Maximize rewards on business expenses. Compare the best credit cards for freelancers — ranked by total value in year one.
Enter your monthly spending by category to see which card earns you the most.
Signup Bonus: 90,000 points after $8,000 spend in 3 months (~$1,125 in travel value)
Annual Fee: $95/year
Rewards: 3x on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising (first $150K/yr). 1x everywhere else.
Why freelancers love it: The 90K point bonus alone is worth $1,125 in travel through Chase Portal ($900 cash). 3x on software subscriptions (counted as internet/phone) is huge for SaaS-heavy freelancers. Points transfer 1:1 to United, Hyatt, Southwest, and more.
Best for: Freelancers spending $1,000+/mo who travel or want travel rewards
Apply for Chase Ink Preferred →Signup Bonus: 15,000 Membership Rewards after $3,000 spend in 3 months (~$150-200 value)
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: 2x Membership Rewards on all purchases (first $50K/yr), then 1x
Why freelancers love it: The simplest card in this list — 2x on everything, no annual fee, no category management. Amex points are valuable for flights (1.5-2 cents each through airline partners). Perfect "set it and forget it" business card.
Best for: Freelancers who want simplicity, low spenders, Amex ecosystem users
Apply for Amex Blue Business Plus →Signup Bonus: $1,200 cash bonus ($500 after $5K in 3 months + $700 after $50K in first year)
Annual Fee: $150/year (charged back when you spend $150K+/yr)
Rewards: 2% cash back on everything, plus 5% on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
Why freelancers love it: Simple 2% on everything, no bonus categories to track. The $500 signup bonus after first 3 months is one of the best no-fuss bonuses available. Annual fee waived for high spenders.
Best for: High-spending freelancers ($3,000+/mo) who want pure cash back
Apply for Capital One Spark →Signup Bonus: 70,000 points after $10,000 spend in 3 months (~$700-1,050 value)
Annual Fee: $375/year
Rewards: 4x on top 2 spending categories each billing cycle (from: US restaurants, US gas, transit, online advertising, hardware/software, shipping). 2x everywhere else. No cap on 4x.
Why freelancers love it: Auto-selects your top 2 categories every month for 4x. If your spending is concentrated (e.g., advertising + software), this beats everything else. Comes with $240/yr in statement credits (airline + dining).
Best for: Freelancers spending $5,000+/mo with concentrated categories
Apply for Amex Business Gold →Signup Bonus: 50,000 points after $9,000 spend in first 3 months
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: 7x rideshare, 4x travel, 3x restaurants, 2x software, 1x everything
Why freelancers love it: No personal credit check or personal guarantee — based on business cash balance. Great for LLCs or S-Corps that want to keep business/personal credit separate. High rewards on modern freelancer categories (rideshare, software).
Best for: LLCs/S-Corps with $25K+ in business bank account, no personal guarantee preferred
Apply for Brex →If you're self-employed, an S-Corp election can save $10K+/yr in self-employment taxes. Calculate your potential savings:
Calculate My S-Corp Savings →