Kruze clients are twice as likely to get acquired as the average startup.  Find out why here

What credit card reward programs are available to startups?

Choosing the right credit card can provide significant benefits to your startup.

Credit cards offer businesses a variety of card reward programs, including things like sign-up bonuses; bonus rewards for common startup expenses like office supplies, internet, phone, and cloud storage. These “everyday” expenses can add up fast, so getting discounts on them by using your business card can be a valuable benefit for startups.

Choosing the right credit card

Choose the right business credit card

Credit card rewards programs, when chosen wisely, can provide tangible financial benefits to startups, improve cash flow, reduce operating costs, and provide perks that support growth and scaling. By making sure their small business credit cards meet their needs, startups can make every expense go further.

However, startups are different from traditional small businesses in a few key ways – and startup founders should make sure to choose a card that makes sense for a startup, not a typical small business. One of the most important things to get that isn’t related to points or rewards is choosing a card that doesn’t require a personal guarantee. Startup founders who choose a more traditional small business card like Bank of America’s Business Advantage card are likely to be stuck being responsible for the company’s credit card debt if the startup fails. That’s right – the founder, you, may end up being liable for tens of thousands of dollars if you don’t pick the right card!

Here’s a comparison of the best business credit card rewards from Brex, Ramp, Mercury, and American Express, specifically for startups and small businesses (note that Kruze has relationships with many of these providers, so if you sign up using one of our links you will get a higher signup bonus and we’ll receive a small referral fee):

Reward Structure Cashback Other Perks
Brex
  • 7x points on rideshare services.
  • 4x points on travel booked through Brex’s travel portal.
  • 3x points on dining at restaurants.
  • 3x on eligible Apple purchases.
  • 2x points on software.
  • 1x points on other purchases.
  • Points can be redeemed for cash back, travel, or statement credits.
  • Discounts on services like AWS, Salesforce, UPS, QuickBooks, and others.
  • No fees and no personal guarantees.
  • Integration with accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero.
  • No annual fees, no personal guarantee.
Mercury
  • 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases
  • All rewards come in the form of cash back with no point system.
  • Early-stage founders get access to capital and investment partners.
  • Access to the Mercury Treasury tool for better yield on idle cash.
  • Discounts on software like Microsoft and Adobe.
  • No annual fees, no personal guarantee.
Ramp
  • 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases
  • All rewards come in the form of cash back with no point system.
  • Discounts on software and services like AWS, Slack, and HubSpot.
  • Expense automation and spend management tools.
  • Integration with accounting software like NetSuite and QuickBooks.
  • No annual fees, no personal guarantee.
American Express

Business Platinum

(American Express offers several business cards with different reward options. Examples here are from the Business Platinum card.)

  • 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel.
  • 1.5x points on eligible purchases in select business categories.
  • 1x points on other purchases.
  • Access to lounges through the Global Lounge Collection for certain cards.
  • Travel credits, insurance protections, and expense management tools.
  • Offers on business software and services, including discounts on travel, shipping, and advertising.
  • Integration with accounting software like QuickBooks.

How can your startup’s credit card help your bottom line?

Some of the reasons you should pay close attention to your credit card rewards include:

  • Maximizing cash flow. Cashback and reward points can help startups save money on eligible purchases that are essential expenses, such as travel, office supplies, software subscriptions, or even payroll services. In addition to saving on everyday business expenses, a sign-up bonus can cover the cost of a card’s annual fee. These customized cash rewards can improve cash flow, which is critical for early-stage businesses that need to stretch every dollar.
  • Expense optimization. By using a rewards card strategically, startups can reduce operating costs. For example, a card that offers high rewards for software subscriptions, cloud services, or office supply stores can help offset the costs of necessary tools. This can free up funds for other essential investments.
  • Tailored startup benefits. Companies like Brex and Ramp offer exclusive perks for startups, such as discounts on legal services, marketing tools, foreign transaction fees, and business consulting services. Rewards or discounts for business services like AWS, Google Ads, and Salesforce, which are tools that startups often use, can help businesses scale.These small business credit card benefits can be invaluable for startups that need access to resources that accelerate growth.
  • Cash back vs. travel perks. Startups need to decide whether they need cash back, which provides immediate savings, or whether they benefit more from travel rewards when using their corporate credit cards. For businesses with team members traveling for meetings, networking, or fundraising, the ability to accumulate and use travel rewards can lead to significant savings on airfare, hotels, and car rentals.
  • No personal credit guarantees. Some cards, like Brex and Ramp, do not require personal guarantees from founders, which reduces personal risk while still offering rewards. This is important for business owners who want to separate their personal liability from business expenses, and their personal credit history from the business.
  • Fraud reduction. Every year or two, we encounter a startup where an employee tries to use the corporate card for something other than a legitimate business expense. Brex and Ramp offer expense management tools that make this less likely, and include options like multi-levels of review, employee and department limits, and other features that make it harder for employees to steal the company’s money. Additionally, pretty much all of these vendors have automated monitoring that tries to detect unusual credit card purchases.
  • Efficiency and automation. Many business credit cards integrate with accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero) as well as business checking accounts. This integration not only tracks expenses and streamlines payments, but also automates rewards accumulation, making it easier for startups to stay organized without additional administrative burden. In our list, Brex, Ramp and Mercury have solid accounting software integrations, but Amex does not.
  • Capital access. Certain programs may offer additional access to higher credit limits, business credit lines, or venture debt options, which can be critical for startups looking to finance growth without diluting equity.

READY TO CONNECT FOR A FREE CONSULTATION?

We are the experts at helping seed/VC-backed Delaware C-Corps with their accounting and finances!

Talk to an experienced accountant, not a generic sales person

 Kruze Consulting
Alex Janeck
 Kruze Consulting
Edith Silva
 Kruze Consulting
Randy Hall
Viz AI

$250M+ VC Funding Raised


"I had a great experience working with Kruze Consulting when we raised Series A. They know what VCs need to see, and how to present a startup’s books and finances. If you are going to raise venture capital, you need experts like Kruze."
Chris Mansi

Chris Mansi

CEO

Startup Venture Capital Assistance

With former venture capitalists on staff, our team is here to help you navigate the fundraising process and manage your board of directors

 Kruze Consulting
Scott Orn
COO | Former VC
 Kruze Consulting
Healy Jones
VP FP&A | Former VC
Pequity

Scale Remote Operations & Team


"Kruze has supported us above and beyond basic accounting needs by ensuring we have everything we need to expand and support our team wherever they may be located"
Zack Fisch

Zack Fisch

Head of Operations & Legal

Clients who have worked with Kruze have collectively raised over $15 billion in VC funding.

We set startups up for fundrising success, and know how to work with the top VCs.

 Kruze Consulting
Vanessa Kruze, CPA
Founder & CEO
Kruze Logo

Experienced team helping you

Our account management team is staffed by CPAs and accountants who have, on average, 11 years of experience.

 Kruze Consulting
Bill Hollowsky, CPA
VP of Accounting Services
 Kruze Consulting
Claudine Vantomme, CPA
Controller
 Kruze Consulting
Morgan Avery
SUT/R&D Sr. Tax Accountant
 Kruze Consulting
Beth Bassler
Controller, CPA
Protara Therapeutics

Grew from a 2-person startup to a NASDAQ listed public company.


"The Kruze team helped us grow from a 2-person startup to a NASDAQ listed public company in 2 years. We wouldn’t have gotten public without Kruze’s support. Anyone thinking of launching a startup should make Vanessa their first call!"
Jesse Shefferman

Jesse Shefferman

CEO

Kruze Logo

Get in Touch

Please help us connect with you

How can we reach you?

Our first response is typically via email, so please check your inbox.

Help us have a productive first consultation by providing some additional information.

What year was your startup incorporated?

What is your stage of funding?

(pick up from the list)

Approximately how much funding have you raised?

(please enter a dollar value such as 5000000)

Help us understand what you are looking for:

(Optional, click the ones you need)

Anything additional that you’d like to share?

Optional - if you’d like to share anything else to help us prepare for our consultation, please let us know. We are also happy to sign an NDA, just let us know.

  Talk to a leading startup CPA