March 1, 2023
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This article was last updated March 1, 2023 . Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
The Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card is our pick for overall best secured business credit card. With a $0 annual fee and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, this card offers significant value for the small business owner looking to build credit.
Most small business credit cards require good to excellent credit to qualify. But what if you own a business, need a credit card to manage cash flow and are recovering from some financial missteps? A secured business credit card might be the perfect fit.
With a secured card, you’ll submit a security deposit — typically in the amount of your desired credit limit — which protects the issuer if you don’t pay off what you charge to the card.
Secured credit cards are more common in the consumer credit card world, where people use them to build or rebuild credit. The good news is that there are secured small business credit cards available that allow you to do exactly the same thing. Some secured small business cards come with other benefits, such as a 0% intro APR and lower annual fees. A handful of these cards even allow you to earn cash rewards.
Minimum deposit: $1,000
Credit limit: Equal to your deposit account
Why we picked this card: If you have the funds to meet the required security deposit, it’s hard to find a better card. The Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and doesn’t have an annual fee. You can even transition to an unsecured card if your credit history improves enough.
Pros and cons:
If you’re a small business owner with a lower credit score, the Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card could work for you. It has a $0 annual fee, a great rewards program and useful tools for small businesses.
Minimum deposit: $1,000
Credit limit: Equal to your deposit account
Why we picked this card: If you have the funds to meet the required security deposit, it’s hard to find a better card. The Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and doesn’t have an annual fee. You can even transition to an unsecured card if your credit history improves enough.
Pros and cons:
If you’re a small business owner with a lower credit score, the Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card could work for you. It has a $0 annual fee, a great rewards program and useful tools for small businesses.
Minimum deposit: $2,200
Credit limit: Equal to 91% of your security deposit (i.e., deposit is 110% of credit limit)
Why we picked this card: If you need a large credit line and can’t qualify for an unsecured card, the FNBO Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card is an ideal choice. Few cards offer such a high credit limit. But there are some downsides, as the card requires a hefty security deposit, doesn’t offer rewards and charges an annual fee.
Pros and cons:
If you need a high credit limit and have the money for a big security deposit, the FNBO Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card offers a higher maximum credit limit than the other secured cards on this list. Be aware, however, that your deposit must be 110% of your desired credit limit. So, for example, a $110,000 deposit would be required to secure a $100,000 credit limit.
Minimum deposit: $2,200
Credit limit: Equal to 91% of your security deposit (i.e., deposit is 110% of credit limit)
Why we picked this card: If you need a large credit line and can’t qualify for an unsecured card, the FNBO Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card is an ideal choice. Few cards offer such a high credit limit. But there are some downsides, as the card requires a hefty security deposit, doesn’t offer rewards and charges an annual fee.
Pros and cons:
If you need a high credit limit and have the money for a big security deposit, the FNBO Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card offers a higher maximum credit limit than the other secured cards on this list. Be aware, however, that your deposit must be 110% of your desired credit limit. So, for example, a $110,000 deposit would be required to secure a $100,000 credit limit.
Minimum deposit: None – must link financial accounts for review
Credit limit: Determined by Ramp and credit issuer
Why we picked this card: The Ramp Visa Corporate Card offers a full expense management system for cardholders that integrates purchases into an expense management system, including reporting and integrations with accounting. The card also offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all card spend, has no annual fee and doesn’t require a security deposit or personal guarantee.
Pros and cons:
The Ramp Visa Corporate Card is designed for the overwhelmed business owner looking to save time and streamline their expense management. You get much more than a credit card with Ramp. It’s described as a “5-in-1 software that consolidates corporate cards, expense management, bill payments, accounting and reporting” into a single software platform that integrates with your financial accounts.
The best part is that all these services are offered for free. Ramp makes money off the interchange fees from the card, which is how they can provide their software and even offer 1.5% cash back on all card spend.
The corporate cards they offer are technically charge cards — you must pay your bill off in full each month. As a corporate card, you will not be liable for the debt. But this means it could be more difficult to be approved for a Ramp Visa Corporate Card, as you must typically have an established business credit history and demonstrate sufficient annual revenue.
Minimum deposit: None – must link financial accounts for review
Credit limit: Determined by Ramp and credit issuer
Why we picked this card: The Ramp Visa Corporate Card offers a full expense management system for cardholders that integrates purchases into an expense management system, including reporting and integrations with accounting. The card also offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all card spend, has no annual fee and doesn’t require a security deposit or personal guarantee.
Pros and cons:
The Ramp Visa Corporate Card is designed for the overwhelmed business owner looking to save time and streamline their expense management. You get much more than a credit card with Ramp. It’s described as a “5-in-1 software that consolidates corporate cards, expense management, bill payments, accounting and reporting” into a single software platform that integrates with your financial accounts.
The best part is that all these services are offered for free. Ramp makes money off the interchange fees from the card, which is how they can provide their software and even offer 1.5% cash back on all card spend.
The corporate cards they offer are technically charge cards — you must pay your bill off in full each month. As a corporate card, you will not be liable for the debt. But this means it could be more difficult to be approved for a Ramp Visa Corporate Card, as you must typically have an established business credit history and demonstrate sufficient annual revenue.
Minimum deposit: $1,100
Credit limit: $1,000 to $25,000, based on customer request
Why we picked this card: The Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card offers a 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases (followed by a 15.20%-26.75% APR), a rare feature among secured cards. It also offers unlimited 1% cash back and doesn’t charge an annual fee.
Pros and cons:
The Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card is ideal for those who need a card with an intro APR and don’t have good enough credit to qualify for other products. It’s a great choice if you want to make a large purchase on credit and pay it off over several months. Rather than simply make the purchase with cash, you can build a positive credit history.
As a secured card, you’ll need to put up a security deposit of 110% of your requested credit line — up to a maximum credit line of $25,000. Other great features include 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases and no annual fee.
Minimum deposit: $1,100
Credit limit: $1,000 to $25,000, based on customer request
Why we picked this card: The Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card offers a 0% for 9 billing cycles on purchases (followed by a 15.20%-26.75% APR), a rare feature among secured cards. It also offers unlimited 1% cash back and doesn’t charge an annual fee.
Pros and cons:
The Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card is ideal for those who need a card with an intro APR and don’t have good enough credit to qualify for other products. It’s a great choice if you want to make a large purchase on credit and pay it off over several months. Rather than simply make the purchase with cash, you can build a positive credit history.
As a secured card, you’ll need to put up a security deposit of 110% of your requested credit line — up to a maximum credit line of $25,000. Other great features include 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases and no annual fee.
Minimum deposit: None required
Credit limit: Based on credit check
Why we picked this card: The Capital One Spark Cash for Business is available to consumers with Fair credit who may qualify for an unsecured card. It offers the ability to build credit without the requirement of a security deposit. Plus, you can earn cash back rewards while paying no annual fee.
Pros and cons:
If you want to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase and avoid a security deposit and annual fee, the Capital One Spark Cash for Business fits the bill.
Note that this card is aimed at applicants with Fair credit, however, so you might have a better chance at getting a secured card if your credit has been severely damaged by past missteps.
Minimum deposit: None required
Credit limit: Based on credit check
Why we picked this card: The Capital One Spark Cash for Business is available to consumers with Fair credit who may qualify for an unsecured card. It offers the ability to build credit without the requirement of a security deposit. Plus, you can earn cash back rewards while paying no annual fee.
Pros and cons:
If you want to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase and avoid a security deposit and annual fee, the Capital One Spark Cash for Business fits the bill.
Note that this card is aimed at applicants with Fair credit, however, so you might have a better chance at getting a secured card if your credit has been severely damaged by past missteps.
Minimum deposit: $500
Credit limit: Between $500 and $25,000
Why we picked this card: The First Tech Platinum Secured Mastercard® features few fees, low APR and the ability to secure a high credit line of up to $25,000.
Pros and cons:
The First Tech Platinum Secured Mastercard® is ideal for those who want a hassle-free card with few fees and an APR that doesn’t exceed 18%. You also have the option of securing a credit line of up to $25,000, for which you’ll have to provide a refundable security deposit.
Primary features include the card’s lack of foreign transaction fees, annual fee, balance transfer fee and cash advance fee. The latter two are extremely rare. The card does charge a $25 late payment fee.
You can also earn rewards points on every purchase — 1 point per $1 on every purchase, redeemable for travel, merchandise, gift cards and more.
Minimum deposit: $500
Credit limit: Between $500 and $25,000
Why we picked this card: The First Tech Platinum Secured Mastercard® features few fees, low APR and the ability to secure a high credit line of up to $25,000.
Pros and cons:
The First Tech Platinum Secured Mastercard® is ideal for those who want a hassle-free card with few fees and an APR that doesn’t exceed 18%. You also have the option of securing a credit line of up to $25,000, for which you’ll have to provide a refundable security deposit.
Primary features include the card’s lack of foreign transaction fees, annual fee, balance transfer fee and cash advance fee. The latter two are extremely rare. The card does charge a $25 late payment fee.
You can also earn rewards points on every purchase — 1 point per $1 on every purchase, redeemable for travel, merchandise, gift cards and more.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Rewards Rate | Regular APR | Recommended Credit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card
Review Coming Soon
|
Winner
|
unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases | 26.99% variable | N/A | Review Coming Soon |
|
FNBO Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card
Review Coming Soon
|
High credit limit
|
None | 23.24% Variable | Fair/Poor/Limited | Review Coming Soon |
|
Ramp Visa Corporate Card
Review Coming Soon
|
No personal guarantee
|
1.5% cash back on all card spend | N/A | N/A | Review Coming Soon |
|
Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card
Review Coming Soon
|
0% intro APR
|
unlimited 1% cash back | 15.20%-26.75% | N/A | Review Coming Soon |
|
Business Secured Visa® Credit Card
Review Coming Soon
|
Unsecured business
|
Earn 1.5 points for every $1 in qualified purchases. | 16.49% | N/A | Review Coming Soon |
|
Capital One Spark Classic for Business
|
Unsecured
|
Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | 29.99% (Variable) | Fair | |
|
First Tech Platinum Secured Mastercard®
Review Coming Soon
|
Personal credit card with a high credit limit
|
1 point per $1 on every purchase | 13.75%-18.00% | N/A | Review Coming Soon |
Secured business credit cards have two key features that separate them from other credit cards. First, they require an upfront security deposit — often equal to the credit limit — that “secures” your credit line when you open your account. This deposit safeguards the bank if you miss payments. Second, they are business credit cards, intended specifically for business use. There are many secured credit cards and business credit cards available. However, cards that are both are fairly rare.
Many major banks do not offer secured business credit cards. You won’t find any secured business cards offered by Chase, Amex, Capital One, U.S. Bank or Citi. Some of these issuers offer secured personal cards, however. If you want a small business credit card with any of these banks, you’ll need to build your credit history until you can qualify for an unsecured credit card.
Bank of America is one major bank that does offer a secured business credit card, which LendingTree considers to be the best overall option. There are others out there, but secured business credit cards are fairly rare.
| Bank | Secured business credit card |
|---|---|
| Bank of America | Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card |
| First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) | FNBO Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card |
| Ramp | Ramp Visa Corporate Card |
| Valley | Valley Visa® Secured Business Credit Card |
Getting a secured business credit card is straightforward. Here are the steps to follow if you need one for your business:
Note that it’s acceptable to use a personal credit card for business. However, there are some risks associated with the practice.
A secured business credit card is a great way to build and establish credit for your business. Since the credit line is secured by a deposit, secured credit cards are available to applicants with poor or limited credit history.
Minimum deposit amounts vary by card. With secured consumer credit cards, the minimum deposit is often $200. However, for the secured business credit cards on this list, two require a minimum deposit of $500, while the other requires a minimum deposit of $2,200.
Typically, if you pay off your credit card in full and close the account, you can get your security deposit back. Some issuers will also offer you the opportunity to graduate from a secured card to an unsecured card after you demonstrate responsible behavior, and your deposit will be refunded if that happens.
It depends. Some business credit cards report to one or more business credit bureaus. Ideally, you should establish your business as a separate entity (e.g., an. LLC or S-corporation) and apply for an employer identification number (EIN) to build a business credit profile. Note that business credit can be reported to your personal credit report, although many issuers restrict this to delinquencies.
No. While Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, Wells Fargo all offer business credit cards, none of them offer a secured credit card product.
When selecting the cards on this list, the most important criterion was that each card be aimed at small business owners and accessible with a security deposit.
In addition, whether or not each card charges an annual fee was considered. Note that our top overall pick for best secured business card, the Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card, charges a $0 annual fee.
Other factors that weighed on the selection included rewards, maximum possible credit limit and interest rate.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
The above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.
