Key takeaways
- The Capital One Spark Cash Plus could make sense for you if you have higher business expenses, don’t mind paying a higher annual fee, can afford to pay your bill in full each month and want to earn cash back rewards.
- The Capital One Spark Miles for Business could be a better fit if you travel occasionally for business, you’d rather earn travel rewards and you want the option to carry a balance.
- Either card could be a good fit for small-business owners, but the Capital One Spark Cash Plus might be a better fit for larger businesses.
If you’re looking for a business card that offers decent rewards, you should consider the Capital One Spark Cash Plus and the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business. While either option could be a welcome addition to your company’s financial arsenal, one card may align better with the current situation and goals of your business. For example, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a charge card that could earn a significant amount of cash back, while the Capital One® Spark 2X Miles for Business is a more traditional travel rewards card that can help you rack up miles for travel.
To learn which business credit card may work best for you, keep reading for our detailed comparison.
Main details
| Cards | Capital One Spark Cash Plus | Capital One Spark Miles for Business |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months | 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,500 within 3 months of account opening |
| Rewards rate | 2% cash back on all purchases; 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | 2X miles on all purchases; 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| Intro APR | N/A | N/A |
| Annual fee | $150 (refunded if you spend at least $150,000 with the card annually) | $95 ($0 for the first year) |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business highlights
Welcome bonus winner
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The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card offers one of the most generous welcome bonuses on the market. You can earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. This bonus doesn’t come in the form of points or anything you’d have to redeem — just money back in your pocket.
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business card’s bonus is smaller at 50,000 miles. Based on Bankrate’s latest points and miles valuation, 50,000 miles is worth up to $850 if you book travel through a Capital One transfer partner.
However, it’s important to note that the welcome bonus for the Capital One Spark 2X Miles is easier to earn than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus welcome bonus. For the Spark 2X Miles, you’ll only need to spend $4,500 within three months of account opening to earn the bonus, which comes down to $1,500 a month. With the Spark Cash Plus, you’ll have to spend $10,000 a month for the first three months. If the spending threshold isn’t a problem, then the Capital One Spark Cash Plus will net you a bigger reward— but if that threshold is too high, then the Spark Miles might be a better fit.
Rewards rate winner
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Both the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card and the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business card offer the same rewards rate. You’ll earn 2 percent cash back or 2X miles, respectively, for every dollar you spend. You can also earn 5 percent cash back or 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, there’s no cap on how much you can earn with either option, and your rewards will never expire.
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The Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business card is the clear winner in this category because you don’t have to pay an annual fee during your first year as an account holder. You’ll pay $95 to maintain your account after the first year, which is still lower than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card’s $150 annual fee.
With the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card, you’ll break even each year if you make at least $7,500 worth of purchases (which earns $150 in cash back). You can also get your annual fee refunded if you spend at least $150,000 on the card in that year. With the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business card, you’ll have to spend about $4,800 per year (worth $96 in miles earned) to cover the annual fee.
Foreign transaction fee winner
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If you plan to use your card internationally, you’re in luck. Neither card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
Which card earns the most?
To determine which card will earn the most rewards, let’s take a look at a spending example.
Spending example
Let’s say you use your Capital One Spark Cash Plus card to pay for a $3,000 business trip, and you don’t book any portion of your trip through the Capital One Travel portal. At 2 percent cash back on all purchases, you’ll earn $60 in cash back. Alternatively, the aptly named Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, which earns 2X miles for every dollar spent, would earn 6,000 miles. Without transferring them to a Capital One Travel partner, each mile would be worth 1 cent each, so your 6,000 miles would be worth $60 — same as your cash back amount from the Spark Cash Plus.
If you did transfer your miles to a Capital One partner, however, your miles could be worth up to 1.7 cents apiece, which would mean your 6,000 miles could have a value of $102.
So, if you plan to book travel through one of Capital One’s partners, the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business card can earn more than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card. Otherwise, purchases on either card will earn you relatively the same amount of rewards.
Why should you get the Capital One Spark Cash Plus?
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The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a charge card that offers free cards for your employees, as well as $0 fraud liability service and access to account management tools. The card also offers standard Capital One business benefits like:
- Roadside assistance
- Access to Capital One Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase protection for up to 90 days (on eligible purchases)
- Extended warranty coverage
- Virtual credit card numbers for secure shopping online
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While you can’t get your Capital One Spark Cash Plus rewards directly deposited into your bank account, you can redeem cash back for checks, statement credits, credits for prior purchases, gift cards or Amazon and PayPal purchases. You can also redeem your rewards automatically on a certain date every year or when you reach an earnings threshold.
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Capital One recommends that applicants have excellent credit in order to qualify for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card.
Why should you get the Capital One Spark Miles for Business?
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With the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, you’ll get standard benefits like free employee cards, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage on eligible purchases, card lock control, $0 fraud liability and account management tools, among others. Plus, you’ll also get more notable benefits like:
- Up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Access to Capital One lounges (two free visits per year)
- Virtual credit card numbers
- Credit monitoring from CreditWise
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The best way to redeem your Capital One miles is for travel, which can be applied to new bookings or costs incurred within the previous 90 days. You can also redeem your miles for checks, statement credits, gift cards and more, but your points might not be worth as much with other redemption methods.
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For the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, you’ll need excellent credit, according to the issuer’s website.
The bottom line
The Capital One Spark Cash Plus could make sense for you if you have higher business expenses, can afford to pay your bill in full each month — a requirement for charge cards — and want to earn cash back. But, if you want the option to carry a balance or if you want to redeem rewards for travel, the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business would be a better fit.
However, it’s worth noting that other top business credit cards offer higher cash back rates — for example, 3 percent to 5 percent back — if you spend in specific business-related categories. So, it’s important to explore all of your options, including other Capital One cards, before choosing a card.
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