How to create an invoice: a step-by-step guide
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If your business relies on invoices as a primary method of payment, it's important to get them right.
An invoice that’s easy to pay shows professionalism and encourages customers to work with you again. On the other hand, unclear or inaccurate invoices confuse recipients and delay payment.
Luckily, it’s easy to create a professional invoice once you know what one looks like. In this guide, we'll walk through how to write an invoice and share tips on how to issue them so that you get paid on time.
We've also included an invoice template that you can download and use as a reference for your own business.
What is an invoice?
An invoice is a document used to inform customers that payment is due. Aside from helping you get paid, an invoice also serves as a record so that your business can track accounts receivables. These records are also important to keep in the event that you get audited and need to provide proof of business income to the IRS.
How to create an invoice
Here's a step-by-step guide to creating your own invoice, using the example here as a reference.
You can also use Ramp's invoice generator to generate invoices automatically, or download a sample invoice here.
1. Include your company information
Start by adding the following information to the top of your invoice:
- Your company’s name, address, and contact information
- Your customer’s name, business name, and address
- Name, phone number, and email address of your point of contact with the client
Include your business logo in your header and change the colors and fonts to match your brand—these small touches make your invoice design look more professional and help you maintain consistency across your communications with customers.
2. Name your invoice
Include "Invoice" in your document's file name and the invoice itself so that the receiving business can easily identify it as such. Also be sure to include "invoice" in your email subject line.
3. Include an invoice ID
It's a good idea to include a unique invoice number to help you organize and identify your invoices, especially if you bill a client on a regular basis.
The easiest way to label your invoices is numerically (e.g., starting with #0001 and working your way up), but an alphanumeric code works well too. The important thing is to remain consistent with your labeling scheme.
4. Date your invoice
Enter the invoice date and the payment due date. The invoice date reminds the recipient of when the work was completed or the items delivered. If your business works on net-30 payment terms or something similar, this date also indicates the start of that period.
3. Provide an itemized list of goods and services
This section lists exactly what your client is paying for. Without this list, a recipient who’s unsure about the fee breakdown may refuse to pay the invoice without additional clarification—which in turn can delay payment.
Your invoice should include the following for each line item:
- The service or product provided
- Number of hours worked or items delivered
- Hourly rate or price per item (if applicable)
Brief descriptions of each line item offer additional clarity into the project scope and cost. For example, a marketing agency or freelancer may decide to break up their monthly retainer fee into specifics like “20 post captions for Instagram” and “Facebook ad management for July 2022.”
4. Calculate fees and the total amount due
If you plan to include service charges, fees, sales tax, or discounts on your invoice, break them out into separate line items as well.
After adding your subtotal and fees together, list the total amount near the bottom of the invoice. Ideally, you want this number to be displayed prominently—so use bold text or increase the font size so the total is easily found.
5. Include payment terms and notes
Here, outline the process your client or customer should follow to pay the invoice and any penalties for late payments. You both should’ve already agreed to payment terms as part of your vendor negotiations, so this section serves as a reminder of that.
This is also a great place to add a personal note for the recipient—thanking your customers goes a long way. You may also want to include other details here, such as:
- Warranties or money-back guarantees
- Returns and exchange policies
- Information on your referral program
- Updates on upcoming sales or promotions
6. Double-check information before sending
Mistakes on your invoices can delay payment and make you look unprofessional. So before you send out each one, take a few minutes to confirm all of the information is correct.
To help you catch formatting errors, review the document the way your client would. So if you’re creating an invoice on Canva but sending it as a PDF, open up the actual file so you’ll know what your client will see when they receive it.
Invoicing best practices for timely payments
Your ability to collect payments owed to your business in a timely fashion can be the difference between your company flourishing or struggling to make ends meet. Fortunately, there are some best practices you can follow to increase your likelihood of getting paid quickly and correctly.
Invoice as soon as possible
Some small business owners create and send out invoices once a week or at the end of the month to save time. However, that can create some serious cash flow issues—particularly if you find your company strapped for cash between invoice batches.
Plus, if too much time has passed between when you delivered on your contract and when you invoice for it, your client may have forgotten about your agreement entirely.
To avoid this, send invoices as soon as the engagement has ended. This ensures you get paid sooner rather than later (or not at all).
Offer multiple ways to pay
Providing customers with different payment methods gives them greater flexibility, positions you as easy to work with, and gets you paid faster.
Traditionally, businesses have paid invoices with paper checks or bank transfers. Today, companies have expanded their list of payment options with alternatives like credit cards, PayPal, Stripe, and even Apple Pay.
Sure, you might pay a small percentage in processing fees, but the quick delivery of funds and real-time notifications offered by these methods may be well worth the cost.
Take advantage of free invoice templates and invoice generators
To save time typing out the same information for each new invoice, create a template with the invoice details outlined above already filled in.
Free templates in a variety of formats (Google Docs, Microsoft Word, etc.) are just a quick Google search away. You can also use our free invoice generator to create your own custom invoice in minutes.
Whatever method you choose, just make sure to send your invoice as a PDF file to prevent someone from editing the information on it. Also, keep a copy of the document for your records, as well as for invoice reconciliation and potential tax audits.
Look into invoicing software
Compared to templates and online invoice generators, invoicing software offers many more tools that streamline and simplify your invoicing process.
In addition to customizable invoice templates, you can set up features like automatic payment reminders and late payment penalties. The software then follows up on overdue invoices on your behalf, and automatically adds late fees to the bill once your conditions have been met. Plus, you can access past invoices at any time and review reports for greater visibility into the health of your business.
To keep costs down, consider looking into accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero that come with invoicing features (and much more) already built in.
Simplify the way you process invoices with Ramp
Invoicing and billing shouldn't take hours out of your day.
Ramp's accounts payable software helps you cut down on the time you spend on your vendor invoicing process. Our tool automates your invoicing workflow so you can spend more time on the work that matters, but with the reassurance that your finances are protected every step of the way.
Our AI-powered software logs the details from each invoice with 99.9% accuracy and gets approval from the right people to ensure timely payments. With Ramp, you can also take advantage of our expense management tools, account automation, and 1.5% cash back with our corporate card.
Take a tour and see how Ramp can streamline your invoice processing.
FAQs
Yes! If you raise relatively few invoices every month or have a tight budget, sending invoices manually (or with the help of a template or invoice maker) is a great option to look into.
Keep in mind, though, that the margin for human error increases when you create these documents yourself. Take extra care to ensure your company information and customer details are correct before you send off your invoice.
On average, it costs a business about $15 per invoice. For larger companies with more manual processes and approvals built in, the cost can be much greater.
Software that automates this process can reduce costs for your business (particularly in employee hours), despite the additional subscription expense.
To find out how much it costs your business to create an invoice, use this free invoicing cost calculator.
One way to create better, more accurate invoices is to utilize templates, generators, or invoice software which provide a standardized format that you can replicate across clients.
Another tip that you should always follow regardless of how you create invoices: double-check all the information on your invoice before you send it, from the address to the prices, products/services, or units. A simple mistake can create major headaches down the line, and you can prevent this with a bit of due diligence.
The best way to create an invoice is to use invoice software that has customizable invoice templates. Accounting software like Xero and Quickbooks have invoicing features built-in, or you can use separate invoice creation tools like Zoho Invoice.
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- No personal guarantee or credit check required for eligibility
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- Integration with accounting platforms including NetSuite, Quickbooks, and Xero
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- Primarily focused on cost-cutting, which might not suit all business needs
- Geared mainly towards U.S. businesses, which may limit its appeal for international transactions
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- High interest rate if you carry a balance
- Business credit card tailored for travel expenses
- Spending requirement of $4,500 in the first three months to qualify for its welcome bonus
- Annual fee of $95, which is waived only for the first year
- Credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- Rental car coverage and airport lounge access
- Option to transfer miles to different airline and hotel partners
- Unlimited 2X miles on purchases across categories
- Unlimited 5X miles on rental cars and hotel bookings made through Capital One Travel
- Introductory offer of 50,000 miles
- High $95 annual fee
- No introductory APR period
- Fewer perks than other business cards
- Approves their business credit cards within 48 hours of applying
- If you’re approved, you’ll get a virtual card right away so you can start spending before your physical cards arrive
- Cards offer universal cashback rewards on all purchases, with business-specific features
- 24/7 customer service available by phone or email
- No annual fee
- Cashback is universal across purchase categories
- Fast approval process
- Good to excellent credit required
- Must have monthly business revenue exceeding $2,500 to apply
- Business credit card for frequent travellers who prefer Marriot Bonvey hotels
- If you meet all of the requirements, including good to excellent credit, you could be approved near instantly
- Offers rewards specific to Marriot chain hotels, including a free night award annually and complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- 125,000 introductory bonus points if you spend $8,000 in the first 6 months
- Marriot Gold Elite status awarded with card ownership
- One free night’s stay at a Marriot hotel every year
- $150 annual fee
- Rewards less valuable for non-Marriott hotel stays
- Find out whether you pre-qualify for First National Bank Of Omaha’s secured credit card in under a minute on their website
- Choose your credit limit to set on your card, as long as the limit is between $2,000 and $100,000
- Annual fees and variable APR rate aren't very competitive, but it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a secured card
- High credit limits
- Doesn’t require a good credit score
- Interest can be earned on the security deposit
- $39 annual fee
- A deposit equal to 110% of the credit limit is required
- No unsecured card option
- Offers 2 miles per dollar spent without any restrictions or maximum limits
- No annual fees for the first year
- Welcome bonus of 50,000 miles if you spend $4,500 within the first 3 months of opening an account
- If you’re approved for the card, you can call Capital One’s customer support to see if you qualify for an instant virtual credit card
- If you do, you won’t have to wait for your physical card to arrive
- Unlimited 2X miles on purchases across categories
- Unlimited 5X miles on rental cars and hotel bookings made through Capital One Travel
- Introductory offer of 50,000 miles
- High $95 annual fee
- No introductory APR period
- Fewer perks than other business cards
- Corporate card available on an invite-only basis to U.S. companies
- Requires a Stripe account to request access
- Charges transaction fees on purchases rather than having a monthly or annual fee
- Each card transaction costs between 1% and 2.9% plus an additional fee of between 0.30 and 0.80 cents
- Earn 1.5% cashback on purchases
- No credit check or personal guarantee required
- No foreign transaction fees
- Stripe's corporate card program is in beta with limited access
- Transaction fees lower the value of cashback rewards on purchases
- Corporate card available to registered businesses with an EIN number and U.S. business bank account
- Requires an SSN, but only for a soft credit check, so there's no impact on your credit score
- Comes with expense management software
- Points-based rewards with bonus points in different categories
- Doesn't require a hard credit check or personal guarantee
- Low cash-on-hand requirement of $20,000
- No annual fee
- Requires SSN for a soft credit check
- Fair credit is needed to qualify
- Must use 30% of your credit line in a given month to earn rewards
- Foreign transaction fees
- Corporate card with a focus on global payments
- Caters to venture-backed or mid-market companies
- Doesn't accept small businesses
- Global cards are accepted in 210+ countries
- Points-based rewards with different points per purchase category
- Includes expense management tools and Mastercard benefits
- No credit check or personal guarantee
- No annual or account fees
- No foreign transaction fees
- Limited to specific business types (C-corp, S-corp, LLC, and LLPs) with equity investors, high annual revenue, or a certain number of employees
- Higher rewards require an exclusivity agreement with Brex
- New users must pay off their balance daily
- Rebates up to 5¢ per gallon at Shell stations
- Provides detailed, custom reports for tracking
- Offers 15% savings at participating Jiffy Lube locations
- Savings on fuel purchases at Shell
- No setup, monthly, or annual fees
- Useful financial management tools
- Rewards limited to Shell and Jiffy Lube
- Expensive to carry a balance
- 6x points on Marriott Bonvoy hotel purchases
- 4x points on select categories including gas stations
- 75,000 point welcome bonus
- Annual free hotel night
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Rewards less valuable for non-Marriott hotel stays
- Moderate annual fee
- 5% cashback on categories including office supply stores, internet, cable TV
- 2% cashback on gas stations and restaurants
- 1% cashback on all other purchases
- Sign-up bonus of $750 bonus cashback
- Free employee cards
- Generous rewards
- Includes rental car insurance
- Cap on 5% and 2% cash back categories
- Foreign transaction fees
- 3% cashback in the rewards category of your choice, including gas stations and EV charging
- 2% cashback on dining
- 1% cashback on all other purchases
- $300 welcome bonus offer
- Flexible cashback redemption options
- Cardholders with a Bank of America checking account can earn up to 75% more rewards
- Foreign transaction fees
- 9 months 0% intro APR period is shorter than competing cards
- 0% intro APR doesn’t apply to balance transfers
- 3% cashback on categories including gas stations/EV charging stations
- 5% cashback on prepaid hotels and car rentals
- 1% cashback on all other purchases
- 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles
- $100 annual statement credit for SaaS subscriptions
- Intro APR applied to purchases and balance transfers
- Generous rewards with no cap
- Lacks benefits outside of cashback rewards
- Requires high credit score
- Corporate card designed for venture-backed or mid-market companies
- Functions as a charge card, requiring daily or monthly balance payments, with no option to carry a balance from month to month
- Points-based rewards with different points per purchase category
- Includes expense management features and Mastercard benefits
- No personal guarantee or credit check required to qualify
- Flexible rewards system with up to 8x points on certain categories
- No annual or account fees
- Limited to specific business types (C-corp, S-corp, LLC, and LLPs) with equity investors, substantial annual revenue, or a significant number of employees
- Top rewards require an exclusivity agreement with Brex
- New users must pay off their balance daily
- Corporate card available to registered businesses with an EIN number and U.S. business bank account
- Comes with expense management software
- Points-based rewards with bonus points in different categories
- Requires only a soft credit check, so it won't temporarily affect your credit score
- Doesn't require a hard credit check or personal guarantee
- Lower capital requirement of $20,000
- No annual fee
- Requires a soft credit check
- Fair credit is needed to qualify
- To earn rewards, you have to use 30% of your credit line in a given month
- Foreign transaction fees
- Business credit card with travel and purchase protections
- Card comes with a $10,000 minimum credit limit, with the opportunity to raise it
- 2% to 2.5% cashback rewards on purchases
- Free employee cards with custom spending limits
- Welcome bonus of $1000 if you meet spending requirements
- No foreign transaction fees
- "Flex for Business" provides payment flexibility on eligible purchases
- High annual fee
- Requires significant initial spend to unlock the sign-up bonus
- Limited expense management features compared to specialized cards
- Card comes with $5,000 minimum credit limit
- Points-based rewards with flexible redemption options, including cash back
- Offers 3x points on purchases in eligible spending categories like shipping, advertising, internet services, and travel bookings
- Welcome bonus of 100,000 points
- Unlimited employee cards
- Ability to transfer your rewards points to partner programs
- $95 annual fee
- Must spend $15,000 within the first three months of account opening to earn welcome offer
- Rewards program includes categories and limits that make it more complicated to earn maximum rewards
- No spend management capabilities beyond account alerts
- Business charge card that requires full monthly balance payments
- Designed for larger, higher-spending businesses
- Carrying a balance incurs a 2.99% fee
- 2% cashback rewards on purchases
- Unlimited cashback rewards
- 0% interest when used as intended
- $1,000 early spending bonus
- 2.99% monthly fee to carry a balance
- Must spend $50,000 in your first six months to access to $1,000 bonus cash
- Must spend $200,000 per year to access the $200 annual cash bonus
- Limited spending management features
- Secured credit card that requires a security deposit, which becomes the account’s line of credit
- You can choose your own credit limit
- Offers interest on your security deposit
- Designed to help build business credit through responsible use
- Improve your business credit report quickly when you use the card responsibly
- Low annual fee compared to other secured credit cards
- Choose your own credit limit
- Earn interest on your security deposit
- Access instant rebates with over 40,000 retailers
- Your security deposit must be 110% of the credit limit you choose. So, if you want a $50,000 credit limit, you’ll need to make a $55,000 security deposit
- Although the annual fee is relatively low, you’ll still have to pay just to have the card
- Doesn’t come with any spending management features
- Travel rewards credit card focused on international travel
- Provides 5x membership rewards on flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel
- Additional rewards on eligible purchases
- The card comes with a $695 annual fee and 0% introductory APR, followed by a high variable APR
- 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- 1.5x points on select business purchases and large purchases
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold Status
- Access to travel perks and airport lounges
- No foreign transaction fees
- High annual fee of $695
- You must spend $15,000 in the first three months of card membership to qualify for the sign-up bonus
- The rewards program is relatively complex, so it may be difficult for some users to get the most out of the rewards program
- Benefits primarily focused on travel, less so on other business expenses
- Secured credit card designed to help businesses build credit
- Only a soft credit check is required
- Offers 1.5% cashback rewards on purchases
- Flexible cashback redemption options
- Offers the opportunity to transition to an unsecured credit card after a history of responsible use
- No annual fee
- High APR and 4% balance transfer fees
- Requires a minimum security deposit of $1000
- Limited spend management features
- Business credit card designed for small businesses
- Offers 1% cashback rewards on purchases
- Unlimited free employee cards with custom spending controls
- No foreign transaction fees or ATM fees
- No annual fee
- Only requires a soft credit check and a FICO score of 670 or higher
- High APR if you carry a balance
- A personal guarantee is required
- Not available to sole proprietors, charities, nonprofits, trusts, or clubs
- Corporate card designed for venture-backed or mid-market companies
- Functions as a charge card, requiring daily or monthly balance payments, with no option to carry a balance from month to month
- Points-based rewards with different points per purchase category
- Includes expense management features and Mastercard benefits
- No personal guarantee or credit check required for eligibility
- Flexible rewards system with up to 8x points on certain categories
- No annual or account fees
- Limited to specific business types (C-corp, S-corp, LLC, and LLPs) with equity investors, substantial annual revenue, or a significant number of employees
- Top rewards require an exclusivity agreement with Brex
- New users must pay off their balance daily
- Corporate card available to registered businesses with an EIN number and U.S. business bank account
- Comes with expense management software
- Points-based rewards with bonus points in different categories
- Requires only a soft credit check, so it won't temporarily affect your credit score
- Doesn't require a hard credit check
- No minimum credit score requirements
- Lower capital requirement of $20,000
- No annual fee
- Requires a soft credit check
- To earn rewards, you have to use 30% of your credit line in a given month
- Foreign transaction fees
- Business credit card designed for small business owners with fair credit or a limited credit history
- 1% cashback rewards on purchases
- Free employee cards
- Offers the ability to choose your own payment due date
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
- Can help build credit if used responsibly
- High APR if you carry a balance
- No intro offers
- Secured credit card that requires a refundable security deposit
- The security deposit acts as the credit line
- No bank account or credit check is required to qualify
- Money can be funded through online banking, money order, or Western Union
- Doesn't require a credit check for approval
- Reports to the credit bureaus to help build your credit score
- Access to credit education and financial management tools
- Annual fee required
- Higher interest rates compared to some other cards
- No rewards program or cashback incentives
- Limited benefits beyond credit building
- Corporate card available to registered businesses with an EIN number and U.S. business bank account
- Comes with expense management software
- Points-based rewards with bonus points in different categories
- Requires only a soft credit check, so it won't temporarily affect your credit score
- Doesn't require a hard credit check
- Lower capital requirement of $20,000
- No annual fee
- Requires a soft credit check
- Fair credit is needed to qualify
- To earn rewards, you have to use 30% of your credit line in a given month
- Foreign transaction fees
- Corporate card designed for venture-backed or mid-market companies
- Functions as a charge card, requiring daily or monthly balance payments, with no option to carry a balance from month to month
- Points-based rewards with different points per purchase category
- Includes expense management features and Mastercard benefits
- Flexible rewards system with up to 8x points on certain categories
- No annual or account fees
- No personal guarantee or credit check required for eligibility
- Limited to specific business types (C-corp, S-corp, LLC, and LLPs) with equity investors, substantial annual revenue, or a significant number of employees
- Top rewards require an exclusivity agreement with Brex
- New users must pay off their balance daily
- Business credit card with the option to pay in full or carry a balance, with different APR rates for each option
- Points-based membership rewards
- Employee cards available for $50 each
- Requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify
- Welcome bonus of 70,000 points if you spend $5000
- Flexible payment options
- Up to 55 days with no interest
- High annual fee
- Default 30% APR rate
- No airport lounge access or travel emergency medical coverage
- Charge card with customizable spending controls
- 2% cashback rewards on purchases
- Unlimited free physical and virtual employee cards
- Balance is due each month with a minimum payment requirement
- Requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify
- Welcome bonus of $3000 if you spend $100,000 in the first 6 months
- Rewards don’t expire
- No foreign transaction fees
- High annual fee
- 2.99% late payment fees
- Offers fewer expense management features than some cards
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card is designed for small business owners looking to build or rebuild their credit. As a secured credit card, it requires a refundable security deposit, which acts as a line of credit. It offers 1.5% cash back, without any caps or category restrictions.
The card carries no annual fee and has a variable APR, typically ranging from 18.49% to 28.49%. This card is suitable for businesses with limited or poor credit that still want to earn rewards on their spending. Additional features include fraud protection, overdraft protection, and online and mobile banking.
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card is meant for businesses that spend significantly on groceries and gas. It offers a cash-back rewards rate of 6% at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations. It also includes 3% cash back on transit, including taxis/rideshare, parking, trains, and buses. Other purchases earn 1% cash back.
This card comes with an annual fee of $95, which is waived for the first year, and a variable APR typically ranging from 19.24% to 29.99%. It also includes car rental loss and damage insurance, as well as return protection.
The Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is suited for businesses with frequent travel needs or those that spend the most in categories like shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising. It offers 3 rewards points per $1 spent in these categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each account anniversary year) and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
The card carries an annual fee of $95 and a variable APR typically ranging from 121.24% to 26.24%. Additional features include travel insurance, extended warranty protection, and cell phone protection.
The Capital One Spark 1% Classic Credit Card is tailored for small businesses, particularly those with fair credit that are aiming to build or improve their credit history. This card offers a 1% cashback on all purchases, without any limits or specific categories.
There's no annual fee, making it a cost-effective option for small business owners. The card's APR is 30.74% variable rate. It also includes benefits like free employee cards, fraud coverage, and year-end summaries, which can be valuable for managing business finances and monitoring expenses.
The Chase Ink Business Preferred Card offers rewards on travel, shipping, advertising, and other business expenses. It features a sign-up bonus of 100,000 points after meeting the initial spending requirement and allows points to be redeemed for 25% more value through Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel. The annual fee is $95 with no introductory APR.
The card offers 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising on up to $150,000 in combined purchases annually. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
- High rewards rate in specified business categories
- Significant sign-up bonus, albeit with a high spending requirement
- Points are more valuable when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Added protections like trip insurance and cell phone coverage
- High spending threshold to earn the welcome bonus
- Annual fee
- The higher rewards rate is limited to the first $150,000 in combined category spending
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is a business credit card geared towards travel, especially for stays at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. It offers substantial rewards for hotel-related purchases, as well as benefits for dining, gas, and mobile phone services. With a moderate annual fee, it provides various travel and hotel perks, but it’s best suited for frequent guests at Marriott Bonvoy properties.
Cardholders can earn 6x points on Marriott Bonvoy hotel purchases and 4x points on U.S. restaurant, gas station, wireless telephone services, and shipping purchases. All other eligible purchases earn 2x points. It comes with a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. It also offers a free night award annually, complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, and 15 Elite Night Credits annually.
- High rewards rate at Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Additional rewards categories beneficial for common business expenses
- Annual free night award adds value for frequent travelers
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status enhances the hotel experience
- Focus on Marriott Bonvoy limits flexibility in hotel choices
- Moderate annual fee
- Rewards less valuable for non-Marriott hotel stays
- Higher APR can be costly if balances are carried over
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is designed for frequent business travelers who prefer flying with Delta Airlines. It offers travel perks specifically for Delta, including Medallion Qualification Miles and various mileage-earning rates on Delta purchases. The card has a high annual fee, and its benefits are most valuable for those consistently choosing Delta for their travel needs.
The card offers 3x miles on Delta purchases and 1.5x miles in specific categories after $150,000 annual spend. It includes a 110,000 bonus miles offer after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months, along with Medallion Qualification Miles boosts, complimentary Delta Sky Club access, priority boarding, and baggage insurance. Extra benefits include a $240 Resy Credit, $120 Rideshare Credit, up to $250 Delta Stays Statement Credit, and Hertz President's Circle Status.
- High earning potential on Delta purchases
- Valuable travel benefits with Delta, including lounge access and priority boarding
- No foreign transaction fees
- High annual fee
- Benefits and rewards are primarily limited to Delta Airlines
- Requires a significant amount of spending to unlock full benefits
- Not ideal for businesses that use multiple airlines
The Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard is a budget-friendly business travel credit card. It offers unlimited 1.5x points on all purchases and 3x points on travel booked through the Bank of America Travel Center, with no annual fee. It offers a 0% introductory APR for the first 9 months, followed by a variable APR rate.
The card comes with a welcome offer of 30,000 bonus points if you meet the spending requirement in the first 90 days. Business Platinum Honors Tier cardholders can earn up to 75% more points.
- No annual fee
- Additional points for travel booked through the Bank of America Travel Center
- Extra rewards for existing Bank of America accounts
- Requires excellent credit for approval
- Relatively low sign-up bonus compared to some competitors
- Higher-end of APR range can be costly if balances are carried
The American Express Business Platinum Card is a travel rewards credit card focused on international travel. It provides 5x membership rewards on flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel, with additional rewards on eligible purchases. The card comes with a $695 annual fee and 0% introductory APR, followed by a high variable APR.
- 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- 1.5x points on select business purchases and large purchases
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold Status
- Access to travel perks and airport lounges
- No foreign transaction fees
- High annual fee of $695
- Complex rewards structure that may not suit all businesses
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
- Benefits primarily focused on travel, less so on other business expenses
The card is fairly standard. The lack of bonus features and rewards spending cap don’t make this card a standout option for big spenders.
- 3% cashback in the rewards category of your choice (choose from gas stations, office supply stores, travel, TV, telecom, wireless, computer services and business consulting services) default category is gas stations
- 2% cashback on dining purchases (Earn 3% and 2% cashback in the combined choice category and dining purchases up to $50,000)
- Unlimited 1% cashback on all other purchases
- Cardholders with a Bank of America checking account can earn up to 75% more rewards
- Foreign transaction fee makes it difficult to take this card overseas
- 9 months 0% intro APR period is shorter than competing cards
- 0% Intro APR doesn’t apply to balance transfers
Businesses that spend lots of time in the air will enjoy the travel cashback opportunities with this card. But while the 0% APR intro period is 12 months, you might find yourself struggling to keep up with payments once the higher regular APR kicks in each month.
- 1.5% cashback rewards on purchases
- 5% cashback on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Free employee cards
- Ability to set up spend control limits for employee cards
- No foreign transaction fees
- Lacks variety of bonus rewards categories
- 0% intro APR doesn’t apply to balance transfers
Chase’s Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card is a no-frills 0% APR credit card. With a flat rate of 1.5% cashback on every business purchase, you earn cash whether you’re spending money on office supplies, gas, or business outings. However, if the majority of your business takes place overseas, this isn’t the card for you. High foreign transaction fees make it a pain to travel internationally.
- Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all business purchases
- Rewards never expire
- Welcome bonus if you spend enough in the first 3 months of account opening
- No bonus reward categories
- Not the best card for balance transfers
U.S Bank’s Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard comes with no annual fee, 0% APR for 15 billing cycles, and 3% cashback on select purchases. However, when stacked up against other 0% APR business cards, it leaves a lot to be desired in rewards.
- Intro APR applied to purchases and balance transfers
- Earn 3% cashback on eligible purchases at gas stations/EV charging stations, restaurants, cell phone service providers, and office supply stores
- 1% cashback on all other business purchases
- No limit on cashback earned
- Lacks benefits outside of cashback rewards
- Requires high credit score for lackluster rewards
The Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business offers 1.5% cashback on all purchases. There are two versions of the card: one for excellent credit, offering a $500 cash bonus after spending $4,500 in the first three months, and another for good or excellent credit, which features a 0% intro APR for 12 months. The card also includes Visa Business Benefits, including free employee cards, fraud coverage and alerts, and account management tools.
- 1.5% cash-back on all purchases
- No annual fees
- Access to business-grade protection and account management tools
- Visa Business Benefits
- Higher APR for the good credit version compared to the excellent credit version
- The welcome offer varies based on creditworthiness
The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® comes with a cashback rewards system, offering between 1% to 5% on eligible purchases. However, not all purchase categories qualify for rewards. The card comes with an introductory 0% APR period followed by a high variable APR. It has no annual fee and an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses.
- Bonus cash-back categories
- No annual fees
- Introductory APR period on purchases and balance transfers
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Cash-back rewards program is difficult to navigate
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card comes with a straightforward rewards structure and minimal fees. This card offers a flat cash-back rate of 1.5% and includes perks such as free employee cards, travel and purchase protections, and an introductory 0% APR period on purchases for the first 12 months. The card offers a welcome bonus of $750 if you spend $6,000 in the first three months after account opening.
- 1.5% cashback rate
- Welcome bonus if you spend enough in the first three months
- Free employee cards
- Requires good to excellent credit, which might be a barrier for some businesses
- Primarily beneficial for U.S.-based businesses, limiting international appeal
- Less expense management features than corporate cards
The American Express Business Gold Card is a premium credit card tailored for LLCs and businesses that prioritize earning rewards in their high-spend categories. This card adapts to your spending habits, automatically earning you 4X points in the two categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle (from a select list), on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year. The card comes with some expense management features and the ability to add employee cards for $50 each.
- Variety of rewards redemption options
- Option to add employee cards for $50 each
- No foreign transaction fees
- High annual fee
- Rewards benefits are capped after a certain spending limit
- Limited to U.S.-based businesses
- Focus on certain spending categories may not align with all business expenditure patterns
- Requires good to excellent credit
Brex is a corporate card designed for venture-backed or mid-market companies. It functions as a charge card, requiring daily or monthly balance payments, with no option to carry a balance from month to month. The card has a points-based rewards system with different points per purchase category. The card also includes expense management features and Mastercard benefits.
- Flexible rewards system with up to 8x points on certain categories
- No annual or account fees
- No personal guarantee or credit check required for eligibility
- Limited to specific business types (C-corp, S-corp, LLC, and LLPs) with equity investors, substantial annual revenue, or a significant number of employees
- Top rewards require an exclusivity agreement with Brex
- New users must pay off their balance daily
- 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging, up to $7,000 per year, then 1%
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees and worldwide car rental insurance
- Purchase protection and travel emergency assistance
- Acts as a Costco membership ID
- High cash back on gas and Costco purchases
- Extensive travel and purchase protections
- Cash back redemption only available annually
- Requires Costco membership to qualify and use