Capital One Venture Business Review: Simple Rewards, Reasonable Annual Fee

I consider the Capital One Venture Business to be one of the more well-rounded and approachable business cards. It has a $95 annual fee and earns 2x Capital One miles on all spending, or 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel. The Venture Business is also currently offering 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in the first three months. These are flexible travel rewards that you can use with airline or hotel transfer partners, so you’re looking at earning up to two airline miles or hotel points per dollar spent, or up to 2.0 cents toward travel per dollar spent. The Venture Business also comes with up to $100 in annual credits, plus a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit of up to $120 every four years. Link: Learn more about the Capital One Venture Business Capital One Venture Business summary & key detailsCapital One Venture Business welcome bonusCapital One Venture Business welcome bonus eligibility rulesCapital One Venture Business annual feeCapital One Venture Business authorized user feeCapital One Venture Business rewards structureVenture Business 5x Capital One miles on some travel bookingsVenture Business 2x Capital One miles on all other purchasesHow to redeem Capital One milesCapital One Venture Business perks & credits$50 annual Capital One Business Travel credit$50 annual advertising or software creditGlobal Entry/TSA PreCheck creditValuable rental car coverageCapital One Lifestyle CollectionHertz Five Star statusBusiness featuresUseful purchase & travel protectionIs the Capital One Venture Business right for you?Capital One Venture Business vs. Venture X Business comparisonWhat other business credit cards should you consider?Capital One Venture Business FAQsBottom line Capital One Venture Business summary & key details Before I get into my in-depth Venture Business review, below is a top-level look at the key details of the card. Venture Business annual fee: $95 Venture Business welcome offer: 100,000 Capital One miles after spending $10,000 in the first three months Venture Business rewards earning rate: 2x Capital One miles on everyday spending, 5x miles on eligible Capital One Business Travel spending Venture Business perks & credits: $50 annual Capital One Business Travel credit, $50 annual statement credit for qualifying advertising or software purchases, up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit Venture Business foreign transaction fees: None Venture Business best for: Business owners who want a strong rate of return on all their spending and who don’t care about more premium extras like airport lounge access Below are my thoughts on the pros and cons of Capital One Venture Business. Venture Business prosVenture Business consStraightforward rewards structureOther business cards earn more rewards on certain spending categoriesComes with two annual creditsCapital One Venture X Business is a better pick for some travelersStrong value for a $95 annual fee card Capital One Venture Business welcome bonus The Capital One Venture Business is currently offering a welcome bonus of 100,000 Capital One miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months. Based on my latest miles & points valuations, Capital One miles are worth 1.7 cents each, so to me this bonus is worth $1,700. The spending requirement is high, but keep in mind that this is a business card. Some other business cards, like the Capital One Venture X Business (learn more), have even higher minimum spending requirements to earn the full bonus. If you apply for the card, you’ll definitely want to earn the bonus, so make sure you time your application for a period when your business will have enough spending to hit the target. Redeem Capital One miles for some great travel experiences Capital One Venture Business welcome bonus eligibility rules Capital One is sometimes vague with credit card bonus eligibility rules, and the Capital One Venture Business is no exception. Per the terms, the bonus “may not be available for existing or previous Capital One Business card holders.” My belief is that you’re not eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you currently have it, or if you have or have had the Spark Miles Business, which is what this card was known as before it was rebranded. That said, data points suggest you can be approved for the card (and earn the bonus) if you have or have had the Venture X Business. In practice, if you’re approved and don’t receive a message to the contrary, you should be eligible for the bonus. Applying for this card also shouldn’t show up as a new card on your personal credit report, for the purposes of Chase’s 5/24 rule, if that’s something you’re concerned about. Beyond that, Capital One doesn’t have many consistent application rules. The only other major thing worth noting is that Capital One may pull from all three credit bureaus. Personally I don’t find that to be a big deal one way or another, though it is something that’s at least worth being aware of. The Capital One Venture Business has a $95 annual fee, which is very reasonable considering the strong rewards rate and two annual statement credits. If you maximize both credits, you’ll effectively offset the annual fee before even factoring in things like the welcome bonus and the value of the miles you earn. You can add authorized users to the Venture Business for $0, so that’s reasonable, especially with the credit card annual fee inflation we’ve seen over the years. Capital One Venture Business rewards structure Nowadays there are so many credit cards with complex rewards structures, where you really have to put a lot of effort into maximizing your rewards. In contrast, the Capital One Venture Business actually has a really straightforward rewards setup, with just one additional bonus category. Venture Business 5x Capital One miles on some travel bookings Beyond a flat rate of return on everyday spending, the Capital One Venture Business offers unlimited 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel, which is the company’s business travel portal. Since I value Capital One miles at 1.7 cents apiece, the 5x category is equal to an 8.5% return on spending. Personally I wouldn’t get too excited about this bonus category, but it’s at least worth mentioning. Earn 5x miles with Capital One Business Travel bookings Venture Business 2x Capital One miles on all other purchases This is the real selling point of the Capital One Venture Business. The card offers unlimited 2x Capital One miles per dollar spent with no foreign transaction fees, which I consider to be among the best returns on everyday spending. Using my same valuation of Capital One miles, this equals a 3.4% return on spending, which is really solid considering it applies to everything outside of eligible Capital One Business Travel spending. Capital One has both personal and business cards offering this rate of return, so that’s awesome. One other cool thing is that the miles post almost immediately when your purchase hits the statement, rather than after the statement closes (or even the statement after that). Talk about instant gratification! How to redeem Capital One miles It’s great to earn Capital One miles, but how can you actually use them? In general, you have two major options for redeeming your Capital One miles, which means that the card offers the equivalent of a return of up to two airline miles or hotel points per dollar spent, or 2.0 cents per dollar spent toward travel. I consider the best option to be converting Capital One miles into airline miles or hotel points in a variety of programs. A vast majority of transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, giving you incredible flexibility. Below are the Capital One transfer partners. Airline PartnersHotel PartnersAeromexico Club PremierAccor Live Limitless (ALL)Air Canada AeroplanChoice PrivilegesAir France-KLM Flying BlueWyndham RewardsAvianca LifeMilesI Prefer Hotel RewardsBritish Airways ClubCathay Pacific Asia MilesEmirates SkywardsEtihad GuestEVA Air Infinity MileageLandsFinnair PlusJapan Airlines Mileage BankJetBlue TrueBlueQantas Frequent FlyerQatar Airways Privilege ClubSingapore Airlines KrisFlyerTAP Air Portugal Miles&GoTurkish Airlines Miles&SmilesVirgin Red (parent of Virgin Atlantic)Capital One transfer partners It’s worth noting that Capital One also sometimes offers further transfer bonuses, so that you can get an even better transfer ratio. I’ve taken advantage of Capital One mileage transfer opportunities a countless number of times, with everything from moving 60,000 miles to Air France-KLM Flying Blue for a one-way transatlantic business class award, to moving 75,000 miles to British Airways Club for a one-way Qatar Airways business class award to the Middle East. Alternatively, the other decent way to redeem Capital One miles is at the rate of 1.0 cents per mile toward the cost of a travel purchase. This means you’re earning 2.0 cents per dollar spent toward travel, since the card offers unlimited 2x Capital One miles. If you want to redeem your Capital One miles toward the cost of a travel purchase, there are two primary ways you can do so: You can redeem them for past travel purchases by cashing in miles for statement credits, where you can simply make an eligible travel booking using your card, and then you can go online after the fact and use your miles to pay for it within 90 days of the date of purchase; your credit will be applied to your account within two to three days You can book a travel reservation through Capital One’s travel portal, and each mile can be redeemed for 1.0 cent toward the cost of a travel purchase Eligible travel purchases include those made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, rental car agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents, and timeshares. Redeem Capital One miles for travel in KLM business class Capital One Venture Business perks & credits The Capital One Venture Business offers several valuable perks that can help to offset and justify the annual fee, including up to $100 in credits. It also comes with a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, rental car coverage, and more. $50 annual Capital One Business Travel credit The Capital One Venture Business offers a $50 credit each anniversary year, valid for a purchase with Capital One Business Travel. You can use this toward the cost of a flight, hotel stay, etc., so it shouldn’t be too hard to maximize this (even if it’s just booking a cheap flight with the card). Receive a $50 travel credit every anniversary year $50 annual advertising or software credit The Capital One Venture Business offers a $50 credit each anniversary year, valid for qualifying purchases with advertising or software merchants. Eligibility is based on the Merchant Category Code (MCC) assigned to the merchant, so there shouldn’t be too many hurdles to taking advantage of this. Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit The Capital One Venture Business offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four years. Just charge the membership fee to your Capital One Venture Business, and it will automatically be reimbursed. It doesn’t matter who the fee is being paid for, as long as you charge it to your eligible card. This can get you up to a $120 statement credit. Valuable rental car coverage The Capital One Venture Business offers rental car coverage, assuming you’re renting for business reasons. Just charge the entire rental to your card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver coverage, and you’ll be covered for damage due to collision or theft. Make sure you review the benefits guide for full details. Rental coverage is a potentially valuable perk Capital One Lifestyle Collection The Capital One Venture Business gets you access to hotels in the Lifestyle Collection portfolio, bookable through Capital One Business Travel. You’ll earn 5x miles on these bookings, and you’ll also get a $50 experience credit to use during your stay, plus room upgrades and early check-in and late checkout, when available. Hertz Five Star status The Venture Business comes with Hertz Five Star status, which lets you skip the counter at certain locations. It also lets you access a wider selection of rental cars, get free vehicle upgrades, and earn extra bonus points on your rentals. This is a step below Hertz President’s Circle status, which is available through the Capital One Venture X Business, but it could come in handy if it fits with your travel plans. Business features Capital One also provides a few business-specific benefits on the Venture Business. This includes: Free employee cards with customizable spending limits Expense management tools Downloadable purchase records for Quicken, QuickBooks, Excel, and more None of these are earth-shattering, but they can be useful, especially if you’re keeping track of multiple employee cards. Useful purchase & travel protection Finally, the Capital One Venture Business offers purchase security and extended protection, travel and emergency assistance services, and more. The full details of this can be found in the cardmember agreement. Is the Capital One Venture Business right for you? There are lots of great business credit cards out there, so is the Capital One Venture Business right for you? There’s never going to be a one-size-fits-all answer, but I believe this card has a very lucrative welcome bonus, and it offers a great return on spending. The card then has a reasonable $95 annual fee, which can be offset with credits. I think there’s merit to picking up this card and giving it a try, given the great welcome offer. In the long run, I think this card is best for small business owners who want to earn travel rewards, but who don’t want to deal with the complexity of maximizing endless bonus categories. A vast majority of those with small business cards would be better off with something like this, so the simplicity is very much a feature people will like. Let me also just quickly compare this to the more premium Capital One business card that has Venture branding. Capital One Venture Business vs. Venture X Business comparison The Capital One Venture Business is essentially the more basic version of the Capital One Venture X Business, and these cards are probably substitutes for one another. Both cards offer 2x Capital One miles on everyday purchases, so here are the key differences: The Venture Business has a $95 annual fee, whereas the Venture X Business has a $395 annual fee The Venture X Business offers a $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, which to me more than justifies the annual fee The Venture X Business offers a Priority Pass™ membership, plus access to Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings Personally I think the Venture X Business is a no-brainer, and has an amazing value proposition, given the value of the 10,000 anniversary miles plus the travel credit. However, for those who don’t want to pay a big fee upfront, the Venture Business could be more compelling. Access Capital One Lounges with the Venture X Business What other business credit cards should you consider? There are great business cards at every price point. Here are some options to consider if you’re looking for alternatives to the Capital One Venture Business and don’t want a premium price point: The Capital One Spark Cash Plus (learn more) is a cashback version of the Venture X Business, earning a minimum of 2% back on all spending; if you prefer the simplicity of cash back over miles, this card is worth a look — it has a $150 annual fee, so a bit higher than the Venture Business but still in the moderate range The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (learn more) earns 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the first $150,000 spent each account anniversary year on combined purchases in categories including travel, internet, and cable; like the Venture Business, it has a $95 annual fee If you prefer a no annual fee business card, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (learn more) is worth considering too; it’s another card with a simple earning structure, as you’ll get 2x Amex Membership Rewards points on your first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year, and 1x points on everything after that Capital One Venture Business FAQs How do I qualify for the Capital One Venture Business? To qualify for the Capital One Venture Business, you’ll need to be eligible for a business credit card by having either a formal business or a side gig as an extra source of income. Capital One doesn’t share a specific credit score requirement for the Venture Business, but it recommends the card to customers with an excellent credit score. Is there a Capital One Venture business card? Yes, there is a Capital One Venture business credit card, and it’s appropriately named the Capital One Venture Business. Like the personal Venture Rewards Card, the Capital One Venture Business has a $95 annual fee and earns a flat rate of 2x miles on most purchases. What is the Capital One Venture Business welcome bonus? The Capital One Venture Business currently has a welcome offer of 100,000 miles after you spend $10,000 in the first three months. How many miles does the Capital One Venture Business earn? The Capital One Venture Business earns 2x miles on everyday purchases, with no cap. If you book hotels, vacation rentals, or rental cars through the Capital One Business Travel portal, you’ll earn 5x miles on that spending. What is the Capital One Venture Business annual fee? The Venture Business has a $95 annual fee. Bottom line The Capital One Venture Business is a lucrative card. For one, the card has a great welcome offer, which is a strong incentive to apply. Beyond that, the card offers a straightforward and competitive rewards structure, as you can earn unlimited 2x Capital One miles, and those miles can be redeemed for 1.0 cents each toward a travel purchase, or can be transferred to an airline or hotel partner. Then you can help recoup much of the annual fee with the card’s credits. If you have a business where you spend a lot in categories that otherwise don’t qualify for bonus points on other cards, I’d say this is an excellent option, as it’s extremely well-rounded. If you want to learn more about the Capital One Venture Business or want to apply, follow this link. For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.