Methodology for best business credit card picks

At Ramp, we're committed to transparency and integrity in everything we publish. So, it’s important for us to note that we inherently believe that our products offer exceptional value, which may influence our perspective. Consequently, the Ramp Corporate Card invariably holds the top position in our lists. 

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This bias stems from our confidence in our product's benefits and features, aimed at serving businesses efficiently. While we strive to provide accurate and unbiased information about different cards, we encourage our readers to keep this in mind when considering our recommendations.

How we choose the best business credit cards

Our content team follows a methodical approach that involves analyzing competitors, comparing credit cards in a category, and conducting frequent reviews to ensure that our recommendations are reliable and up-to-date.

1. We decide which card qualities are important based on the article topic.

Each of our business credit card articles lists cards in a different category (e.g. Best Business Credit Cards for Startups) or cards that share a certain quality (e.g. Best Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee). We determine the relevant card qualities to consider when choosing cards for each article.

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For instance, in an article about small business credit cards, we would look at cards with qualities that small businesses prefer, like low annual fees and rewards that don’t require significant spending to earn.

2. We identify the most beneficial cards in a category through a meta-analysis of credit card reviews.

We perform a meta-analysis of credit card reviews from affiliate websites to evaluate and choose cards to feature. Our objective is to identify the most beneficial and highly rated credit cards on the market within a given category.

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This comprehensive review process involves aggregating and examining data on credit card features and user satisfaction ratings. The set of criteria we consider includes card features, fees, rewards, perks, and eligibility criteria. See Criteria for Card Selection for more information about what criteria we consider when reviewing and selecting cards.

3. We research each card to create card descriptions and pros and cons lists.

Once we’ve chosen a set of cards to feature, we create card descriptions and pros and cons lists. To decide which information to include, we carefully read reviews of each card. Then we fact-check the information against each credit card company's website to confirm its accuracy. 

4. We fact-check card details on a monthly basis.

We fact-check card details monthly to keep our content up-to-date. If a card’s fees or features change, we update our content with the current information. Any new card perks, like welcome bonuses or special offers, are also included in the updated description.

5. We consistently update our choices to uphold the credibility of our advice.

In addition to updating information, we regularly review our recommendations to make sure the cards we chose are still the best value on the market. In some cases, we may choose to remove a card if it is no longer a good value compared to other cards in its category. If a card has been taken off the market, we may find a new card to feature in its place.

Criteria for card selection:

Card features

We choose cards that we think will be valuable for businesses based on their rewards, features, or both. If a card has any tools, like expense management or accounts payable software, we include this information. Sometimes cards have little to no financial management tools but may still be valuable due to their rewards. In such cases, we note the tradeoff.

Annual fee

We evaluate the annual fee in the context of the overall value the card provides, making sure that any cards we recommend that have an annual fee are justified by corresponding rewards and perks. 

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Our goal is to feature a range of cards that cater to different businesses and preferences. For some readers, a card with no annual fee is important. For others, a card with a higher annual fee is worthwhile if it offers superior rewards. We decide which annual fee range makes sense given the article’s target audience (e.g. SMBs vs enterprise companies).

APR rate

We look for cards that offer competitive interest rates, including those with low APRs for balance transfers and cash advances. Additionally, we highlight cards that offer introductory APR periods, providing our readers with opportunities to save on interest or perform balance transfers to help pay off credit card debt on other cards.

Rewards and perks

We feature cards that offer valuable and easily redeemable rewards, including cards with different reward types like cashback, points, and miles, to accommodate different businesses and preferences.

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We consider the earning rate, redemption options, and potential earnings based on average spending. If cards include any welcome offers, we include that information and note if there is a spending requirement. We also note if rewards require a certain amount of spending or are capped after a spending limit.

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Aside from rewards, we also consider additional perks. These may include partner rewards, purchase security, extended warranty protection, travel insurance coverage, and hotel status upgrades.

Qualification criteria

We select cards with qualification criteria that suits the audience of our articles. For instance, How to Get a Business Credit Card With EIN Only features cards that either do not require a Social Security Number (SSN) or that only require an SSN for a soft credit check. Best Business Credit Cards For Fair Credit features cards that do not require a good credit score to qualify.