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Offers for the
The Capital One business credit card lineup includes seven different products designed for small business owners. You can choose simple, flexible cash back or transferable miles to help you save on travel. No matter which you prefer, the Spark and Venture business cards stand out by offering
Now is a great time to revisit what sets these Capital One business cards apart. Which one is the best fit for your business? Let's look at the current welcome offers on the Capital One Spark and Venture family of cards, plus each card's strengths and weaknesses, to help you choose the card that best fits your budget and business expenses.
Which Capital One Business Card Is Best?
The current Capital One business card lineup features 7 cards, 6 of which offer welcome bonuses. Here's a quick breakdown of the best cards for your specific needs.
- Best for lounge access and premium perks: Capital One Venture X Business
- Best no annual fee travel
rewards cards - Best for no-annual-fee transferable miles: Capital One VentureOne Business
- Best for high spenders: Capital One Spark Cash Plus
- Best flat cashback card: Capital One Spark Cash
- Best no annual fee cashback card: Capital One Spark Cash Select
- Best for fair credit: Capital One Spark Classic for Business
Let's look at some factors to consider before you hit “apply.”
Overall spending
Analyzing your business's spending is crucial when deciding whether to choose a no-annual-fee card or one with an annual fee. Based on your annual spending, choose the card that offers the best overall return.
Additionally, Capital One doesn't charge foreign transaction fees on any of its cards, making them great for small business owners who frequently travel abroad for work.
Welcome offer and spending requirements
Capital One business cards offer varying welcome bonuses to new cardholders who can meet the minimum spending requirement. Cards with higher welcome bonuses typically require more spending than those with lower welcome bonuses.
For instance, the bonus of $2,000 cash back on the Spark Cash Plus is an excellent offer — but not everyone will be able to meet such a high spending requirement. You'll only earn your bonus once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year.
On the other hand, the $1,000 cash back offered on the Spark Cash might not seem as lucrative, but it's significantly easier to earn — you'll get it once you spend $10,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
So, the best Capital One Business card bonus will depend on your business's ability to meet the minimum spending requirement. A welcome offer is only valuable if you can actually earn it.
$0 intro for first year;
$95 after that
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
$150
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel.
Type of rewards
When deciding which Capital One business card is right for you, ask yourself what type of rewards you want to earn: cash back or miles.
The Spark family of cards earns simple cash back, which gives businesses more flexibility, whether you want to reinvest in the business or cover expenses. Meanwhile, the Venture Business family earns miles that you can transfer to one of 22 Capital One transfer partners.
That said, if you hold a Capital One business card that earns cash back and another card (personal or business) that earns miles, you can convert your cash back into miles. You can earn a sizable welcome offer on a Spark card and then convert those rewards into Capital One miles.
Capital One Spark Family Cards
All Capital One Spark cards offer a simple earning structure: a flat-rate cash back percentage on eligible purchases. Here's a look at what sets them apart from each other.
$0
- 1.5% cashback on every purchase
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
$0 intro for first year;
$95 after that
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
$150
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel.
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
The current welcome offer on the Spark Cash Plus card delivers $2,000 cash back once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. The annual fee is $150, which you can get refunded if you spend $150,000 in a year.
- Earn a one-time cash bonus of $2,000 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
- Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. You can earn this bonus multiple times over the course of year 1!
- Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere-with no limits or category restrictions
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel.
Strengths:
- Excellent welcome offer
- Simplistic earning
- No categories or caps
- No preset limit
The Spark Cash Plus offers one of the highest welcome bonuses on the market for a cash-back card. Plus, it has no preset spending limit and is a pay-in-full card, which is great for businesses with high monthly spending or fluctuating expenses.
Downsides:
- High minimum spending requirement
- No bonus spending categories
- Lacks any notable perks or statement credits
The Spark Cash Plus offers an excellent welcome offer, but it's not easy to earn. It may not be feasible for every business owner to meet the minimum spending requirement, making the card less enticing.
And while some may view the earning structure on the Spark Cash Plus as a strength, others may see it as a weakness. The trade-off for that simplicity is that it lacks bonus categories that might match your business expenses, which could help you earn more rewards.
Additionally, it doesn't offer any standout benefits or statements. The card's biggest selling point is its outstanding welcome bonus.
Who is this card for?
The Spark Cash Plus is for business owners who want to earn 2% cash back on every purchase automatically and get a large welcome offer. Plus, in the first year, high spenders can supercharge their cash-back earnings.
Related: Capital One Spark Cash Plus Full Review
Capital One Spark Cash
The Spark Cash card is ideal for small business owners who want to maximize cash back on everyday spending without a high annual fee.
- Earn $1,000 Cash Back once you spend $10,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
- 2% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 intro for first year; $95 after that
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
Strengths:
- Solid welcome offer with a manageable spending requirement
In addition to offering the same uncapped 2% Cash Back on every purchase as the more expensive Capital One Spark Cash Plus, the Spark Cash has a welcome offer that should be well within reach for many small business owners.
Downsides:
- Ongoing annual fee of $95
The Spark Cash‘s long-term $95 annual fee will erode some of your cash-back returns after your no-annual-fee introductory year. For small businesses that expect to spend less than $19,000 on their card annually, a no-annual-fee card may provide better ongoing value.
Who is this card for?
The Spark Cash suits small businesses looking for cash-back rewards and a modest annual fee.
Related: Capital One Spark Cash Plus Full Review
Capital One Spark Cash Select
Finally, the Spark Cash Select offers $750 cash back once you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. The annual fee is $0.
- Earn $750 Cash Back once you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% cashback on every purchase
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 1.5% cashback on every purchase
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
Strengths:
- Valuable welcome offer with low spending requirement
- No spending caps
- No annual fee
The Capital One Spark Cash Select earns 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel.
After spending the $6,000 required to earn the welcome offer, you would earn at least $90 in cash back. Add that to $750 from the welcome offer, and you've earned a total of $840 from spending $6,000. That's a 14% return — solid for a no-annual-fee card.
No spending categories or annual earning caps, plus no annual fee, make this a great option.
Downsides:
- Lower earning rate
- No bonus categories
In exchange for no annual fee, you sacrifice 0.5% in cash back on every purchase that you could earn with the other cards in the Spark family. How much are you really losing? Here's how the math shakes down.
The gist: If you spend more than $19,000 annually on the Spark Cash, you'll earn more than $95 the annual fee through the extra 0.5% cash back on every purchase. If your business won't meet this spending threshold, you will save money with a no-annual-fee card.
Who is this card for?
This card is for businesses that spend less than $19,000 annually, prefer a simple earning structure, and see the welcome offer as a nice bonus.
Related: Capital One Spark Cash Select Full Review
Capital One Venture Family Business Cards
Capital One has three Venture business cards that earn transferable miles. Here's what you need to know about the Venture Business family:
| Capital One VentureOne Business | Venture Business Card | Venture X Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | Earn 50,000 Miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. | Earn 100,000 Miles once you spend $10,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 150,000 Miles |
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 | $395 |
| Earning rates |
|
|
|
| Spending limit structure | Traditional credit limit | Traditional credit limit | No preset spending limit |
| Statement credits | None to note | • Up to $120 annual TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit • $50 annual advertising/software credit • $50 annual Capital One Travel Portal credit | • $300 annual Capital One Travel Portal credit • Up to $120 annual TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit |
| Best use case | Earning transferable points with no annual fee | Earning 2x miles on all purchases | Lounge access and premium travel perks |
Capital One Venture X Business
The Capital One Venture X Business offers an excellent welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. According to recent AwardWallet user redemptions, this offer is worth around $3,000.
The miles you earn are transferable to 22 Capital One transfer partners, giving you a ton of flexibility when you're ready to redeem. Plus, it offers lounge access and a few notable statement credits and benefits.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per $1 on flights booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
Strengths:
- Simple earning structure
- Low annual fee
- Useful statement credits
- 10,000 bonus anniversary miles
- No preset spending limit
The Venture X Business is the card to pick if you want the best travel perks. It includes lounge access, an annual $300 Capital One Business Travel Portal credit,
The card offers travel protections and benefits like Hertz President's Circle status, which gets you car upgrades, bonus earnings, and the ability to choose any car in the aisle at select locations.
The ability to earn flexible miles is one of this card's biggest strengths. Compared with cash back that has a fixed value, you may be able to redeem miles for outsized value via transfer partners. In recent AwardWallet user redemptions, Capital One miles have yielded 2.09¢ per mile.
The rate of return on your spending and the value of the welcome offer depend on how you use your miles and the redemptions you make. If nothing else, you can redeem your miles as a statement credit to offset travel purchases at a rate of 1¢ apiece.
Downsides:
- Higher annual fee
- No bonus category spending
- Other cards with similar annual fees offer more perks
- Pay-in-full card
The $395 annual fee is higher than the fees on some competitor cards.
Just like the Spark Cash Plus, while a no-preset spending limit can be a good thing for many high-spending businesses, it requires you to pay the balance in full every month. It's never a good idea to carry a balance and pay interest on
Who is this card for?
This card is best suited for business owners who travel frequently, value premium perks like lounge access, and prefer a simple earning structure. It's also a great pick for high spenders, since the card has no preset spending limit. You can effectively come out ahead if you can use the annual travel credit and bonus miles every year.
Related: Capital One Venture X Business Full Review
Capital One Venture Business
The Capital One Venture Business features a valuable bonus of 100,000 bonus miles once you spend $10,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn a one-time welcome bonus of 100,000 miles once you spend $10,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
- Receive up to $220 in credits: Receive an annual $50 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel, up to an annual $50 statement credit for purchases at qualifying advertising or software merchants, plus up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every four years. Terms and conditions apply
- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- $95 annual fee
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
- Top rated mobile app
- 5X miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
Strengths:
- Simple earning structure with no caps
- Low annual fee
- Useful statement credits
This card comes with a handful of useful perks that punch above its weight class for a card with a $95 annual fee. You'll receive up to $100 in statement travel credits ($50 towards advertising and software and $50 to use in the Capital One Business Travel Portal). Plus, you'll also receive a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
Additionally, the Capital One Venture Business comes with Hertz Five Star status and access to the Lifestyle Collection, one of Capital One's luxury hotel booking platforms.
Downsides:
- Charges an annual fee
If you're looking for simplicity, one of the cashback cards above can be a better fit. To maximize the miles on this card, you'll need to transfer miles to partner programs and search for award space. For some business owners, earning 2% cash back on every purchase and enjoying the simplicity of some other card might be preferable to earning 2X miles and having to understand how to use them for good value.
Who is this card for?
This card is for small business owners who prefer earning flexible miles, which they can turn into outsized value through award redemptions. It's also a great card for small business owners who like the low annual fee they pay in exchange for higher earning rates.
Related: Capital One Venture Business Full Review
Capital One VentureOne Business
The Capital One VentureOne Business offers new cardholders a bonus of 50,000 Miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening and charges no annual fee.
- Earn a one-time welcome bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5X miles per dollar on every purchase, with no category restrictions or blackout dates, and miles won’t expire while your account remains open and in good standing
- Earn unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles through Capital One Business Travel or get reimbursed for eligible travel expenses made with your card within 90 days of purchase
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the United States
- Free employee cards that earn rewards on employee purchases, with customizable spending limits
- Receive complimentary Hertz Five Star® status, with enrollment required; terms and age restrictions apply
- 5X miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 1.5X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
Strengths:
- No annual fee
Not paying an annual fee is a big plus. And you still earn flexible miles that you can transfer to all the same partners.
Downsides:
- Lower earning rate
In exchange for not paying an annual fee, the VentureOne Business Card earns only 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel, and 1.5X miles on all other business purchases miles per $1 spent.
Whether it makes sense to choose a card that charges an annual fee depends on how much you spend each year. If you value Capital One miles at a base rate of one cent per mile, you will come out ahead with the Venture Business Card if you spend $19,000 or more annually.
However, if you value points around 2.09¢ apiece, you'll only need to spend roughly $9,500 a year to justify a $95 annual fee. If you spend less than that, you will save money by avoiding the annual fee and earning at a lower rate.
Who is this card for?
This card is for small business owners who don't want to pay an annual fee and/or spend less than $9,500 on the card annually. It's also a great card for people who want to earn transferable miles.
Related: Capital One VentureOne Business Full Review
$395
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per $1 on flights booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
$95
- 5X miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
$0
- 5X miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel
- 1.5X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
Our Take
The current offers on Capital One business cards give business owners a great way to earn transferable miles or cash back on everyday business expenses. None of the cards charge a particularly large annual fee. Each has a simple earning structure without numerous categories to track. Plus, Capital One offers uncapped rewards on eligible purchases — unlike some business cards from other issuers.
