As your contracting business grows, so do your expenses. You need more equipment, personnel, materials, marketing, and more. The list goes on and on. But you can turn those expenses in your favor. How? By using one of the best credit cards for contractors to pay for those expenditures.
You might think you already have a personal credit card, so why would you need another one? The truth is that business credit cards, specifically ones for contractors, can help your company in several ways. We’ll review the benefits of a contractor business credit card, the 11 best credit cards for contractors, and how to choose the right one for your business.
Let’s dig in!
Why Get a Contractor Credit Card for Your Business?
Before we get into the best credit cards for contractors, let’s start with why you’d want to have one.
Rewards
What’s better than flexible spending with a credit card? Flexible spending that comes with rewards!
There are three main types of credit card rewards: cash back, points, and miles. All three are great, but one might be better for you. Here’s a brief overview of each credit card reward type.
This number also lets you see how much money you have to spend and reinvest in your company. Gross profit also makes it easy to see your variable costs like materials and labor.
Cash Back
Cash back is a simple and popular credit card reward. You get a certain amount of money back for every applicable purchase you make. Some credit cards have flat cash-back rates, while others have higher rates for different purchase types.
Points
Like cash back, points accrue for each purchase you make, but you’re rewarded with points instead of getting a percent of your money back. The point system varies by credit card, but the exchange rate is generally one point per dollar. You can then redeem those points for other rewards.
The most common point rewards are:
- Hotel Rooms
- Flights
- Car Rentals
- Vacation Packages
- Gift Cards
- Charitable Donations
- Partner Merchandise
- Experience Tickets (concerts, sporting events, etc.)
- Statement Credit (put your points toward your outstanding balance)
Miles
Credit card miles are for you if you travel a lot, whether for work or fun. Credit cards backed by an airline will typically offer this type of reward. For every dollar you spend, you earn miles that you can use for flights, seats, and hotels. If you’re interested in earning miles, check out this list of the top credit cards offering miles.
Sign-up Bonuses
Many credit card companies offer a reward for signing up as a new cardholder.
Generally, you must spend a specific amount of money within a determined time. Maximizing your sign-up bonus can quickly compound your savings. Your contracting business can use that extra kickback to fund your next project, office space, or employee event.
Separate Expenses
Anyone who mixes personal- and work-life finances knows it can get messy very quickly.
Keeping your business and personal expenses separate helps you keep your personal credit score unaffected by your work. It also gives you a chance to create a business credit history. That credit history is vital since banks look at that score if you ever apply for company financing.
Improve Cash Flow
Sometimes, you’re strapped for cash. The final payment hasn’t come in from your last job, and you haven’t started the next job yet, but you’ve got bills to pay. You can dip into your personal savings, but there goes your vacation to Cabo.
Getting a business credit card for your contractor company gives you a little more flexibility. You have money you can use when you need it. Putting purchases on a credit card also gives you more time to pay off expenses.
Rather than paying for something in full, you can lay away the payment until you have the funds you need. On that note, be careful. Some contractors fall into the trap of using their credit card to pay for everything, even when they can’t pay it off. That approach to contractor credit cards will lead to worse cash flow.
Business-only Perks
Business credit cards have some benefits you can’t get with a personal credit card. With a business credit card, your construction company can enjoy:
- Extended warranties: When you use your credit card to buy something with an extended warranty, your credit card might pay for the warranty coverage for you.
- Multiple cards: Get a card for each buyer on your team instead of passing around one card for everyone to use.
- Higher credit limits: You can apply for a higher credit card limit to help cover your big expenses—and get more rewards!
The 11 Best Business Credit Cards for Construction Companies
Contractors can greatly benefit from having a business credit card. But the typical business credit card isn’t explicitly built for roofing, solar, fencing, and other home exterior companies.
We’ve rounded up the best credit cards for contractors, so you can find a card that will work for your business.
How to Decide Which Construction Credit Card Is Best for You
Now that you know the best credit cards for contractors, you’ve got to pick one for your company. Here are six questions that can help you narrow your options to the best fit for your business.
- Do you prefer cash back, miles, or points?
- How much will you spend in the first 3–6 months of getting the card?
- How strong is your personal credit?
Unless you already have a business credit history, the credit card company will look at your personal credit to determine your eligibility. - How much does your contractor business spend per year?
- How quickly would you redeem your rewards?
Some credit cards have rewards that expire. - Would you rather have smaller payments over a longer period or bigger payments over a shorter period?
Discover the Power of the Best Credit Cards for Contractors
A business credit card opens new possibilities for your contracting company. You can get funds in a pinch, earn rewards, and improve cash flow to keep your business running like a well-oiled machine.
If you want to keep track of your business’s finances, try out JobNimbus. We also have a payments feature that lets you accept eChecks, credit cards, debit cards, and more from your customers to make your cash flow even better. Sign up for your free 14-day JobNimbus trial today!
