Best Business Credit Cards for New Businesses (No Credit History Required)

Starting a business is hard enough without being told you need credit history to get credit.

You're caught in the classic catch-22: lenders want to see business credit history, but you can't build history without credit. Traditional banks turn you away. Online applications get denied. It feels like the system is rigged against new businesses.

It's not—you just need to know where to apply. Some cards approve new businesses based on personal credit. Others approve based on revenue. And secured cards approve almost anyone willing to put down a deposit.

Here are the business credit cards that actually approve new businesses, organized by your situation.

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Your Options Based on Your Situation

Scenario 1: Good Personal Credit (700+), New Business

You have the most options. Many business cards use your personal credit for approval, even with no business history.

Best cards:

• Chase Ink Business cards
• American Express Business cards
• Capital One Spark cards

Scenario 2: Fair Personal Credit (650-699), New Business

Fewer options, but still possible. Focus on:

• Secured business cards
• Cards designed for building credit
• Revenue-based options (if you have income)

Scenario 3: Poor Personal Credit (<650), New Business

Start with secured business cards. Build personal and business credit simultaneously.

Scenario 4: No Personal Credit Check Wanted

Some cards approve based on business revenue without hard-pulling personal credit:

• Brex
• Ramp
• Divvy (Bill)

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Best Cards for New Businesses (Good Personal Credit)

These cards approve based primarily on personal creditworthiness.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

Why it's good for new businesses:

• No business credit history required
• High credit limits even for startups
• Doesn't report to personal credit (unless default)
• Strong sign-up bonus ($750 after $6K spend)

Requirements:

• Personal credit 700+
• Legitimate business (even sole prop)
• EIN or SSN for sole proprietors

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Chase Ink Business Cash

Why it's good for new businesses:

• Same approval criteria as Ink Unlimited
• 5% categories help new businesses save on common expenses
• Build business credit without annual fee

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American Express Blue Business Cash

Why it's good for new businesses:

• Amex approves new businesses more readily than some issuers
• "No preset limit" provides flexibility
• 2% back on everything up to $50K

Note: Reports to personal credit bureaus.

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Capital One Spark Cash Select

Why it's good for new businesses:

• Capital One approves newer businesses
• No annual fee
• Typically doesn't report to personal credit

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Best Cards for New Businesses (Fair Personal Credit)

If your personal credit is in the 650-699 range, these cards offer better approval odds.

Brex Card (Corporate Card)

Why it works:

• No personal credit check
• Approval based on business financials
• Works for new businesses with revenue

Requirements:

• Business bank account connected
• Some revenue (varies, but $0 possible with funding)
• US-incorporated business

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Ramp Corporate Card

Why it works:

• No personal guarantee
• Approval based on business cash flow
• Built-in expense management

Requirements:

• US business
• Business bank account
• Some transaction history

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Divvy (Bill) Business Card

Why it works:

• Soft credit pull only
• Rewards based on payment timing
• Free expense management platform

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Best Secured Business Credit Cards

If personal credit is preventing approval, secured cards offer a path forward. You deposit funds that become your credit limit—eliminating risk for the lender.

Wells Fargo Business Secured Card

Why it's valuable:

• Reports to business credit bureaus
• Reasonable annual fee
• Path to unsecured card after 12 months

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Bank of America Business Advantage Secured

Why it's valuable:

• High deposit limits available
• No annual fee
• BoA relationship banking benefits

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First National Bank of Omaha Business Secured

Why it's valuable:

• Reports to business credit bureaus
• Graduates to unsecured with good behavior

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Building Strategy: New Business to Established Credit

Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-3)

If you have good personal credit:

1. Apply for Chase Ink or Amex Blue Business
2. Use card for business expenses
3. Pay statement balance in full

If you need to build credit:

1. Open secured business card
2. Open 2-3 Net-30 vendor accounts
3. Use and pay everything on time/early

Phase 2: Expansion (Months 4-6)

• Request credit limit increases
• Add second business card
• Continue building vendor trade lines
• Check business credit reports

Phase 3: Optimization (Months 7-12)

• Apply for premium business cards
• Access 0% APR offers
• Build card stack for maximum rewards
• Request unsecured card upgrade (if using secured)

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What New Businesses Should Know About Applications

What Issuers Want to See

For personal-credit-based cards:

• Personal credit score 680+ (700+ for best approval odds)
• Low personal credit utilization
• No recent delinquencies

For revenue-based cards:

• Business bank account with activity
• Some revenue (even minimal)
• Legitimate business structure

What "Time in Business" Means

Most applications ask "time in business." For new businesses:

• Be honest about your start date
• Even 1 month counts as being in business
• Sole proprietors can use the date they started freelancing/consulting

Revenue for New Businesses

"Annual revenue" can include:

• Actual revenue earned
• Projected revenue (for very new businesses)
• Your salary if sole proprietor

Don't inflate numbers, but don't undervalue your business either.

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Cards to Avoid as a New Business

High Annual Fee Cards (Initially)

Cards like Amex Business Platinum ($695/year) don't make sense until you're spending enough to justify the fee.

Cards with Strict Requirements

Some cards require:

• 2+ years in business
• $100K+ annual revenue
• Established business credit

Skip these initially. Come back after you've built history.

Personal Cards Used for Business

Using personal cards for business expenses:

• Mixes personal and business finances
• Doesn't build business credit
• Creates accounting headaches

Even a secured business card is better than a personal card.

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Application Tips for New Businesses

Before Applying

• Check personal credit score
• Have EIN ready (or SSN for sole prop)
• Know your business revenue/projections
• Have business address and phone ready

During Application

• Use exact legal business name
• Be consistent with all information
• Apply for one card at a time
• Wait 30 days between applications

After Approval

• Activate card immediately
• Set up automatic payments
• Use card within first month
• Track statement dates for utilization

If Denied

• Call reconsideration line (ask to speak with analyst)
• Provide additional business information
• Consider secured card as alternative
• Wait 3-6 months and reapply

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Your First Business Card Action Plan

Good Personal Credit (700+)

Week 1: Apply for Chase Ink Business Unlimited or Cash Month 1-3: Use card, pay in full, build history Month 4: Apply for second card (Amex or Capital One) Month 6: Request credit limit increases

Fair Personal Credit (650-699)

Week 1: Apply for Brex, Ramp, or Divvy (no personal credit check) Alternative: Apply for secured business card Month 1-3: Use and pay responsibly Month 4-6: Add vendor accounts for business credit building Month 7+: Apply for traditional business cards

Building Credit from Scratch

Week 1: Open secured business card + 2-3 Net-30 vendors Month 1-3: Use all accounts, pay early Month 4-6: Check business credit scores Month 7-12: Transition to unsecured cards

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Next Steps

Every business starts with zero credit history. The businesses that build credit fast are the ones that start now—with whatever card they can get approved for.

Your first business card doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist and be used responsibly. Better cards come later, once you have the history to qualify.

Pick one card from this guide that matches your situation. Apply today.

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Need help choosing your first business credit card? Freedom Consulting helps new business owners build credit and access funding. Book a free consultation to create your business credit strategy.

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Related: Business Credit Complete Guide | How to Build Business Credit in 90 Days

Disclaimer: Card terms and approval criteria change. Verify current offers 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