How to Get a Business Credit Card with EIN Only: Complete Guide

The dream: A business credit card approved solely on your EIN, with no personal credit check and no personal guarantee.

The reality: Possible, but limited.

Most business credit cards require your SSN and check your personal credit. But a growing number of cards—especially corporate cards and fintech options—approve based on business factors alone.

Here's what's actually available, who qualifies, and how to get approved.

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The EIN-Only Reality

What "EIN Only" Actually Means

True EIN-only cards:

• No SSN required on application
• No personal credit check
• No personal guarantee
• Approval based on business revenue and bank data

Partial EIN-only cards:

• Soft personal credit check (no impact)
• No personal guarantee
• Approval primarily based on business factors

Not EIN-only:

• Requires SSN
• Hard personal credit check
• Personal guarantee required

Why Most Cards Require Personal Credit

Banks take on risk when issuing credit. For new or small businesses, the business itself may not have enough credit history or assets to evaluate.

Personal credit provides:

• Proven payment history
• Existing credit data
• Personal guarantee as backup

As your business grows, you gain access to products that rely less on personal credit.

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True EIN-Only Options

These cards approve based on business factors without personal credit checks.

Brex

Type: Corporate charge card

Requirements:

• US-incorporated business
• Business bank account
• Some revenue or funding (amount varies)

Best for: Funded startups, established businesses with revenue

How to apply:

1. Connect your business bank account
2. Brex analyzes cash flow and revenue
3. Credit limit based on business financials

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Ramp

Type: Corporate charge card

Requirements:

• US-incorporated business (C-Corp, LLC, etc.)
• Business bank account
• Transaction history

Best for: Businesses wanting expense management with no personal credit involvement

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Divvy (Bill)

Type: Corporate card

Requirements:

• Business bank account
• Some revenue
• Soft credit check (doesn't affect score)

Best for: Businesses wanting corporate card with minimal personal credit involvement

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Stripe Corporate Card

Type: Corporate charge card

Requirements:

• Active Stripe account
• Processing payments through Stripe

Best for: Businesses already using Stripe for payments

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Cards with Soft Credit Check Only

These check personal credit but with soft pull (no impact on score).

Most Corporate Cards Listed Above

Divvy does a soft pull. Others may do soft pulls for identity verification.

Impact: Zero effect on personal credit score

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Traditional Business Cards (Personal Credit Required)

For context, these popular cards DO require personal credit:

Chase Ink Business cards:

• SSN required
• Personal credit check
• Personal guarantee

American Express Business cards:

• SSN required
• Personal credit check
• Personal guarantee

Capital One Spark:

• SSN required
• Personal credit check
• Personal guarantee

These cards offer great rewards but aren't EIN-only.

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Who Qualifies for EIN-Only Cards

Brex/Ramp Requirements

Ideal candidates:

• Venture-funded startups
• Businesses with $100K+ annual revenue
• Strong bank balance
• Incorporated entity (LLC, C-Corp)

May not qualify:

• Pre-revenue startups
• Very small businesses
• Sole proprietors
• Low bank balance

Minimum Thresholds (Approximate)

These are approximate—companies don't publish exact thresholds.

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How to Improve Approval Odds

Strengthen Business Factors

Increase bank balance: More cash = more confidence for lenders.

Grow revenue: Higher revenue = larger credit lines.

Maintain transaction history: Regular business activity shows healthy business.

Use business bank account: Keep business and personal separate.

Application Tips

Connect primary bank account: The account with most activity and highest balance.

Apply during strong period: When bank balance is highest, revenue is strong.

Provide accurate information: Business name, EIN, revenue—must match records.

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Alternative: Building to EIN-Only

If you don't qualify for EIN-only cards now, build toward them:

Step 1: Build Business Credit (90 days)

• Get D-U-N-S Number
• Open Net-30 vendor accounts
• Pay early, build Paydex

Step 2: Get Business Card with Personal Check (6 months)

• Apply for Chase Ink or similar
• Use for business expenses
• Pay in full monthly

Step 3: Build Revenue and Bank Balance (ongoing)

• Grow business
• Maintain healthy bank balance
• Keep financials strong

Step 4: Apply for EIN-Only Cards

• Apply for Brex or Ramp when revenue sufficient
• Use for growing credit access
• Phase out personal-guarantee cards if desired

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Pros and Cons of EIN-Only Cards

Pros

No personal credit impact: Business activity stays separate from personal credit.

No personal liability: You're not personally guaranteeing the debt.

Privacy: Personal credit not shared with issuer.

Clean separation: Business and personal finances distinct.

Cons

Limited options: Fewer cards available.

Charge cards (not credit cards): Most require payment in full monthly—no carrying balance.

Business requirements: Need revenue or funding to qualify.

Lower limits sometimes: May start lower than personal-credit-backed cards.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can sole proprietors get EIN-only cards?

Difficult. Most EIN-only cards require incorporated entities (LLC, Corporation). Sole proprietors typically need personal credit-based cards.

Will EIN-only cards build personal credit?

No. They report to business credit bureaus (if at all), not personal bureaus.

Can I get EIN-only with bad personal credit?

Possibly. Since these cards don't check personal credit, your personal score shouldn't matter. However, other factors (revenue, bank balance) must be strong.

Are EIN-only cards harder to get?

Yes and no. No personal credit check, but stricter business requirements. Someone with excellent personal credit but small business may find traditional cards easier.

What credit limit can I expect?

Varies widely based on business financials. Could be $5,000 or $500,000. Determined by revenue and bank balance.

Do EIN-only cards help build business credit?

Some do, some don't. Brex and Ramp report to Dun & Bradstreet for some users. Always confirm reporting policies before relying on a card for credit building. Cards that report can help establish your business credit profile independently of personal credit.

Can I have both EIN-only and traditional business cards?

Absolutely. Many businesses use EIN-only cards for certain expenses while maintaining traditional business cards for rewards or specific benefits. This hybrid approach gives you flexibility while still separating business and personal finances.

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Your Path Forward

If You Qualify for EIN-Only Now

Apply for Brex or Ramp:

1. Go to brex.com or ramp.com
2. Start application
3. Connect business bank account
4. Receive decision (often instant)

If You Don't Qualify Yet

Build toward it:

1. Focus on revenue growth
2. Build bank balance
3. Establish business credit through vendor accounts
4. Get traditional business card in meantime
5. Reapply for EIN-only when business stronger

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Next Steps

EIN-only business credit cards exist, but they're not for everyone. Strong businesses with revenue can access corporate cards from Brex, Ramp, and similar providers.

If you're not there yet, use traditional business cards while building your business. EIN-only options become available as your business grows.

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Need help accessing business credit? Freedom Consulting helps businesses at all stages access appropriate credit products. Book a free consultation to find your best path forward.

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Related: Business Credit Complete Guide | Best Business Credit Cards for New Businesses

Disclaimer: Approval requirements change. Verify current terms before applying. Credit decisions are made by card issuers.

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Continue Learning

This article is part of our Business Credit: The Complete 2025 Guide to Building Corporate Credit guide series.

Related articles in this series:

• How to Build Business Credit in 90 Days: Step-by-Step Strategy
• Net-30 Vendor Accounts: The Complete List That Reports to Credit Bureaus (2025)
• D-U-N-S Number: How to Get Your Free D&B Number in 24 Hours