U.S. Bank Rolls Out 2 New Business Essentials Cards With at Least 2% Cash-Back

Updated: September 28, 2026, 1:35pm CDT

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Table of Contents

What U.S. Bank’s 2 New Cards Offer
How They Compare to Other Small-Business Cards
Final Thoughts

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U.S. Bank just added 2 small-business credit cards to its lineup: the U.S. Bank Business Essentials™ Visa^® Card and the U.S. Bank Business Essentials™ Plus Visa Signature^® Card.

Both keep earning simple, with unlimited 2% cash-back on every purchase and the chance to earn more when you also bank with U.S. Bank.

Where do these cards fit within the landscape of small-business credit cards that offer cash-back? Let’s take a look.

What U.S. Bank’s 2 New Cards Offer

The no-annual-fee U.S. Bank Business Essentials card earns unlimited 2% cash-back, and that rate climbs to 2.5% when you hold qualifying balances in an eligible U.S. Bank business checking account. New cardholders can earn a $500 bonus after spending $5,000 in the first 150 days, and get a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles.

The U.S. Bank Business Essentials Plus card carries a $295 annual fee and earns more rewards. You still get 2% back on everything, but the boosted rate reaches 3.5% with qualifying checking balances. It also earns 5% cash-back automatically on your top spending category, up to $200,000 in that category each year (then 2% cash-back at the standard earning rate). The welcome offer is bigger too: New cardholders can earn $1,000 after spending $15,000 in the first 150 days.

U.S. Bank branch in Newport Beach California — U.S. Bank has 2 new business cards. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

Both cards include U.S. Bank’s Spend Management platform for tracking spending, capturing receipts, and setting card controls, as well as ExtendPay for splitting large purchases into fixed payments. Rewards can be redeemed as a statement credit or deposited into a qualifying business checking account.

How They Compare to Other Small-Business Cards

Earning 2% cash-back on everything is a crowded corner of the market, so here’s how the new cards stack up against other small-business cards:

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Card Name	Base Earning	Elevated Earning	Annual Fee	Earning Cap
U.S. Bank Business Essentials card	2%	Up to 2.5% with qualifying checking balances	$0	None on 2%
U.S. Bank Business Essentials Plus card	2%	Up to 3.5% with balances; 5% top category	$295	5% capped at $200,000 annually
Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card	2%	5% on flights and prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com	$295 (rates & fees)	None on 2%
Capital One Spark Cash Plus CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	2%	None	$150 (refunded after $150,000 in annual spending)	None
Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card	2%	2.5% on purchases of $5,000+; 5% on Chase Travel	$195	None on 2% rate

Notice that U.S. Bank’s higher rates depend on parking money in a linked account. Without those balances, both new cards simply earn 2%, matching what Amex and Capital One offer with lower annual fees.

Hot Tip:

Check out our list of the best small-business credit cards for more details and more options.

Final Thoughts

The 2 new Business Essentials cards won’t reinvent business rewards, and they don’t need to. For a small-business owner who already banks with U.S. Bank, lifting a flat 2% card up to 3.5% (or grabbing 5% on a top category) is a real perk, and the no-annual-fee version is an easy pick for lighter spenders.

Just do the math on those balance requirements before you count on the top rates. If your cash sits elsewhere, a straightforward 2% cash-back card with no strings attached may still serve you better.