Which business credit card is best for your type of business?

Professionals in many fields popular for self-employment often need a credit card they can use for all their computer software, equipment and supplies. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a steep $695 annual fee, so it certainly won’t be worth it for freelancers who aren’t earning enough to justify it or who won’t get much out of their additional travel benefits.

However, it’s a solid pick for those who travel often for work and those who want to enjoy robust business-related statement credits for a wide range of purchases, as well as those who want to earn rewards in the flexible American Express Membership Rewards program.

Cardholders earn:

• 5X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• 2X points on prepaid rental cars booked through AmexTravel.com
• 1.5X points (on up to $2,000,000 per calendar year) on key purchases of $5,000 or more (electronics goods, retailers, software and cloud service providers; construction materials and hardware supplies; and shipping providers)
• 1X points on all other purchases

Customers get up to $400 in credits toward Dell Technologies purchases each year, along with up to $360 in credits toward Indeed.com, up to $150 in credits toward Adobe purchases and up to $120 in credits toward wireless phone services. Other major perks include airport lounge access, up to $200 in airline fee credits, up to $189 toward CLEAR® membership, a 35 percent Airline Bonus feature reward and more.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: This card offers 5 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores, internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, plus it has no annual fee.

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card* is perfect for entrepreneurs and gig workers spending a lot of money in one category, such as gas station spending.

New cardholders can earn a $300 online statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases within 90 days of account opening.

They can also earn 3 percent cash back in a category of their choice. Options include:

• Gas and EV charging stations
• Travel
• Office supply stores
• Computer services
• Telecom and wireless services
• Business consulting services

Other rewards include 2 percent cash back on dining purchases (on the first $50,000 in combined choice category and dining purchases each calendar year, then 1 percent back) and 1 percent back on all other purchases.

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, and new customers can benefit from 0 percent annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases for the first nine billing cycles (followed by a variable APR of 18.49 percent to 28.49 percent).

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Cardholders get 2 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, plus the card has no annual fee.

There aren’t many credit cards geared explicitly toward store owners, so it’s best to pursue a flat-rate cash back card like the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.

This card can be ideal for nearly any type of business, but especially those that want to earn cash back or carry a balance for a limited time. This card starts new customers off with a $750 cash back bonus after they spend $6,000 within three months of account opening, and they also earn a flat 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase they make.

Business owners can also benefit from having 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months, followed by a variable APR of 18.49 percent to 24.49 percent. This perk can buy new businesses some time if they want to pay down large business expenses without interest for a while. The best part? This business credit card doesn’t even charge an annual fee.

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: This card offers 2 percent cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 percent. It also has no annual fee.

Business owners who run a traditional office should look for cards that reward them for the type of purchases they make the most. For many of these business owners, a card like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is ideal.

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card is a no-annual-fee card that offers bonus points at office supply stores. Specifically, this card gives you:

• 5 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
• 2 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each year
• 1 percent back on all other purchases

New cardholders can also earn $750 in bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. There’s also a 0 percent introductory APR offer for purchases that lasts for 12 months. After that, the regular APR of 18.49 percent to 24.49 percent (variable) kicks in.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card*: You can earn 3 percent cash back in the category of your choice, including office supply stores, computer services, telecom and wireless services, business consulting services and gas station purchases. The card also comes with no annual fee.

Owners of these businesses need a credit card that earns a generous amount of rewards on all their purchases, which may fall into many different categories. With that in mind, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card can work well.

This card offers 2 percent cash back on the first $50,000 spent each year, and 1 percent cash back thereafter.

This business credit card also doesn’t charge an annual fee. The American Express Blue Business Cash Card even comes with 0 percent APR on purchases for 12 months, followed by a variable APR of 18.49 percent to 26.49 percent.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: This card offers 3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year, then 1X points, but it comes with a $95 annual fee.

While it does have a $95 annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is perfect for digital marketing specialists, as well as bloggers and individuals who run affiliate websites. This is mainly due to the rewards program this card offers, as well as the categories cardholders earn bonus points in.

Cardholders earn 3X points on the first $150,000 in total spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year (then 1X points), plus 1X points on all other purchases. The 3X points categories include:

• Shipping purchases
• Online advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
• Travel
• Internet, cable and phone services

New cardholders can also earn 100,000 bonus points as a welcome after spending $8,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Rewards earned with this card fall within the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, so they can be used for merchandise, gift cards, travel through Chase and even point transfers to airline and hotel partners.

American Express® Business Gold Card: Earn 4X points on up to $150,000 per year in two select categories your business spends the most in each billing cycle. Categories include advertising (purchased in the U.S. to promote your business online, on TV or radio); U.S. shipping costs; U.S. computer software, hardware and cloud data purchases made directly from select providers; U.S. restaurants; and U.S. gas stations.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is ideal for restaurant owners for a few reasons, including the fact that it’s a charge card with no preset spending limit. This makes it a good option for restaurant owners who have fluctuating expenses, as well as those who need to invest in pricey furniture or equipment and want a chance to earn rewards along the way.

While a $150 annual fee applies for those who choose this card, the fee can get refunded each year the cardholder spends at least $150,000.

Plus, cardholders can earn:

• 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2 percent back on all other purchases with no exclusions or limitations

New cardholders can also earn up to a $3,000 cash bonus: $1,500 once you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months, and an additional $1,500 once you spend $100,000 in the first 6 months.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi*: You’ll earn 4 percent cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases (for the first $7,000 per year, then 1 percent) and 2 percent cash back on all Costco and Costco.com purchases, as well as other cash back rewards.