Business Credit: The Complete 2025 Guide to Building Corporate Credit

Most business owners have no idea they're leaving $50,000 to $300,000 on the table.

Here's what happens: You apply for a business loan. The bank pulls your personal credit. Your DTI ratio tanks. You get denied—or approved for a fraction of what you need, at rates that make your accountant wince.

Meanwhile, your competitor down the street just got approved for $150K at 0% APR. The difference? They spent six months building something you probably haven't thought about: business credit.

This guide will show you exactly how to build business credit from zero, which bureaus matter, and how to use your new credit profile to access funding that doesn't touch your personal credit report.

What you'll learn:

• The three business credit bureaus and what each one measures
• How to establish your business credit profile in 30 days
• The exact sequence of accounts to open (and which to avoid)
• How to reach a Paydex score of 80+ in 90 days
• Advanced strategies for accessing $100K+ in business credit lines

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What Is Business Credit (And Why Should You Care?)

Business credit is a credit profile that belongs to your business entity—not you personally. It's tied to your EIN (Employer Identification Number), not your SSN.

Think of it this way: Your personal credit score reflects how you handle debt as an individual. Your business credit score reflects how your company handles its financial obligations.

Here's why this matters:

Separation of liability. When you have established business credit, lenders evaluate your business on its own merits. Your personal assets stay protected. Your personal credit utilization stays low.

Higher credit limits. Business credit cards routinely offer $10K-$50K limits—sometimes more. Personal cards? You're lucky to get $15K unless you're in the top 5% of earners.

Better terms. Business credit unlocks 0% APR offers, extended payment terms (Net-30, Net-60), and credit lines that don't report to personal bureaus.

Fundability. Banks and alternative lenders use your business credit profile to determine loan amounts. Strong business credit = larger approvals at better rates.

The catch? Business credit doesn't build itself. Unlike personal credit, where your credit card company automatically reports to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, business credit requires intentional action.

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The Three Business Credit Bureaus (And What Each Measures)

Personal credit has three bureaus. Business credit also has three major players—but they work differently.

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B)

D&B is the 800-pound gorilla of business credit. When enterprise clients check your creditworthiness, they're probably pulling your D&B report.

Key metric: Paydex Score (1-100)

The Paydex measures how promptly you pay vendors. It's purely payment-based—no credit utilization calculations.

To get a Paydex score, you need:

1. A D-U-N-S Number (free from D&B)
2. At least 3 trade references reporting
3. Payment history with those vendors

Pro tip: Paying early doesn't just maintain your score—it increases it. A vendor paid 30 days early reports differently than one paid on the due date.

Experian Business

Experian Business evaluates your company using multiple data points, not just payment history.

Key metric: Intelliscore Plus (1-100)

Intelliscore factors in:

• Payment history (but weighted differently than Paydex)
• Credit utilization
• Company size and industry
• Years in business
• Public records (liens, judgments, bankruptcies)

A score of 76+ is considered low risk. Unlike D&B, Experian pulls data from both trade credit and financial institutions.

Equifax Business

Equifax Business uses several scores, but the most common is the Business Credit Risk Score (101-992).

This score predicts the likelihood your business will become severely delinquent on payments. Higher is better—anything above 700 is considered good.

Equifax also provides:

• Business Failure Score (predicts closure risk)
• Payment Index (similar to Paydex)
• Credit Limit Recommendation

Which Bureau Matters Most?

It depends on who's checking.

• Enterprise clients and large contracts: D&B (Paydex)
• Banks and traditional lenders: Experian Business
• Business credit cards: Mix of Experian Business and personal credit
• Alternative lenders: Often all three, plus bank statements

The smart move: Build credit with all three simultaneously. The vendors and strategies in this guide report to multiple bureaus.

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Step 1: Establish Your Business Foundation

Before you can build business credit, you need a business that looks legitimate to creditors. Sounds obvious, but most entrepreneurs skip these basics—then wonder why they can't get approved.

Business Entity

You need an LLC or Corporation. Sole proprietorships can technically build business credit, but you're fighting uphill. The legal separation between you and your business starts with the entity structure.

If you haven't formed your LLC yet, choose a state with favorable laws:

• Wyoming: No state income tax, strong privacy
• Delaware: Business-friendly courts, flexible LLC laws
• Nevada: No franchise tax, no information sharing with IRS

EIN (Employer Identification Number)

Your EIN is like a Social Security Number for your business. You need one.

Get it free from the IRS at irs.gov/ein. Takes about 5 minutes online. Don't pay a service to do this for you.

Business Bank Account

Open a dedicated business checking account. Keep your business and personal finances completely separate.

Banks that work well for new businesses:

• Chase Business Complete
• Bank of America Business Advantage
• Mercury (online, startup-friendly)
• Relay (fee-free)

Tip: Choose a bank where you might eventually want a business credit card or line of credit. Having an existing relationship helps.

Business Phone Number

Use a dedicated business phone number—not your personal cell. Google Voice works, but a true business line looks better.

This number should be:

• Listed under your business name
• Verifiable through directory assistance
• Consistent across all applications

Business Address

A real commercial address beats a home address. If you work from home, consider:

• Virtual office services (Regus, WeWork)
• UPS Store mailbox (use "Suite" not "Box")
• Coworking space membership

The address should be consistent everywhere: bank accounts, credit applications, business licenses, website.

Professional Website and Email

Creditors verify your business exists. A professional website with a domain-based email (you@yourbusiness.com, not yourbusiness@gmail.com) adds legitimacy.

Your website doesn't need to be fancy. It needs to:

• Exist
• Show what your business does
• Display contact information
• Look professional enough not to raise red flags

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Step 2: Get Your D-U-N-S Number

Your D-U-N-S Number is a unique nine-digit identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. You can't build a Paydex score without one.

How to Get Your D-U-N-S Number (Free)

1. Go to dnb.com/duns-number/get-a-duns.html
2. Click "Get a D-U-N-S Number"
3. Fill out the form with your business details
4. Submit and wait 30 days (or pay to expedite)

Important: D&B will try to upsell you on monitoring and credit building packages. You don't need them. The D-U-N-S number itself is free.

Speed Up the Process

If you need your number faster:

• Apply through the SBA (if applying for government contracts)
• Register with SAM.gov (federal contractor database)
• Pay D&B's expedite fee (usually $229 for 1-day service)

Once you have your D-U-N-S Number, your business profile exists in D&B's database. Now you need trade references to give it a score.

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Step 3: Open Net-30 Vendor Accounts

Net-30 accounts are vendors that give you 30 days to pay an invoice. When you pay, they report to business credit bureaus.

This is where most business owners mess up. They open random accounts, pay them off, and wonder why their score isn't improving.

The key: Open accounts with vendors that actually report to D&B, Experian, and Equifax.

Tier 1: Starter Vendors (Easy Approval)

These vendors approve most businesses with a D-U-N-S number, regardless of revenue or time in business.

Strategy: Open 2-3 Tier 1 accounts in your first month. Make small purchases. Pay early (not just on time—early).

Tier 2: Building Vendors (3+ Trade Lines Required)

Once you have 3 trade lines reporting, you qualify for more vendors.

Tier 3: Revolving Credit (5+ Trade Lines)

With 5+ trade lines and a Paydex of 75+, you can start applying for revolving business credit.

The 90-Day Timeline

Month 1:

• Get D-U-N-S Number
• Open 3 Tier 1 Net-30 accounts
• Make purchases, pay early

Month 2:

• Verify trades are reporting (check D&B)
• Open 2-3 more vendor accounts
• Continue paying early

Month 3:

• Paydex should be establishing
• Apply for 1-2 revolving accounts
• Continue building trade references

By day 90, you should have 5-8 trade lines reporting and a Paydex score of 70-80+.

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Step 4: Apply for Business Credit Cards

Business credit cards are where the real funding happens. A single business card can offer $10K-$50K in credit—sometimes more.

Which Cards to Apply For

No Personal Guarantee (NPG) Options:

• Brex (revenue requirements)
• Ramp (revenue requirements)
• Divvy (now part of Bill)

Cards That Report to Business Bureaus:

• Chase Ink Business (Preferred, Cash, Unlimited)
• American Express Business (Gold, Platinum, Blue)
• Capital One Spark
• Bank of America Business Advantage

The Application Strategy

Don't apply for everything at once. Hard inquiries stack up.

Recommended sequence:

1. Start with your existing bank (relationship helps)
2. Apply for one Chase Ink card
3. Wait 30 days, apply for one Amex Business card
4. Wait 30 days, apply for remaining targets

What Lenders Look For

• Time in business: 2+ years ideal, 1+ year minimum for most
• Annual revenue: Varies by lender, $50K+ helps
• Personal credit: Most cards still soft-pull personal credit
• Business credit: Paydex 70+ improves approval odds
• Bank relationship: Existing account = higher limits

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Step 5: Build and Monitor Your Scores

Building business credit isn't a one-time project. It's an ongoing system.

Payment Timing

For maximum Paydex impact, pay invoices early:

• 30 days early = Paydex 100
• 20 days early = Paydex 90
• On time = Paydex 80
• 15 days late = Paydex 70

Set up automatic payments or calendar reminders. One late payment can tank your score.

Monitoring Your Profiles

Check your business credit reports at least quarterly.

D&B: dnb.com (CreditSignal offers free alerts) Experian Business: experian.com/business-credit Equifax Business: equifax.com/business

Look for:

• Incorrect business information
• Missing trade lines
• Inaccurate payment history
• Unauthorized inquiries

Disputing Errors

Business credit disputes work differently than personal credit. Contact each bureau directly:

• D&B: Call 1-800-234-3867 or dispute online
• Experian Business: Submit dispute through their portal
• Equifax Business: File through their business dispute process

Provide documentation: invoices, payment confirmations, bank statements showing payment dates.

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Advanced Strategies: Reaching $100K+ in Business Credit

Once you've built a solid foundation, you can scale.

Strategy 1: Credit Line Increases (CLI)

Every 6 months, request credit line increases on existing accounts. Most issuers allow this without a hard pull.

Chase, Amex, and Capital One are particularly generous with CLIs for accounts in good standing.

Strategy 2: Business Lines of Credit

A business line of credit (BLOC) offers flexible access to funds—like a giant credit card, but often with better rates.

Options:

• Bluevine (up to $250K)
• Fundbox (up to $150K)
• OnDeck (up to $100K)
• Traditional bank LOC (requires strong relationship)

Strategy 3: The 0% APR Stack

Combine multiple 0% APR business cards to access significant capital interest-free.

Example stack:

• Chase Ink Preferred: $25K at 0% for 12 months
• Amex Blue Business Plus: $30K at 0% for 12 months
• Capital One Spark: $20K at 0% for 9 months
• Total: $75K at 0% APR

Use this capital for inventory, equipment, marketing, or bridge financing. Pay it back before the promotional period ends.

Strategy 4: Business Tradelines

If you need to accelerate your profile, some companies sell authorized user positions on aged business accounts. This is more common in personal credit, but exists for business credit too.

Caution: Verify the legitimacy of any tradeline provider. Some operate in gray areas.

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Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Mistake 1: Mixing personal and business finances Keep separate bank accounts, credit cards, and accounting. Commingling funds weakens your liability protection and confuses credit bureaus.

Mistake 2: Applying for too much credit too fast Each application generates inquiries. Space out applications by 30+ days.

Mistake 3: Ignoring your business credit reports Errors happen. Vendors don't always report correctly. Monitor regularly.

Mistake 4: Paying on time instead of early "On time" is fine for personal credit. Business credit rewards early payment with higher scores.

Mistake 5: Opening accounts that don't report That Home Depot card might be convenient, but if it doesn't report to D&B, it's not building your business credit profile.

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Your 90-Day Business Credit Action Plan

Here's your checklist:

Week 1-2

• Ensure business entity is properly formed
• Get EIN if you don't have one
• Open business bank account
• Set up professional email and website
• Apply for D-U-N-S Number

Week 3-4

• Open 3 Net-30 Tier 1 vendor accounts
• Make initial purchases
• Set up payment reminders

Week 5-8

• Pay first invoices early
• Open 2-3 additional vendor accounts
• Verify trades are reporting to D&B

Week 9-12

• Check Paydex score
• Apply for first business credit card
• Continue building trade references
• Monitor all three bureaus

By the end of 90 days, you should have an established business credit profile with a Paydex of 70+, multiple trade lines, and your first business credit card.

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Next Steps

Building business credit is a marathon, not a sprint. But every month you wait is a month of potential funding left on the table.

Start with the foundation: entity, EIN, bank account, D-U-N-S Number. Open your first vendor accounts this week. Pay early. Build consistently.

Your business credit profile is an asset. Invest in it now, and you'll have access to funding opportunities your competitors can only dream about.

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Ready to accelerate your business credit journey? Freedom Consulting helps business owners build credit profiles and access $50K-$300K in funding. Book a free consultation to create your personalized credit building roadmap.

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Disclaimer: Results vary based on individual circumstances. Credit decisions are made by third-party lenders. This guide is for informational purposes and does not guarantee specific credit amounts or approval.

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Dive Deeper: Related Guides

Explore our detailed guides on specific topics:

• 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
• Paydex Score Explained: What It Is and How to Get 80+
• Business Credit vs Personal Credit: Key Differences Every Owner Must Know
• Best Business Credit Cards for New Businesses (No Credit History Required)
• How to Get a Business Credit Card with EIN Only: Complete Guide
• Experian Business Credit: Complete Guide to Your Intelliscore Plus
• Business Tradelines: How They Work and Why They Matter
• LLC Credit Building: Establish Business Credit for Your LLC
• Business Credit Monitoring: Track Your Scores and Protect Your Profile