Best Credit Card for Consultants [2024 Review]

Managing finances around travel, commutes, business-related utilities, and basic categories comes with an increased workload. You may find yourself struggling because of an unsuitable card.

We recognized this potential danger and compiled a well-researched list of the best credit cards for consultants. Read this article to find one that suits your needs.

Our Top Reviews for the Best Credit Card for Consultants 

The best credit card for consultants should cover basic categories like travel, gas, and food. We have selected the cards on our list based on these requirements.

• Best Altogether: Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Best for Fuel: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature
• Best for Freelance Consultants: Chase Ink Business

Best Altogether Card for Consultants: Chase Sapphire Preferred

We like this card best because of several factors:

• It offers rewards on basic-needs categories.
• You get great travel perks here. It is a top-tier travel card compared to most travel cards in the market.
• Your points value increases if you redeem towards more travel.
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s Pay Over Time option can benefit you.
• You earn bonus points every year!

This card does come with a $95 annual fee, cash advance fee, and a high-interest APR.

That said, this card has one of the most comprehensive reward structures compared to other cards for fixed categories. What’s more, you can earn unlimited bonus points. You earn:

• 5x points on travel you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• 2x points on spending for buses, trains, etc.
• 3x points for spending on dining-in, takeouts, and food deliveries.
• 3x points for subscribing to select streaming services and buying online groceries.

Welcome Offer

You earn 60,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first three months. You can complete it quickly because of the reward categories. 

Extra Benefits

The extra benefits include:

• Lifestyle partnership benefits include DoorDash, Instacart, Peloton, Lyft, and Ennismore Hotel properties.
• Pay Over Time feature, where you can break purchases above $100 in small installments.
• Coverage for trip delay and cancellation. The insurance is higher than some travel cards.
• Purchase protection up to $50,000 and extended warranty protection for four years.

Pros

• You earn rewards for commuting, which few cards offer.
• You can pay off big purchases in affordable installments through My Chase Plan.
• You get massive travel and baggage perks, including an exemption from foreign transaction fees.

Cons

• You pay a substantial annual fee. You can get other rewards cards with a $0 annual fee.
• You can consider other cards if you don’t travel much.

Best Fuel Card for Consultants: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature

You can apply for this perk-packed card easily because the PenFed Credit Union membership is accessible to the public now! You must be a member to get approved for the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature card.

This card has a lower APR than other points cards for fixed categories. It offers reward points for the necessary categories for a consultant:

• 5x points per dollar for gas stations and EV charging stations
• 3x points on restaurants, streaming, and supermarket purchases. It includes Target and Walmart, which some mid-tier cards exclude from their approved stores list. 

Besides a low APR, you pay no annual or foreign transaction fee. You also get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months. It compares favorably with the intro offers on other fixed-category cards.

Welcome Offer

You get an easy and decent welcome offer with this card. It is standard for low APR cards. You earn 15,000 points after spending $1,500 within the first 90 days. 

Other Perks

You get:

• Exclusive member-only offers. You get discounts and deals on auto, finances, home, personal, and retail categories. 
• Earn premium discounts on hotels and resorts affiliated with PenFed’s Luxury Hotel Collection. You also get access to special deals. You can kick back and relax after concluding a successful project.
• Travel accident coverage for air, bus, train, ferry, or cruise ship. 
• Monthly cell phone protection for damage or theft. It is convenient for consultants in case of unfortunate incidents as few cards offer this benefit.

Pros

• Unlike many rewards cards with rotating categories, this card has a straightforward reward structure.
• You get premium benefits on travel, commuting, and cell phones. These extra perks make your life easier as a busy consultant.
• You get maximum reward points with the PenFed card, which compares favorably with most mid-tier cards. These points increase your earnings.

Cons

• You must become a member of the PenFed Credit Union to apply for this card.
• You don’t get an intro APR period on purchases, which is the main expense on your card.

Best Card for Freelance Consultants: Chase Ink Business

Freelance consultants can apply for this card under the small business category. The Chase Ink Business card is great for earning rewards on office supplies that help you build your business. It is different from other Chase Ink Business cards in several aspects.

You get the most relevant bonus categories with this card:

• 5% cash return for spending on office supplies stores, internet, cable, and phone service. There is a reward-earning price cap of $25,000 per year. Few cards offer such a generous return on buying internet and cable services.
• 2% return for spending on restaurants and gas stations. Note that it doesn’t include takeout and food deliveries and has a price cap of $25,000.

You also pay a $0 annual fee and a 0% APR for the first 12 months. It makes this card suitable for consultants who don’t make frequent big purchases.

Welcome Offer

You earn $750 if you spend $6,000 in the first three months of getting this card. Making purchases worth $6,000 in such a short time may seem difficult. 

Nonetheless, you can buy an appliance or gadget you were avoiding because of incurring APR. You can make good use of your no-APR period this way.

Extra Benefits

With this card, you earn a long list of perks and cash back. Ink Business cards offer them. You get:

• Auto rental collision damage waiver. You should decline the rental company’s collision insurance and contact Chase Bank’s representative to claim the waiver. 
• Travel and emergency assistance services. You get necessary legal and medical referrals if you are stranded away from home.
• Roadside assistance if you need emergency vehicle maintenance or towing.
• Purchase protection against theft or damage for 120 days. 
• Extended warranty protection for one year. For example, using this card, suppose you buy a US-manufactured product with a three-year warranty. In that case, your warranty extends to four years in total.
• Extra 5% cash back on Lyft rides until March 2025. This offer is available on most mid-tier Chase cards.

Pros

• You get restaurants, gas stations, and internet services as reward categories. You can increase your earnings quickly, as these are common-use categories.
• This card offers solid insurance for on-the-road accidents. Many issuers have discontinued this benefit on their cards.
• It is affordable because of its $0 annual fee and low APR.

Cons

• You don’t get travel as a reward category. You can look for other travel cards if your work involves it.
• This card might be unsuitable if you do not shop regularly from office supplies stores.

Features to Consider for the Credit Cards for Consultants

You can likely get approved for any card as a consultant due to your sound financial history. Nonetheless, you should look for these features before you finalize.

Specs Table

Credit Cards	Intro Period	Annual Fee	Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred	N/A	$95	5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature	0% APR on balance transfers for 12 months	$0	5x points on gas and EV charging stations
Chase Ink Business	0% APR on purchases for 12 months	$0	5% cash back on office supplies, internet, etc. until you spend $25,000

Card Fees

Go for a card like the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature that incurs as low fees as possible. Make sure to list and calculate every type of fee and interest rate.

Reward Categories

You should be able to maximize your rewards, so choose a card that showcases suitable categories for you. Cards like Chase Sapphire preferred that reward for spending on basic categories are wise choices.

Extra Perks

Perks make your life easier and add more value to your card. You should choose a card like Chase Ink Business, which has many benefits.

Related Questions

Conclusion

Chase Sapphire Preferred is best for consultants because of its reward categories and extra benefits. Although you pay most of the card fees, it is a sound long-term option. You can consider other cards on this list according to your specific requirements.