Business Credit Card Preapproval: How to Get Approved Instantly (2024)

Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.

NerdWallet star rating: 4.8

The

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

is one of the best business travel cards, offering unlimited

2

miles per dollar spent, with no caps or restrictions. There’s also no annual fee for the first year and a solid welcome bonus:

Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Business owners who are approved for a Capital One business credit card can call the issuer's dedicated small-business support line to see whether they qualify for an instant virtual card number. Not all owners will qualify. Those who don’t need to wait seven to 10 business days for their physical card to arrive. (See rates and fees.) Learn more and apply.

NerdWallet star rating: 4.6

If you need to make an immediate purchase, American Express offers instant card numbers for almost all of its small-business cards, according to a company spokesperson. (Co-branded cards like the

Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express

and

Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

are exceptions; however, cardholders can spend instantly with the co-branded merchant.) The no-annual-fee

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

may be a good fit for fast spending thanks to its long introductory annual percentage rate, or APR, offer and solid cash-back rate. Learn more and apply.

NerdWallet star rating: 4.6

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

is a near-twin to

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

, with one key difference: Rather than cash back, it pays you in AmEx Membership Rewards points. Learn more and apply.

NerdWallet star rating: 3.9

The

Capital on Tap Business Credit Card

promises a decision within 48 hours of applying, and if approved, you’ll get instant access to your virtual card so you can start using it immediately. It is also one of the few business cards available to business owners with fair credit. Beyond instant spending power and flexible approval, the

Capital on Tap Business Credit Card

offers unlimited

1.5

% cash back on all purchases, 24/7 customer support and business-friendly features, including realtime spending insights and unlimited employee cards with customizable spending limits. Learn more and apply.

NerdWallet star rating: 3.1

The

Brex Card

is available to well-funded, registered businesses and looks at cash flow and revenue, rather than the business owner's personal credit history, to determine creditworthiness. If approved for a

Brex Card

, you’ll get instant access to your virtual card number and can issue virtual cards for employees as well. The

Brex Card

also doesn't require a personal guarantee and earns rewards. Learn more and apply.

NerdWallet star rating: 2.9

The

BILL Divvy Corporate Card

requires a personal credit check, but it's a soft pull. That’s similar to pre-qualification in that applying has no effect on your personal credit score. You will need at least fair credit to qualify (a FICO score of 650+), but BILL also considers factors like cash balances. Its threshold for those (typically at least $20,000) is lower than the

Brex Card

($50,000), making the

BILL Divvy Corporate Card

potentially more accessible for some business owners. BILL also offers unlimited virtual card numbers. Learn more and apply.

This card is not rated by NerdWallet.

If you have bad credit, it can take as little as 30 seconds to see whether you'll pre-qualify for the

First National Bank Business Edition® Secured Mastercard® Credit Card

. In addition, First National Bank lets you choose your own credit limit between $2,000 and $100,000 (in multiples of $50) when you apply. This card charges a $

39

annual fee.

Even with instant approval, you may need to wait a week or longer for a physical business credit card to arrive before you can use it. Some issuers offer virtual card numbers to eligible applicants, which you can add to a mobile wallet or otherwise use online while you await your card. You also may be able to request expedited shipping for your physical card, though that can come with an extra fee.

With a secured business credit card, you provide a refundable deposit at the opening of the account. This helps reduce the lending risk for the credit card company and helps you start to build business credit.

However, credit limits on secured cards are tied to your deposit. That means these cards may not necessarily be the best fit if you’re looking for an instant approval business credit card because you need to access additional capital quickly.

In that instance, a bad credit business loan may make more sense. You may be able to qualify for a business line of credit, which functions similarly to a credit card, with subpar personal credit. Or if you have outstanding invoices from clients, invoice factoring could turn those into quick cash.

All information about the Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express is no longer available through NerdWallet.