Best business credit cards for construction and contractors

Construction business cards can give your company more financing, various perks, and the ability to build credit. With the right card, you can also stay on top of your employees’ expenses and grow your business.

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General contractors and business owners in the construction industry can choose from many business credit cards. This guide will explore what to look for in a good business credit card, how to get a card, and some of the best business credit cards for construction available.

Construction business cards: Which are best?

While business owners have many choices, these are some of the best business credit cards for construction companies and contractors:

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More for the wallet than the tool belt,  the Ramp Business Credit Card is a valuable tool for construction companies. Its strong suit is its robust expense management software, which can be highly beneficial for businesses with multiple employees and complex spending patterns. 

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The Ramp Business Card offers several perks that can significantly benefit construction businesses, including automated expense tracking, real-time spending visibility, employee card controls, and integration with accounting software. These features streamline operations, improve cash flow, and enhance financial control.

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The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card has no annual fee and earns 5% cash back on office supplies and internet, cable, and phone services (up to $25,000 combined annually), plus 2% cash back on gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 combined annually).

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That said, the 5% and 2% cash back categories have spending limits and may not significantly impact construction-related expenses like materials (lumber, concrete, etc.), equipment rentals, or subcontractor payments.

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The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard can be a decent option for some construction companies.

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The card gets 3% cash back on gas and EV charging stations (transactions of $200 or less), office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants, as well as 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

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The card's primary strength is its simple reward structure for construction businesses. You earn 2% cash back on every purchase, with no spending limits or category restrictions. 

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This simplicity can be highly beneficial for businesses with spending patterns across a lot of categories that don’t typically see bonus rewards—such as on heavy machinery (excavators, bulldozers, cranes), smaller tools (saws, drills, hammers), vehicle maintenance and fuel, building materials (lumber, concrete, steel, drywall, etc.), roofing materials, plumbing and electrical supplies, windows and doors, insulation, and more.

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For no annual fee, your construction business could be earning 3% cash back on phone, internet, and cable services—helpful for covering office communication costs—as well as 2% cash back on dining and restaurants and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

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One upside of the American Express Blue Business Cash Card that sets its apart for construction companies is that it gets a flat 2% back on up to $50,000 in eligible expenses each. Qualifying categories vary from travel to office supplies to restaurant meals, but the kicker that makes it useful for the building industry is that eligible expenses include shipping and delivery costs for products and materials.

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So if you’re buying large amounts of lumber (beams, boards, plywood), steel (beams, rebar, pipes), concrete (precast panels, blocks, ready-mix), masonry (bricks, blocks, stone), or other materials, this could be a good way to ship them to you and save up to $1,000 annually.

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Similar to the Capital One Spark 2%, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card’s primary draw is its simplicity: you earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no rotating categories or spending limits. This makes it easy to track and maximize rewards, regardless of the specific expenses incurred by a construction business.

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What differentiates it is that you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards for spending which can be redeemed for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, or travel. 

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While the Capital One Spark 1% Classic Credit Card may not offer the highest cash back rates (1% on all purchases) or specialized rewards for construction-specific expenses, its simplicity, no annual fee, and ability to help build business credit make it a valuable option for some construction businesses.

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We think the U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card is one of the best construction or remodeling business cards, particularly for businesses focused on cash flow management and business growth. Why? We all know that projects can end up costing more—and taking longer—than budgeted for at the initial onset. 

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That makes this card’s 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months particularly appealing, allowing businesses to finance supply purchases, cover unexpected costs, or consolidate high-interest debt without accruing interest during the introductory period.

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The American Express Blue Business Plus offers the same upsides as the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, but with one important distinction: Cardholders earn Membership Rewards points rather than cashback. 

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AmEx Membership Rewards points give you flexibility when it comes to redemptions, including travel booked in the AmEx Travel Portal or transferred to airline and hotel partners, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and even cash back.

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Summary of the best business credit cards for construction and contractors

Other financing options for construction businesses

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How to get a business credit card for construction and contractors

Many construction companies, contractors, and business owners use business credit cards to stay on top of their expenses. A business credit card also allows business owners to separate their personal expenses from their business expenses, providing a less complicated tax season in the process. Here’s how you can obtain a credit card for your business.

Review your credit score and eligibility

Credit card issuers have several benchmarks in place to minimize the risk of working with borrowers who fall behind on debt. You will typically need a good credit score to get an unsecured credit card. A good personal credit score can help you access some cards, but you will need business credit for other credit cards.

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Some people get started with secured business credit cards. These cards are available for people with bad credit and require initial security deposits. Once you build your credit history with a secured business credit card, you can eventually upgrade to an unsecured card.

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The Ramp corporate card is another viable option for business owners with good or bad credit. During the application process, Ramp prioritizes a company’s finances instead of your personal credit score. 

Compare credit cards

Once you determine which cards you qualify for, the next step is to compare business credit cards and determine which one is right for you. These are some of the details to keep in mind when reviewing business credit cards.

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• The credit limit: A higher credit limit will let you borrow more capital when you need it for your business. Corporate cards with no preset limits tend to have higher credit limits than traditional business credit cards. The Ramp corporate card can be a good choice if you want to borrow more money as long as you pay back your entire balance by the end of each month.
• The rewards program: Many credit card issuers have rewards programs to incentivize business owners to use their cards instead of a competitor’s card. Some rewards programs are straightforward, such as Ramp’s unlimited 1.5% cashback on every purchase. Other cards are more complex with elevated rewards and point conversions.
• Rates and fees: Look for a card’s annual fees, late payment fees, foreign transaction fees, balance transfer fees, cash advance fees, over-the-limit fees, interest rates, and other expenses.
• Business tools: You should check what cash flow management resources a credit card issuer provides. Many issuers let you auto-generate reports based on your spending and discover ways to keep your expenses low. Some credit card companies offer more than others, and you might also get access to numerous discounts from the best business tools and software.

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It’s a good idea to browse through several business credit cards and compare each one. You’ll then establish expectations and know how to differentiate good cards from less promising ones.

Submit your application

You’ll eventually find a business credit card that checks most or all of the boxes. The application process for business credit cards is similar to applying for a personal credit card. Credit card issuers will request several details when you submit your application. Here’s some of the information you can expect to provide:

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• Your personal ID 
• Employer identification number (EIN)
• Your company’s name, address, and phone number
• Years of experience
• Annual revenue and monthly expenses
• Your company’s industry and legal structure
• The total number of employees in your company

Other financing options for construction businesses

A business credit card gives you the opportunity to borrow capital, build your business credit, and get plenty of rewards. Some of these cards are free to use as long as you pay off your balance at the end of each month, while others have annual fees.

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However, a credit card isn’t the only way to finance your business. These are some of the alternatives to consider for your construction company.

Term loans

Business term loans have fixed monthly payments and don't use any collateral. While you can get a personal loan with a good FICO score, business loans have higher loan amounts, especially if you qualify for an SBA 7(a) loan. Term loans can range from three months to 25 years.

Business lines of credit

Business lines of credit let you access capital equal to a predetermined credit limit. You can borrow money against the credit line and make interest-only payments during the draw period. The remaining balance after the draw period either gets converted into a term loan or is subject to a balloon payment. 

Equipment loans

These loans are term loans with fixed interest rates. They use the equipment as collateral and typically have terms ranging from 3-7 years. Lenders will look at your creditworthiness and the equipment’s condition when determining interest rates. Equipment loans usually have lower rates since the equipment becomes collateral.

Invoice factoring

Invoice factoring involves selling unpaid invoices to a factoring company. You receive capital equal to a percentage of the invoice’s face value, and the factoring company collects the payments. Invoice factoring companies look at the invoice recipient’s creditworthiness when assessing how much they will pay for your invoice. Invoice factoring doesn't involve any debt accumulation.

Invoice financing

Some companies let you keep your invoices and collect payments from clients which can preserve a good customer relationship. Invoice financing involves using your unpaid invoices as collateral and repaying the loan when you receive the invoice payments.

Grow your construction company with the Ramp corporate card

Construction companies need good cash flow. The industry has relatively low profit margins, but the right business card can make a difference. That’s where the Ramp corporate card comes in. This charge card doesn't accrue interest and lets you borrow more money than traditional business credit cards. You’ll also save an average of 5% on card spend, while also accessing discounts for top business tools and the opportunity to build business credit.

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The Ramp corporate card for startups doesn't have any annual fees and comes with spend management software. You don't need to provide a personal guarantee or go through a credit check to get this card.