What e-commerce businesses need from a credit card
E-commerce isn't like a high street shop. Your expenses look different, your cashflow cycle is different, and your card requirements are specific:
- No foreign transaction fees — if you buy from international suppliers (most do)
- High credit limits — stock purchases can be £10k+ per order
- Fast approval — you're scaling and can't wait weeks for a credit decision
- Integration with accounting software — you need automatic expense categorisation
- Cashback or rewards — on high-volume spend, even 1% adds up fast
Not every card ticks all these boxes. Here's how the main options compare.
No FX fees: essential for importing
If you're buying stock from China, Europe, or the US, foreign transaction fees will eat into your margins. A 2.99% FX fee on £10,000 of stock is £299 — gone, every time you place an order.
Cards with no FX fees:
- Funding Circle Business Cashback — 0% FX fee + 1% cashback
- Amex Gold Business — 0% FX fee + 1 MR point/£1
- Capital on Tap — 0% FX fee + 1% back in points
- Revolut Business — interbank rate (best FX rate, but no credit facility)
Cards to avoid for international spend:
- Barclaycard Select Cashback — 2.99% FX fee
- BA Amex Accelerating — 2.99% FX fee
High limits: stock purchases need headroom
E-commerce stock purchases can be lumpy. One container from a supplier might cost £20,000-£50,000. Your card needs the headroom.
| Card | Maximum credit limit | |------|---------------------| | Capital on Tap | Up to £250,000 | | Funding Circle | Up to £250,000 | | Amex Gold Business | No preset limit (spend based) | | Barclaycard Select Cashback | Varies (typically £5k-£25k) |
Capital on Tap and Funding Circle are best for predictable, high limits. Amex's "no preset limit" sounds good but can be restrictive for new cardholders — they may decline a large first purchase until you've built a spend history.
Fast approval: scaling waits for no one
When you spot a stock opportunity, you need credit now — not in 2-3 weeks.
- Capital on Tap: Often approved within minutes. Fully online. Card details available immediately for online purchases.
- Funding Circle: Online application, typically approved within 1-2 business days. Requires 1 year of trading history.
- Amex cards: Usually 1-3 business days. Require more documentation for higher limits.
- Barclaycard Select Cashback: Traditional application process, can take 1-2 weeks.
For speed, Capital on Tap is unbeatable. For a brand new business, it's often the only option that will approve you quickly.
Accounting integrations
E-commerce businesses live and die by their bookkeeping. Your credit card should talk to your accounting software:
| Card | Xero | QuickBooks | FreeAgent | Sage | |------|------|------------|-----------|------| | Capital on Tap | Yes | Yes | No | No | | Funding Circle | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | | Amex Business | Yes | Yes | No | No |
If you use Xero, both Capital on Tap and Funding Circle integrate directly. For FreeAgent or Sage users, Funding Circle is the better choice.
Our picks by business stage
Just started (0-12 months trading)
Capital on Tap — the only realistic option for very new businesses. Instant approval, no annual fee, no FX fees, limits up to £250k. You won't get those limits on day one, but they grow as your revenue grows.
Scaling (1-3 years, £40k+ turnover)
Funding Circle Business Cashback — requires 1 year of trading and £40k turnover, but gives you 1% uncapped cashback, no FX fees, and limits up to £250k. If you're importing, this is the card.
Consider adding an Amex Gold Business as a second card for travel and entertainment spend, where you'll earn 2x points.
Established (3+ years, high volume)
Stack multiple cards:
- Funding Circle or Capital on Tap for day-to-day supplier payments
- Amex Gold or Platinum for travel, trade shows, and client entertainment
- Revolut Business for multi-currency treasury management
At scale, the rewards from multiple cards can fund your entire travel budget.
Card-by-card breakdown
| Card | Annual fee | Cashback/rewards | FX fee | Max limit | Best for | |------|-----------|-----------------|--------|-----------|----------| | Capital on Tap | £0 | 1% points | 0% | £250k | New businesses | | Funding Circle | £0 | 1% cashback | 0% | £250k | Importing | | Amex Gold Business | £195 | 1 MR pt/£1 | 0% | No preset | Travel rewards | | Barclaycard Select | £0 | 1% cashback | 2.99% | ~£25k | Domestic only | | BA Amex Accelerating | £250 | 1.5 Avios/£1 | 2.99% | No preset | Avios collectors |
See our full card comparison for more detail on every card.
Getting started
- Assess your supplier base — mostly UK or international?
- Pick the card that matches (no FX fee if importing)
- Apply — Capital on Tap for speed, Funding Circle for established businesses
- Set up the accounting integration
- Route stock purchases through the card
- Consider bill pay for suppliers that don't accept cards (see our vendor payment guide)
E-commerce margins are thin. Every percentage point matters. The right credit card gives you free cashflow, earns rewards on spend you can't avoid, and integrates with your accounting stack. There's no reason not to have one.