Key takeaways

  • The Capital One Spark Cash Plus (offer not available) could make sense for you if you have higher business expenses, don't mind paying a higher annual fee, can afford to pay your bill in full each month (since this is a charge card) and want to earn cash back rewards
  • The Capital One Spark Miles for Business could be a better fit if you travel occasionally for business, you'd rather earn travel rewards and you want the option to carry a balance
  • Either card could be a good fit for small-business owners, but the Capital One Spark Cash Plus might be a better fit for larger businesses

If you’re looking for a business card that offers decent rewards, you should consider the Capital One Spark Cash Plus and the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. While either option could be a welcome addition to your company’s financial arsenal, one card may align better with your business’ current situation and goals. For example, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus could earn a significant amount of cash back, while the Capital One Spark Miles for Business can help you rack up miles for travel.

To learn which business credit card may work best for you, keep reading for our detailed comparison.

Main details

Cards Capital One Spark Cash Plus Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Welcome bonus Up to $1,000 cash bonus: $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months of account opening and $500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months 50,000 miles when you spend $4,500 within 3 months of account opening
Rewards rate 2% cash back on all purchases; 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2X miles on all purchases; 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Intro APR N/A N/A
Annual fee $150 $95 ($0 for the first year)

Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business highlights

Welcome bonus winner: Tie

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card offers one of the most generous welcome bonuses on the market. You can earn up to a $1,000 cash bonus — $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first three months of account opening and $500 more once you spend $50,000 in the first six months of account opening.

However, even though the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card’s bonus is smaller at 50,000 miles (worth $500), it’s more attainable since you’ll only need to spend $4,500 within three months of account opening to earn the bonus.

Plus, according to our latest points and miles valuation, if you book travel through a Capital One transfer partner, your Capital One Spark Miles for Business miles can be worth up to 2 cents each, meaning your welcome bonus could be worth up to $1,000. So, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card’s welcome bonus could be nearly as rewarding as the Capital One Spark Cash Plus’ bonus.

Rewards rate winner: Tie

Both the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card and the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card offer the same rewards rate. You’ll earn 2 percent cash back or 2X miles, respectively, for every dollar you spend. You can also earn 5 percent cash back or 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, there’s no cap on how much you can earn with either option, and your rewards will never expire.

Annual fee winner: Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business card is the clear winner in this category because you don’t have to pay an annual fee during your first year as an account holder. You’ll pay $95 to maintain your account after the first year, which is still lower than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card’s $150 annual fee.

On the other hand, with the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card, you’ll break even each year if you make at least $7,500 worth of purchases (which earns $150 in cash back). With the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, you’ll have to spend about $4,800 per year (worth $96) to cover the annual fee.

Foreign transaction fee winner: Tie

If you plan to use your card internationally, you’re in luck. Neither card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.

Which card earns the most?

To determine which card will earn the most rewards, let’s take a look at a spending example.

Spending example

Let’s say you use your Capital One Spark Cash Plus card to pay for a $3,000 business trip, and you don’t book any portion of your trip through the Capital One Travel portal. At 2 percent cash back on all purchases, you’ll earn $60 in cash back. Alternatively, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, which earns 2X miles for every dollar spent, would earn 6,000 miles.

Since both types of rewards are worth 1 cent each (generally), you’ll get $60 in rewards for either purchase. However, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card lets you transfer your miles to Capital One partners to increase their value, meaning your miles could be worth 2 cents apiece. So, your 6,000 miles could be worth up to $120 in rewards.

Therefore, if you plan to book travel through one of Capital One’s partners, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card can earn more than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card. Otherwise, purchases on either card will earn you the same amount of rewards.

Why should you get the Capital One Spark Cash Plus?

Additional benefits

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus offers an annual cash bonus of $200 if you spend at least $200,000 per year using your card. You’ll also receive free cards for your employees and access to account management tools. Otherwise, the card offers standard benefits like:

  • Travel benefits, such as roadside assistance, no foreign transaction fees and access to Capital One Travel
  • Purchase protection for up to 90 days (on eligible purchases)
  • Extended warranty coverage
  • Virtual credit card numbers for secure shopping online

Redemption options

While you can’t get your Capital One Spark Cash Plus rewards directly deposited into your bank account, you can redeem cash back for checks, statement credits, credits for prior purchases, gift cards or Amazon and PayPal purchases. You can also redeem your rewards automatically on a certain date every year or when you reach an earnings threshold.

Recommended credit score

Capital One recommends that applicants have excellent credit in order to qualify for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card.

Why should you get the Capital One Spark Miles for Business?

Additional benefits

With the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, you’ll get standard benefits like free employee cards, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage (on eligible purchases), card lock control, $0 fraud liability and account management tools, among others. Plus, you’ll also get more notable benefits like:

Redemption options

The best way to redeem your Capital One miles is for travel, which can be applied to new bookings or costs incurred within the previous 90 days. You can also redeem your miles for checks, statement credits, gift cards and more.

Recommended credit score

For the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, you’ll need excellent credit.

The bottom line

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus could make sense for you if you have higher business expenses, can afford to pay your bill in full each month and want to earn cash back. But, if you want the option to carry a balance or if you want to redeem rewards for travel, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business would be a better fit.

However, it’s worth noting that other top business credit cards offer higher cash back rates (for example, 3 percent to 5 percent back) if you spend in specific business-related categories. So, it’s important to explore all of your options, including other Capital One cards, before choosing a card. a card.