The top 5 credit cards for nonprofits in November 2024.
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Running a nonprofit organization requires a lot of time and resources. The right credit card can help you manage your expenses and save money. Look for credit cards that offer free employee cards, streamlined expense management, and rewards that can offset the costs of running the organization.
Although not many credit cards are tailored specifically for 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofits are eligible for business credit cards. CNBC Select has evaluated the top options to help you choose the best one for your nonprofit. (For more information on our methodology, please see below.)
Best for intro APR
This credit card is ideal for nonprofits seeking to minimize interest on large purchases.
An intro 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening is a standout benefit of the new Ink Business Cash Card. After the intro APR ends, there is a variable standard APR of 17.99% to 23.99%.
Best for travel rewards
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers significant value to any nonprofit looking to reduce travel expenses.
This card can save your nonprofit a lot of cash by earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® points and allowing you to transfer those points to over a dozen partner airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Best for no annual fee
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is ideal for nonprofits seeking substantial rewards and expense reimbursement.
The Blue Business Plus card offers transferrable American Express Membership Rewards® points, which are valuable for a card with no annual fee. Additionally, the card earns 2X Amex points on the first $50,000 in purchases per year (then 1X points), making the rewards even more valuable.
Best for cash back
This credit card is ideal for any organization seeking to minimize interest costs and earn cash-back rewards to offset expenses.
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Card offers a large welcome bonus, cash-back rewards, and a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles, followed by a variable APR from 18.49% to 27.49%.
Best for balance transfers
The PNC points® Visa Business Credit Card offers an intro-APR on balance transfers that will be beneficial for nonprofits looking to save on interest.
An introductory 0% APR offer for balance transfers is a rare feature attached to business credit cards. This card offers an intro 0% APR for purchases and balance transfers for the first nine billing cycles after account opening (then a variable 20.24% to 29.49% APR applies). To qualify for a balance transfer, it must be completed within 90 days after opening the account, and there is a balance transfer fee of 5% of the amount of each balance transfer ($5 minimum).
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More on our top credit cards for nonprofits
To view the rates and fees for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
A cashback business card with no annual fee, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers high rewards at office supply stores and gas stations.
Rewards
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
- Each account anniversary year, you'll receive 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services, and then 1% thereafter.
- Each account anniversary year, customers receive 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants, and then 1% cash back on all additional purchases.
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
When you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months, you will earn $350, and when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening, you will earn an additional $400.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
Adding employee cards to your Chase Ink Cash account does not incur any additional cost. Purchases made with eligible cards are protected by purchase protection, extended warranty protection, travel and emergency assistance, and auto rental collision coverage. Additionally, you can utilize roadside dispatch and travel and emergency assistance.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
One of the most rewarding business cards for shipping, advertising, and select utilities expenses is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Rewards
- 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
- Each account anniversary year, customers receive 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the categories of travel, shipping, internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.
- 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
After three months of opening your account, you will receive a bonus of 90,000 points if you spend $8,000 on purchases.
Annual fee
$95
Notable perks
This card has an annual fee, but no additional fee for employee cards or foreign transactions. Additionally, you can transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned with this card to any of Chase's travel partners at a 1:1 ratio.
Points redeemed for travel through Chase TravelSM are worth 25% more (1.25 cents per point). Additionally, this card offers a range of insurance benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel and emergency assistance, roadside dispatch, rental car collision coverage, cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The American Express Blue Business® Plus Credit Card is a versatile business credit card with an intro-APR offer that helps you avoid interest.
Rewards
- Up to $50,000 per year, purchases earn 2X points, and beyond that amount, they earn 1X points.
Welcome bonus
After three months of card membership, you will receive 15,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases.
Annual fee
$0 (see rates and fees)
Notable perks
New Blue Business Plus Card members can enjoy a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening. After the intro APR expires, the ongoing APR will be a variable rate between 17.74% and 25.74%, which may not exceed 29.99% (see rates and fees).
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
The Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card from U.S. Bank offers no annual fee and provides substantial returns in a variety of practical bonus categories.
Rewards
- Booking prepaid hotels and car rentals directly through the Rewards Center offers a 5% cash back reward.
- 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations
- 3% cash back at office supply stores
- 3% cash back at cell phone service providers
- 3% cash back at restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases
Welcome bonus
After opening your account, you will receive $750 in cash back after spending $6,000 on the account owner's card within the first 180 days.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
To receive a $100 credit for recurring software subscriptions, you must make 11 months of eligible purchases directly with a software provider.
PNC points® Visa® Business Credit Card
The PNC points® Visa Business Credit Card is a straightforward card that distinguishes itself from others with its introductory APR offers for purchases and balance transfers.
Rewards
- 5X points on all qualifying purchases
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
This card offers an intro-APR and Visa credit card benefits such as extended warranty protection and purchase security. However, its rewards may not be as impressive as they seem, as you can only redeem five points for one cent in cash back, effectively earning 1% in cash back rewards on every purchase.
Pros and cons of credit cards for nonprofits
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our goal is to deliver top-notch service journalism and in-depth consumer advice to our readers, enabling them to make well-informed decisions when it comes to their finances. Our credit card reviews are the result of thorough reporting by our team of expert writers and editors, who possess extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content independently, without any input from our commercial team or external third parties. We uphold the highest journalistic standards and ethics. For more information on how we select the best credit cards for nonprofits, please refer to our methodology.
Our methodology
Over 250 major credit cards from FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions were analyzed by CNBC Select to determine their value for nonprofits.
We evaluated each card based on various aspects, including rewards, annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fees, and foreign transaction fees. Additionally, we examined any extra benefits (e.g., travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection, and travel insurance), the application process (e.g., whether a credit pull or minimum credit score is required), and the ease of redeeming points (e.g., whether rewards are tied to a specific brand or transferable to partners, and how they can be redeemed for cash back). We also took into account CNBC Select audience data, such as demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
We utilized Esri's consumer spending data forecasts to determine where U.S. consumers spend the most money, such as on dining and travel, to help us determine the most valuable bonus categories for our rewards program. Additionally, we considered the transferability and cash-back redemption options when determining the value of points or miles.
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To learn about the rates and fees for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
