Best Credit Card for Churches [2024 Review]

Being part of the clergy means maintaining finances as well as preaching. Keeping track of transactions like utilities, stationary, campaigns, allowances, etc., can become difficult on top of daily church duties.

To ease your burden a bit, we have researched the best credit card for churches. You can choose it or other options from our list to suit your needs.

Our Top Reviews for the Best Credit Card for Churches

The best credit card for churches should have a simple reward structure and low card fees. The cards in this compilation have these features.

• Best Altogether: Spark Cash Select by Capital One
• Best for Immediate Approval: Blue Business Plus by Amex
• Best for Management: Ramp Corporate Visa Card

Best Altogether: Spark Cash Select by Capital One

We found the Spark Cash Select by Capital One the best on this list because of its low fee and intelligent benefits. Being a clergyperson means spending on stationary, digital gadgets, and travel. This card fits the bill with its straightforward reward categories.

While most cards don’t offer more than 1% cash back in this category, the 1.5% offered by this card is generous. Also, you get a handsome 5% cash return on travel categories. 

Clergy people must travel frequently to conduct rituals, even to other states. You can earn rewards for booking hotels and flights through the Capital One Travel portal. More earnings means more assets for the church.

Welcome Offer

You get a cash bonus of $750 after you spend $6,000 in the first three months of becoming a cardmember. Note that it is a fixed, one-time bonus. 

Other Benefits

You don’t pay an annual or foreign transaction fee, which is true for many travel cards. Although you don’t get an intro APR period, you get other benefits to protect your assets:

• You are exempt from paying a fraud liability.
• You can record your expenses by downloading them to software like QuickBooks, etc.
• You can enable AutoPay. It is particularly beneficial because the responsibilities of the clergy might let you forget to pay on time.

Pros

• You get a simple reward structure instead of the complicated rotating categories most travel cards offer. You won’t get distracted trying to remember when to initiate a category.
• You incur a low limit APR starting from 18.24%. You can save church-dedicated money even if you carry a balance and incur interest.
• Your card is protected from fraud or theft by strict policies. You get virtual card numbers when you shop online. Your actual card number remains private this way.

Cons

• Interest can pile up if you don’t pay off your monthly dues completely.
• You may not be able to receive the welcome bonus if your church has a low monthly budget.

Best Immediate-Approval Card for Churches: Blue Business Plus by American Express

You need a card for your church that gets instant approval. You can get approved for the Amex Blue Business Plus in as little as 30 seconds. Most cards take a few days to complete.

This card has a generous, no-frills reward offer among flat-rate points cards. You earn 2x points per dollar on every purchase you charge through this card. You get a price cap of $50,000 on it, though.

Welcome Offer

You get a welcome bonus and an intro APR period with this card. It is interesting to note that Blue Business Plus is the only card in this list that offers both perks. Details about the offers:

• You earn 15,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of becoming a cardmember. It includes you and your authorized users. It is the best practice for churches to allow card access to multiple members for better time management and convenience.
• You incur a 0% APR for the first 12 months. It allows you a breathing space to align the church expense plan according to the card’s structure.

Pros

• You get an approval within 30 seconds after submitting the form. Few cards get approved this fast.
• You are exempt from paying an annual fee. Also, you don’t incur an APR for the first 12 months, making this card cheaper.

Cons

• You can consider cards that allow fair credit if you don’t have an excellent score because this card requires it.
• You may get into a massive debt if you choose to carry a statement-to-statement balance.

Best Management Card for Churches: Ramp Corporate Visa Card

We like the Ramp Corporate Visa card because it does not need a personal guarantee. A non-profit organization like a church can get it quickly. Other features that make it the best management card among several others are its: 

• No-fee structure. It is unique as almost every credit card incurs some type of fee.
• Managerial benefits

You should know that it is a charge card. Charge cards are similar to credit cards in every way except one: You can not revolve the balance with them. You must pay off your due balance in full each month, as this card does not incur an APR.

It is included here because of several benefits an ideal card for a church should offer. You get:

• Managerial tools are necessary to maintain church transactions, like bookkeeping, integration of record-keeping tools, etc.
• The ability to add multiple church members to get things done on time. Ramp can issue them virtual cards, or you can request physical cards for them. 
• Transaction matching facility. Your church members can record spending by uploading receipts on the Ramp app. It also reduces human error to almost zero. 

Additionally, you earn a 1.5% cash back on every purchase. It is an above-average flat rate reward percentage most cash back cards offer. You are also exempt from paying:

• An annual fee
• An APR
• A late fee
• A foreign transaction charge

Pros

• Your church benefits immensely from the card fee exemption like the annual fee or an APR. It is rare as most cards do not waive APR. 
• With this card, you earn a high cash back of 1.5% compared to other reward cards that offer only a 1% flat rate return.
• You can account for every penny spent on maintenance and welfare programs with built-in expense management controls.

Cons

• You are not allowed to carry a monthly balance with this card. It can become difficult if the church expenses ever outweigh the budget.
• You can consider other cards if you or your clergy travel a lot for preachings and services. Travel-specific cards can bring in more cash back for welfare.

Features to Consider for Credit Cards for Churches

You should choose a card for church expenses wisely, as your finances might be limited compared to your costs.

Specs Table

Credit Cards	Rewards	Intro Offers	Benefits for Churches
Spark Select Cash by Capital One	5% cash back on booking travel through Capital One Travel	$750 on spending $6,000 within the first three months	Rewards for traveling and spending on church maintenance
Blue Business Plus by Amex	2x points on every purchase until $50,000 price cap	15,000 points on spending $3,000 in three months; 0% APR for first 12 months	Reward for buying business supplies like stationary and utilities
Ramp Corporate Visa Card	1.5% cash back on every purchase	No offer	Integrates managerial tools to record church expenses, reducing human error to almost zero

Card Fees

Try to get a card with as low a cumulative fee as possible because you should avoid losing money. A card like the Ramp Corporate Visa that incurs no fees should be your first choice.

Church-Specific Benefits

Although no cards offer church-specific categories, you can still find a reliable option. You can get a card like Capital One Spark Cash Select that provides travel and general expense categories.

Reward Structure

Being occupied with the numerous responsibilities of the church, tracking complicated reward structures can be stressful. A card with a simple framework like the Amex Blue Business Cash Plus can bring you more benefits.

Related Questions

Conclusion

Capital One Spark Select Cash is the best card for churches because of its benefits. It incurs a low fee, offers simple rewards, and helps you keep track of your church’s expenditures. Alternatively, you can go for other cards in the list if your requirements match their perks.