A corporate card is a payment card issued to a company, rather than to an individual, which employees use for business purchases while the company holds the liability and receives consolidated billing. In current usage the term covers both the traditional charge-card programmes of card networks and banks and a newer group of software-led cards, issued through partner banks, that bundle spend controls, receipt capture and accounting sync.
This list covers 14 corporate and company card programmes available in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area in November 2026. It includes charge cards, credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards, and identifies the bank or licensed entity that issues each one, since many card brands are not themselves banks.
Contents
- What is a corporate card
- History and market
- Key features to compare
- Pricing models
- How to choose
- Methodology
- The list
- Comparison table
- Alternatives by use case
- Recent developments
- Frequently asked questions
- See also
What is a corporate card
A corporate card lets a company give employees spending power without reimbursing them from personal funds. The defining feature, as card providers describe it, is liability: business credit cards usually require a personal guarantee and a credit check on the owner, while corporate cards are approved on company financials and the business carries the liability. Several providers in this list, including Ramp, Brex, Airwallex and Rippling, state explicitly that no personal guarantee is required.
Corporate cards come in four funding structures. Charge cards require the balance to be paid in full each cycle; credit cards allow a revolving balance; debit cards draw on a balance held with the provider; and prepaid cards must be loaded in advance. The category overlaps with expense management software, which records and approves employee spending whatever card is used, and with spend management software, which extends control to purchase orders and supplier invoices. It also overlaps with business bank accounts, since several card providers now offer deposit accounts, and with accounts payable software, which handles supplier invoices that are often paid by virtual card.
History and market
For most of the twentieth century corporate cards were a product of card networks and large banks, sold as travel-and-entertainment programmes to big employers. American Express still runs the model in tiered form, with Platinum, Gold, Green and Purchasing cards for different employee groups.
From the mid-2010s, software companies began issuing cards through partner banks and card-issuing processors, pairing the card with expense software and underwriting on company cash balances or funding rather than personal credit. Brex was founded in 2017; Pleo and Soldo both started in 2015, in Copenhagen and London respectively. The issuing work is done by banks such as Celtic Bank, Sutton Bank, Cross River Bank, Fifth Third Bank and Patriot Bank in the US, and by the providers' own e-money or payment institutions in Europe.
The sector has consolidated as it matured. Bill.com acquired Divvy for approximately US$2.5 billion in June 2021. Navan, a travel and expense company with its own card, priced its Nasdaq IPO in October 2025. In January 2026 Capital One agreed to buy Brex in a US$5.15 billion stock-and-cash deal, completed in April 2026, bringing a leading fintech card programme inside a major card-issuing bank. No independent market-size figure was verified for this list, so none is given.
Key features to compare
Liability and personal guarantee
Whether the founder is personally liable determines whether a card is a true corporate card. Ramp, Brex, Airwallex and Rippling state they require no personal guarantee.
Funding model and repayment terms
Charge cards such as Ramp, Brex and the BILL Divvy Card require full repayment each cycle. Mercury IO starts some customers on daily repayment and unlocks 30-day terms at higher balances. Airwallex and Spendesk issue debit cards, and Soldo prepaid cards, which carry no credit risk but tie up cash.
Credit limit basis
Fintech issuers underwrite on cash, revenue or money raised; Mercury ties the limit to balances held with it. Pleo caps limits by plan, from £5,000 to £100,000.
Multi-currency and foreign transaction fees
Airwallex charges no foreign card transaction fee when spending held balances; Brex may apply up to 3% on conversion outside local cards; Mercury charges 3% on non-USD transactions; Payhawk advertises no card FX in 26 countries and 1.99% elsewhere.
Rewards
Rewards range from points multipliers (Brex) to flat cash back (Mercury 1.5%, Airwallex 2%, Capital One Spark Cash Plus 2%) to none stated.
Spend controls and policy
All software-led cards offer merchant, category and amount limits; Rippling applies them from HR records, and Ramp can auto-lock cards when compliance is not met.
Accounting and ERP integration
Entry tiers usually sync with QuickBooks and Xero; NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Workday connectors are often reserved for paid tiers.
Pricing models
Corporate card providers earn most of their revenue from interchange, the fee merchants pay on card transactions, which is why several offer the card and core software free. Ramp, Brex, BILL and Airwallex all have US$0 entry tiers. Paid software tiers are charged per user: Brex Premium and Airwallex Grow at US$12 per user per month, Ramp Plus at US$15 per user plus a platform fee, and Navan Expense at US$15 per user beyond five users.
European providers more often charge for the software without a free tier. Pleo charges £8 to £18 per user per month, Soldo a flat £27 or £39 per month, and Payhawk publishes only a £149-per-month starter programme. Spendesk, Emburse and Rippling are quote-based.
Traditional issuers charge per card instead. American Express corporate cards carry annual fees from US$0 to US$550 depending on tier, and Capital One's Spark Cash Plus has a US$150 annual fee refunded above US$150,000 of yearly spend.
How to choose
Early-stage US startups holding venture funding usually compare Ramp, Brex and Mercury IO. Mercury suits companies already banking there and wanting flat cash back; Ramp and Brex add free expense, travel and bill-pay software.
US small businesses using BILL for payables can add the BILL Divvy Card at no software cost, including a pre-funded option for companies without credit history.
Multinational and cross-border companies should weigh Brex's local-currency cards, Airwallex's multi-currency balances and Payhawk's local-currency debit cards against their FX fees.
European small and mid-sized businesses typically compare Pleo, Spendesk, Payhawk and Soldo, which have their own regulated issuing entities in the UK or EEA.
Large enterprises with heavy travel often keep an American Express Corporate Program, sometimes alongside Navan or Emburse for booking and expense reporting. Companies running HR on Rippling gain most from its card's HR-driven controls.
Methodology
Entries were selected from corporate and company card programmes that are open to new business applicants in the US, UK or EEA as of November 2026 and that publish their issuing bank or licensed issuing entity. Each programme was reviewed on its own pricing, product and legal-disclosure pages.
The order reflects, in sequence: whether the provider states the card carries no personal guarantee (corporate liability); whether card and software pricing are published; the breadth of integrated functions (expenses, bill pay, travel, multi-currency); and the geographic reach of card issuance as stated by the provider. Consumer-style business credit cards from banks are placed after software-led corporate cards because their product pages do not describe corporate-liability or policy tooling.
The list
1
Visa corporate charge card bundled with free spend software
Best for: US companies wanting a free card plus expense, AP and travel software
Ramp is a New York-based finance automation company whose corporate card sits inside a wider platform covering expenses, travel booking, accounts payable, accounts receivable, banking and vendor management. The company gives its address as 28 West 23rd Street, New York, and says more than 85,000 businesses use the product. The card is a corporate charge card on the Visa network with a 30-day payback period, and Ramp states that it requires no personal credit check or personal guarantee; limits are set from company-level factors such as revenue or money raised. Ramp uses several issuing banks depending on the card and country: the Ramp Visa Corporate Card is issued in the US by Celtic Bank, its commercial card by Sutton Bank, its business card by Lead Bank, Canadian cards by Peoples Trust Company, and UK and EEA cards by Stripe entities. Ramp's own disclosures note that Ramp Business Corporation is not a bank. The core software tier is free, with a paid Plus tier adding AI-assisted expense review, multi-entity support and ERP connectors such as NetSuite and Sage Intacct.
Key features
- Unlimited physical and virtual cards
- Card controls by merchant, category and amount
- Receipts by SMS or Slack
- Built-in travel booking
- Invoice OCR and approval workflows
- QuickBooks Online and Xero sync on free tier
- NetSuite and Sage Intacct on Plus
Pricing
Free: US$0 per user per month, including unlimited cards, travel booking, bill pay and basic accounting sync. Plus: US$15 per user per month plus a platform fee that depends on team size; annual billing is discounted by 20%. Enterprise: custom pricing on annual terms, adding Workday and Oracle Fusion integrations and local-currency cards in 30+ countries. Ramp states the card carries no annual fee.
Ownership and history
Ramp is privately held. Its about page states the company is backed by more than 100 angel investors, founders and board members from the fintech sector.
Integrations
QuickBooks Online and Xero on the free plan; NetSuite, Sage Intacct and multi-entity support on Plus; Workday and Oracle Fusion Cloud on Enterprise.
- Headquarters
- New York, NY, US
- Card network
- Visa
- Card type
- Corporate charge card, 30-day payback
- US issuer
- Celtic Bank (corporate card)
- Software price
- Free; Plus US$15/user/month
- Customers
- 85,000+ (company figure)
Strengths
- Software tier with cards, travel, AP and AR costs nothing
- No personal guarantee or personal credit check
- Published per-user pricing for paid tier
- Issuer disclosed for each card type and region
Limitations
- Local-currency cards only on Enterprise
- Charge card: balances are due each cycle
- Plus tier adds a platform fee not shown as a fixed number
- Primarily built for US-incorporated companies
2
Mastercard corporate card, now a Capital One subsidiary
Best for: Venture-backed and multinational companies needing local-currency cards
Brex was founded in 2017 and positions itself as a finance platform for growing companies, combining corporate cards, expense management, travel and payments. Capital One announced an agreement to acquire Brex on 22 January 2026 in a stock-and-cash transaction valued at US$5.15 billion and completed the purchase on 7 April 2026; founder Pedro Franceschi continues as Brex's chief executive. At the time of the announcement Brex said it served more than 25,000 companies. The Brex Mastercard Corporate Credit Card is issued by Emigrant Bank, Fifth Third Bank or Airwallex (Netherlands) B.V., and a separate Brex Commercial Card on Visa is issued by Sutton Bank. Limits are based on revenue, capital raised or cash balance rather than a founder's credit score, and Brex states it does not require a personal guarantee. Rewards run up to 7x points on rideshare, with 4x on Brex travel, 3x at restaurants, 2x on software and 1x elsewhere. Brex lists local-currency cards in 50+ countries on its product page, though its own FAQ gives differing counts.
Key features
- Points rewards up to 7x by category
- Local-currency cards in 50+ countries (company figure)
- No personal guarantee; EIN-based application
- Multiple expense policies and review chains (Premium)
- Bill pay and reimbursements
- Travel booking included free
Pricing
Essentials: US$0 per user per month with card, bill pay, reimbursements and free travel booking. Premium: US$12 per user per month, adding multi-entity support, ERP and HRIS integrations, VAT documentation and live budgets. Enterprise and the procurement-oriented Smart Card are quote-based. Brex states it charges no foreign transaction fees, though an FX markup of up to 3% may apply on conversion.
Ownership and history
Acquisition by Capital One announced 22 January 2026 (US$5.15 billion, stock and cash) and completed 7 April 2026.
Notable customers
Capital One's announcement named DoorDash, TikTok, Anthropic, Robinhood, CrowdStrike, Zoom, Plaid, Intel, SeatGeek and the Boston Celtics as Brex customers.
- Founded
- 2017
- Parent
- Capital One Financial Corporation (since April 2026)
- Card network
- Mastercard (corporate); Visa (commercial)
- Issuers
- Emigrant Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Airwallex (Netherlands) B.V.; Sutton Bank (commercial card)
- Software price
- Free Essentials; Premium US$12/user/month
Strengths
- Broad local-currency card coverage
- Points-based rewards with category multipliers
- Now backed by a large US bank holding company
- Free entry-level software tier
Limitations
- Integration into Capital One may change products and rewards
- Conversion markup of up to 3% outside local cards
- Brex's own pages give inconsistent country counts for local cards
- Issuing bank varies and is not stated per customer
3
Tiered corporate charge cards from Platinum to Purchasing
Best for: Large companies with heavy travel spend and established Amex relationships
American Express is a card network and issuer in its own right, so unlike fintech programmes its corporate cards are not issued through a partner bank. The US Corporate Program offers four card tiers aimed at different employee groups: the Corporate Platinum Card for senior executives and frequent travellers, the Corporate Gold Card for company leaders and client managers, the Corporate Green Card for core employees and occasional travellers, and the Corporate Purchasing Card for procurement staff. Annual fees run from US$550 for Platinum and US$250 for Gold to up to US$75 for Green, with no annual fee on the Purchasing Card. The Platinum tier includes access to more than 1,550 airport lounges through the Global Lounge Collection. Amex supplements the plastic with virtual cards, the One AP accounts-payable service and the @ Work programme-management portal. For expense reporting it partners with Emburse Spend rather than building its own expense tool, with sync to NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero and Sage Intacct. Several of these add-ons require enrolment and carry fees, including a recurring platform access fee on One AP.
Key features
- Four corporate card tiers by employee role
- 1,550+ airport lounges on Corporate Platinum
- Virtual cards for employee and supplier spend
- One AP supplier payments by virtual card, ACH or check
- @ Work programme management portal
- Emburse Spend expense integration
Pricing
Per-card annual fees: Corporate Platinum US$550, Corporate Gold US$250, Corporate Green up to US$75, Corporate Purchasing US$0. Programme pricing, rewards structure and liability terms are arranged with an American Express specialist; Emburse Spend and One AP require enrolment and fees apply.
Integrations
Through Emburse Spend: NetSuite, QuickBooks Desktop and Online, Xero and Sage Intacct; One AP integrates directly with QuickBooks Online and NetSuite.
- Card network
- American Express
- Issuer
- American Express
- Annual fee
- US$0–US$550 per card by tier
- Card tiers
- Platinum, Gold, Green, Purchasing
- Expense software
- Emburse Spend (partner)
Strengths
- Issuer and network are the same company
- Travel benefits on premium tiers
- Card tiers can be mixed within one programme
- Supplier-payment and virtual-card tools available
Limitations
- Per-card annual fees on most tiers
- Expense software is a separate, fee-bearing partner product
- Programme terms are not published
- Amex acceptance is narrower than Visa or Mastercard at some merchants
4
Free charge card inside BILL's spend and AP platform
Best for: Small and mid-sized US businesses already using BILL for payables
The BILL Divvy Card is the corporate card of BILL Spend & Expense, formerly Divvy. Bill.com Holdings completed its acquisition of Divvy on 1 June 2021 for approximately US$2.5 billion in stock and cash, and the spend product is now provided by Divvy Pay LLC alongside BILL's accounts-payable and receivable services. BILL lists Spend & Expense at US$0 per user per month. The card is offered on three credit structures: a fixed line set at application, a variable line that scales with cash flow and spending, and a pre-funded option; each is listed with a US$0 annual fee and is rewards-eligible. Credit lines range from US$1,000 to US$5 million, subject to approval. It is a charge card, so the balance is due in full each cycle and no interest applies, though late, foreign-currency and cross-border fees can. BILL's bank-partners page lists Cross River Bank and WEX Bank for Spend & Expense, while card disclosures say only that the card may be issued by one of Divvy Pay's bank partners.
Key features
- Fixed, variable and pre-funded credit lines
- Unlimited virtual cards at no extra cost
- Physical and virtual cards with spend controls
- Receipt capture in mobile app
- One credit application across multiple entities
- Rewards on card spend
Pricing
BILL Spend & Expense: US$0 per user per month; card and payment fees may apply. Card annual fee: US$0 on fixed, variable and pre-funded lines. Other fees, such as late payment and foreign-currency fees, are set in the cardholder agreement.
Ownership and history
Divvy was acquired by Bill.com on 1 June 2021 for approximately US$2.5 billion and renamed BILL Spend & Expense.
- Owner
- BILL Holdings (acquired Divvy June 2021)
- Card type
- Charge card
- Credit lines
- US$1,000–US$5M (subject to approval)
- Annual fee
- US$0
- Software price
- US$0 per user/month
- Bank partners
- Cross River Bank, WEX Bank (Spend & Expense)
Strengths
- No software or card annual fee
- Pre-funded option for businesses without credit history
- Shares a platform with BILL accounts payable
- Credit lines up to US$5M
Limitations
- Issuing bank not identified per cardholder
- Reward rates not stated on the product page
- Foreign-currency and cross-border fees apply
- US-focused product
5
A
Multi-currency Visa debit cards spending from held balances
Best for: Companies paying suppliers and staff in several currencies
Airwallex is a cross-border payments company whose corporate cards draw directly on balances held in its multi-currency business account. The company describes them as multi-currency business debit cards rather than credit or charge cards. Because cardholders spend from currency balances, and funds are auto-converted from the primary balance only when the needed currency is not held, Airwallex advertises 0% foreign card transaction fees and spending in 60+ markets on Visa. FX conversions on the platform are priced at 0.5% above interbank rates for major currencies and 1% for others. Cards earn 2% cashback on eligible transactions, under promotional terms. Controls include per-transaction and periodic limits, merchant-category blocks, single-use virtual cards and instant freezing. No credit check or personal guarantee is required, and an EIN is sufficient to apply. Airwallex does not name the issuer of its US corporate cards on the product page; it names Community Federal Savings Bank as issuer of its separate Borderless Card and Lead Bank and Evolve Bank & Trust as US payment-services partners.
Key features
- Spend from local-currency balances
- 0% foreign card transaction fees
- Unlimited virtual and physical employee cards
- Single-use virtual cards
- Merchant-category blocking
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
Pricing
Explore: no monthly fee, up to 10 free spend users. Grow: US$12 per user per month plus a platform fee by team size, up to 250 spend users. Accelerate: custom pricing. Fees are charged per legal entity; FX, transfer and payment fees apply on all plans.
- Card type
- Multi-currency debit
- Card network
- Visa
- Cashback
- 2% on eligible transactions
- FX fee
- 0.5% (major) / 1% (other) above interbank
- Software price
- Explore free; Grow US$12/user/month
Strengths
- No foreign transaction fee when spending held currencies
- Cashback on a debit product
- Free plan for small teams
- No personal guarantee
Limitations
- Debit only: no credit line
- Issuer of US corporate cards not named on product page
- Company cards are virtual only
- FX conversion still priced above interbank
6
N
Travel-and-expense platform with its own corporate card
Best for: Companies where business travel dominates employee spend
Navan combines business travel booking with expense management and a corporate card. It became a public company after pricing its initial public offering at US$25.00 per share on 29 October 2025, listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol NAVN. The Navan card is issued by several institutions depending on region: Celtic Bank in the US, Stripe Technology Europe and Stripe Payments UK, and Adyen N.V. through its EU, San Francisco and London branches. Navan also lets companies connect existing corporate or business credit cards instead of using its own, so a company can keep an incumbent card programme while moving booking and expense reporting to Navan. Its pricing is structured around company size: the Navan Business plan is free for companies with up to 300 employees, while Navan Enterprise is quote-based. The expense module is free for the first five monthly expensing users and US$15 per user per month after that.
Key features
- Travel booking and card in one platform
- Navan-issued cards in US, EU and UK
- Option to connect existing corporate cards
- Policy enforcement at booking and spend
- Free plan for companies up to 300 employees
Pricing
Navan Business: free for companies with up to 300 employees. Navan Expense: free for the first 5 monthly expensing users, then US$15 per user per month. Navan Enterprise: quote-based.
Ownership and history
Public since the October 2025 IPO on Nasdaq (ticker NAVN).
- Listing
- Nasdaq: NAVN (IPO priced 29 Oct 2025)
- US issuer
- Celtic Bank
- EU/UK issuers
- Stripe and Adyen entities
- Expense price
- Free for 5 users, then US$15/user/month
Strengths
- Single system for travel and card spend
- Supports existing Amex, Visa or Mastercard corporate cards
- Issuers disclosed for US, EU and UK
- Free tier for smaller companies
Limitations
- Per-user expense fee above five users
- Less focus on supplier-invoice workflows
- Card terms and rewards not published on pricing page
- Enterprise pricing quote-based
7
Visa card governed by HR data in Rippling's workforce platform
Best for: Companies already using Rippling for HR and payroll
Rippling is a workforce management platform, co-founded by chief executive Parker Conrad and based in San Francisco, that started in payroll and HR and added finance products including a corporate card. Its distinguishing feature is that card rules are driven by the employee record: cards can be issued to groups defined by level, department or location, and policies follow staff automatically when they change role. Spend limits, purchase categories and physical or virtual card type are configurable, and the company describes real-time blocking of non-compliant purchases. The card is issued by Fifth Third Bank or Celtic Bank, subject to approval, on a Visa licence, with the issuing bank varying by jurisdiction. Rippling states the card carries no annual fees or interest for US-dollar transactions with US merchants, and that no personal credit check or personal guarantee is required. Repayment terms are offered daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly depending on the business's risk profile. Card pricing is not published.
Key features
- Card groups by department, level or location
- Policy enforcement before purchase
- Receipts by text message
- General ledger sync
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Repayment daily to monthly
Pricing
Quote-based. The card carries no annual fee or interest for US-dollar transactions with US merchants; foreign-currency and overseas purchases incur fees set in the Corporate Card Program Terms.
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA, US
- Card network
- Visa
- Issuers
- Fifth Third Bank, Celtic Bank
- Annual fee
- None for USD/US-merchant use
- Pricing
- Quote-based
Strengths
- Card controls tied to live HR data
- No personal guarantee
- Flexible repayment cadence
- Same system as payroll and HR
Limitations
- Software pricing not published
- Foreign transaction fees apply
- Limited value without other Rippling modules
- Issuing bank depends on jurisdiction
8
1.5% cashback Mastercard tied to Mercury bank balances
Best for: Startups that bank with Mercury and want flat cashback
Mercury is a US financial technology company offering business banking through partner banks, with Choice Financial Group and Column N.A. listed as banking partners. Its IO card is a corporate credit card issued by Patriot Bank, N.A. under a Mastercard licence. IO pays unlimited 1.5% cashback on all spend, credited once the balance is paid. The credit limit is calculated from the total balances a company holds with Mercury, optionally raised by linking external accounts, and can fall after large withdrawals. There is no separate application or credit check once a Mercury account is open; new customers with lower balances begin on daily repayment, while balances of US$15,000 or more unlock 30-day terms. Mercury charges no annual fee and no interest, as balances are repaid automatically. Non-USD card transactions carry a 3% currency exchange fee. Controls include spend limits, expiry dates, merchant locks and receipt requirements, and Mercury reports card activity to Experian, Equifax and Dun & Bradstreet.
Key features
- Unlimited 1.5% cashback
- Limit based on Mercury balances
- Bulk virtual and physical card issuance
- Merchant locks and expiry dates
- Automatic receipt matching
- Business credit reporting to three bureaus
Pricing
The IO card has no annual fee and no interest. Mercury plans (annual pricing): Mercury US$0, Mercury Plus US$29.90 per month, Mercury Pro US$299 per month; NetSuite sync of card transactions requires a paid plan. Non-USD card transactions carry a 3% currency exchange fee.
- Issuer
- Patriot Bank, N.A.
- Card network
- Mastercard
- Cashback
- 1.5% unlimited
- Annual fee
- None
- FX fee
- 3% on non-USD transactions
- Platform price
- Free; Plus US$29.90/month; Pro US$299/month (annual)
Strengths
- Flat cashback with no category tracking
- No separate credit application
- No annual fee
- Credit-bureau reporting builds business credit
Limitations
- Requires a Mercury bank account
- Limit shrinks if balances fall
- 3% FX fee on non-USD spend
- Mercury's pages are inconsistent on the price of NetSuite sync
9
Copenhagen-based expense card for European small businesses
Best for: Small and mid-sized European teams replacing shared cards and receipts
Pleo was founded in Copenhagen in 2015 by Jeppe Rindom and Niccolo Perra and remains headquartered there. The company says more than 40,000 businesses across 16 European countries use its cards and that it employs over 800 people. Pleo issues physical and virtual Mastercard cards; in the UK its card entity, Pleo Financial Services UK Ltd, is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011. The product is positioned at smaller teams: the entry plan is limited to one administrator, and credit limits are capped by plan, at up to £5,000 on Start, £20,000 on Build and £100,000 on Optimise for eligible customers. Higher tiers add reimbursements, mileage, approval workflows, budgets, HRIS integrations, AI-assisted expense review and cashback, which is reserved for the top Optimise plan. Pleo publishes no free plan, and the two upper tiers require annual billing and a minimum of three users.
Key features
- Physical and virtual cards
- Real-time expense tracking and receipt capture
- Vendor cards for subscriptions
- AI-powered spend guidelines (Build and up)
- Accounts payable on all plans
- Budgets and HRIS integrations (Optimise)
Pricing
Start: £8 per user per month, monthly billing, one admin, credit limit up to £5,000. Build: £14 per user per month, billed yearly, three-user minimum, credit limit up to £20,000. Optimise: £18 per user per month, billed yearly, three-user minimum, cashback, credit limit up to £100,000. No free plan is listed.
Ownership and history
Co-founded in Copenhagen in 2015 by Jeppe Rindom and Niccolo Perra.
Security and compliance
Pleo Financial Services UK Ltd is FCA-authorised as an e-money firm (reference 1020730).
- Founded
- 2015
- Headquarters
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Card network
- Mastercard
- Customers
- 40,000+ (company figure)
- Price
- From £8 per user/month
Strengths
- Published per-user prices in local currency
- Simple onboarding for small teams
- Accounts payable included from entry plan
- Regulated e-money issuer in the UK
Limitations
- No free plan
- Low credit-limit caps on lower tiers
- Cashback only on top plan
- Annual billing required above Start
10
Debit and credit Visa cards for multi-entity companies
Best for: European mid-market groups with several entities and currencies
Payhawk is a spend management company registered in England (company number 11747263) with offices in London, New York and nine other European cities. It issues Visa debit and credit cards in physical, virtual and metal form, and lets customers switch between debit and credit funding even after cards are issued. The credit option allows interest-free purchases for up to 38 days. Cards are issued by Payhawk Financial Services UAB in the EEA, Payhawk Financial Services Limited in the UK, and Cross River Bank in the US. Debit cards are available in USD, GBP, EUR, RON, DKK, PLN and CHF, and Payhawk says it charges no FX on cards in 26 countries and 1.99% elsewhere. Its modules span travel, cards and expenses, bill pay and procure-to-pay, with multi-entity support as an add-on. The only published price is a fixed £149-per-month Growth programme for a single entity with ten cards and ten seats, and everything else is quoted per customer, typically on annual or multi-year contracts.
Key features
- Switch cards between debit and credit funding
- Local-currency debit cards in seven currencies
- Single-use virtual and metal cards
- Procure-to-pay and purchase orders
- Auto-blocking for unsubmitted expenses
- Multi-entity add-on
Pricing
Growth programme: £149 per month, one entity, 10 cards and 10 seats, up to 15 invoices and 15 reimbursements a month; 7-day free trial for eligible customers. All other modules and add-ons are quote-based, with per-unit charges for cards, reimbursements, purchase orders and invoices.
Security and compliance
Cards issued under Visa licence by Payhawk Financial Services UAB (EEA), Payhawk Financial Services Limited (UK) and Cross River Bank (US).
- Registered office
- London, UK
- Card network
- Visa
- Card types
- Debit, credit (up to 38 days interest-free), metal
- US issuer
- Cross River Bank
- Starter price
- £149/month (Growth programme)
Strengths
- Debit and credit on the same platform
- Own regulated issuing entities in EEA and UK
- Local-currency cards in several currencies
- Procurement and AP alongside cards
Limitations
- Most pricing quote-based
- Multi-year contracts common
- No cashback stated
- Usage-based charges grow with card and invoice volume
11
French spend platform with Visa debit cards and cashback
Best for: European companies wanting debit cards with procurement controls
Spendesk is a European spend management platform whose payment services are provided by its own French payment institution, Spendesk Financial Services, licensed by the ACPR under number 17518. Visa debit cards are issued in the EEA by Spendesk Financial Services, in the UK by Adyen and in the US by Sutton Bank. The card range covers physical cards, single-use virtual cards, recurring virtual cards for subscriptions and multi-use cards. Spendesk states that card orders are free and that there are no monthly card fees, and that cashback starts at 1% for eligible clients. The company's pricing combines a fixed monthly subscription for the platform with variable pricing based on the number of transactions. The base package, called Foundations, is supplemented by optional add-ons for procurement, accounts payable, advanced workflows, multi-entity management, HR and ERP integrations, and AI-based automation and fraud detection. No prices are published, so comparison requires a quote.
Key features
- Single-use and recurring virtual cards
- Free card orders, no monthly card fees
- Cashback from 1% for eligible clients
- Procurement and AP add-ons
- Multi-entity management add-on
- HR and ERP integrations
Pricing
Quote-based. Fixed monthly subscription plus variable pricing by transaction volume; add-ons priced on request. Card orders free, no monthly card fees.
Security and compliance
Spendesk Financial Services is a French payment institution licensed by the ACPR (no. 17518).
- Card network
- Visa
- Card type
- Debit
- Licence
- ACPR payment institution no. 17518
- US issuer
- Sutton Bank
- Pricing
- Quote-based
Strengths
- Own licensed payment institution in the EEA
- Cashback on debit spend
- Free physical and virtual cards
- Modular add-ons
Limitations
- No published prices
- No credit line
- Transaction-based fees scale with usage
- US issuing relies on a partner bank
12
Corporate cards from the expense-software vendor Amex partners with
Best for: Organisations already standardised on Emburse expense software
Emburse is an expense and spend management software company; American Express uses its Emburse Spend product as the expense platform for the Amex Corporate Program. Alongside its software, Emburse issues its own virtual and physical corporate cards, issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank. The card product emphasises controls rather than rewards: spending rules, role-based permissions and approval flows, automatic expense categorisation, fraud protection, mobile receipt capture and reminders, and real-time reporting. Employees can request funds and have them approved instantly, and cards work with Apple Pay. Because the same company supplies the expense layer for American Express corporate programmes, organisations can keep one expense system while running Emburse-issued cards for some staff and Amex cards for others. Emburse does not publish pricing or rewards terms for its cards on the product page, and it does not state which countries the card is available in.
Key features
- Virtual and physical cards with spending rules
- Role-based permissions and approvals
- Automatic expense categorisation
- Instant funding requests
- Mobile receipt capture
- Apple Pay
Pricing
Quote-based; no card or software prices are published on the product page.
Integrations
Emburse Spend is the expense platform offered within the American Express Corporate Program.
- Issuer
- Celtic Bank
- Card formats
- Virtual and physical
- Pricing
- Quote-based
- Rewards
- Not published
Strengths
- Pairs with Emburse expense software
- Funding requests approved in-app
- Card and expense data in one system
- Used as Amex's expense partner
Limitations
- No published pricing
- No rewards stated
- Geographic availability not stated
- Fewer adjacent products (banking, travel) than larger rivals
13
Prepaid Mastercard company cards for UK and EEA teams
Best for: UK and European organisations giving budgeted cards to many staff
Soldo was founded in London in 2015 by Carlo Gualandri, who remains chief executive, and says it serves more than 25,000 organisations across 31 countries with over 350 employees. Its cards are prepaid Mastercard debit cards that companies top up from their existing bank account; Soldo states it is not a business bank account but a layer of spend controls alongside one. In the UK the cards are issued by Soldo Financial Services Ltd, authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an electronic money institution, and in the EEA by Soldo Financial Services Ireland DAC. Pricing is a flat monthly fee rather than per user: £27 a month for Standard and £39 a month for Plus, both plus VAT and with a 30-day free trial, and an Unlimited tier priced on request. Financial-services fees such as card issuance and cash withdrawals are charged on top of the plan price.
Key features
- Prepaid cards loaded from company funds
- Budgets per employee or team
- Flat monthly plan pricing
- 30-day free trial
- UK and EEA issuing entities
Pricing
Standard: £27 per month plus VAT. Plus: £39 per month plus VAT. Unlimited: on request. Both priced plans include a 30-day free trial; card issuance and cash-withdrawal fees apply separately.
Ownership and history
Founded in London in 2015 by Carlo Gualandri.
- Founded
- 2015, London
- Card type
- Prepaid Mastercard debit
- UK issuer
- Soldo Financial Services Ltd (FCA e-money institution)
- Price
- £27–£39/month + VAT; Unlimited on request
- Customers
- 25,000+ organisations (company figure)
Strengths
- Flat monthly fee rather than per-user
- No credit exposure
- Own regulated e-money issuers
- Cash withdrawal available
Limitations
- Prepaid cards must be topped up in advance
- No credit line or rewards stated
- Extra fees for issuance and withdrawals
- Not offered in the US on the pages reviewed
14
Bank-issued business charge card with 2% cash back
Best for: Owner-managed businesses that want flat cash back from a bank
Capital One's Spark range consists of small-business cards issued directly by the bank, which since April 2026 also owns Brex. The Spark 2% Cash Plus is the line's charge card, aimed at high-spending businesses that pay in full each month. It earns 2% cash back on every purchase and 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel. The card has a US$150 annual fee, refunded every year in which the business spends at least US$150,000. There is no preset spending limit; capacity adapts to spending behaviour, payment history and credit profile. The wider Spark family includes the Spark 2% Cash credit card (US$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, US$95 after), the Spark 1.5% Cash Select and the Spark 1% Classic, both with no annual fee. Spark cards are business cards rather than corporate cards in the strict sense, and Capital One's product pages do not describe the corporate-liability, policy and approval tooling that the software-led entries above build in.
Key features
- 2% cash back on every purchase
- 5% on hotels and car rentals via Capital One Business Travel
- No preset spending limit
- Annual fee refund at US$150,000 spend
- Access to AP and expense management tools
Pricing
Spark Cash Plus: US$150 annual fee, refunded each year with at least US$150,000 of spend. Spark 2% Cash: US$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, US$95 thereafter; Spark 1.5% Cash Select and Spark 1% Classic: US$0.
- Issuer
- Capital One
- Card type
- Business charge card
- Cash back
- 2% on all purchases; 5% on travel booked via Capital One
- Annual fee
- US$150 (refunded at US$150,000 annual spend)
- Spending limit
- No preset limit
Strengths
- Flat 2% cash back with no categories
- Issued directly by a large bank
- Fee refunded at high spend
- No preset spending limit
Limitations
- Annual fee unless spend reaches US$150,000
- Business card, not built around corporate expense policy
- Limited multi-entity and expense tooling on product pages
- US only
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a corporate card and a business credit card?
The main difference is liability. Business credit cards are usually underwritten on the owner's personal credit and often require a personal guarantee, so the individual can be liable for the balance. Corporate cards are approved on the company's own financials, such as revenue, cash or funding, and the business carries the liability. Ramp, Brex, Airwallex and Rippling state that their corporate cards require no personal guarantee.
Which corporate cards are free?
Several US providers list no software fee and no card annual fee on their entry tiers, including Ramp, Brex Essentials, BILL Spend & Expense with the BILL Divvy Card, Mercury IO and Airwallex Explore. These providers earn interchange from merchants. Paid tiers add ERP integrations and multi-entity support, and foreign-exchange or cross-border fees can still apply on free plans.
Who actually issues fintech corporate cards?
Most fintech card brands are not banks. Their cards are issued by partner banks or licensed entities: for example Celtic Bank for Ramp's corporate card, Emigrant Bank or Fifth Third Bank for Brex, Patriot Bank for Mercury IO, Cross River Bank for Payhawk in the US and Sutton Bank for Spendesk in the US. In Europe, Pleo, Payhawk, Spendesk and Soldo use their own regulated entities.
Which corporate card is best for international spending?
It depends on how the company holds money abroad. Airwallex cards spend directly from held currency balances with no foreign card transaction fee. Brex offers local-currency cards in many countries but may add up to 3% on conversion otherwise. Payhawk issues local-currency debit cards in seven currencies. Mercury charges 3% on non-USD transactions, making it less suited to heavy overseas spend.
Can a startup without revenue get a corporate card?
Some providers underwrite on cash held or money raised rather than revenue. Brex bases limits on revenue, capital raised or cash balance, and Mercury IO sets its limit from balances held at Mercury. BILL offers a pre-funded Divvy option, and prepaid or debit cards from Soldo or Airwallex need no credit approval because they spend the company's own money.
How much do American Express corporate cards cost?
In the US, American Express lists annual fees of US$550 for the Corporate Platinum Card, US$250 for the Corporate Gold Card, up to US$75 for the Corporate Green Card and US$0 for the Corporate Purchasing Card. Expense management through its partner Emburse Spend and the One AP payments service require separate enrolment and fees.
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