5% balance transfer fee; 3% foreign transaction fee; 5% cash advance fee; late fee up to $49
- Eligibility: Owner or authorized officer, 18 or older, with a U.S. address; sole proprietors use a Social Security number
- Pros: Bonus rates on $50,000 a year; up to 75% more with Preferred Rewards; free employee cards
- Cons: 1% outside your category and dining; 3% foreign transaction fee; office supply 3% excludes discount warehouses
For more information, read our full Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card Review.
Prime members only: Prime Business World Elite Mastercard®
Online sellers who buy supplies on Amazon, and developers who pay for Amazon Web Services, earn 5% there on the first $150,000 a calendar year.
- Best for: Prime members whose businesses buy supplies or cloud services from Amazon
- What Sets It Apart: Its 5% covers AWS and Amazon Business purchases, and Amazon checkout offers 0% monthly payments
- Welcome Offer: $100 or more as an Amazon gift card or statement credit, on approval or after the spending your offer names
- Rewards: 5% at Amazon.com, Amazon Business, AWS, and Whole Foods Market and 2% on your top three of 15 categories each billing cycle, each on the first $150,000 a year; 1% on most other purchases
- Features: Payment plans of up to 12 months with no interest or fee on eligible Amazon purchases, in place of their rewards; employee cards and unlimited virtual cards with spending limits
- Annual Fee: $0
- APR: 17.99% to 29.99% variable
- Cost: No foreign transaction fee; balance transfers and cash advances 4% or $5, whichever is greater; $40 late fee
- Eligibility: An eligible Amazon Prime membership; sole proprietors can apply with a Social Security number
- Pros: Automatic top three categories; interest-free Amazon payment plans; employee and virtual cards
- Cons: Requires Prime; 1% outside its bonus categories; one $150,000 cap on the 5% for all cards
For more information, read our full Prime Business World Elite Mastercard® Review.
The choice comes down to how much of your spending lands in a few bills. Put everyday spending on a no-fee card that pays 2% on everything, and add one with a higher rate on your biggest bill, such as phone and internet, when that bill grows large enough to earn more there.
Editorial & Advertiser Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser. Opinions expressed here are ours alone, not those of any advertiser. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. That compensation may influence which products we cover and where and how they appear on a page – including the order in which they appear – but it does not influence our evaluations, ratings, or opinions. We do not include every company or offer available in the marketplace.
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