Best Business Credit Cards for UK Small Businesses
A business credit card can make expenses easier to track, give you a short cash-flow buffer and earn rewards on spending you were going to make anyway. The important part is choosing a card that fits how your business spends, not simply the one with the biggest headline perk.
Which business credit cards should you compare first?
We would start with these options, then narrow the choice based on monthly spend, whether you pay in full, overseas use and whether you already bank with the provider.
Best overall
Capital on Tap
Best for eligible UK limited companies that want simple cashback, flexible limits and no annual or FX fee.
- Uncapped 1% cashback on card spending
- £0 annual fee on the Free plan
- No foreign transaction or ATM fee from Capital on Tap
- Credit limits up to £250,000, subject to approval
Best straightforward cashback
Barclaycard Select Cashback
Best for established small businesses with regular monthly card spend.
- 1% cashback on eligible spend when monthly spend reaches £2,000
- No annual fee
- Up to 56 days interest-free on purchases when paid in full
- 25.5% representative APR variable
Best for rewards
Amex Business Gold
Best for businesses that value points and put meaningful spend through the card.
- 1 Membership Rewards point per eligible £1
- 2 points per eligible £1 with Amex Travel
- No annual fee in year one, then £195
- Up to 54 days interest-free when paid in full
Compare the main business credit card options
Fees and rewards only tell part of the story. Eligibility and how you repay the balance matter just as much.
| Card | Best for | Annual fee | Key reward / benefit | Interest-free purchases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital on Tap | Eligible limited companies wanting cashback and flexible credit | £0 Free plan | Uncapped 1% cashback, no annual or FX fee | Interest terms depend on offer |
| Barclaycard Select Cashback | Regular monthly business spend | £0 | 1% cashback on eligible spend when statement-month spend is £2,000+ | Up to 56 days |
| American Express Business Gold | Rewards and higher-spend businesses | £0 year one, then £195 | Membership Rewards points | Up to 54 days when paid in full |
| Santander Business Cashback | Cashback + overseas purchases | £30 | 1% cashback, no foreign transaction fee on purchases abroad in local currency | Up to 56 days |
| Metro Bank Business Credit Card | Simple low-cost structure | £0 | No annual fee and free transactions in many European countries | Up to 56 days |
| Lloyds Business Credit Card | Lloyds business customers | £0 first 12 months, then £32 per card unless spend waiver applies | 1% fuel/EV charging, 0.5% other qualifying purchases subject to threshold | Up to 56 days |
| NatWest Business Credit Card | Existing NatWest small-business customers | £0 year one, then £30 unless spend waiver applies | 1% cashback at eligible fuel and EV charging providers | Up to 56 days |
| HSBC Commercial Card | HSBC businesses wanting a conventional credit facility | £0 first year, then £32 per card | Business offers and mobile-wallet support | Extended repayment period |
Do you actually need a business credit card?
A business credit card is most useful when it solves a practical problem. That might be separating business and personal spending, giving staff controlled cards, covering supplier costs before customer invoices are paid or earning cashback on predictable monthly expenses.
It is less useful if you are likely to carry a large balance for long periods. Credit cards can be convenient, but interest quickly overwhelms cashback and rewards if the balance is not managed carefully.
Think cash flow first, rewards second
If you regularly pay the balance in full, cashback and points can be genuinely useful. If you expect to borrow over several months, compare the APR and total borrowing cost before worrying about rewards.
What should a small business compare?
1. Annual fee versus realistic rewards
A £0 card is not automatically the cheapest and a paid card is not automatically poor value. Work out what your business actually spends in a year and what the card would realistically return after fees.
2. Whether the reward has a minimum-spend rule
Barclaycard’s current Select Cashback offer is a good example. The headline is 1% cashback, but it applies to eligible business spend when you spend at least £2,000 in a statement month. A micro-business spending £700 per month should not value the card in the same way as a business spending £5,000.
3. Whether you must already bank with the provider
Several bank-issued cards are linked to the provider’s business current account. Santander requires an existing Santander Business Current Account, Metro requires a Metro business or commercial current account, and NatWest’s business cards require a NatWest business account in the same legal entity.
If the card is making you reconsider your banking setup as well, compare our best business bank accounts, our free business bank account guide and our guide to opening a business bank account.
4. Overseas spending
Foreign transaction fees can easily wipe out rewards if your business regularly pays overseas suppliers or travels internationally. Santander’s current Business Cashback card does not charge foreign transaction fees on purchases abroad when you pay in the local currency. Metro also offers fee-free card transactions across many European countries, while several traditional bank cards still charge around 3% for non-sterling spending.
5. Employee cards and spending control
If staff will use the account, look at the number and cost of additional cards, the ability to set spending limits and how easily transactions feed into your bookkeeping. This is where linking the card to your accounting software can save a lot of end-of-month admin.
Getting the rest of your finance setup in order?
Compare business bank accounts, see our accounting software guide or review payroll software for small businesses if you are also paying staff.
Our view on the main business credit cards
1. Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
Capital on Tap deserves a place at the top of this list because it is built specifically around UK small limited companies rather than being a secondary product attached to a current account.
The Free plan currently has no annual fee and earns uncapped 1% cashback on card spending. Capital on Tap also advertises no foreign transaction or ATM fees from the provider, credit limits up to £250,000 and variable rates from 13.86%, all subject to eligibility and the individual offer.
There is one important limitation for the Quotehunt audience: sole traders are not currently eligible. Applicants generally need to be an active director or qualifying shareholder of a UK Ltd, LLP or PLC.
2. Barclaycard Select Cashback Credit Card
Barclaycard Select Cashback is one of the easiest business cards to understand. There is no annual fee, you can get up to 56 days of interest-free credit on purchases when you pay in full and the card earns 1% cashback on eligible business spend when you spend at least £2,000 in the statement month.
The important qualification is that monthly-spend threshold. If your business routinely clears £2,000 on the card, the cashback can be attractive. If your spend is much lower, the reward becomes far less relevant.
The current representative APR is 25.5% variable, so this is still a card where paying the balance in full is likely to matter more than chasing rewards.
3. American Express Business Gold Card
The American Express Business Gold Card is much more about rewards than keeping costs to an absolute minimum. It currently earns one Membership Rewards point for every eligible £1 spent and two points per eligible £1 spent through American Express Travel.
The annual fee is £0 in the first year and £195 after that. Since January 2026, new Business Gold applicants also have a Flexible Payment Option rather than the old blanket requirement to pay every purchase in full each month. Amex currently quotes a 29.1% variable purchase rate where that line of credit is used.
You can also add up to 20 complimentary employee cards and receive up to 54 days to pay interest-free when purchases are repaid in full within the relevant payment period.
4. Santander Business Cashback Credit Card
Santander’s Business Cashback Credit Card combines a simple 1% cashback rate with a feature that can matter more than cashback for internationally active businesses: no foreign transaction fee on purchases abroad when paying in the local currency.
The card has a £30 annual account fee, credit limits from £500 to £25,000 subject to status and up to 56 days interest-free on purchases when paid in full and on time. The current representative APR is 23.7% variable, based on the £30 annual fee and an assumed £1,200 limit.
You need to be an existing Santander Business Current Account holder to apply.
5. Metro Bank Business Credit Card
Metro Bank’s proposition is unusually simple: no annual fee, 18.9% representative APR variable and up to 56 days interest-free on purchases when you pay in full and on time.
It also does not charge for card purchases and cash withdrawals across many European countries within its defined European area. Outside that area, the current purchase fee is 2.99%.
You must have a Metro Bank Business Current Account or Commercial Current Account and the application is handled through a store or relationship contact.
6. Lloyds Business Credit Card
For most small businesses, we would look at Lloyds’ current Business Credit Card rather than the charge-card wording on the old version of this page. The credit card gives up to 56 days interest-free on purchases when paid in full, no annual fee for the first 12 months and then a £32 annual fee per cardholder unless annual spending across the account reaches the waiver threshold.
The current rewards structure pays 1% cashback on qualifying fuel and EV charging and 0.5% on other qualifying purchases, provided the account reaches a £2,000 monthly minimum-spend threshold.
Lloyds currently shows a 15.95% representative APR variable for most successful applicants, based on a 14.9% purchase rate and the post-introductory annual fee.
7. NatWest Business Credit Card
NatWest’s standard Business Credit Card is aimed at businesses with turnover up to £2 million. It has no annual card fee in the first year, then £30 per cardholder, with the fee waived in later years when that card reaches £6,000 of annual spend.
It offers up to 56 days interest-free on purchases when paid in full and currently pays 1% cashback at eligible fuel and EV charging providers. NatWest also provides ClearSpend and other expense-management tools.
You need a NatWest business account in the same legal entity to apply.
8. HSBC Commercial Card
HSBC’s current business credit-card proposition is its Commercial Card. The bank currently shows a representative 22% APR variable, based on a 15.9% purchase rate and a £32 annual fee per card, with that fee waived for the first year.
The card is designed around day-to-day business expenses and cash-flow management and can be used with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. HSBC also provides business-card offers with selected brands.
Don’t actually need to borrow? Consider a business account with spending cards
A credit card is useful when you want a revolving credit facility. But many businesses simply want separate company spending, employee cards, expense controls or cheaper international payments. In that case, a business account with debit or spending cards may be a better fit and avoids paying credit-card interest.
These four options are already featured elsewhere on Quotehunt and are worth considering alongside the credit cards above. They are not all credit cards, so think of this as an alternative route for managing business spending.
Tide Business Account
Best for sole traders, freelancers and small companies wanting everyday UK business banking and spend management.
- £0 monthly Free plan available
- Business debit card and expense tools
- Accounting integrations
- Tide also partners with Capital on Tap for business credit cards
Affiliate link. Eligibility and transaction fees apply.
Revolut Business
Best for incorporated businesses that manage several currencies, international payments and team spending.
- Business cards and spend controls
- Multi-currency features
- International-payment focus
- Revolut Business is not currently for sole traders
Affiliate link. Check current plan pricing and eligibility.
ANNA Business Account
Best for sole traders and small firms that want spending, invoicing and admin tools together.
- £0 pay-as-you-go plan available
- Business spending cards
- Built-in invoicing and receipt capture
- ANNA’s main account is an e-money account
Affiliate link. Main-account funds are safeguarded rather than ordinary bank deposits.
Wise Business
Best for businesses paying suppliers, staff or expenses in multiple currencies.
- Business debit cards, not credit cards
- 0.5% cashback on eligible business-card transactions
- No foreign transaction charge on card spending
- Useful multi-currency expense controls
Affiliate link. Wise Business is an e-money service, not a credit-card lender.
Want to compare the accounts in more detail?
See our full business bank account comparison or our guide to opening a business bank account for the fees, eligibility and protection differences.
Which card is likely to fit your business?
Limited company wanting simple cashback
Capital on Tap is the first card we would compare if you meet its company-structure eligibility. Its Free plan combines 1% cashback with no annual or FX fee.
£2,000+ monthly card spend
Barclaycard Select Cashback becomes much more compelling because you can qualify for 1% cashback without an annual fee. Lloyds also has a £2,000 monthly threshold for its cashback programme.
Regular overseas purchases
Santander deserves particular attention because it does not charge a foreign transaction fee on purchases abroad in local currency. Metro can also be useful for spending across much of Europe.
Rewards matter more than simplicity
American Express Business Gold is the obvious card to compare if you value Membership Rewards and put enough eligible spend through the account to justify the £195 annual fee after year one.
Business credit card or charge card?
A credit card lets you carry a balance subject to your minimum repayment and interest terms. A traditional charge card requires the balance to be repaid in full each month. Some products now blur the line: American Express introduced a Flexible Payment Option for new Business Gold applications from 28 January 2026.
Lloyds still offers a separate Business Charge Card with up to 42 days interest-free on purchases, but for many small businesses its Business Credit Card is the more flexible starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Can a sole trader get a business credit card?
Yes, many business credit cards are available to sole traders, subject to the provider’s eligibility and credit checks. Some cards are restricted to customers who already hold the provider’s business current account.
Does a business credit card affect my personal credit?
That depends on the provider, business structure and guarantee arrangements. Lenders may check personal credit when assessing an application, particularly for small owner-managed businesses. Read the application terms carefully before applying.
Is business credit card interest tax deductible?
Interest and card fees may sometimes be allowable business expenses where they are incurred wholly and exclusively for business purposes, but tax treatment depends on the circumstances. If the amount is material, check with your accountant or HMRC guidance rather than assuming every cost is deductible.
Should I pay a business credit card in full every month?
If you can, paying in full and on time is usually the easiest way to avoid purchase interest and preserve the value of cashback or rewards. Carrying a balance can make a reward card expensive very quickly.
Which business credit card is best for cashback?
Capital on Tap is our strongest general cashback option for eligible limited companies because its Free plan offers uncapped 1% cashback without an annual fee. Barclaycard Select Cashback is also strong once eligible monthly spend reaches £2,000, while Santander combines 1% cashback with fee-free foreign purchases.
Bottom line
For eligible limited companies, we would start with Capital on Tap, then compare Barclaycard Select Cashback, American Express Business Gold and Santander Business Cashback. Metro, Lloyds, NatWest and HSBC remain useful alternatives depending on where you bank and how you spend.
Do not choose on the welcome offer alone. Look at the annual fee after any introductory period, the APR if you might carry a balance, foreign transaction charges, employee-card costs and the rules attached to cashback. The best business credit card is the one that reduces friction and cost in your real day-to-day spending.
