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Corporate Cards

Top credit cards for startup businesses in 2025


Building a startup is hard. Scaling is harder.

As your startup grows, spend management becomes critical. Every pound counts and, without control, small costs can spiral and ruin financial forecasts. 

But with appropriate oversight, you ensure that every expense drives growth.

The same mindset applies to how you pay. Take the friction out of managing expenses by obtaining the best credit cards for startup businesses.

There are two options for company credit cards: Business credit cards rely on your personal credit history and are typically suited for smaller teams, while corporate cards rely on your company’s credit. Here’s how to choose the best credit card for your business. 

What to look for in a startup corporate card

The right credit card for new businesses helps build your corporate credit history, proving your business’s financial reliability. It also unlocks financial flexibility, setting you up for future growth. Here are the key features a card should offer to check all of those boxes.

Real-time visibility and control

For small businesses, visibility into spending is just as important as access to credit. You stay on top of your cash position and prevent overspending with careful monitoring. Traditional cards often delay reporting until the end of the bill cycle, leaving expenditures unchecked. Modern credit cards solve this with live reporting, so every purchase — from office supplies to software subscriptions — is visible in real time. This level of oversight simplifies expense management.

Customisable spending limits

Consider whether your business would benefit from setting individual spending limits for each cardholder. It’s a smart way to make sure employees stay within budget and use the card for approved expenses only. Many corporate cards now allow this control, letting you assign credit limits based on the cardholder’s role and typical business expenses.

Easy receipt capture and expense validation

Administrative work like chasing receipts and reconciling spreadsheets takes away from growth-driving activities, such as securing investment or developing new product lines. The right card reduces this drain by minimising manual expense reconciliation. Plus, you skip the paper chase by taking advantage of a credit card’s built-in tools to automatically match receipts to transactions. 

Seamless accounting integration

With newer cards, business owners don’t need to spend hours manually tracking each payment. Card solutions that integrate with accounting software like QuickBooks automate spend management. They match receipts to expenses, and prefill relevant categories, reducing the chance of costly reporting errors.

Costs including annual fees

Any discussion of conventional business credit cards is incomplete without addressing cost. Some credit cards come with an annual fee, others charge per card or user. Plus there can be additional costs or charges per transaction. As a startup, you’re likely operating on a tight budget. Weigh the fee for each card against the perks, such as cashback and discounts. Sometimes the value you receive from the card is worth the cost. Sometimes it’s not. 

If you have a multinational business, watch out for foreign exchange fees. If a card charges this fee, even a small percentage can add up and cut into your margins. Applying for a no foreign transaction fee credit card could be necessary to protect your cash flow.

Card rewards and cashback

Your card’s annual fee may include perks like a virtual credit card for secure online payments, balance transfer options, or travel rewards. Some cards even offer a statement credit on everyday spend categories — such as utilities and office supplies — which can offset overhead costs. Pick a card with a reward structure matching your business expenses. For example, a travel rewards card won’t add value if your team rarely leaves the office.

Requirements to qualify

Lenders need to know that your business will repay what it borrows — and that confidence comes from your company’s credit profile. If your business doesn’t have a financial history yet, you may need to back the card with a personal guarantee. This means relying on your personal credit score to get access to funds.

Moss Corporate Cards
for all expenses

Choosing the right credit card for your startup 

When choosing the best credit card for your startup business, consider the specifics of your business operations:

  • Transaction balance: If monthly spending is high, prioritize a card with generous credit limits and high returns via cashbacks and reward points. For leaner budgets, a no-fee card may serve you better. 
  • Number of cardholders: Some providers allow multiple cards with custom spending limits, while others lump all spending into one account. As part of your business credit card comparison, note how each provider handles team spending and integrates with existing spend management systems.

The 3 best credit cards for startup businesses

When choosing a credit card, startup founders typically begin with cards from major financial institutions because they’re recognised and easy to access. But most of them have a catch: They require a personal guarantee from the founder and provide little automation, which can become problematic as you grow.

A few recommendations for startup business credit cards in the U.K. are:

  • Capital on Tap: Capital on Tap comes with a rewards program and flexible credit limits, giving startups room to expand spending. Startups benefit from no annual fee, and perks like cashback or Avios reward conversions — where business expenses earn points that can be redeemed for flights or travel upgrades. Also, founders can use the platform’s expense management tools to track purchases in real time.
  • Barclaycard Select Cashback: The Barclaycard Select Cashback offers cardholders 1% cashback on purchases, when a minimum spend is met, making it beneficial for startups seeking straightforward rewards. It also charges no annual fee, reducing costs. However, the card can be disappointing for businesses that don’t meet the spending requirements.
  • Santander Business Cashback: Santander Business Cashback has a 1% cashback promotion on business expenses and no foreign transaction fees, helping businesses save money on both everyday purchases and international payments. The downside is that the card has an annual fee and lacks integration with accounting software, meaning manual administration is still required.

Each of these cards provides value but fails to address the complexities of scaling a business. Limited real-time visibility, a lack of control and minimal automation mean additional administration is needed. This is where Moss comes in — it offers spending control, policy enforcement, enterprise resource planning, and accounts payable integration, all under one platform.

Moss as a corporate card solution

Traditional credit cards for small businesses can handle payment processing but rarely solve startup challenges, such as manual expense tracking, limited real-time visibility into expenses, and weak spend controls. Without clear oversight, the delayed reporting leaves businesses wondering where the money’s going and adds administrative burden. Moss changes that. 

Moss offers a modern smart corporate card solution built specifically for the needs of growing businesses, including financial control and spending automation. As a corporate card and spend management platform, Moss can help founders get a corporate credit card, customisable controls, automated expense reports, and real-time oversight.

Moss corporate credit cards are available for use as virtual cards for payments via Apple Pay and Google Pay. Budgets and spend controls can be set up per project, per team, or even per employee, for unrivalled control over spending.

Plus, Moss is designed to scale with your business. The platform integrates seamlessly with Xero, QuickBooks and other leading accounting systems, eliminating the need for manual reconciliation as you grow.

Moss Corporate Cards
for all expenses

Why founders should choose Moss for corporate spending

For growing startups, a credit card isn’t just about financing — it’s about control over your business. Traditional cards offer rewards and smooth cash flow, but they fall short on oversight, visibility, and automation. That’s where a modern credit card makes the difference. 

Moss gives startup founders control, with spend management and integration capabilities that let you focus on the business. Expenditures are a cost of doing business — managing them shouldn’t be. 

If you’re ready to take the next step, find out more about Moss’ corporate credit cards

FAQs

What should you check before getting a credit card for your startup business?

Weigh the cost of the card, the rewards it offers, and the control it gives you. Rewards don’t always offset high fees and APRs — but built-in expense management tools can. They simplify payments, automate tracking, reduce administrative load, and scale with your business.

What are the benefits of using a credit card for your startup business?

A credit card for your business supports cash flow by providing short-term access to credit and rewards like cashback. Its responsible use builds your company’s credit profile for future financing options.

How quickly can a new startup build business credit using a card?

Many startups see credit scores improve in six to 12 months when they make timely payments and keep credit balances low.

Henry Bewicke
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