Business credit cards that report to D&B (Dun and Bradstreet) and how they help build business credit

Building up your business credit profile is one of the most important financial moves you can make as a small business owner. A good credit score sets your business up for success and gives you better access to financing opportunities.

Of the three business credit reporting agencies, Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) is the one most used by business lenders. Lenders and other businesses may use your D&B Score to determine how risky it could be to do business with your company.

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One easy way to improve your business, or commercial, credit score with D&B and other business credit rating agencies is to have a business credit card that reports to those agencies, use it regularly, and pay it off in full each billing cycle. As an entrepreneur, having good credit can come in handy if you need access to capital to scale your business or to manage cash flow during slower periods of the year.

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When your company is just starting out, it'll have no credit history—and no credit score. It can take months or years to build up a good score, so the sooner you can get started by opening a small business credit card, the better. 

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‍It’s worth building your business credit up quickly so you can legitimize your business in the eyes of lenders, separate your personal finances from your business, and unlock better business opportunities and partnerships for your company. Plus, the rewards and perks on small business cards, like cash back—as well as the credit limits for which you qualify—tend to be richer than those on personal cards. 

To start building credit, you’ll need to incorporate your business as an LLC, a C-Corp, or an S-Corp (this can also help protect your personal liability for some business activities), and register it with the state to receive an employer identification number (EIN). You can use that number to establish a business bank account and get a business credit card which you can use to start building a strong business credit profile.

Even if you’ve done all of the above, most business credit cards will still require a personal guarantee and a personal credit check before approving your card application. This is to help card providers manage risk, so you’re on the line for debt repayment if your business fails.

How credit card issuers report to credit bureaus

Before we get into the specifics of which credit cards report to D&B, it’s important to understand how business credit card issuers report to business credit bureaus. This will help you make sense of what gets reported, how often your report is updated, and what to do to build a good credit score.

Credit card companies report all of your purchases and payment information—like on-time or late payments—to at least one of the main credit bureaus, which include Equifax, TransUnion and Dun & Bradstreet. In addition to purchase and payment information, your report may contain the following:

• information about your business, like its ownership and subsidiaries
• the length of your credit history
• your credit card balance
• your total outstanding debts
• whether you're near, at, or above your credit limit
• your number of recent credit applications
• the types of credit accounts you use
• whether your debts have been referred to a collection agency
• any records of insolvency or bankruptcy

Credit cards typically update your report at the end of each billing cycle, which can vary from 28 to 31 days depending on your card. If your credit report and credit card balance don’t match, it’s usually not a problem—just check back after it updates to find your latest information.

Note that unlike consumer credit reports, your business credit report is publicly available. That doesn’t mean just anyone can look at it, though. Usually, it’s entities like creditors and lenders, government agencies, or insurance companies that'll pay to view your business credit report. Just be mindful that unlike your personal credit report, you don’t need to provide authorization, so it’s worth monitoring your report regularly.

Why your business should have a business credit card

There are many benefits to business credit cards beyond building your business credit score. Some of these benefits include the ability to:

• more efficiently manage your cash flow
• earn cash back (with certain cards)
• separate your business and personal expenses

When choosing a business credit card, be sure to check whether it requires a personal guarantee and if it reports your on-time payments to business credit agencies like Dun & Bradstreet. If building your business credit profile is important, you’ll want to ensure you have a credit card that can help you do that. ‍

Not all credit card issuers report to D&B–why that matters

Not all business credit cards report to Dun & Bradstreet or to the other business reporting agencies, and some only report negative information to credit agencies. If you’re not sure how or whether an issuer reports to business credit agencies, just ask them.

Since D&B is the most used credit reporting agency by business lenders, it’s important to build up your credit profile with that agency. If you’re using a credit card that doesn't report to D&B—even if you’re paying your balance off regularly—your positive payment history won't appear on your credit report with the agency or influence your D&B credit score. 

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That said, while Dun & Bradstreet is the most commonly used business credit score, it isn't the only one. Some lenders might also use the business credit scores created by Experian, Equifax, or other agencies. Each agency has a slightly different formula they use to calculate scores, and even one agency might have multiple scores measuring different aspects of a company’s creditworthiness.

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Having a good business credit score makes it more likely that you’ll qualify for a loan when you need it—and guarantees that you have access to the best terms for that debt. Even if you don’t need credit right now, building up your business’ credit profile will be helpful in the long-term. 

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According to data from the Federal Reserve, 43% of small businesses have sought financing at some point. 58% of these businesses were looking to finance their operating expenses, while 38% wanted the money to expand. If you need a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, the first thing your lender will do is check your business credit score. Try out our SBA loan calculator tool if you need help finding the best repayment terms for your business.

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Besides lenders, other entities also look at your business credit score. Vendors, investors, insurers, and other stakeholders may examine your business credit history to determine whether you’re a trustworthy business to partner with. If you have a poor credit score or no credit history at all, they might doubt your business’s long-term viability.‍

Which business credit cards report to D&B?

There are many different business credit cards that report to D&B. Here’s a list of several options to consider for your business:

Ramp

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Ramp’s charge card program comes with the additional perk of tools designed to help your business track and reduce its spending.

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Pros: 

• No personal guarantee
• No annual fee
• Valuable cash back
• Additional tools to track spending 
• You can issue unlimited cards, with preset limits, to team members

Cons:

• Not available to sole proprietors
• Must have $75,000 in liquid assets

Tillful

Tillful is a relatively new player in the business credit space, launching in June 2022 as a secured business card provider.

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Pros:

• No personal guarantee
• No annual fee
• Offers cashback

Cons:

• Requires a $500 minimum security deposit
• Started in 2022, Tillful does not have an established track record

Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Back Business Credit Card

This credit card aimed at small business owners offers unlimited rewards and a required minimum payment of either $15 or 1% of the balance, whichever is higher.

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Pros:

• No annual fee
• Offers cashback
• Cardholders have payment flexibility to determine the date of their monthly payment

Cons:

• Requires a personal guarantee
• If you carry a balance, the interest rate can be steep

Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Card

Bank of America’s card lets you customize your rewards and offers additional cashback when you use a Bank of America business checking account. 

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Pros:

• Introductory offer includes 0% interest for the first nine months and $300 statement credit bonus
• No annual fee
• Checking account owners can have cashback deposited directly into checking account

Cons:

• After nine months, interest rate is 18.49% to 28.49%
• Requires a personal guarantee 

U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card

If you spend $4,500 in the first few months as a cardholder with the U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card, you’ll get an additional $500 cashback as an introductory bonus. 

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Pros:

• $100 software credit toward FreshBooks or QuickBooks
• No annual fee
• Introductory offer is 0% interest for 15 months

Cons:

• After 15 months, interest rate is 19.24% to 28.24%
• Requires a personal guarantee

Corpay One Mastercard

Corpay One Mastercard is a charge card that you can use to make purchases as well as pay both your bills and vendors.‍

Pros:

• You have 51 days to pay off your balance
• No annual fee
• Additional tools to automate spending

Cons:

• Requires a personal guarantee
• To get rewards, you must pay off your balance within the same calendar month as the charge

How Does Dun & Bradstreet determine your business credit score?

Dun & Bradstreet uses several factors in determining the business credit score of any company. These include the company’s history of on-time payments, the amount of time they’ve been in business, and the amount of available credit that they’re using. 

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Dun & Bradstreet relies on reports from lenders and creditors, publicly available information such as mortgages and lien filing, and information that businesses themselves provide. You can log into your D&B account to make sure that all of your information is up to date.

What’s a D-U-N-S number?

To check your D&B score, you’ll need to get a D-U-N-S number (a Data Universal Numbering System number). This is a D&B number assigned to your business that functions sort of like a Social Security number for the company. You—and other parties—can use that number to look up your business through D&B. 

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You might also need it if you ever decide to become a federal contractor. It typically takes about a month to receive your D-U-N-S number after you apply for it, but you can pay a fee to speed up the process. ‍

Other types of companies that report to Dun & Bradstreet

While opening a business credit card and regularly paying off your account each month is one of the best ways to build business credit, some other types of vendors also report to Dun & Bradstreet. Opening accounts with these vendors as well could show Dun & Bradstreet that you have access to different types of credit and result in a boost to your score. 

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These companies typically offer their clients tradelines, or a credit line with Net 30 reporting terms. In addition to helping build your credit, these types of vendors can also help you manage your cash flow. Examples of other companies that report to D&B include:

• Digital marketing agency Creative Analytics 
• Corporate swag producer Shirtsy
• Office product supplier Quill

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In addition to vendors, you may be able to establish credit with suppliers, retailers, and service providers, any of whom might extend you credit and report to the business credit reporting agencies.

Take control of your business finances and build business credit with Ramp

In addition to offering a best-in-class charge card and reporting payments to business credit agencies, Ramp offers tools that allow you to take control of your business finances and build business credit.

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Ramp’s spend management tools give you insight into your company’s spending and suggest ways that you can cut costs to make your company more efficient. That makes Ramp different from other credit companies, which encourage more spending to earn points.

Getting started with Ramp is easy. In less than 15 minutes, you can apply for a card and start making payments on a Ramp card.