The 21 best US credit cards for non-resident founders

Business cards come first for a reason: they are underwritten against your LLC as well as you, so a non-resident is usually approved for one six to twelve months earlier than for the personal equivalent.

5.0 / 5

Best overall

Chase Ink Business Preferred

Welcome offer

100,000 pointsafter $8k in 3 months · ~$2,000

Annual fee

$95

Headline rate

3x on ads, travel & shippingfirst $150,000/yr, then 1x

Realistic approval

Month 12–18from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 3xon travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising bought with search engines and social media
• 1xon everything else, and on all spend above the cap
• +25%more value when points are redeemed for travel through Chase Travel

The 3x categories share one $150,000 cap per account anniversary year — about $12,500 a month before you drop to 1x.

Why we picked it. A $2,000 welcome offer on a $95 annual fee is the best fee-to-value ratio any issuer offers a founder, and Ultimate Rewards transfer to United, Aeroplan, Flying Blue and Hyatt — the exact programs that turn EU-to-Americas business class into 60,000 points one-way. If you only ever hold one paid card, hold this one.

Pros and cons

Pros

• $2,000 of value on a $95 fee — nothing else here comes close
• 3x on online ads, travel, shipping and internet on the first $150,000 a year
• Points transfer to United, Aeroplan, Flying Blue, Avios and Hyatt
• 25% redemption bonus through Chase Travel on top of transfers

Cons

• Chase is the strictest underwriter for a thin or foreign file
• 5/24 blocks you outright if you opened five personal cards in 24 months
• No lounge access and no travel credits
• Realistically a month 12–18 card, not a starter

4.8 / 5

Best for ad spend

Amex Business Gold

Welcome offer

100k–150k pointsafter $15k in 3 months · ~$2,000–$3,000

Annual fee

$375

Headline rate

4x on your top 2 of 6 categoriesdigital advertising included · $150,000/yr cap

Realistic approval

Month 12+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 4xon the two categories you spend most in each billing cycle, chosen automatically from six: US advertising in select media, US software and cloud, US gas stations, US restaurants, transit, and US electronics retailers
• 3xon flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com
• 1xon everything else

4x runs to $150,000 of combined eligible purchases per calendar year, then 1x. That covers $12,500 a month of ad spend.

Why we picked it. 4x on digital advertising is the highest multiplier any issuer will put in a non-resident founder's hands, and the $150,000 annual cap covers up to $12,500 a month of ad spend. On $120,000 of yearly Meta and Google spend that is 480,000 points, worth roughly $9,600 through transfer partners against a $375 fee.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 4x on the two categories you spend most in each month, chosen automatically
• Digital advertising is one of the six eligible categories
• $150,000 annual 4x cap covers most founders' entire ad budget
• Membership Rewards transfer to Flying Blue, ANA, Avios and LifeMiles

Cons

• $375 fee needs roughly $2,500/mo of 4x spend to break even
• Everything above the $150,000 cap drops to 1x
• Amex's lifetime bonus rule gives you one attempt at the welcome offer
• Charge card — the balance must be paid in full every month

4.7 / 5

Best no annual fee

Chase Ink Business Cash

Welcome offer

$750 cash backafter $6k in 3 months

Annual fee

$0

Headline rate

5% on office supplies & internet/phonefirst $25,000/yr · 2% gas & dining · 1% else

Realistic approval

Month 9–12from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 5%at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services
• 2%at gas stations and restaurants
• 1%on everything else, and above both caps

The 5% categories cap at $25,000 per anniversary year and the 2% categories at another $25,000, each resetting annually.

Why we picked it. A $750 welcome offer with no annual fee, on top of 5% back on the software, internet and phone bills every founder already pays. If you also hold Ink Preferred, the cash back converts into transferable Ultimate Rewards — which is how a $0-fee card ends up funding business class.

Pros and cons

Pros

• $750 welcome offer on a card that costs nothing to keep
• 5% back on internet, phone and office supplies up to $25,000 a year
• Points become fully transferable if paired with an Ink Preferred
• Keep it open forever — it quietly ages your credit file

Cons

• Chase wants 6–12 months of clean US history before it approves
• 5/24 will auto-deny you if you applied elsewhere first
• 5% category caps at $25,000 a year
• 1% on everything outside the bonus categories

4.6 / 5

Best beginner travel card

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Welcome offer

75,000 pointsafter $5k in 3 months · ~$1,500

Annual fee

$95

Headline rate

5x travel via Chase Travel3x dining, groceries & streaming · 2x other travel

Realistic approval

Month 15+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 5xon travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3xon dining, select streaming services and online groceries
• 2xon all other travel booked directly
• 1xon everything else
• +10%anniversary points bonus, calculated on your previous year's total spend

No category caps. A $50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel takes the effective fee to $45.

Why we picked it. The cleanest starter travel card in the US market: a $1,500 welcome offer for a $95 fee, the same Ultimate Rewards currency the Ink cards earn, and a 25% redemption bonus through Chase Travel. If you already hold an Ink Preferred, this mostly duplicates it — take it for the second welcome offer, not the earn rate.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 75,000-point welcome offer on a $95 fee
• Ultimate Rewards transfer to United, Aeroplan, Flying Blue, Avios and Hyatt
• 25% more value when you redeem through Chase Travel
• $50 annual hotel credit and 10% anniversary points bonus

Cons

• Personal Chase underwriting is the hardest door for a non-resident
• 5/24 will auto-deny you if you stacked cards first
• Duplicates Ink Preferred's earning categories almost exactly
• No lounge access at this tier

4.5 / 5

Easiest Amex on an ITIN

Amex Blue Business Plus

Welcome offer

15,000 pointsafter $3k in 3 months · ~$300

Annual fee

$0

Headline rate

2x points on everythingfirst $50,000/yr, then 1x

Realistic approval

Month 9–12from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 2xon every purchase — no categories, no enrolment, no quarterly activation
• 1xon spend above the annual cap

2x runs to $50,000 per calendar year, roughly $4,150 a month, then everything drops to 1x.

Why we picked it. 2x transferable points on literally every purchase, with no annual fee and no categories to think about. Its real job is opening your Membership Rewards account early, so that when Business Gold or Business Platinum lands a year later the points pool into one balance.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 2x points on all spending up to $50,000 a year, no categories to track
• No annual fee at all
• Opens a Membership Rewards balance for later Gold/Platinum transfers
• Easiest Amex approval for a founder with a short US file

Cons

• Small welcome offer compared to the paid Amex cards
• Drops to 1x above the $50,000 annual cap
• Still needs an existing US tradeline reporting clean
• Amex acceptance is thinner than Visa/Mastercard outside the US

4.5 / 5

Best flat cash back

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Welcome offer

$2,000 cash backafter $30k in 3 months

Annual fee

$150refunded every year you spend $150k

Headline rate

2% flat on everything5% on hotels & cars via Capital One Travel

Realistic approval

Month 12+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 2%cash back on every purchase, with no categories and no cap
• 5%on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

No earning caps at all. The $150 annual fee is refunded in full every year you spend $150,000 or more.

Why we picked it. For a founder who is never going to redeem points for business class, this is the whole strategy in one card: 2% on everything, no preset spending limit, and an annual fee that refunds itself at $150,000 of spend. On $200,000 of yearly spend it returns $4,000 with an effectively free card.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Flat 2% on every purchase with no categories and no caps
• $150 annual fee is refunded in full at $150,000 of annual spend
• No preset spending limit — useful for lumpy ad or contractor spend
• $2,000 welcome offer in plain cash, no points valuation games

Cons

• Charge card: the full balance is due every month
• $30,000 in three months is a heavy spend requirement
• Cash back only — nothing transfers to airlines
• Needs a genuine 740+ file, so month 12 at the earliest

4.5 / 5

Best personal premium card

Capital One Venture X

Welcome offer

75,000 milesafter $4k in 3 months · ~$1,500

Annual fee

$395≈$85 net after credits

Headline rate

2x miles on everything10x hotels · 5x flights via Capital One Travel

Realistic approval

Month 15+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 10xon hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5xon flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• 2xmiles on every other purchase, uncapped

No cap on the 2x. A $300 annual credit for Capital One Travel bookings plus 10,000 anniversary miles offsets roughly $400 of the $395 fee — if you use the portal.

Why we picked it. The only premium personal card whose credits genuinely cancel the fee: a $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary miles leaves about $85 of real cost for Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge access. For a founder who flies but does not live in the Amex ecosystem, it is the sensible premium pick.

Pros and cons

Pros

• $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles cover most of the fee
• Priority Pass plus Capital One Lounges included
• 2x miles on everything with no categories
• Transfers to 15+ partners including Flying Blue and Avianca LifeMiles

Cons

• Capital One's travel portal is weaker than Chase's or Amex's
• The $300 credit only works inside that portal
• Counts against Capital One's tight portfolio cap
• Redundant if you already carry an Amex Platinum

4.4 / 5

Best for business class

Amex Business Platinum

Welcome offer

Up to 300,000 pointsafter $20k in 3 months · ~$6,000

Annual fee

$695

Headline rate

5x on flights booked direct1.5x on purchases over $5,000 · 1x else

Realistic approval

Month 15+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 5xon flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com
• 1.5xon eligible purchases of $5,000 or more — useful for agency retainers and inventory
• 1xon everything else

The 1.5x tier runs to $2 million of qualifying large purchases per calendar year. Most day-to-day spend earns 1x, so this is a perks card rather than an earning card.

Why we picked it. The largest welcome offer available to a non-resident founder, and the only card here whose perks are worth real money before you spend a cent: Centurion and Priority Pass access across 1,550+ lounges, a $200 airline fee credit and a $189 CLEAR credit. If you fly transatlantic more than twice a year the fee pays back; if you do not, it does not.

Pros and cons

Pros

• The biggest welcome offer on this page, worth roughly $6,000 in transfers
• Centurion Lounge plus Priority Pass — 1,550+ lounges worldwide
• $200 airline fee credit and $189 CLEAR credit each year
• 5x on flights, and 1.5x on any single purchase over $5,000

Cons

• $695 a year is real money if you do not actually fly business class
• $20,000 of spend in three months to earn the offer
• 1x on most everyday spend — it is a perks card, not an earn card
• Overkill before month 15; Ink Preferred does more for $95

4.4 / 5

Best personal travel card

Capital One Venture Rewards

Welcome offer

75,000 milesafter $4k in 3 months · ~$1,500

Annual fee

$95

Headline rate

2x miles on every purchase5x hotels & rental cars via Capital One Travel

Realistic approval

Month 12+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 5xon hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2xmiles on every other purchase, uncapped

No caps. Includes up to $120 in credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.

Why we picked it. 2x miles on everything, a $1,500 welcome offer, and the same transfer partners as Venture X for $300 less a year. For a founder whose personal spend is ordinary and whose travel is occasional, this is where the personal side of the wallet should start after the secured cards graduate.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Reachable on an ITIN roughly three months before Chase or Amex personal cards
• 2x miles on every purchase, no categories to manage
• Transfers to 15+ airline and hotel partners
• Up to $120 credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck

Cons

• No lounge access at this tier
• 2x is beaten by a good business card on category spend
• Capital One's portfolio cap means it competes with Venture X for a slot
• Miles are worth less than Ultimate Rewards on most redemptions

4.3 / 5

Best first card from zero

Capital One Platinum Secured

Welcome offer

Nonethis card's job is the credit file

Annual fee

$0$49 / $99 / $200 refundable deposit

Headline rate

No rewardsyou are buying a payment history, not points

Realistic approval

Month 0from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 0xno rewards of any kind — this card buys you a payment history, not points

There is nothing to optimise here. Put a single small recurring charge on it, autopay it in full, and leave it alone for six months.

Why we picked it. The $49 minimum deposit is the lowest in the market, Capital One is the most ITIN-friendly major issuer, and it graduates to unsecured cleanly in 6 to 12 months. Every founder we work with opens this on day one of their US setup, because nothing else on this page approves before it reports.

Pros and cons

Pros

• $49 minimum deposit — the lowest of any secured card
• Approves with an ITIN and a completely empty US credit file
• Reports to all three personal bureaus from month one
• Graduates to unsecured in 6–12 months and returns your deposit

Cons

• No rewards of any kind
• Starting limit is usually $200–$1,000
• Personal card, so it does not build a business credit file
• You are locking up a deposit for the better part of a year

4.2 / 5

Best mid-tier travel card

Capital One Venture X Business

Welcome offer

150,000 milesafter $30k in 6 months · ~$3,000

Annual fee

$395

Headline rate

2x miles on everything10x hotels · 5x flights via Capital One Travel

Realistic approval

Month 12+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 10xon hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5xon flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• 2xmiles on every other purchase, uncapped

No cap on the 2x. The 10x and 5x rates only apply inside Capital One's own travel portal.

Why we picked it. Lounge access and 2x on everything for $300 less than the Amex Business Platinum, with a $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles that cover most of the fee. Miles transfer to 15+ airline partners including Flying Blue, Avios and Turkish.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 2x miles on every purchase, with no categories to manage
• Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge access included
• $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary miles
• Transfers to 15+ partners including Flying Blue and Avianca LifeMiles

Cons

• The Capital One travel portal is weaker than Chase's or Amex's
• $30,000 over six months to earn the welcome offer
• Redundant if you already carry an Amex Platinum for lounges
• Fewer premium transfer sweet spots than Ultimate Rewards

4.1 / 5

Best for dining

American Express Gold Card

Welcome offer

Up to 100,000 pointsafter $6k in 6 months · ~$2,000

Annual fee

$325

Headline rate

4x at restaurants worldwide4x at US supermarkets ($25k/yr) · 3x on flights

Realistic approval

Month 15+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 4xat restaurants worldwide — the one premium benefit that still works from Europe
• 4xat US supermarkets
• 3xon flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com
• 2xon prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked through amextravel.com
• 1xon everything else

4x dining caps at $50,000 per calendar year and 4x US supermarkets at $25,000, both then dropping to 1x. The $120 Uber Cash, $100 Resy and $84 Dunkin' credits are US-only, so discount them entirely if you are not in the States.

Why we picked it. 4x at restaurants applies worldwide, not just in the US, which is the one premium personal card benefit that survives being based in Europe. The credits do not: most are tied to US brands, so score this card on the 4x dining alone and treat everything else as a bonus.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 4x at restaurants anywhere in the world, not only the US
• 4x at US supermarkets if you spend time stateside
• Points pool with any Amex business card you already hold
• Welcome offer worth roughly $2,000 through transfer partners

Cons

• The $325 fee is offset by credits that are almost all US-brand-locked
• 4x supermarkets is worthless if you live in Europe
• Personal Amex approval needs Nova Credit, Global Card Access or a real US file
• Charge card — pay in full every month

4.0 / 5

Best second tradeline

Discover it Secured

Welcome offer

Cashback Matchevery dollar earned in year one, doubled

Annual fee

$0$200 refundable deposit

Headline rate

2% at gas & restaurantsfirst $1,000 per quarter · 1% everywhere else

Realistic approval

Month 0from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 2%at gas stations and restaurants
• 1%on everything else
• ×2Cashback Match — Discover doubles every dollar of cash back you earn in your first year

The 2% covers the first $1,000 of combined gas and restaurant spend each quarter, then drops to 1%.

Why we picked it. Two tradelines reporting build a file measurably faster than one, and this is the best second one: it pays rewards while it is still secured, and the automatic month-seven review means the deposit comes back without another hard pull.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Automatic unsecured review at month seven — no new application
• Cashback Match doubles everything you earn in the first year
• No annual fee and a $200 deposit
• Reports to all three personal bureaus

Cons

• Discover acceptance is poor outside the United States
• 2% category caps at $1,000 per quarter
• Personal card — no business credit file built
• Low starting limit tied to your deposit

4.0 / 5

Best flat rate at $0

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

Welcome offer

$750 cash backafter $6k in 3 months

Annual fee

$0

Headline rate

1.5% flat on everythingno categories, no caps

Realistic approval

Month 9–12from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 1.5%on every purchase — no categories, no caps, nothing to track

No caps and no bonus categories. It exists to catch everything the Ink Cash's 5% and 2% tiers miss.

Why we picked it. The card you put everything that earns 1% elsewhere on. Same $750 offer as the Ink Cash with no categories to think about, and if you hold an Ink Preferred the rewards graduate into transferable points.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 1.5% on every purchase with no category tracking
• $750 welcome offer with no annual fee
• Rewards become transferable points when paired with Ink Preferred
• No caps on the earn rate

Cons

• 1.5% is beaten by Spark Cash Plus's flat 2%
• Chase 5/24 and a 6–12 month file requirement still apply
• No travel perks or credits
• Overlaps heavily with Ink Cash — most founders need only one

4.0 / 5

Best personal card with no fee

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Welcome offer

$200 cash backafter $500 in 3 months

Annual fee

$0

Headline rate

1.5% on everything5% travel via Chase Travel · 3% dining & drugstores

Realistic approval

Month 12+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 5%on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3%on dining, including takeaway and delivery
• 3%at drugstores
• 1.5%on every other purchase

No caps on any tier. Pair it with a Sapphire or Ink Preferred and the cash back converts into transferable Ultimate Rewards.

Why we picked it. The cheapest way to keep a Chase personal tradeline aging for free, and its cash back converts into transferable Ultimate Rewards the moment you also hold a Sapphire or Ink Preferred. Low welcome offer, but a $0 card you never close is worth more to a young file than the offer is.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No annual fee, so you keep it open forever and age your file
• Rewards convert to transferable points if paired with Sapphire or Ink Preferred
• 3% on dining and drugstores on top of 1.5% everywhere
• Very low $500 spend requirement for the welcome offer

Cons

• It consumes a 5/24 slot — open it after your Chase business cards
• Small $200 welcome offer
• 1.5% base rate is beaten by several business cards here
• No travel protections or credits

3.9 / 5

Best first unsecured business card

Capital One Spark Cash Select

Welcome offer

$500 cash backafter $4,500 in 3 months

Annual fee

$0

Headline rate

1.5% flat on everything5% on hotels & cars via Capital One Travel

Realistic approval

Month 6–9from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 1.5%cash back on every purchase, uncapped
• 5%on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

No cap on the 1.5%. The 5% is portal-only.

Why we picked it. The first card most founders get approved for that is not secured. It is not the best earner on this page and it is not trying to be — it exists to convert six months of secured payment history into a real unsecured business tradeline with a $2,000–$5,000 limit.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Realistic approval at month six, earlier than any Chase or Amex product
• ITIN accepted without an SSN
• No annual fee and a genuine business tradeline
• $500 welcome offer at a low $4,500 spend requirement

Cons

• 1.5% flat is beaten by Ink Cash's 5% categories
• Starting limits are modest at $2,000–$5,000
• Capital One's 2-in-30 rule limits how you use application slots
• No transferable-points upside

3.9 / 5

Best personal lounge access

The Platinum Card from Amex

Welcome offer

Up to 175,000 pointswelcome offers vary by application route

Annual fee

$895

Headline rate

5x on flights booked direct5x on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel · 1x else

Realistic approval

Month 18+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 5xon flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com
• 5xon prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com
• 1xon everything else

5x on flights runs to $500,000 per calendar year. Everything outside travel earns 1x — the case for this card is the lounge network and the credits, not the earn rate, and most of those credits are locked to US brands.

Why we picked it. The widest lounge network in the world and Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits that work everywhere. Be honest about the fee though: the airline fee credit is locked to one US carrier and most of the other credits are US-brand-specific, so a Europe-based founder recovers far less of the $895 than the marketing implies.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Centurion, Delta Sky Club and Priority Pass — the widest lounge network available
• Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits apply at properties worldwide
• 5x on flights booked directly with airlines
• Membership Rewards transfer to Flying Blue, ANA, Avios and LifeMiles

Cons

• $895 a year, and most offsetting credits are locked to US brands
• Airline fee credit works with one selected US carrier only
• 1x on everything outside travel — a perks card, not an earning card
• Month 18 at the earliest, and only with a genuinely built file

3.8 / 5

Best first business tradeline

BoA Business Advantage Secured

Welcome offer

Nonethe business credit file is the payoff

Annual fee

$0$1,000 refundable deposit

Headline rate

1.5% flat on everythingeven while the card is secured

Realistic approval

Month 0–3from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 1.5%cash back on every purchase, uncapped — unusual for a secured card

No caps. Preferred Rewards for Business members earn 25%–75% more, but that tier needs $20,000+ held in Bank of America business accounts.

Why we picked it. One of the very few secured cards that builds a business credit file, not just a personal one. It reports to three personal bureaus and two business bureaus, which means your LLC starts accruing its own history at the same time you are building your FICO.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Reports to two business bureaus as well as all three personal ones
• 1.5% cash back while still secured — rare for a secured card
• No annual fee
• Graduation review after 12 months of on-time payments

Cons

• $1,000 deposit locked up, versus $49 for Capital One
• Onboarding friction for founders without a US presence
• 12 months before a graduation review, not 6
• No welcome offer at all

3.8 / 5

Best second Capital One tradeline

Capital One Quicksilver Secured

Welcome offer

Nonea third tradeline is the payoff

Annual fee

$0$200 refundable deposit

Headline rate

1.5% flat on everything5% on hotels & cars via Capital One Travel

Realistic approval

Month 3from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 1.5%cash back on every purchase, uncapped — while the card is still secured
• 5%on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

No caps. Earning anything at all on a secured card is the point; the rate is secondary.

Why we picked it. The same secured mechanics as the Platinum Secured but with 1.5% cash back attached, which makes it the obvious month-three addition. Two Capital One tradelines also build the internal relationship that makes the Spark approval at month six far more likely.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Earns 1.5% cash back while still secured
• Builds a second Capital One relationship before you apply for Spark
• No annual fee, refundable deposit
• Graduates to unsecured with on-time payments

Cons

• $200 deposit versus $49 for the Platinum Secured
• Personal card, so no business credit file
• Low limit until it graduates
• No welcome offer

3.5 / 5

Best for large single purchases

Chase Ink Business Premier

Welcome offer

100,000 pointsafter $10k in 3 months · ~$1,000

Annual fee

$195

Headline rate

2.5% on purchases over $5,0002% on everything else

Realistic approval

Month 15+from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 2.5%cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more
• 2%cash back on everything else

No caps on either tier. The rewards are cash back only — they do not convert to transferable Ultimate Rewards, even if you hold an Ink Preferred.

Why we picked it. The only card here that pays a premium specifically for big-ticket spending — 2.5% on anything over $5,000, which suits founders paying agencies, contractors or inventory in large lumps. The catch is that its points are cash-back only, so there is no transfer upside.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 2.5% on every single purchase above $5,000
• 2% flat on everything else, beating most flat-rate cards
• No preset spending limit for lumpy business spend
• Flex for Business lets you pay large purchases over time

Cons

• Points are cash-back only — they do not transfer to airlines
• $195 annual fee with no travel credits to offset it
• Balance is due in full each month
• Latest-stage Chase approval, month 15 at the earliest

3.4 / 5

Best with no credit file at all

Brex Card

Welcome offer

Signup credits varysoftware credits, not points

Annual fee

$0

Headline rate

Tiered Brex pointson rideshare, travel, restaurants and software

Realistic approval

Month 0from the day your first card reports

What it earns, in full

• 8xon rideshare
• 5xon travel booked through Brex Travel
• 4xat restaurants
• 3xon eligible Apple products and recurring software subscriptions
• 1xon everything else

The multipliers above apply on the daily-repayment plan; switching to monthly repayment drops the card to a flat 1x. Brex revises its rewards tiers far more often than the banks do, so check the current table before you plan around it.

Why we picked it. For a funded LLC with an empty personal credit file, this is the fastest route to a usable US card. Treat it as spend infrastructure rather than a rung on the ladder: it solves the payment problem immediately, but it will not build the personal FICO that Chase and Amex will eventually ask for.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No SSN, no personal credit check, no deposit
• Approves in month zero on business cash flow alone
• No annual fee and generous per-user card issuing
• Strong spend controls and accounting integrations

Cons

• Does not build a personal FICO file — the thing you actually need
• Requires meaningful cash in a US business account
• Balance is swept and paid automatically, often daily or monthly
• Rewards program is weaker than Amex or Chase

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How we rate cards

Every other roundup scores a card on its rewards and its perks, because it assumes approval is a formality. For a founder with an ITIN and a six-month-old credit file, approval is the whole problem — so it carries the most weight here.

Business or personal — which comes first?

Personal first, then business. Not because personal cards are better, but because a business card is still underwritten against you — and with an ITIN and an empty file there is nothing for the issuer to read. Almost every founder we work with opens a personal secured card, lets it report for six months, and applies for the first business card on the back of that history.

• A personal secured card is the only thing that approves against an empty file. You post a $49–$200 deposit, the issuer takes no risk, and the account reports to all three bureaus every month from day one. That is the only tradeline that exists at month zero, and everything after it is bought with that payment history.
• Business cards read your personal file too. You sign as a personal guarantor, so Chase, Amex and Capital One pull your consumer report on a business application. Applying at month one with a thin file is not impossible — it is just a hard pull spent on a likely denial. Six months of on-time secured history turns the same application into a routine approval.
• Once the file exists, business cards do the heavy lifting. The LLC's bank balance, deposits and transaction history are read alongside your personal profile, so limits start at $3,000–$10,000 against $500–$1,000 for a personal starter, and business charge cards have no preset limit at all.
• Most business cards do not report to your personal bureaus. Chase, Amex and Capital One business cards generally report only on default, which means a $40,000 month of ad spend does not wreck your personal utilization ratio the way the same spend on a personal card would.
• Keep your 5/24 slots for the cards that need them. Every personal card counts toward Chase's 5/24 rule, including your secured starters; Ink business cards do not. Open two secured cards to get the file born, then move to business — stack extra personal cards like a Freedom Unlimited or a Sapphire early and you can lock yourself out of the entire Ink line for two years.
• Premium personal cards come last. Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold want a seasoned file and a FICO above 740. Personal secured at month 0, business from month 6, premium personal around month 15.

The application rules that get founders auto-denied

Each issuer enforces an unwritten limit on how often you can apply. Break one and you are declined regardless of your score, so the order you apply in matters more than the cards you pick.

The practical cadence is one new card every three months, rotated across issuers: Chase first because of 5/24, then Capital One because of the portfolio cap, then Amex because the lifetime rule means you want maximum bonuses rather than maximum cards. Each hard pull costs roughly five FICO points and recovers within three to six months.