Canstar’s 2026 Business Credit Cards Awards
About the Business Credit Cards Awards
Canstar's 2026 Business Credit Cards Awards recognise the products delivering Outstanding Value to Australian businesses. We assess each card on both the cost to hold and use it, as well as the value it returns to users. The former includes annual and cardholder fees, interest on any revolving balance, and merchant costs, while the latter includes rewards, frequent flyer points, and features. Awards are presented across three categories–Low Cost, Rewards, and Frequent Flyer–reflecting the different value businesses can realise from a credit card.
Learn more about our Award process in our methodology.
2026 Winners
Business Credit Cards: Low Cost
Business Credit Cards: Rewards
Business Credit Cards: Frequent Flyer
Numbers crunched
The market this year
The Business Credit Cards market saw relatively little change year on year across the products assessed, although we observed slightly lower frequent flyer reward values than in previous years. The Rewards assessment was updated to focus on representative annual business spending levels of $120,000 and $240,000, where the value of rewards typically outweighs the costs of holding the card and delivers meaningful value to businesses.
Reforms to Australia's card payments system represent a significant industry development in a market that typically changes little from year to year. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)'s payments reform package takes effect on 1 October 2026 and two elements in particular are of key importance to business credit cards. The first is interchange: the cap on consumer credit cards falls to 0.30%, while the commercial (business) cap is held at 0.80%. Because card rewards are funded largely out of interchange, that gap might mean providers pull back on rewards for personal credit cards, and begin offering more generous ones for business credit cards instead. The second is a surcharging change that applies to Visa, Mastercard, and eftpos transactions but not to American Express. This will likely mean some businesses will need to adjust their prices up, as they will no longer be able to pass card processing fees on directly to customers.
"With the RBA's payments reforms taking effect in October, the economics of card rewards may tilt towards business cards, just as points values across much of the market are being trimmed," says Fin Valentine, Research Analyst at Canstar. "In a year like this, the cards that stood out weren't the ones chasing the highest headline earn rate - they were the ones that held their value across the spend levels businesses actually run through a card."
About the Winners
Business Credit Cards: Low Cost
St.George Bank, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA
St.George Bank, Bank of Melbourne, and BankSA (all part of the Westpac Banking Corporation) have retained their Outstanding Value Low Cost Award, recognised for the BusinessVantage Visa, which is offered on identical terms across all three brands. The card's 9.99% purchase rate is the lowest among the products assessed in the Low Cost Award and this, coupled with low ongoing costs and high-quality features, resulted in it recording the strongest result overall. Now in its second consecutive year at the top of the category, the BusinessVantage Visa stands out as a consistent low cost option for businesses that may carry a balance at times and want to keep the cost of borrowing contained.
Commonwealth Bank
Commonwealth Bank has retained its Outstanding Value Low Cost Award, recognised for its Business Low Rate Credit Card. The card doesn't charge annual or additional cardholder fees, making it appealing for businesses seeking a low ongoing cost option. It also comes with a competitive 14.55% purchase rate. With nearly identical scores this year to last, CommBank's Business Low Rate Credit Card continues to show its strength as a low cost option for businesses.
Westpac
Westpac has retained its Outstanding Value Low Cost Award for the BusinessChoice Everyday Mastercard, again one of the leading low cost products. A 14.25% purchase rate and a $75 annual card fee–waived the following year if a holder spends $15,000 or more–help keep ongoing costs contained for active business spenders. With a relatively consistent score year on year, Westpac's BusinessChoice Everyday Mastercard remains a stable and competitively-priced option, maintaining a firm position at the lower-cost end of the business card market.
Business Credit Cards: Rewards
ANZ
ANZ is the winner of the Outstanding Value Rewards Award in 2026, recognised for the ANZ Business Black card. The card earns 1.5 ANZ Business Reward Points per $1 on the first $10,000 of monthly spend and 1 point per $1, uncapped, thereafter. This structure makes it a rewarding proposition for higher-spending businesses. The card has a $300 annual fee, plus an additional $75 rewards fee per card. These costs, however, are readily offset at the representative annual spend levels we assessed, particularly $120,000 and $240,000. Combined with its strong ongoing earn rate, the card delivered consistent value across the spending levels we assessed, underpinning its award-winning result.
NAB
NAB has earned an Outstanding Value Rewards Business Credit Cards Award in 2026 for its NAB Rewards Business Signature Card. The card earns 1.25 NAB Rewards Points per $1 on everyday purchases, with no points cap. This means that the rewards earned continue to build at higher spend levels, rather than tapering off. Points can be transferred to those provided by partners including Velocity, KrisFlyer, and Cathay, and the $175 per-card annual fee includes complimentary unauthorised transaction and transit accident insurance. Its uncapped earning structure delivered strong value at the representative annual spend levels assessed, with rewards comfortably outweighing the card's costs, helping it secure a leading position in the category.
Business Credit Cards: Frequent Flyer
American Express
American Express has again been recognised with an Outstanding Value Frequent Flyer Business Credit Cards Award in 2026. Across an extensive suite of cards, American Express continues to deliver strong frequent flyer redemption value relative to cost across the annual spend levels assessed. The Velocity Business Card stands out, earning 1 Velocity Point per $1 spent and 2 points per $1 on Virgin Australia spend, with a $249 annual fee plus $99 per additional cardholder. Complimentary travel insurance and two Virgin Australia lounge passes each year add to a well-rounded frequent flyer product.
ANZ
ANZ is also a new winner of the Outstanding Value Frequent Flyer Business Credit Cards Award in 2026, recognised for the ANZ Business Black card. The same balanced earn structure recognised in the Rewards category–1.5 points per $1 on the first $10,000 of monthly spend and 1 point per $1 uncapped thereafter–also applies in the Frequent Flyer category. The ANZ Business Black card offers strong returns at a time when we're seeing frequent flyer reward values get softer across the market. The card is recognised for consistent value across three spend levels we assessed ($60k, $120k and $240k annually).
How we chose the winners
Each card is scored on two factors, its price and its features, combined using a profile-specific weighting that reflects how much cost matters relative to features for that style of card use. Cost carries the greatest weight, particularly in the Low Cost category.
The price score is built from a net cost/benefit calculation. For each profile we model the real cost of using the card–annual and cardholder fees, interest charged on any revolving balance, and merchant fees–against the value returned through rewards and frequent flyer points. The lowest-cost or highest-returning product sets the benchmark, and the remaining products are scored relative to that. Rewards or value returned are only considered within the Frequent Flyer and Rewards consumer profiles, not the Low Cost.
The assumptions vary by category. The Low Cost profile models a business spending around $20,000 a year and carrying a revolving balance, so the purchase rate and ongoing fees do most of the work. The Rewards and Frequent Flyer profiles consider higher annual spends, with Frequent Flyer profiles assessed at $60,000, $120,000 and $240,000, and Rewards profiles assessed at $120,000 and $240,000. At these spend levels, the value of points earned and the structure of the earn rate become key drivers of the overall result. While past pricing and features are a useful guide, they do not guarantee future value. Providers can change rates, fees and rewards at any time. For the full detail of our approach, see our methodology .
Who we looked at
To be assessed, a product must meet a strict set of eligibility criteria. In general terms, a business credit card is included where it is:
- Publicly available and open to Australian businesses.
- Available directly from the provider.
- Supported by sufficient current data to be assessed against each of the consumer profiles.
What to keep in mind
Weigh the rewards against the cost: A card with a higher annual fee can still deliver value if your business spends enough to earn rewards worth more than the fee. On the other hand, a low-fee card can be the better choice for a lighter or more variable spend. It is worth estimating the rewards you would realistically earn at your actual spend before comparing on headline earn rates alone.
If you carry a balance, the interest rate matters most: For businesses that don't pay the closing balance in full each month, the purchase interest rate can quickly outweigh the value of any rewards, interest payments may start to add up more than you'd like. Lower-rate cards, like those recognised in the Low Cost category, are generally better suited to businesses that revolve a balance.
Check how the rewards actually work: Points caps, earn tiers, expiry rules and transfer partners all affect the real return, particularly at higher spend levels. If your business spends a large amount on a credit card, you'll want a card that meaningfully rewards this spending. Uncapped or high-threshold earn structures tend to suit higher-spending businesses, while everyday spenders may find that a simpler card meets their needs.
Keep the changing card landscape in mind: From 1 October 2026, the Reserve Bank's payments reforms change card interchange and restrict surcharging on Visa, Mastercard, and eftpos transactions, though not on American Express. These changes can affect what it costs to use a card, so it is worth understanding how they apply to your business.
What this award is and isn't
What it is:
- A measure of value: The assessment weighs the total cost of holding and using a card–fees, interest on a revolving balance and merchant costs–against the value it returns through rewards, frequent flyer points and features, across representative business spending profiles.
- A level playing field: All eligible products are assessed under the same methodology and benchmarked against their peers, from major banks to smaller providers.
What it isn't:
- Personal financial advice: Ratings are based on general business spending profiles, not your business's individual situation, goals or circumstances.
- The only thing to look at: Review each product's terms, conditions, Target Market Determination and disclosure documents, and consider your own circumstances, before applying.
- A list of every business credit card in Australia: While we try to include the majority of the market, some products, or those that don't meet our eligibility criteria, may not be included.
FAQs
Who decides the winners for Canstar's Star Ratings and Awards?
Canstar's expert researchers review the overall value offered by a provider for its products in a financial services category. We consider metrics such as price and costs against features and functionality, with all of the competitors in a category compared using Canstar's unique research methodology. The products or providers recognised as winners are those that offer the highest overall value proposition.
What other awards does Canstar give?
In addition to Canstar's Star Ratings that appear in our comparison tables, Canstar gives Outstanding Value Awards that identify providers with high-performing products. Separately, Canstar's Customer Satisfaction Awards reveal how content customers are with a particular financial institution or insurance provider.
What are Canstar's Outstanding Value Awards?
Canstar recognises financial institutions with annual Awards for outstanding value across a wide range of product categories. These Awards are given to the providers whose products are the strongest overall performers in our Star Ratings over the award period.
What are Canstar's Customer Satisfaction Awards?
Canstar's Customer Satisfaction Awards are for providers, recognising institutions with the most satisfied customers overall based on consumer surveys.
How does Canstar work out award-winning brands and providers?
Canstar compares over a thousand brands and products across multiple finance and household services categories, including banking, insurances, superannuation as well as energy and mobile. Each of Canstar's Star Ratings and Awards uses a unique methodology that is brought together by our expert Research team, with products analysed based on price and features. You can find out more about how Canstar's value-based rating system works.
Who do I contact for a media enquiry about Canstar's Star Ratings?
For media enquiries, commentary or analysis about Canstar's Star Ratings and Awards, including our Outstanding Value Awards or Customer Satisfaction Awards, please contact our Corporate Affairs team.