The 7 top corporate business cards in the US compared by fees and features

Reimbursing and tracking company spend seems simple – until it scales. Corporate cards do the heavy lifting: real-time controls, automated reconciliation, and faster approvals so you can grow with clear visibility and guardrails. In fact, 56% of businesses use cards for financing to simplify business spending.¹

Corporate cards streamline business expenses by reducing out-of-pocket spend, digitizing receipts, and syncing transactions to your ledger. Cards may include a rewards program, card controls, and expense management features, but not all corporate cards are equal.

Explore key features, costs, and popular US corporate card options below.

What is a corporate card?

A corporate card is a business debit or credit card issued in the company’s name that employees use for authorized purchases. Unlike personal cards, it’s tied to the business’s finances instead of the employee’s credit.

Two common types:

• Corporate credit/charge cards — Access a pre-approved line and repay on a billing cycle (charge cards typically require payment in full).

• Corporate debit cards — Spend settles immediately from the company’s account; no borrowing or interest.

*Note on credit building: Only credit/charge programs that report to business credit bureaus can help build a business credit profile with on-time payments. Debit or prepaid programs typically don’t affect business credit, and some issuers report only delinquencies.

How do corporate cards work?

Corporate cards provide businesses with a controlled and straightforward way to purchase goods or services and manage expenses for their employees. Here's how they typically work:

• Issuance: The company applies for corporate cards from a financial institution. Once approved, the company can issue these cards to employees who need them for business-related expenses.

• Spending: Employees use the corporate cards to make purchases for business purposes, such as travel, meals, or office supplies. The company can pre-approve spending limits and allowable purchase categories to control expenses.

• Tracking: Transactions are recorded in real time and sync to your expense platform or ledger.

• Reconciliation: Consolidated statements and auto-matched receipts speed month-end close.

• Payment: For credit/charge programs, the company pays the issuer each billing cycle (often as a single payment). For debit programs, funds settle instantly from the business account. Either way, it's simpler than reimbursing each employee.

• Expense reporting: Employees may still need to submit expense reports, but the process is streamlined because the transactions are already recorded. Modern platforms like Airwallex reduce administrative burden with advanced expense management features.

• Rewards and benefits: Some corporate cards have perks that can offset your spending and provide additional incentives. For example, Airwallex offers up to 1.5% cashback on your business spend. Other corporate cards may offer rewards points or airline miles. 

Beyond the basics, two practical benefits matter as you scale:

Faster closes and fewer exceptions

Transactions are captured automatically, mobile receipt capture ties proofs to the correct line items, and policy rules (merchant/category/amount) prevent out-of-policy spending in real-time. Approvers review exceptions, not every line, so the month-end closes faster.

When corporate cards help build business credit

On-time payments and prudent utilization can strengthen your business credit when the program is a credit or charge card that reports to business bureaus (see definition above). This can support eligibility for higher credit limits and better terms.

7 top corporate cards in the US

To save you time, we've compiled a list of top corporate card picks and their key details below.

• Airwallex Corporate Cards are multi-currency debit cards built for global businesses that need real-time spend control, integrated expense management, and reduced FX fees across international transactions.

• Amazon Business Prime American Express is a corporate card designed for Amazon Prime members, ideal for businesses that frequently make Amazon-related purchases.

• American Express Business Gold is a business card known for its flexible rewards program, specifically designed for companies with high monthly expenses.

• Brex Card is a corporate card built for venture-backed US startups. It offers tech-forward tools but is limited in availability for sole proprietors or smaller businesses.

• Capital On Tap Business Credit Card is a business credit card designed for small businesses looking for straightforward cashback and basic expense tools.

• Chase Ink Business Premier Card is a corporate card for high-spending businesses that want simple, flat-rate cashback and integration with the Chase platform.

• Ramp Card is a corporate card designed for fast-growing startups prioritizing automation, real-time spend control, and built-in expense management.

Airwallex Corporate Cards

While most traditional banks offer corporate cards, they often fall short of supporting your global financial operations.

Airwallex Business Accounts let you hold and spend in 20+ currencies, using held balances to reduce FX risk and avoid foreign transaction fees.

With the Explore plan, you get free Corporate Debit Cards (physical + virtual) to spend from existing balances, plus up to 1.5% cashback on qualifying US card transactions.

Built-in Expense Management provides real-time tracking, spend limits, and merchant restrictions. It is ideal for enterprises expanding globally and SMEs needing control; Expense Management and Bill Pay keep everything in one place.

Pairing corporate cards with a multi-currency business account lets you collect, hold, and pay in local currencies, reducing forced conversions and FX markups while simplifying reconciliation across markets.

Amazon Business Prime American Express

The Amazon Business American Express Card is designed for US companies with heavy Amazon spend. You can choose 5% back or 90-day payment terms on eligible purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods (up to $120,000 per year with an eligible Prime membership). There’s no annual or foreign transaction fee, and employee cards are free. The account is USD-only, so it doesn’t support holding or spending foreign currencies; international purchases remain exposed to FX.

Unlike platforms like Airwallex, which allow users to hold and spend in multiple currencies directly from one account, the Amazon Business Amex card is best suited for US-based spending and Amazon-centric operations.

American Express Business Gold

The American Express Business Gold Card earns one Membership Rewards point per dollar on most purchases and two points per dollar in select categories like airfare, travel, and advertising. Points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or statement credits, with travel and gift cards typically offering the best value.³

The card charges no foreign transaction fees, making it a suitable option for international purchases. However, its highest rewards apply only to US spending, and it lacks support for multi-currency wallets. Cash withdrawals incur a fee of $3 or 2% of the amount, plus any additional fees charged by the ATM operator. Overall, it’s a strong rewards option but less ideal for frequent international cash use or multi-currency needs.

Brex

Brex markets itself as fee-free for startups, with no annual or explicit foreign transaction fees, unlimited virtual cards, and up to 8x points in categories like rideshare, travel, and dining. Premium features (advanced spend controls, expense automation, ERP integrations) require Brex Empower, which starts at $49/month. It supports multi-currency spending but can’t hold/receive foreign currency and applies up to a 3% FX markup, so heavy cross-border spenders may want to compare alternatives.

Capital On Tap Business Card

Capital On Tap is a no-annual-fee small-business card offering 1.5% cash back, free employee cards, physical/virtual cards, customizable spend limits, accounting sync (with QuickBooks/Xero), and fast approval, allowing you to start spending right away. Despite advertising no foreign transaction fees, international purchases incur a 3% FX markup. It lacks multi-currency support and deeper built-in expense tools, so it may feel limiting for global operations.

Chase Ink Business Premier Card

Chase Ink Business Premier suits high-spend businesses that want simple cash back: 2.5% on purchases of $5,000+ and 2% on everything else, plus strong purchase/travel protections and smooth Chase online management. You must pay in full each month; it’s USD-only (no multi-currency support), and controls/automation are limited compared to modern spend platforms. It's well-suited for domestic companies making large transactions.

Ramp

Ramp is geared toward US-based, VC-backed businesses and generally requires a minimum of $25,000 in a business bank account to qualify.¹⁰ It may not be available to sole proprietors or smaller operations. With no annual fee, it combines 1.5% cash back on all purchases with built-in expense tracking, approval workflows, and software integrations. It’s an automation-friendly option for lean finance teams prioritizing simplicity and speed.

While Ramp supports international transactions and multi-currency payments, foreign spend is subject to FX markups of up to 3%, which can add costs for globally active teams.

How to compare and choose the top corporate cards in the US

Business needs vary by size, spending, and accounting processes, so take stock of your goals and needs as you compare card providers. While you shop for corporate cards:

• Look for cards that support multiple currencies, allowing you to transact in different currencies without incurring foreign exchange or international transaction fees.

• Prioritize cards that offer low foreign exchange rates. This can result in significant savings, especially if you frequently transfer funds internationally. 

• Look for additional benefits, such as cash back, air miles, or rewards points, that can help offset some of your expenses.

• Determine who needs access to cards, what you’re spending on, and if you need multi-currency features for international transactions. 

• Select cards that offer advanced expense management tools and seamless accounting software integrations.

• Evaluate the quality and availability of customer support for each card. Quality support can be crucial for resolving time-sensitive issues.

• To protect your business, consider the security features offered, such as fraud protection, chip-and-PIN technology, and virtual card capabilities.

Streamline your international business transactions

Corporate cards simplify company spend by issuing controls, consolidating receipts, and streamlining reconciliation. However, they vary widely in rewards, fees, and how they handle cross-border purchases (FX markups, foreign transaction fees, and USD-only limitations can add up).

Airwallex pairs corporate cards with multi-currency accounts, allowing you to collect, hold, and pay in local currencies, thereby reducing forced conversions. You also get built-in expense management, Bill Pay, and accounting integrations in one place – useful if you’re scaling internationally and want fewer tools and clearer costs.

Sources

1. https://www.fedsmallbusiness.org/reports/survey/2024/2024-report-on-employer-firms 

2. https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Business-American-Express-Card/dp/B07984JN3L

3. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/business/business-credit-cards/american-express-business-gold-card-amex/65147/ 

4. https://www.brex.com 

5. https://www.capitalontap.com/en/guides/posts/business-credit-card-rates/ 

6. https://creditcards.chase.com/business-credit-cards/ink/premier? 

7. https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Business-American-Express-Card/dp/B07984JN3L

8. https://ramp.com/business-cards 

9. https://ramp.com/blog/chase-business-credit-card-application-status

10. https://support.ramp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043063133-Applying-and-signing-up-for-Ramp

Disclaimer: We wrote this article in Q2 2025. The information in this article is based on our own online research. Airwallex wasn't able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only, and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. This research is reviewed annually. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [email protected]