The best instant or pre-approved business credit cards in February 2025

Business credit card pre-approvals aren’t as common as they are for personal credit cards, but they are possible. In some instances, you can receive pre-approval for a business credit card directly from the card provider’s website.

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Instead of waiting for pre-approval, you can also apply for cards that are known for their speedy, near-instant approval times. In this article, we'll list our top business credit cards for fast approval, and explain how pre-approval differs from instant and guaranteed approval.

5 best business credit cards with pre-approval or instant approval

Here are our top picks for business owners looking for credit card issuers with speedy account openings.

Ramp Business Credit Card

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The Ramp Business Credit Card is designed to simplify expense management for businesses. It offers advanced financial tools, including customizable spending controls, real-time transaction tracking, and automated expense categorization. Ramp also enables businesses to issue unlimited free physical and virtual employee cards without the burden of annual fees, foreign transaction fees, or interest charges.

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To qualify for the Ramp card, businesses must maintain a minimum of $25,000 in a U.S. business bank account. Operating as a charge card, Ramp requires the full balance to be paid in full each month. This encourages responsible spending and helps businesses avoid accruing debt. In addition to these benefits, Ramp offers cashback rewards on purchases and seamlessly integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite, streamlining financial workflows and improving overall efficiency.

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Key features:

• Cashback on purchases
• Unlimited free physical and virtual employee cards
• Real-time tracking and automated expense categorization
• Customizable spending controls and approval workflows
• Integration with accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite
• Access to partner discounts and rewards
• Requires a minimum $25,000 balance in a U.S. business bank account

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Capital One Spark 2X Miles

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The Capital One Spark 2X Miles rewards cardholders with two miles for every dollar spent on purchases, offering valuable points that can be redeemed for travel or transferred to a wide range of airline and hotel loyalty programs. It also provides a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and grants access to airport lounges.

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The annual fee, while waived for the first year, applies thereafter, which may not be ideal for businesses with tight budgets. Moreover, the card's rewards structure is heavily focused on travel, making it less suitable for businesses that prioritize cashback rewards or incur significant expenses in areas other than travel.

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‍Key features:

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• $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95
• 2x miles on all purchases
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
• Access to travel partners for mile transfers

First National Bank Of Omaha Business Edition Secured Mastercard

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To qualify for the First National Bank of Omaha Business Edition® Secured Mastercard, you'll need to make a security deposit equal to 110% of your desired credit limit, which can range from $2,000 to $10,000. While it doesn't offer traditional rewards, you can earn rebates at select merchants through the Mastercard Easy Savings® program.

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The card carries an annual fee of $39 and can help build business credit by reporting your responsible spending activity to major credit bureaus.

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Key features

• Request your own credit limit if you deposit between $2,000 and $10,000
• $39 annual fee
• Variable 25.99% APR on purchases and balance transfers
• Auto rental insurance
• Cash flow management tools
• Mobile receipt management

Capital On Tap Business Credit Card

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The Capital On Tap Business Credit Card offers a straightforward rewards program and a user-friendly application process. Cardholders earn a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with the potential to increase this rate to 2% by enrolling in weekly autopay. 

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It offers competitive credit limits up to $50,000, though its interest rates can be high if you carry a balance.

• 1.5% cash back on all purchases with potential to increase 2%
• No annual fee
• Competitive credit limits up to $50,000

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

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The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is useful for businesses that frequently stay at Marriott hotels. Cardholders earn valuable Marriott Bonvoy points on eligible purchases, including 6x points per dollar at participating Marriott properties. 

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This card also provides an annual free night award, 15 elite night credits towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status, and a discount on eligible Marriott bookings. That said, it has a $125 annual fee.

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Key features:

• Earns Marriott Bonvoy points
• Comes with complimentary Gold Elite Status, a free night award, and discounts on stays
• Annual fee of $125

Summary of best pre approval business credit cards

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The difference between pre-approval, instant approval, and guaranteed approval

Although pre-approval, instant approval, and guaranteed approval may appear alike, they have separate meanings and can affect your credit score differently. The difference largely comes down to when a hard credit check is pulled from the credit bureaus.

What is pre-approval?

A pre-approval is a business credit card offer directly from the provider, which often requires an existing relationship. It indicates you've met the initial requirements based on public data or a soft credit pull, which doesn't impact your credit score. A hard inquiry and underwriting occur after you submit the application, when the lender reviews your financials to decide if they'll issue you the card.

Pre-qualified vs. pre-approved

What is the difference between prequalification and pre-approval? Prequalification is a less formal process that gives you a rough estimate of how much you might be able to borrow, while pre-approval is a more formal process that involves a soft credit check and analysis of your public data.

What does instant approval mean?

Instant approval is an immediate decision after submitting your application, typically involving a hard credit check. In most cases, you’ll know if you got these cards within a minute or two. Just be aware that a hard credit inquiry will temporarily affect your credit score, so you shouldn’t apply for too many instant approval cards at once.

What is guaranteed credit approval?

Guaranteed approval credit cards are designed for consumers with limited credit history, fair credit, or bad credit who experience challenges with approval. These are typically secured business credit cards and require a security deposit that becomes your credit limit. They have much higher interest rates, but they offer a way to build your company's credit score if you've experienced financial hardships in the past.

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How long does it take to get approved for a credit card?

While some business credit card applications are approved almost instantly, there are factors that may affect how quickly you receive a decision. Credit card companies must carefully examine both your business financial records and, in some cases, your personal credit score.

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Reasons you may not get approved instantly include:

• Discrepancies on your credit application vs. your credit report
• Entering inaccurate details in your application
• Having poor credit or frozen credit

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Ultimately, the speed of approval depends on the accuracy of your application and your creditworthiness.

How to prequalify for a business credit card

Prequalification for a business credit card typically isn't a formal process, and many card issuers offer pre-approval checks on their websites. 

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To check for pre-approval, provide some basic information about your business, including its name, annual revenue, and the length of time you've been in business.

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As aforementioned, the pre-approval process usually involves a soft credit check, which won't impact your credit score. This is a great way to get a better idea of which cards you might qualify for without impacting your credit score. 

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If you're pre-approved, you'll receive an offer for a specific card. Keep in mind that pre-approval doesn't guarantee approval. A full application will still require a hard credit check.

Can you get a business credit card when you first start your business?

You can qualify for business credit cards when you first start your business by offering a personal guarantee. Just look for cards that use your personal credit history instead of an EIN number if you don’t have one yet.

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That said, it’s recommended to get an EIN number as soon as you start your business. You can start building your business credit score by applying for business credit cards with EIN instead of your personal SSN.

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» Learn more: How to get a business credit card with EIN only

Ramp: A business credit card with a hassle-free application

If you’re looking for business credit, consider Ramp and our hassle-free application process. Ramp offers sales-based underwriting, which means we put more emphasis on your company’s revenue than other factors, like credit history, which can help you access a higher credit limit than other cards.

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Ramp is an all-in-one finance automation platform that makes it easier to manage your business’s accounting, bill payments, and expense processes. Here’s an overview of our card features:

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• Unlimited cardholders: Get free access to all the employee cards you need.
• Spend controls: You give each employee their own funds. You can also decide what types of purchases they’re able to make and with what vendors.
• Automatic receipt matching: Ramp automatically tracks receipts and categorizes purchases, saving companies hours of accounting time each week.
• Cashback: Ramp offers cashback on purchases when you or your employees swipe the card.
• Real-time insights. Ramp's platform gives you the insights you need to save more money and make more strategic bets on your business.

Looking for a small business card that gives you all the finance tools you need to take your business to the next level? Find out how Ramp can help your business.