Best Secured Business Credit Cards of 2025
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Secured business cards aren't common. Those with good rewards, even more so. After reviewing the available options, our editorial team's top choice is the Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card.
This card has no annual fee and earns unlimited 1.5% cash back. It's also a stepping stone to getting a credit line from a major bank. That's a big plus for growing businesses — and applicants with personal credit scores below 690.
Secured business cards are best if your credit score doesn't hit that number. But if personal credit is a challenge, consider a secured personal card as well (we've highlighted a few below). Those cards can help improve those scores. And that can set your business up to get unsecured financing in the future.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card
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Why trust NerdWallet
Our guide to secured business credit cards
How we chose the best secured business credit card
NerdWallet rates business credit cards on their overall value. Factors in that evaluation include fees, rewards, bonus offers and other noteworthy perks.
Secured business cards usually aren’t rich with features. Their primary purpose is establishing a tradeline and building business credit. Of course, you can do that by using almost any business credit card responsibility. But most of those require a personal credit score of at least 690. Secured options extend that benefit to those with lower scores.
With that in mind, we prioritized the following:
Key features for secured business credit cards
🤓 Is there an annual fee? We’re not against fees — you can potentially deduct them as business expenses, after all. But the benefits of a card should far outweigh that cost. Paying a fee only to establish business credit isn't worthwhile enough. That's especially because there are free ways to do so (getting a DUNS number, for instance).
🤓 How much is the deposit? You need to provide a refundable deposit for a secured card. It makes these cards less risky for issuers. They can seize that deposit if you don't pay. Minimum deposits should be low enough so a product is accessible and doesn't hamstring liquidity.
🤓 Are there upgrades? You can often graduate to an unsecured line of credit by using a secured card responsibly. Ideally, the card's issuer not only offers those upgrades, but also does so proactively.
🤓 What else does the card offer? The best secured options do more than report payment history to a commercial credit bureau. They also reward your spending and include other features that benefit your business.
What’s the best secured business credit card?
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card is our editorial team's top pick for secured business credit cards. Its key details:
Annual fee: $0.
Security deposit: At least $1,000.
APR: 27.24%.
Ongoing rewards: 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases.
Bank of America is the only major credit card issuer with a secured option for business owners. But the card still stands out on its own merit. Here's what to know about it.
You'll earn good cash back
This card's 1.5% cash back is the highest we saw among secured business cards. Many offered no rewards, yet still charged annual fees.
Bank of America's card has no fee. Plus, its 1.5% is in line with the best cash-back business credit cards. There's no cap or expiration date on the rewards you earn either.
It includes business credit access
Secured business cards are a great tool for establishing credit in your company’s name. That's especially the case if you can't qualify for other financing due to poor personal credit.
As an added bonus, Bank of America includes access to your Dun & Bradstreet credit scores. You can get business credit scores for free directly from D&B. But having them on an online banking dashboard you may visit regularly is a nice touch.
Preferred Rewards could eventually pay off
Bank of America says it may upgrade secured cardholders to an unsecured business card if and when they qualify.
We generally rate Bank of America business credit cards lower than other options. That changes if you qualify for the bank’s Preferred Rewards for Business program. You can do that with an average balance with the bank of $20,000 or more.
Preferred Rewards for Business earns you up to 2.62% unlimited, flat-rate cash back on certain cards. It also has perks like higher interest rates on business savings accounts.
That program is one reason NerdWallet considers Bank of America one of the best banks for small business. For new companies, getting a secured card from Bank of America is a simple way to start a relationship with a business bank.
There are a few notable drawbacks
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® Secured credit card checks a lot of boxes. That doesn't make it perfect.
This card is subject to credit approval, and you can’t prequalify to ensure you're eligible.
It also has a security deposit of at least $1,000. While that isn’t the highest barrier to entry we’ve seen, it’s also not the lowest.
Everyone gets the same APR, and it's high (27.24%). You shouldn't expect a great interest rate if your credit score is low. Better ones may be available, though.
Lastly, this card won't help your personal credit. That's a rarity among business cards. It's also not unprecedented. The Nav Prime Card does this, for instance. But that's part of a broader business credit building service.
What's new with secured business credit cards?
July 2025:
BusinessBuild Credit Card. Fintech Lili entered the secured card space with this offering. We added it to our evaluation. The TL;DR? The card doesn't have a fee. But the service it's part of sure does.
March 2025:
Hello Alice Small Business Secured Mastercard®. We previously liked this card since it was widely available. However, Hello Alice stopped offering it in March 2025.
Other secured business credit cards we considered
The Valley Bank Visa® Secured Business Credit Card stands out for it 0% intro APR period on purchases for your first six months (the ongoing APR thereafter is 14.95% to 26.25%). A business card’s intro APR period is essentially an interest-free loan, so this is usually a notable perk. But it’s less valuable for secured cards. After all, that “loan” is offset by money you deposited.
Annual fee: $0.
Security deposit: 110% of your credit limit, up to $25,000.
APR: 14.95% - 26.25%.
Ongoing rewards: 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases.
Also worth noting: You have to apply for this card in person. Valley Bank has branches in Alabama, California, Florida, New Jersey and New York.
The Charity Charge Nonprofit Secured Business Card is just for nonprofit organizations. The security deposit might shrink the pool of eligible applicants even further. This nonprofit business credit card requires you to put down at least $5,000.
Annual fee: $0.
Security deposit: At least $5,000.
APR: N/A. Charity Charge is a pay-in-full charge card.
Ongoing rewards: None.
The First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card is available to businesses in FNBO's service area. This card has an annual fee and offers a tiny 0.05% APY on your deposit. There are no other ongoing rewards.
Annual fee: $39.
Security deposit: At least $2,000 (maximum of $10,000).
APR: 24.99%.
Ongoing rewards: None.
FNBO powers the Community Bank N.A. Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® as well. Many of the terms are the same (including the low deposit APY). But this card at least doesn't have an annual fee.
Annual fee: $0.
Security deposit: At least $2,000 (maximum of $10,000).
APR: 28.24%.
Ongoing rewards: None.
A few other regional banks and credit union offer secured business credit cards. Here are some, with their service areas:
Metro Credit Union Metro Business Builder Visa Credit Card. Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
MidFirst Bank Business Secured Credit Card. Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.
Pacific Premier Bank Business Edition Secured Visa Card. Arizona, California, Nebraska, Oregon and Washington.
Sound Credit Union Business Platinum Secured Credit Card. Washington.
Suncoast Credit Union Business Secured Visa. Florida.
Visions Federal Credit Union Secured Business Card. New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
These cards may make sense if your priority is a local banking relationship. Just weigh the card’s fees and features against that value. For instance, the Metro Business Builder Visa Credit Card has a $69 annual fee. This is the highest we saw.
Fintech Lili's BusinessBuild Credit Card focuses on business credit scores. The card is part of the company's BusinessBuild program. That includes payment reporting to Dun & Bradstreet, real-time credit monitoring and educational resources.
The card doesn't have a fee. But BusinessBuild does. Your first month is free. After that, monthly costs rise to $18 — for three months. You'll pay $30 each month thereafter. That'd equal $294 over a year. It's less than you'd pay for similar services from D&B itself ($499/year). That doesn't make it cheap, though — especially if you won't use every feature.
We'll briefly mention the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card, if only because there's still online chatter about it. That card hasn't been available to new applicants for multiple years at this point.
What is a secured business credit card?
A secured business credit card is a line of credit that requires a cash deposit. That deposit typically functions as your credit limit. The card issuer can take it in instances of non-payment.
Secured business credit cards can make sense if your personal FICO score is below 690. That's the score you often need to qualify for most unsecured business credit cards. Secured cards are also solid — no matter your personal credit — for those with no business credit score. They can let your business show responsible debt repayment.
Which banks offer secured business credit cards?
Among major credit card issuers, Bank of America is the only one with a secured business credit card. Chase, Citi, Discover, U.S. Bank, American Express and others don't offer these cards. Wells Fargo used to, but its secured business card hasn't been available to new applicants since 2022.
These niche products are more common among regional financial institutions. For instance, the First National Bank of Omaha and Metro Credit Union (headquartered in Chelsea, Mass.) offer secured business cards.
How can you use a secured business credit card effectively?
Here are a few ways to make the most of a secured business credit card:
Use the card consistently. Make one or two small purchases every month. Smaller purchases will leave you with more available credit, which is good for your business’s credit score.
Pay your balance in full every month before the due date. That way, you won't be charged interest. If your secured card has an intro APR period, be sure to at least make your minimum payment.
Watch your business credit score. You aren't entitled to view your full business credit reports for free. But there are ways to keep an eye on your scores for signs of improvement.
Keep in mind that business credit cards typically don't impact personal credit — except in instances of non-payment. Using a secured business credit card won't necessarily improve your approval odds for unsecured cards. Though some issuers may upgrade you if you become eligible. Otherwise, you'll likely need to improve your personal credit or consider business cards that don't require a credit check, like corporate cards.
Are there alternatives to secured business credit cards?
You need excellent personal credit to get many business credit cards. But those with credit scores between 630 (typically considered bad credit) and 690 may have better options than a secured business credit card.
Business credit cards for fair credit
The Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business is probably the best unsecured business credit card for most small-business owners with fair credit (a FICO score between 630 and 690). While this card comes with a high APR, it offers a $0 annual fee* and 1% cash back on every purchase. Capital One also reports business card usage to commercial and personal credit bureaus. That's rare. And it can make this card an especially good choice to build your personal and business credit.
The Capital on Tap Business Credit Card issued by WebBank offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases. It also has no annual fee and the potential for a low APR. The issuer says applicants with fair credit may qualify. But those with a FICO score of 670 or higher have the best chance of approval. Those applicants also likely have a better chance at getting a competitive APR. Sole proprietors can't get this card, which excludes the majority of businesses.
Capital on Tap Business Credit Card
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Corporate cards
Corporate cards are available for LLCs and corporations. Options like the Ramp Card and Brex Card don’t require a credit check or a personal guarantee. But you’ll need strong revenue and a healthy bank balance to qualify.
These are also business charge cards, which don’t let you carry a balance. That makes corporate cards like secured options in that you can’t tap into extra capital. Unlike secured cards, though, corporate cards let you control all your existing funds.
The BILL Divvy Corporate Card is the rare corporate card with a personal credit check. But it's a soft pull that won't impact your credit score. It's also available to sole proprietors. The BILL Divvy Corporate Card generally requires a FICO score of 650 or higher. The issuer does consider annual revenue and business bank account balances, though. Its threshold for the latter (at least $20,000) is lower than other corporate card options.
BILL Divvy Corporate Card
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Business debit cards
Debit cards aren’t credit cards. Your spending is tied to the cash balance in a linked business checking account. But business debit cards typically don’t require a credit check. They may make sense if you want to use plastic to keep better track of transactions or employees spending.
Bad credit business loans
If you want to grow your business credit but don't have ideal personal credit, a secured business credit card isn't your only option. Bad credit business loans are available from some online lenders. Successfully repaying this financing may help establish your business credit score. These loans may come with high interest rates, though. Make sure you'll be able to afford the payments before you borrow.
Business credit building services
These services help you build business credit. If that's the primary reason you want a secured business card, one may make sense. You need multiple tradelines to grow your business credit, and these services can provide that.
But you'll have to pay for a business credit building service, and there are free alternatives (like many secured cards). You will get more for your money than a tradeline. Most services offer business credit monitoring, for instance. Make sure you'll value those extras.
Can you use a personal secured credit card for business?
You don’t need a business credit card for business finances. If you’re a sole proprietor, you could get a separate personal secured credit card or opt for a personal card for fair or average credit. There are more of these for individuals than businesses.
These types of cards may help your personal credit — a must for future financing. But they’ll lack features like employee cards. They often come with lower limits than business credit cards, too. You'll also need to keep your business and personal spending separate.
Among personal secured cards, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice. It offers an impressive combination of features for those with poor credit.
It requires a deposit, but in exchange you get:
A $0-annual-fee card that reports to all three credit bureaus.
An automatic credit limit review after six months.
A possible upgrade path to an unsecured Capital One card.
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
1.5% cash back on all other purchases, which equals what you'd find on many unsecured cards.
See rates and fees.
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The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is another option with generous cash back. Discover says responsible habits will automatically trigger an evaluation for an upgrade after seven months with the card. Note that you must pay your security deposit through a bank account.
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* Information for the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business was collected independently and not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.
Business credit cards methodology
NerdWallet's business credit card team selects the best small-business credit cards without outside input from partners or other business interests. We evaluate business cards based on value and simplicity, weighing fees, sign-up bonuses and reward rates, alongside perks like interest-free periods, statement credits and elite status (for travel cards). Business cards that earn the highest scores deliver the most value to the greatest number of business owners.
Notable changes to our methodology for 2025 include factoring in whether spending on employee cards earns rewards and counts toward the welcome offer requirements. We also now consider what information the card issuer reports to consumer credit bureaus. Learn how NerdWallet rates small-business credit cards.
Secured business cards can be an easy way to establish credit in your company's name. Most report your payment history to commercial credit bureaus.
You can establish credit by using many business credit cards responsibly. But most require a personal FICO score of at least 690 to qualify.
A secured personal card may be the quickest path to building or rebuilding credit if your FICO score is below that number.