July 24, 2024

Business credit cards that don't report to personal credit bureaus

As a business owner, it's essential to separate your personal and business finances. One way to do this is by using a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit bureaus. This can help protect your personal credit score and keep your business and personal credit activity separate.

In this article, we'll explore which business credit cards don't report to personal credit bureaus, which ones report to business credit bureaus, and the pros and cons of using a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit.

Which business credit cards report to personal credit bureaus?

Here's a table of some popular business credit card issuers and whether they report to personal credit bureaus:

Card issuer

Reports to personal credit bureaus

Ramp

No

American Express

Yes, but only negative payment history

U.S. Bank

Yes, but only for serious delinquencies

Wells Fargo

No

Bank of America

No

Discover

Yes

Capital One

Plus and Venture X business credit cards report delinquencies

Chase

Yes, but only for serious delinquencies

Citi

No

As you can see, only a few card issuers, such as Ramp, Bank of America, Citi, and Wells Fargo don't report any activity to personal credit bureaus. This means that using these cards responsibly won't impact your personal credit score, but it also means that any negative activity, like late payments or high balances, won't show up on your personal credit report.

Which business credit cards report to business credit bureaus?

While some business credit cards don't report to personal credit bureaus, most do report to major business credit bureaus. Reporting to commercial credit bureaus can help you build your business credit profile, making it easier to qualify for loans, lines of credit, and other financing options in the future. Here's a table showing which business credit cards report to which business credit bureaus:

Card issuer

Dun & Bradstreet

Equifax

Experian

Ramp

Yes

Yes

Yes

Chase

Yes

Yes

Yes

American Express

Yes

Yes

Yes

Bank of America

Yes

Yes

Yes

Capital One

Yes

Yes

Yes

Discover

Yes

Yes

Yes

Wells Fargo

Yes

Yes

Yes

U.S. Bank

Yes

No

No

Citi

Yes

Yes

Yes

Business credit cards that don't report to personal credit bureaus

Now that we've seen which card issuers report to personal credit bureaus, let's take a closer look at some specific business credit cards that don’t.

Card comparison

Ramp Corporate Card
The fastest, easiest way to manage expenses.
Best overall business card

The Ramp corporate card offers an all-in-one platform that automates expense management, enforces spending policies, and helps businesses save an average of 5% on their expenses, without requiring personal credit checks or founder guarantees.

Annual Fee

$0

APR

N/A

Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card
Best for high cashback in select categories

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card is aimed at business owners seeking generous cash back rewards, with up to $750 in bonus cash back and no annual fee.

Annual Fee

$0

APR

18.49%–24.49% variable APR

Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi
Best for Costco members

The Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi offers generous cash back rewards on gas, dining, travel, and Costco purchases, with no annual fee for Costco members and valuable travel and purchase protections.

Annual Fee

$0 with a paid Costco membership

APR

20.49% variable APR for purchases / 29.99% variable APR for cash advances

Personal Guarantee

Required

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card
Best for welcome bonus

The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card features a noteworthy $750 cash back enrollment bonus when you spend $6,000 on eligible net purchases within 180 days of opening.

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.24%-28.24% variable APR

Wells Fargo Active Cash Credit Card
Best for points-based rewards

The Well Fargo Active card offers a generous $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, providing a valuable incentive on top of its unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

APR

20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable APR

American Express Blue Business Plus
Best for points-based rewards

The American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card is a simple yet rewarding business credit card with no annual fee, offering flexible points on all purchases and a generous introductory APR period, making it an attractive option for small business owners looking to save on interest while earning valuable rewards.

Annual Fee

$0

APR

18.49%–26.49% variable APR

Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for flexible rewards categories

The Bank of America credit card offers flexibility to earn bonus cash back in the category of your choice. With valuable rewards, practical perks, and no annual fee, this card provides a tailored solution for many small business owners.

Net Savings

N/A

APR

0% intro APR, then 18.49%–28.49% variable

Fees

No annual fee

Personal Guarantee

Required

Citi AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard
Best for American Airlines travel

This is a rewarding business credit card for companies with frequent travel on American Airlines, offering a generous sign-up bonus, enhanced earning rates on select categories, and valuable travel perks.

Annual Fee

$99 annual fee (waived first year)

APR

21.24%–29.99% variable APR for purchases

At Ramp, transparency and integrity are core values guiding our content. We believe in the exceptional value of our products, which may shape our perspective. Our methodical approach involves competitor analysis, comparison of credit cards, and frequent reviews to maintain reliability. Review our full methodology for choosing the best business credit cards.

Pros of using a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit bureaus

Separating personal and business finances

Using a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit bureaus helps keep personal and business expenses separate, making it easier to track and manage business finances. This separation is important for maintaining a clear distinction between personal and business credit, which is crucial for legal and tax purposes.

Protecting personal credit score

When using a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit bureaus, the card activity won't impact the cardholder's personal credit score, as long as payments are made on time and the account is managed responsibly. This prevents potential negative effects on personal credit, such as high credit utilization or late payments on the business card.

Higher credit limits

Business credit cards often have higher credit limits compared to personal credit cards, providing more purchasing power for business expenses. These higher credit limits can be beneficial for businesses with significant expenses or those looking to make large purchases.

Cons of using a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit bureaus

No positive impact on personal credit score

Responsible use and timely payments on a business credit card that doesn't report to personal credit bureaus won't contribute to improving the cardholder's personal credit score. This means missing out on the opportunity to build personal credit through business credit card use.

Personal guarantee requirement

Some business credit cards, including those that don't report to personal credit bureaus, may still require a personal guarantee from the business owner. This means the business owner is personally responsible for the debt incurred on the card, blurring the line between personal and business finances.

Limited options

The number of business credit cards that don't report to personal credit bureaus may be limited compared to those that do. This can restrict the choice of cards with specific rewards, benefits, or features that may be advantageous for the business.

Does a business credit card affect your personal credit score?

In most cases, a business credit card will not go off your personal credit score as long as you make payments on time and keep your account in good standing. However, if you default on your business credit card or make late payments, the card issuer may report this negative activity to your personal credit report, which could hurt your personal credit score.

Build business credit with Ramp

If you're looking to build business credit without impacting your personal credit, Ramp is a great option. Ramp provides a corporate card that doesn't require a personal credit check or personal guarantee, making it an attractive choice for business owners with less-than-perfect personal credit.

Once you're approved for a Ramp card, you can start making purchases and earn cashback on transactions. Ramp also offers a variety of expense management and accounting software integrations to help streamline your business finances.

While Ramp doesn't report to personal credit bureaus, it does report to major business credit bureaus. This means that using your Ramp card responsibly can help you build your business credit profile over time.

In addition to building business credit, using a Ramp card can also help you:

  • Manage employee expenses with custom spend controls and real-time alerts
  • Automate expense reporting and receipt matching
  • Integrate with popular accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage Intacct
  • Access higher credit limits than traditional business credit cards
Try Ramp for free
Share with
John IwuozorContributor Finance Writer
John is a freelance writer and content strategist with over three years of experience and expertise covering topics on finance, HR/business, and IT security for small and medium-sized businesses. His work has been featured on reputable platforms like Forbes Advisor and Techopedia.
Ramp is dedicated to helping businesses of all sizes make informed decisions. We adhere to strict editorial guidelines to ensure that our content meets and maintains our high standards.

Our previous bill pay process probably took a good 10 hours per AP batch. Now it just takes a couple of minutes between getting an invoice entered, approved, and processed.

Jason Hershey

VP of Finance and Accounting, Hospital Association of Oregon

Hospital Association of Oregon

When looking for a procure-to-pay solution we wanted to make everyone’s life easier. We wanted a one-click type of solution, and that’s what we’ve achieved with Ramp.

Mandy Mobley

Finance Invoice & Expense Coordinator, Crossings Community Church

Crossings Community Church

We no longer have to comb through expense records for the whole month — having everything in one spot has been really convenient. Ramp's made things more streamlined and easy for us to stay on top of. It's been a night and day difference.

Fahem Islam

Accounting Associate, Snapdocs

Snapdocs

It's great to be able to park our operating cash in the Ramp Business Account where it earns an actual return and then also pay the bills from that account to maximize float.

Mike Rizzo

Accounting Manager, MakeStickers

Makestickers

The practice managers love Ramp, it allows them to keep some agency for paying practice expenses. They like that they can instantaneously attach receipts at the time of transaction, and that they can text back-and-forth with the automated system. We've gotten a lot of good feedback from users.

Greg Finn

Director of FP&A, Align ENTA

Align ENTA

The reason I've been such a super fan of Ramp is the product velocity. Not only is it incredibly beneficial to the user, it’s also something that gives me confidence in your ability to continue to pull away from other products.

Tyler Bliha

CEO, Abode

Abode

Switching to Ramp for Bill Pay saved us not only time but also a significant amount of money. Our previous AP automation tool cost us around $40,000 per year, and it wasn’t even working properly. Ramp is far more functional, and we’re getting the benefits at a fraction of the cost.

Frank Byers

Controller, The Second City

the second city