Business Credit Card Statistics

Business credit cards are widely used by U.S. small businesses. In fact, 89% used a credit card for recent purchases in 2025, while outstanding business credit card balances reached $126.1 billion in August 2025.

The broader credit card issuance services market reached $611.99 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach $860.5 billion by 2030, highlighting the size and continued growth of the business credit card market. However, business owners do not always use dedicated business cards. Among firms that regularly use credit cards, 58% use only business cards, 8% use only personal credit cards, and 34% use both.

The statistics below cover business credit card usage, financing demand, credit limits, costs, rewards, and issuer satisfaction.

Business Credit Card Usage Among Businesses

According to a recent study, business credit cards were the most commonly used payment method for recent purchases. Credit cards were used by 89% of small businesses, followed by:

• Digital wallets: 47%
• Cash: 38%
• Debit cards: 37%
• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): 17%

The study also found that 28% of small businesses avoided using a card because of a merchant surcharge. Among those businesses, 44% used cash and 24% used BNPL instead.

Personal and Business Credit Card Usage

Among consumer credit cardholders, 13.7% fell into a group identified as business owners who had a consumer credit card but no business credit card. Their cards may support business-related activity. This group was more than 50% larger than the business credit card group.

Small Business Financing Demand

The Federal Reserve’s Small Business Credit Survey found that 60% of firms sought financing in the previous 12 months. Among applicants, 29% sought a credit card, compared with 38% seeking a loan, line of credit, or merchant cash advance.

Businesses most often sought financing for operating expenses, at 56% of applicants. Other reasons included expansion or new opportunities at 46%, refinancing or paying down debt at 42%, keeping available credit for future use at 28%, and repairs or replacement of capital assets at 26%. These financing needs can affect working capital, access to capital, and how businesses manage cash flow.

A separate study found that 55% of surveyed small businesses used a corporate credit card in the previous 12 months, compared with 27% using a line of credit and 26% using a loan. 18% cited high interest rates as a drawback, while 23% cited debt.

Business Credit Cards vs. Other Financing Options

Among businesses that applied for financing, 37% sought less than $50,000. The remaining applicants sought amounts ranging from $50,000 to more than $1 million.

Here’s how small businesses use credit cards alongside other financing options.

Financing Products Used by Small Businesse

Small businesses sought several financing products in the 12 months before the Federal Reserve survey. 38% applied for a loan, line of credit, or merchant cash advance, while 29% applied for a credit card.

Other financing products included:

• Trade credit: 17%
• Lease: 11%
• Factoring: 3%

The Federal Reserve also reports the three products within the 38% combined category separately. 26% of firms applied for a loan, 24% applied for a line of credit, and 8% applied for a merchant cash advance. Firms could select multiple products, so these percentages can overlap.

Business Credit Card Balances and Credit Limits

Here are the latest figures on business credit card balances and credit limits.

Business Credit Card Balances

Experian reports $126.1 billion in outstanding business credit card balances as of August 2025. The report also identified business owners using consumer credit cards without a dedicated business credit card.

Among the consumer card balances Experian analyzed, $248 billion belonged to people with a business and a business credit card. Another $195 billion belonged to business owners with only a consumer credit card.

Business Credit Card Credit Limits

Business Credit Card Costs and Financing Costs

Among firms that did not apply for financing, 17% said the cost of credit was too high.

Actual Borrowing Costs Compared With Expectations

These figures cover loans, lines of credit, and merchant cash advances, not business credit cards. They should not be treated as business credit card APR, finance charges, or interest-rate statistics.

Business Credit Card Rewards and Customer Satisfaction

Let’s take a closer look at business credit card satisfaction, rewards, and card benefits.

Small Business Credit Card Satisfaction

Small-business credit card satisfaction reached 716 out of 1,000 in 2025, an increase of 8 points from 2024. Satisfaction among financially unhealthy businesses increased by 11 points year over year, marking the largest improvement among the business health categories measured.

Rewards Programs and Card Benefits

Co-brand business credit cards scored 17 points higher in satisfaction than bank-brand cards. Rewards and benefits, including cash back, were among the factors contributing to the higher satisfaction scores.

Business Credit Card Issuer Satisfaction

According to J.D. Power, the following scores show how small-business credit card customers rated their issuers on a 1,000-point scale. These issuers operate within the wider card ecosystem alongside payment networks such as Mastercard.

The Bottom Line

Business credit cards remain part of a broader financing mix for U.S. small businesses. The latest data also shows changes across issuers, with fintechs gaining ground while large banks loosen credit card underwriting standards.

At the same time, rising delinquencies point to continued pressure on credit quality. Business owners are also using consumer cards for business activity, keeping personal and business credit closely connected.

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