Best secured business credit cards of November 2024
If you’re a business owner with bad or limited credit, one of our picks for the best secured business credit cards can help improve your credit rating. This is especially a solid option if you’ve previously had difficulty getting approved for a traditional business credit card.
Your secured business credit card will require a refundable deposit that’ll initially serve as your credit line until a bank determines whether or not you’re eligible for an unsecured card. A secured business credit card is also a great way to separate your business and personal expenses while improving your business credit score (which is separate from your personal credit score). It’s also important to note that a personal secured credit card that isn’t a business card — such as the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card — could be a good alternative if you cannot qualify for a business card.
Used responsibly, a secured business credit card could mean better approval chances for business loans and credit lines with favorable terms in the future.
- Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for frequent travelers with a low credit score
- OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card: Best for
- Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Business Credit Card: Best for small businesses with limited credit history
Browse by card categories
Best for frequent travelers with a low credit score
| 5% | Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply |
| 1.5% | Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere |
This card is worth considering if you’re looking for a no-annual-fee option to boost your credit score while earning cash back. But the card’s high APR and minimum deposit requirement will be a turnoff to some. Read our full review of the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card.
Pros
- Approval is possible with short/bad credit history
- Unlimited cash back
- No annual fee
Cons
- No sign-up bonus
- Few bonus earning categories
- No annual or hidden fees, and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. See if you're approved in seconds
- Put down a refundable $200 security deposit to get a $200 initial credit line
- Building your credit? Using a card like this responsibly could help
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
Best for
| Up to 10% | Up to 10% cash back rewards on purchases at over 40,000 retailers |
This card is a reasonable place to start building or rebuilding your credit, although there are secured cards with lower fees and better perks. Read our full review of the OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card.
Pros
- This secured card has lenient credit requirements that allow almost anyone to get approved, no matter their score
- OpenSky Secured Visa claims that 88 percent of its users who had no credit built up a credit score within six months of using the card
Cons
- This card has a $35 annual fee and no path to an automatically upgraded unsecured card
- New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
- No credit check to apply. Zero credit risk to apply!
- Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
- Get free monthly access to your FICO score in our mobile application
- Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
- Fund your card with a low $200 refundable security deposit to get a $200 credit line
- Apply in less than 5 minutes with our mobile first application
- Choose the due date that fits your schedule with flexible payment dates
- Fund your security deposit over 60 days with the option to make partial payments
- Over 1.4 Million Cardholders Have Used OpenSky Secured Credit Card To Improve Their Credit
Best for small businesses with limited credit history
Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Business Credit Card
| 1.5% | Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every time. No annual cap and rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open. |
Pros
- No annual fee
- Unlimited cash-back on every purchase
- Up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance
Cons
- Requires high minimum security deposit
- Balance transfer fee
This no annual fee secured business card is a solid pick for small business owners who are looking to build their business credit. It does require a high minimum security deposit of $1,000 but cardholders have the potential to graduate to the unsecured version of this card. Additionally, the card comes with premium business perks like Quickbooks and up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance.
Comparing the best secured business cards
Credit card | Best for | Intro offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. at Capital One's secure site | frequent travelers with a low credit score | N/A | 1.5 - 5% cash-back | $0 |
Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. at Capital Bank's secure site | N/A | 10% cash-back | $35 | |
Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Business Credit Card * *The information about the Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Business Credit Card has been collected independently by ThePointsGuy.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Information updated as of 11/12/2024 | small businesses with limited credit history | N/A | 1.5% cash-back | $0 |
More details on the best secured business credit cards
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards card is a great secured card with a low security deposit — a minimum of just $200. In addition, cardmembers earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus 5% back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
This card is ideal if you’re looking for a low-cost way to boost your credit score while earning cash back with no annual fee.
You can see if you’re preapproved for the card (with no risk to your credit score), and since the Quicksilver Secured Cash card is a secured credit card, you’re likely to be approved even with bad credit or limited credit history. Cardmembers will also automatically be considered for a higher credit line after six months of on-time payments.
If you're willing to pay a low annual fee, the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card could be a good option for you. You can earn up to 10% cash back rewards on purchases at over 40,000 retailers, and approval is possible with a short or bad credit history.
This card has a relatively low APR for a secured card and a higher credit limit of up to $3,000 (matching your security deposit), and doesn’t require a credit check to get. But it also comes with a $35 annual fee, and the opportunity to earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases.
This card is good for those with a poor credit history looking to get back on track.
The OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card is a great option for business owners who have struggled to get approved for other secured credit cards. It’s a great option for those with financially limiting factors in their life, as it does not require a credit check or even a bank account. The card claims a high approval rate, and cardholders will automatically be considered for an increased credit line after six months. Unfortunately, the card does come with a $35 annual fee.
If you want a secured business card without an annual fee, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is for those with similar credit history and financial situations without the $35 annual fee.
We love that this card can help new business owners who are struggling to qualify for a business card. This card comes with no annual fee, Quickbooks and cardholders will be considered for the unsecured card version in the future.
*The information for the Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Business Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
This card is a solid option for small business owners who are struggling to qualify for a business card due to their lack of business credit.
If you’re a small business owner that has limited business credit history, consider adding this secured card to your wallet. This card comes with no annual fee and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Love the perks but don’t need a secured business card? Consider the Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card instead. This unsecured version features additional perks like a long introductory APR for new purchases and balance transfers, a solid welcome offer and higher rewards earning for members of the Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards for Businesses program.
Maximizing secured business credit cards
Establish and build up your business credit
If one of your business goals is to establish and build up or simply improve your credit, a secured card can help you do so. Your business will benefit from long-standing, decent credit in the future especially when it comes to securing additional financing should you ever need it.
How we rate
What is a secured business credit card?
A secured business credit card is for business owners with limited or bad credit to earn rewards and improve their credit score.
If you've had trouble getting approved for a traditional business card in the past, a secured business credit card could be a solid option for you.
How to choose the best secured business credit card
- Depending on the secured card you get, you may not have the choice to earn a sign-up bonus. Focus on establishing or improving your credit first, then reap the rewards of a great credit score by applying for a rewards card with a great welcome bonus.1Sign-up bonus
- You can choose between secured business credit cards with no annual fees or cards that come with nominal fees, it depends on what you’re looking to get ultimately get out of a credit card.2Annual fee
- If you plan on making frequent purchases in specific categories — like rental car reservations or hotel bookings — opt for a secured business credit card that lets you earn decent rewards in those areas.3Bonus categories
Pros + cons of secured business cards
Pros
- Secured business credit cards can help you establish and improve your credit
- Some secured business credit cards offer the ability to earn rewards
Cons
- Outside of building and improving credit, secured business credit cards don’t offer much else
Frequently asked questions
Not every business owner is in a financial position to receive an unsecured business credit card or a large business loan. A secured credit card can help build responsible spending habits and increase credit standing.
Secured business credit cards should be treated with the same rules as personal credit cards. You can check out this guide for more tips on using your credit card.
With recurring “good standing” usage, business owners should see a significant increase in their credit score within a year of opening their credit cards. This increase can help business owners upgrade to unsecured business credit cards or qualify for a business loan with more favorable terms. This can include some of TPG’s favorite business cards with hefty welcome bonuses and an array of valuable perks.
Using a secured credit business card effectively will help you build your business credit. Typically, this process can take up to a year as you transition to an unsecured business card. Having good business credit history will help your business qualify for better loans and credit lines.