Best business credit cards for fair credit in December 2024

Most of the discourse around credit ratings focuses on achieving good or excellent credit and avoiding bad credit. But many small business owners fall into more of a middle ground. Luckily, if you have fair or average credit, you can still qualify for a business credit card.

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In this article, we'll explore how to get a business credit card with fair credit so you can grow your company and smooth out cash flow. We'll also share our picks for the six best business credit cards for average credit, including:

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• Ramp Business Credit Card
• BILL Divvy Card
• Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
• Capital One Spark Classic for Business
• Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card

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By the end of the post, you’ll have all the info you need to choose the right business credit card for your credit score and how to set yourself up for approval.

What’s considered a fair credit score?

Also known as having "average credit," a fair credit score is generally defined as 580–669 in the FICO range or a VantageScore of 601–660. Those with fair credit scores are typically considered subprime borrowers; they might have some late payments or major debts in their credit history, or they might be new to the credit game and simply have limited information to offer lenders.

Can you get a business credit card with average credit?

Yes, you can get a business credit card with fair credit, though it does limit your options. The best business credit card for your needs should evaluate your approval based on factors other than your personal credit score—and offer low enough fees that you’ll be able to use it to build your business credit over time.

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The better your business credit score, the lower your interest rate, so business owners with fair credit should pay close attention to each card’s APR. You might end up paying dearly to carry a balance from month to month.

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Cards available to those with average credit might also come with other fees. Be sure to check balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees, and others as you research cards.

And, of course, don't forget to research the eligibility requirements for each card since you might not qualify for reasons unrelated to your credit score. The type of business you're operating and your revenue, for example, might be deciding factors.

Best business credit cards for businesses with fair credit

If you’re looking for a business credit card with fair credit, you have several options. Here are our top picks for card issuers who don’t require good credit. Some of the cards on this list are corporate credit cards, which usually don’t rely exclusively on credit rating, and others are secured business credit cards.

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Here’s a closer look at each:

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The Ramp Business Credit Card is a corporate card designed for businesses seeking streamlined expense management. It provides cashback on purchases and customizable spending controls, helping businesses track and control expenses effectively. Businesses can issue unlimited free physical and virtual employee cards, allowing for easy expense delegation and tracking.

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Ramp has no annual fee or APR, as it functions as a charge card requiring balances to be paid in full monthly. This eliminates interest charges while promoting responsible spending. To qualify, businesses need at least $25,000 in a business bank account.

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Key features:

• $0 annual fee
• N/A APR (charge card)
• Unlimited free physical and virtual employee cards
• Automated expense management features
• Custom vendor and category restrictions
• Integrated travel management platform
• Accounting integrations
• Requires $25,000 in a business bank account

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The BILL Divvy Corporate Card combines a corporate card with expense management software, streamlining business expenses and reporting. It offers points-based rewards, with bonus points on eligible purchases, making it suitable for businesses looking to maximize value from spending. The card only requires a soft credit check for qualification, so it won’t temporarily impact your credit score.

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There’s no annual fee or APR, and the card is available to businesses with a U.S. business bank account and an EIN. Its integrated software simplifies budgeting, expense categorization, and approvals, making it a robust tool for expense control.

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Key features:

• $0 annual fee
• N/A APR (charge card)
• Points-based rewards with bonus categories
• Requires a soft credit check for qualification

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The Capital on Tap Business Credit Card offers straightforward rewards with 1% cashback on all purchases. It provides unlimited free employee cards with customizable spending controls, making it ideal for small businesses looking to streamline operations.

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The card has no annual fee and a variable APR ranging from 17.99% to 35.99%. While the rewards are flat-rate, they may not appeal to businesses looking for category-specific bonuses.

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Key features:

• $0 annual fee
• 17.99–35.99% APR (variable)
• 1% cashback on all purchases
• Unlimited free employee cards

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The Capital One Spark 1% Classic is designed for small business owners with fair credit or limited credit history. It offers 1% cashback on all purchases and includes fraud liability protection, helping small businesses build credit responsibly.

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The card has no annual fee and a variable APR of 29.99%, which may be high for some users. It allows business owners to choose their own payment due date for added flexibility.

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Key features:

• $0 annual fee
• 29.99% APR (variable)
• 1% cashback on purchases
• Fraud liability protection

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The Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card is a secured card designed to help businesses build credit. It requires a refundable security deposit, which determines the credit limit, and offers unlimited 1.5% cashback on purchases.

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The card does not have an annual fee but charges a variable APR of 27.99%. Over time, businesses can qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured card with responsible use and payment history.

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Key features:

• $0 annual fee
• 27.99% APR (variable)
• Unlimited 1.5% cashback rewards
• Requires a refundable security deposit

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Summary of the best business credit cards for businesses with fair credit

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Why do you need a business credit card?

Having a dedicated business credit card can be hugely beneficial for businesses with fair credit For starters, it's a great way to build or improve your business credit score, which may be lacking in your company's early days.

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You can also take advantage of perks and benefits geared towards businesses specifically, like additional purchase protection and expense management features. You also get the opportunity to earn rewards at the end of each billing cycle, all while increasing your buying power.

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A business credit card can also help you separate your business and personal finances. This means less time and effort spent tracking business expenses on your personal credit card, and a much easier experience come tax time.

What’s the minimum credit score needed for a business credit card?

To qualify for most business credit cards, you’ll likely need a FICO score of 670 or higher and a VantageScore of 661 or higher. So, having a fair credit score can eliminate some options for small business owners.

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With that said, you can still qualify for some cards—especially secured business credit cards—if you don’t have the credit score to qualify for your desired choice. Secured cards will ask you to put down a security deposit, which then functions as your credit limit.

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How to improve your credit score

If you have a fair credit score, there are ways to improve your chances of getting approved for a business credit card and strengthening your credit profile overall.

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First, only submit applications for a few credit cards at a time. That's because each time you apply for a credit card, the provider will conduct a hard inquiry into your credit history, which decreases your credit score by at least a few points. For that reason, you want to be selective and choose a card you can realistically qualify for as someone with fair credit.

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As for more active steps, pay all your bills before the due date, stay on top of your tax filing, and monitor your credit to ensure no errors that could impact your standing go undetected. Keep solid financial records that you can easily share with potential lenders.

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Pay attention to your credit utilization rate as well. That's the ratio of your balance to your credit limit, and in general, you want to keep it below 30% (for example, a balance of less than $3,000 if your credit limit is $10,000). All of these steps demonstrate responsible use of credit and the ability to pay off the balances you carry.

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Once you have a business credit card, you should take this same approach. Making payments in a timely manner and keeping your balances low can help improve your credit score and bump you from "fair" into the "good" range.

How to pick the best credit card for your business

If you’re looking for a small business credit card with fair credit, the most important factor to consider is whether you’ll get approved. You likely won’t be able to get approved for most of the more attractive business credit cards, especially options that include a lot of travel perks or other bonuses.

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For that reason, be sure to review the eligibility criteria for each card you’re considering. You should only apply for business credit cards you have a realistic chance of getting approved for; otherwise, you could get hit with multiple hard inquiries on your credit report, ultimately hurting your score.

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If you’re lucky enough to have a few options available to you, then you can start weighing other factors like APR, account fees, intro APR offers, expense management features, and rewards programs. At the end of the day, the best choice will be the card that aligns most closely with your business needs.

Qualify for Ramp’s business credit card even with fair credit

The Ramp Business Credit Card offers a solution for businesses with fair credit. Unlike many of its competitors, Ramp doesn't run credit checks or require personal guarantees. Instead, we use business revenue and cash balance to determine your eligibility and credit limit. Ramp also has no annual fees, cashback on purchases, and unlimited free employee cards.

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We report to the major business credit bureaus, so you can build good credit as you spend with Ramp. Cardholders also get access to modern expense management tools, custom card controls, and accounting tools, allowing you to control business spending, run detailed reports, and scale your business.