High limit business credit cards: UK limits, costs and how they're set

Several UK business credit cards go up to £250,000, including Capital on Tap, Funding Circle Cashback, and the iwoca Credit Card. Payhawk's corporate cards go up to £500,000. A limited company's limit depends on its finances and credit history, and many issuers, iwoca included, ask a director for a personal guarantee.

A card's published maximum is a ceiling, not the limit your company will be offered. Issuers set each limit 'subject to status', from what they can see of your turnover, credit history, and existing borrowing, so cost, eligibility, and how you'll repay matter as much as the headline figure.

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There's no official threshold for a high credit limit

No official figure says when a business credit card limit counts as high. As a benchmark, Lloyds Bank's business credit card goes up to £25,000, while several cards publish limits ten times that.

Bank cards vary in how much they publish. Lloyds sets a range of £1,000 to £25,000 'subject to status'. RBS and NatWest start from £500 and set the maximum 'based on status'. American Express doesn't publish a figure for its Business Gold and Business Platinum charge cards.

At the top end, Payhawk, a spend management platform, offers UK credit lines of up to £500,000 to companies with annual turnover of at least £250,000.

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High limit business credit cards compared

Below, we look at five credit cards for UK limited companies, all offering limits of £250,000 or more, or no fixed ceiling. We compare annual fees, the cost of carrying a balance and eligibility requirements to help you find the right option for your business.

We’ve listed the cards alphabetically to make them easy to compare. Where available, we’ve included the representative APR, which is the rate at least 51% of successful applicants must receive. Charge cards don’t have a representative APR because the balance is usually repaid in full each month.

Sources: each issuer's own page – American Express, Capital on Tap, Funding Circle, iwoca, and Payhawk – checked on 12 October 2026. Rates and terms change, so check the issuer's page before you apply.

Who can apply differs as much as the cost. American Express asks Business Platinum applicants to earn at least £35,000 a year, and Capital on Tap has no minimum trading period. Funding Circle asks for at least one year of trading and turnover of £30,000 or more.

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The iwoca Credit Card gives up to £250,000 with no annual, FX, or late payment fees

The iwoca Credit Card, iwoca's business credit card for UK limited companies, offers a limit of up to £250,000, 1% cashback on all spending, and no annual, FX, or late payment fees. Interest rates start at 14.99% a year, with a representative APR of 35.40% (variable), and a director gives a personal guarantee.

For a company putting large, regular costs on a card, such as stock, software, and supplier bills, the details that matter at a high limit are how long you have to pay and what you earn back:

• Up to 42 days interest-free. That's your 30-day billing cycle plus a 12-day grace period. Pay the statement balance in full by the due date and you pay no interest.
• 1% cashback on every purchase, with no spending threshold to reach first. It's added to your account automatically and reduces your balance.
• No FX fees abroad. You get Visa's exchange rate and still earn 1% cashback.
• Flexible repayments. Pay at least 10% of the balance or £100, whichever is higher, by direct debit, or choose to pay off more or the whole balance.
• Real-time spending in the app. You can see what's been spent and what's left of your limit.

We lend to UK limited companies, and you'll need to be a director to apply. You can apply for free, and it takes about five minutes.

Like many business card issuers, we ask for a personal guarantee. If the business can't afford its repayments, the guarantor becomes personally responsible for repaying any outstanding balance, and falling behind may affect their personal credit score. iwoca Visa credit cards are issued by Enfuce UK Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 993783).

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How are business credit card limits determined in the UK?

Business card issuers set a limit from what they can see of your company's ability to repay. The main factors are usually turnover and cash flow, trading history, the company's and the guarantor's credit files, and any borrowing you already have.

Each issuer weighs these differently, and most don't publish exactly how. These are the areas they tend to look at:

• Turnover and cash flow. Higher, steadier income usually supports a higher limit, which is why many applications ask for your turnover.
• Trading history and filed accounts. A longer record gives the issuer more to assess, so newer companies may start on lower limits.
• Credit files. Issuers usually check your company's business credit score and, where a director guarantees the card, that director's personal credit history too.
• Existing borrowing. Loans, overdrafts, and other cards you already hold count towards what the issuer thinks the company can repay.
• How you use the card. Once the card is open, how much you spend and whether you repay on time can shape later limit reviews.

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Ways a company can work towards a higher limit

A higher limit usually follows a stronger picture of your company's finances over time, rather than a single step. Some options to explore:

• Keep filed accounts and Companies House records up to date. Many issuers use public records when they assess an application.
• Use the card and repay on time. A steady record of spending and repaying gives your issuer evidence when it reviews your limit.
• Ask your issuer for a limit review. Some issuers will look again once you've held the card for a while, especially if your turnover has grown.
• See what lenders see. iwoca Credit Compass, our business credit score tool, lets you check your Equifax business credit score for free, plus four more scores, the key factors affecting them, and areas to improve.

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A personal guarantee makes a director liable for the card balance

A personal guarantee means a director agrees to repay the card balance if the company can't. On a high limit card that can be a large sum, so it helps to know who signs and what they're agreeing to before you apply.

Read the terms of a personal guarantee closely before you sign, including how much of the balance it covers. The comparison table shows which of the cards here ask for one.

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A card suits spend you clear monthly, a loan suits a purchase you repay over time

A business credit card costs least when you clear the balance within the interest-free period. For a large one-off purchase you'd repay over a year or more, a business loan gives you a fixed term and a set repayment plan instead.

Regular costs such as stock, travel, and subscriptions fit a card you clear each month. A balance you carry for months is charged interest at the card's rate, and the card limit caps how much you can spend. If you already clear your card every month, the interest-free period covers that spending and a loan would add interest you don't need to pay.

For a bigger purchase, such as equipment or a large stock order, the iwoca Flexi-Loan is a business loan with flexible repayment options. UK limited companies can borrow up to £1m over terms of up to five years, and you can repay early at any time with no fees. Every new Flexi-Loan needs a personal guarantee from at least one director.

Many customers get an instant decision. For larger loans, one of our underwriters takes a look and comes back within 24 hours.

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Questions about high limit business credit cards

Short answers to the questions directors search for most about high card limits.

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Which business credit card offers a higher credit limit, Gold or Platinum?

Neither of the American Express business cards – Business Gold or Business Platinum – publishes a set limit. American Express says the spending limit on both charge cards is 'dynamic and can adjust to your business needs'.

The differences are in cost and eligibility. Business Gold has no annual fee in the first year, then £195 a year, and asks you to earn at least £20,000 a year. Business Platinum costs £650 a year and asks for at least £35,000.

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Can a new limited company get a high limit business credit card?

A new limited company can get a business credit card, but it may start on a lower limit because the issuer has less trading history to assess.

Minimum trading periods vary from none to a year or more, so check each card's requirements before you apply. Some business credit cards for startups accept companies with little trading history.

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Can I find out my credit limit before applying?

Some issuers give you a decision, and the limit on offer, after a soft search that doesn't affect your credit score. Applying for the iwoca Credit Card doesn't affect your personal credit score either.

That's because we run a soft search on your personal credit file when you apply, so the application won't appear on your personal credit report. A director's personal guarantee is still required to open the card.