Best Bonus Categories to Maximize Business Spend

Earning points through welcome offers is one of the best ways to boost your business’s points balance. However, at some point, you’ll need to turn to other earning methods to continue racking up points.

Whether you’ve run into velocity issues, want to let your credit report cool down or simply don’t want to open another credit card, there’s another way you can continue to leverage your business expenditure to earn a lucrative return—through bonus spending categories.

Bonus spending categories reward your business on everyday operational expenses. From recurring advertising and software expenses to business travel and vendor fees, your business can earn the highest rate of return on the purchases it spends the most on.

Let’s check out the best bonus categories to maximize your business spending and the best business credit cards for each category.

Best Bonus Categories to Maximize Business Spending

We’ve curated a list of the most common business spending categories that you can earn a lucrative return on. These include:

• Advertising spend
• Materials, hardware and supplies
• Amazon business purchases
• Business travel
• Gas station spending
• Recurring tech, telecom and SaaS spending (software-as-a-service subscriptions)
• Restaurant expenditure
• Shipping costs
• Miscellaneous business spending (such as tax payments and contractor invoices)

By routing your business spending through a credit card that rewards these purchases, you can double or even triple your rewards rate. This is an easy way to squeeze value out of your company’s expenses, allowing you to offset operational costs or cover employee travel using rewards points.

With that in mind, here are the best credit cards for each business spending category.

Turn Ad Spend Into ROI: Cards That Reward Your Marketing Spend

For many businesses, advertising is one of the largest and most consistent expenses on the balance sheet. Whether you’re running paid social campaigns, search ads or sponsored placements, these costs add up quickly.

By using a card that rewards advertising spend, you can effectively earn points on customer acquisition, turning necessary marketing costs into long-term value through travel rewards or statement credits.

Here are some of the best credit cards for earning on advertising spend:

• American Express® Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee, see rates and fees): Earn 4X points on the two categories your business spends the most on each billing cycle, with a cap of up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter), including purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media.
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee): 3X points on the first $150,000 spent per account anniversary year across multiple business categories (1X points thereafter), including advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
• Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ ($795 annual fee): 3X points on social media and search engine advertising spending

The Amex Business Gold Card is best for high-spend businesses that want to maximize advertising expenditure. You’d need to spend at least $9,375 per year in its 4X category to offset its annual fee, but in return, you could earn up to 600,000 points in this category every year.

The Ink Business Preferred Card comes with a lower annual fee of $95, meaning you need to spend just $3,167 per year in its 3X category to break even. If you reach the $150,000 spending cap, you’d earn 450,000 Ultimate Rewards points every year.

With a diverse number of key business spending categories covered, the Ink Business Preferred is best for small businesses that are scaling, delivering significant ROI.

If you have a high-spend business that involves frequent travel, the Sapphire Reserve for Business is a solid option. While its $795 annual fee requires you to spend at least $26,500 in its 3X category to break even, you’ll typically need to spend less given its numerous statement credit perks and other higher bonus category earning rates.

Invest in Your Premises, Earn a Return: Best Cards for Materials, Hardware and Supplies

From office build-outs to day-to-day operational supplies, physical materials are a core expense for many brick-and-mortar businesses.

With the right card, your investment in infrastructure can deliver consistent rewards.

Here are some of the best cards for earning on office supplies and hardware:

• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card ($0 annual fee): 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent at office supply stores and on cable, internet and phone services (1% cash back thereafter)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2X points on up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter) on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, on a number of business categories, including construction material and hardware suppliers

The Ink Business Cash comes with a $0 annual fee, allowing you to begin earning a real return from the first dollar spent. Rewards are issued as Chase Ultimate Rewards, meaning you could earn 125,000 Ultimate Rewards points in the card’s 5% category, which you can redeem as $1,250 in cash back.

If you also hold a premium Chase card, you can transfer these points to your other Chase account and redeem them with Chase’s full list of transfer partners. This makes the Ink Business Cash a card that can grow alongside your business and its evolving needs.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is best for high-spend businesses with frequent company travel. If you have significant upcoming construction material and hardware expenses, you could earn a maximum of 4 million Amex Membership Rewards points on this expenditure, assuming you maxed out the spending cap.

Optimized Procurement: Cards that Reward Every Click on Amazon

Amazon has become the backbone of procurement for countless businesses, covering everything from office essentials to cloud services.

Choosing a card that rewards Amazon and Amazon Web Services (AWS) purchases ensures that routine expenditure generates consistent cash back or points.

Here are the best business credit cards for Amazon purchases:

• Amazon Business Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 3% cash back on the first $120,000 in U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market each calendar year (1% cash back thereafter)
• Amazon Business Prime Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 5% cash back on U.S. purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Business, AWS and Whole Foods Market on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year (1% cash back thereafter)

Both American Express co-branded Amazon business cards come with $0 annual fee and enable you to earn between 3% and 5% back on key Amazon purchases. Earnings are capped at $120,000 in spending, meaning you could get between $3,600 and $6,000 in cash back every year, depending on the card you hold.

Keep in mind that to hold the Amazon Business Prime Card, you’ll need to pay for an Amazon Business Prime membership.

Work Trips That Work Harder: Best Cards for Business Travel Spend

Business travel is one of the most lucrative categories for rewards, especially when flights, hotels and rental cars are booked frequently. For sales reps or consultants who are always on the road or C-suite executives who hit the skies every week, earning an elevated rate of return on travel expenditure is essential.

Numerous business credit cards offer elevated multipliers on travel purchases, particularly when booked through their own travel portals.

And many of the same cards that reward business travel also offer lucrative travel protections, ensuring that you and your employees stay protected.

Here are the best business credit cards that reward business travel spending:

• American Express® Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee, see rates and fees): Earn 3X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ using your Business Gold Card. Additionally, earn 4X points on the two categories your business spends the most each billing cycle, with a cap of up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter), including transit purchases.
• Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card ($395): 10X miles on hotels and rentals and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Business Travel
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee): 3X points on the first $150,000 spent across multiple business categories, including on travel (1X points thereafter)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee, see rates and fees): 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and the Hotel Collection
• Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ ($795 annual fee): 8X points on Chase Travel℠ bookings and 4X points on flights and hotels booked directly

The Amex Business Gold Card is a solid mid-range card for businesses that can book their travel through American Express Travel or the Amex Travel App™. At 3X points per dollar spent, you’d need to spend $12,500 on business travel each year you hold the card to break even on its annual fee, and you’ll benefit from a further 4X points on transit purchases while on the road.

The Capital One Venture X Business credit card offers a whopping 10X miles on hotels and rentals and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Business Travel. And with an annual $300 credit for Capital One Business Travel bookings, breaking even on the card’s $395 annual fee is even easier, making this a great card for travel-heavy businesses.

In addition to ad spend, the Ink Business Preferred also rewards business travel at a rate of 3X points per dollar spent, making it ideal for businesses that are scaling with a diverse spending mix. If you reach the $150,000 spending cap in its 3X category, that’s 450,000 Ultimate Rewards points in your business’s pocket.

If you can maximize the card’s travel and business statement credits, the Amex Business Platinum can be a top-tier choice for travel-heavy businesses. You can route your company travel spending through American Express Travel to earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels. As long as you can offset its $895 annual fee, the card offers significant value.

Alternatively, if you prefer the benefits offered by the Sapphire Reserve for Business or want to boost your Ultimate Rewards balance, you could earn 8X points on Chase Travel℠ bookings or 4X points on flights and hotels booked directly by routing your expenditure through the Sapphire Reserve instead.

You have more flexibility to book directly with the airlines using the Sapphire Reserve, which comes with a host of benefits. Again, you’ll need to ensure that you can maximize the card’s perks to offset its $795 annual fee.

Fuel the Business, Not Just the Tank: Top Cards for Gas Spend

For businesses with delivery vehicles, sales teams or frequent travel by car, gas expenses can represent a significant monthly outgoing.

While gas purchases may seem routine, they’re an easy way to accumulate rewards when paired with a card that offers bonus earnings at the pump.

Over time, these everyday fill-ups can translate into thousands of points or dollars back.

Here are the best business cards for gas purchases:

• Amazon Business Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations
• Amazon Business Prime Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations
• American Express® Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee, see rates and fees): 4X points on the two categories your business spends the most each billing cycle, with a cap of up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter), including purchases at gas stations
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card ($0 annual fee): 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent per account anniversary year in combined business purchases, including on gas purchases (1% cash back thereafter)

Both Amazon business cards offer 2% unlimited cash back at U.S. gas stations, making them a great choice if you already use the card to maximize the return on your Amazon spending.

If you spend less than $25,000 per year at the pump, the Ink Business Cash offers 2% cash back, which can also be converted to fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points if you hold a premium Chase card.

And if your fuel costs run higher, the Amex Business Gold will give you the greatest return, offering 4X points at the pump (assuming it’s one of your two highest spending categories per billing cycle), on up to $150,000 per calendar year (1X points thereafter).

Recurring Costs, Measurable Returns: Rewards Cards for Tech, Telecom and SaaS Spend

Software subscriptions, cloud services and telecom bills are textbook examples of recurring business expenses.

And because these costs recur month after month, routing them through cards with elevated rewards for tech and telecom spending can produce a steady stream of points.

Here are the best business credit cards for cloud, SaaS, technology and software expenses:

• Amazon Business Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2% cash back on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers
• Amazon Business Prime Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2% cash back on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers
• American Express® Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee, see rates and fees): 4X points on the two categories your business spends the most each billing cycle, with a cap of up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter), including purchases made from U.S. electronic goods retailers, software and cloud system providers, and monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card ($0 annual fee): 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined business purchases, including on internet, cable and phone services (1% cash back thereafter)
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee): 3X points on the first $150,000 spent across multiple business categories, including on internet, cable and phone services (1X points thereafter)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2X points on up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter) on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, on a number of business categories, including electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers

Both Amex Amazon business cards offer a flat rate of 2% cash back on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, which can be useful if you already hold the card for Amazon rewards.

The Ink Business Cash is best suited to businesses spending less than $25,000 on internet, cable and phone services, offering a lucrative 5% cash back (which can be converted to 5X points if you hold a premium Chase card).

If you have a much higher annual spend on software, telecom and tech services, the Amex Business Gold will best serve your needs. And if your annual expenditure exceeds $150,000 in this category, consider the Amex Business Platinum, but only if you can maximize its other perks and spend enough to offset its hefty annual fee.

Client Meals That Pay Off: Best Cards for Business Dining

Client meetings, team meals and travel dining expenses can quietly add up over the course of a year. With the right card, dining becomes another opportunity to offset future expenses through rewards.

Here are the best business credit cards for dining:

• American Express® Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee, see rates and fees): 4X points on the two categories your business spends the most each billing cycle, with a cap of up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter), including purchases at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card ($0 annual fee): 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined business purchases, including on restaurant spending (1% cash back thereafter)

If your business has serious dining expenditure, look no further than the Amex Business Gold Card. You’ll earn 4X points on dining expenditure (assuming it’s one of your top two spend categories per billing cycle), on up to $150,000 in annual expenditure (1X points thereafter).

That’s up to 600,000 Membership Rewards points annually, making it easy for high-spend businesses to offset the card’s annual fee.

If your business spends less than $25,000 on restaurant spending, the Ink Business Cash offers a lucrative rate of 2% cash back, which can also be converted to 2X points if you hold a premium Chase credit card.

Ship More, Earn More: Cards That Reward Fulfillment Expenses

For e-commerce businesses and companies shipping products or documents regularly, fulfillment costs are unavoidable. Using a card that rewards shipping purchases helps turn logistical expenses into a consistent stream of points.

Here are the best business credit cards to cover shipping purchases:

• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee): 3X points on the first $150,000 spent across multiple business categories, including shipping purchases (1X points thereafter)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee (see rates and fees)): 2X points on up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter) on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, on a number of business categories, including shipping providers

Shipping is another category bundled into the Ink Business Preferred’s lucrative 3X point category. If you spend a significant amount on shipping, among other key expenses in the 3X category, the Ink Business Preferred will give you the greatest return on your business’s outgoings.

If your high-spend travel-heavy business also has high shipping costs, the Amex Business Platinum lets you earn 2X points back on this spend with an annual cap of $2 million (1X points thereafter). This makes the card more suitable to businesses with higher outgoings compared to the spend-level of businesses that would benefit from the Ink Business Preferred.

Make Every Dollar Count: Rewards for Taxes, Vendors and Everything Else

Not all business expenses fall neatly into bonus categories, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t earn rewards.

Tax payments, contractor invoices and large vendor bills are just a few of the many business expenses that fall outside of typical bonus spending categories.

Cards that offer strong flat-rate rewards or elevated earnings on large purchases ensure that even non-bonus category spending contributes to your overall points strategy.

Here are the best catch-all business credit cards for covering those tricky business expenses:

• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from Ameraican Express ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2X points on on everyday business purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1X points thereafter
• Capital One Spark Cash Credit Card ($0 introductory annual fee, then $95 thereafter): 2% cash back on all purchases
• Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card ($395 annual fee): 2X miles on all purchases
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card ($0 annual fee): 1.5% cash back on all purchases
• Ink Business Premier® Credit Card ($195 annual fee): 2.5% cash back on purchases worth $5,000 or more, and 2% cash back on all other purchases
• Signify Business Cash® by Wells Fargo ($0 annual fee): 2% cash back on all purchases
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee, see rates and fees): 2X points on up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter) on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, on a number of business categories, including each eligible purchase worth $5,000 or more

The above cards all offer between 1.5X and 2.5X points (or cash back) on every dollar spent. The main deciding factor will be the spending caps and annual fees imposed by each card.

Every business can benefit from a catch-all business credit card that offers an elevated baseline rewards rate. The amount of spend you’re putting on the card will determine which card is best.

For instance, if you’re regularly making non-bonus category payments that exceed $5,000, then the Ink Business Premier or the Amex Business Platinum would offer the greatest rewards rate. These cards can be excellent for maximizing your return on quarterly tax payments, vendor and supplier payments, and any other large recurring uncategorized expenses.

Alternatively, if your business spends less than $50,000 on uncategorized expenses and wants to earn flexible points, the Blue Business Plus Credit Card would be a strong choice.

Determine your annual expenditure in this category, decide between points vs. cash back, and you’ll then be able to select the best credit card to support your business’ spending habits.

How to Choose the Best Business Credit Card to Maximize Bonus Spending

When figuring out how to distribute your business spending across business credit cards, begin by analyzing your monthly outgoings.

Find the top two or three categories where your business spends the most and narrow your card selection down to those that offer the highest rewards rate on these purchases.

From here, you’ll want to compare the number of points you could earn on each card and factor in any annual fees and spending caps.

For instance, if a card comes with a $95 annual fee, you’ll need to ensure that you can break even on this fee through your company’s expenditure. If we assume that 1 point can be redeemed at 1 cent apiece, you’d need to earn at least 9,500 points to break even on a $95 annual fee.

The higher the annual fee, the more you’ll need to spend before you start earning a real return.

Similarly, for cards that come with category spending caps, you may want to have a secondary card to switch to after reaching the annual cap in a given bonus category.

For example, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card caps its 3X earnings at $150,000 in combined purchases. If your business exceeds this spending cap, switching to another card that offers an equally high points multiplier will enable you to continue maximizing your return.

Let’s say your company spends $300,000 per year on advertising services. You could use the Amex Business Gold Card to earn 4X points on this expenditure until you reach its $150,000 cap and then switch to the Ink Business Preferred to cover the other $150,000 worth of spending. If you only used one of these cards and didn’t combine both, you’d be leaving 450,000 to 600,000 points on the table.

This is where stacking cards can help you maximize your business’s expenditure.

Once you’ve found the card(s) with the highest rate of return (after factoring in annual fees), you can hit that “apply” button.

Here’s a simple checklist for choosing the best business credit card for bonus spending categories:

• Identify your business’s top two or three spending categories
• Estimate your business’s annual spend per category
• Compare the number of points you’d earn on prospective cards in each of these categories
• Factor in spending category caps
• Calculate break-even spend requirements for cards with annual fees
• Decide whether you want to earn cash back vs. flexible rewards points

If you apply this checklist, you’ll be able to find the business card best suited to your company.

Final Thoughts

Business credit cards are a long-term tool for optimizing your company’s cash flow and turning unavoidable expenses into lucrative returns. Once you’ve exhausted the welcome offers, bonus spending categories become the real engine behind sustained returns.

When your largest expense categories are paired with the right credit cards, you can earn outsized rewards without increasing spend or changing how your business operates. Advertising, travel, software, shipping and even tax payments can all generate significant value when routed strategically.

Just as importantly, no single card needs to do everything. By combining cards with varying bonus categories and switching once spending caps are reached, you can continue earning elevated rewards across your full range of expenses. This strategic approach ensures you’re not leaving points on the table as your business grows.

The best business credit card setup is one that reflects your company’s real spending habits.

Take the time to audit your expenses, run the break-even math and choose cards that reward your biggest purchases. Do that consistently, and your business’s everyday costs can fund future travel, offset operational expenses or simply boost your bottom line.