Key takeaways

  • People are falling in love with the Capital One Spark Cash Plus’ versatility and simple redemption process.
  • Two big perks the card includes are the welcome offer and lack of spending cap.
  • There’s a $150 annual fee that comes with the card but it's refunded when you spend at least $150,000 per year.

Some business credit cards offer considerably better perks than others, although most of the top offers are only available to those who have qualifying credit and income. Either way, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus is one of the newest business cards people are falling in love with. With a flat 2 percent cash back rate on every purchase and a generous welcome bonus, it’s no wonder business owners have been eagerly signing up for this card.

To find out why the Capital One Spark Cash Plus is so popular with business owners, we’ve interviewed a handful of individuals who use this card for most of their business expenses and bills throughout the year.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus details

Before we dive into all the reasons users love the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, here are the main details you should know:

  • Welcome bonus: 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)
  • Rewards rate: Unlimited 2 percent cash back on all purchases and 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Annual fee: $150 (refunded when you spend at least $150,000 per year)

What to love about the Capital One Spark Cash Plus

One important detail to note about the Capital One Spark Cash Plus is that it’s a charge card, not a credit card. This means cardmembers are required to pay their balance in full each month and there is no interest charged on revolving debt. Further, those who fail to pay their balance in full each month are charged a 2.99 percent monthly late fee.

That said, there are many reasons to love this card:

The 2% cash back rate is amazing

Jeff Neal, operations manager at Critter Depot, says his company sells small feed critters to zoos, pet stores and reptile owners every week, and that fierce competition in the industry leads to competitive pricing.

“I signed up specifically for the 2 percent cash back,” Neal says. “The 2 percent cash back gives us a little boost on our profit margins, which helps us offer more competitive pricing on crickets and composting worms.”

Neal also notes that his company redeems its rewards for statement credits to reduce the monthly balance owed. “We pay off our balance every month and use our rewards to help offset that balance,” says Neal.

No caps on rewards

Jeffrey Gabriel, who is the co-founder of Saw.com, says he signed up for the card in late 2020 because he wanted to streamline some of his business costs.

However, he quickly fell in love with the card’s unlimited 2 percent cash back rate, especially since so many other cards have limits on rewards.

“I found several that offered lucrative cash back amounts, but only up to a few thousand dollars — then you get something like 1 percent cash back or no rewards at all on your purchases,” Gabriel says. “The Spark Cash Plus gives me 2 percent back on everything with no limitations. I like that simplicity.”

No preset spending limit

According to money coach Max Marvelous, the 2 percent back in flat-rate rewards is hard to beat, but it’s also nice that the Capital One Spark Cash Plus doesn’t have a preset spending limit. With no preset spending limit, he says he can charge his business expenses without worrying about exceeding his credit limit and incurring additional fees as a result.

“If one month I need to spend $3,000 and the next month spend $15,000, I can do it without stressing [over having] enough available credit,” Marvelous says. “When I can worry about one less thing, I am a happy man.”

Flexible redemption options

Marvelous says he waits until he has around $2,500 in cash back in his account before redeeming for statement credits to cover payments to vendors and contractors.

This shows how flexible the redemption options are for this card. Not only can you redeem rewards for statement credits in any amount, but you can also redeem rewards for a check in the mail, gift cards or purchases on Amazon.com or via PayPal.com.

Easy expense tracking for businesses

A lesser known card perk the Capital One Spark Cash Plus carries are the free employee cards it offers, which can simplify business accounting while helping the owner earn rewards on all of their business expenses and bills. More importantly, though, a dedicated business credit card helps business owners streamline and keep track of all of their spending.

Marvelous notes that using one business credit card for all of his spending makes everything easier to handle when it comes to monthly accounting. When tax time comes, only having one card to reconcile easily saves him 10 or more hours. “This simplicity was key to me applying for and using this card for my business,” he says.

The bottom line

If you’re a business owner who likes the idea of earning 2 percent cash back with no preset spending limit, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus could be exactly what you need. Rewards are flexible, and new cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 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). While a $150 annual fee applies, you’ll get free employee cards and access to many other benefits that make it worth the price tag.

That said, there are other top business credit cards to consider, including alternative business cards from Capital One. Be sure to compare all the best offers out there, including the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, until you find the right fit.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.