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The Daily Insight Hub

Can a business credit card help you build credit?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on January 20, 2026

Plus, there’s an added bonus that small business owners don’t always recognize at first: A business credit card may help you build business credit. In fact, getting one of these cards may help put your business on the map when it comes to building business credit, provided the card issuer reports information to commercial credit agencies.

How does a business credit card affect your personal credit score?

While your personal credit card use will only affect your personal credit score, how you use your business credit card will affect both your business credit score and your personal credit score. This is because most business credit cards require a personal guarantee.

Which is better a personal credit card or a business credit card?

You read that right: you can typically get a much higher limit with a business credit card than with a personal one. This is because businesses, in almost all industries, have more expenses than an individual person ever would. They also have more capital coming in than individual people, so it makes sense that they’d have more spending power.

Can a small business credit card check your credit?

Because you agree to pay back the loan from a small business credit card, the card issuer will always want to examine your personal creditworthiness before granting approval. But if you’re simply becoming an employee-authorized cardholder on the owner’s small business credit card, then the card issuer won’t check your credit.

How does a business credit card affect your credit score?

If you’re trying to keep your business or side hustle completely separate from your personal finances, it might make your stomach sink to see your business credit card show up on your personal credit report. That’s because it means your credit score could suffer because of high debt or a late payment on the business card.

Can a personal credit card be used to finance a business?

If you use personal credit cards to finance your startup business, you are personally liable for any debt you incur. Using a personal credit card for financing a startup business means taking on a significant amount of risk although there are some rewards. There are other options besides taking on personal debt financing.

Do you need a personal guarantee for a business credit card?

Nearly all business credit cards require a personal guarantee, and some will even report your account activity on your personal credit report. Before you apply for a small business credit card, it’s important to know how it can affect your personal credit and what you can do to make the most of the opportunity.