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U.S. Bank announced two Business Essentials Visa cards on Sept. 28, with cash-back offers for small businesses and different annual fees and reward structures. The bank says both cards include a welcome offer and access to its spending management tools; eligibility terms and welcome-offer details were not provided in the source report.
U.S. Bank announced two new small-business credit cards on Sept. 28, offering cash back on everyday purchases and additional rewards tied to spending or qualifying business checking balances. The launch gives small businesses two reward structures to consider, including a no-annual-fee card and a premium card with a $295 annual fee.
The U.S. Bank Business Essentials Visa Card has no annual fee and offers unlimited 2% cash back on everyday business purchases, according to the bank’s release. U.S. Bank says cardholders may receive up to 2.5% total cash back when they pair the card with a qualifying balance in a qualified business checking account. The release also lists Visa Business benefits, but the source report does not specify their terms.
The Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature Card charges an annual fee of $295. It offers unlimited 2% cash back on everyday business purchases and up to 3.5% total cash back when paired with a qualifying balance in a qualified business checking account. The card also offers 5% cash back on a business’s top spending category, up to $200,000 in annual spending, and Visa Signature Business benefits, the bank said.
Both cards include a welcome offer, though the reported release details do not give its value or conditions. The bank also says both provide access to its Spend Management platform and ExtendPay, a fixed-fee payment plan for large purchases. The release does not state which purchases qualify for ExtendPay or provide the plan’s fees and repayment terms.
Rewards Target Everyday Business Spending
The launch puts cash back at the center of a new pair of business card offers. In a PYMNTS Intelligence report cited by PYMNTS, 35.5% of small and mid-sized businesses said the best rewards or cash-back features influenced their choice of primary card. The report said 14.1% identified rewards as the main reason for their choice, while another 21.3% said rewards mattered but were not the main reason.
Those figures describe respondents’ reported card-selection factors; they do not show how many businesses will apply for or use U.S. Bank’s new cards. The two offers also carry different costs and conditions. The Plus card’s higher stated cash-back rates come with a $295 annual fee and a checking-balance qualification for the highest total rates. Businesses comparing the cards will need the full eligibility and account terms to judge how the rewards fit their spending.
Bundling card rewards with spending tools may also appeal to businesses seeking ways to track expenses alongside earning cash back. U.S. Bank describes Spend Management and ExtendPay as included features, but the source report does not detail their capabilities, restrictions or any separate costs. The announcement confirms access to these tools, not the level of savings or administrative benefit a business might receive.
U.S. Bank’s Small-Business Push
The card announcement follows other U.S. Bank offerings aimed at small businesses. In July 2026, the bank said it introduced Enhanced Payments, a tool intended to help small businesses move money faster. The source report does not provide further details about its users or performance.
In July 2025, the bank launched Business Resources Central, described as a free online hub with educational offerings for small businesses. These earlier products provide context for the bank’s latest release, which combines card rewards with access to payment and expense-related tools. They do not establish how the new cards compare with other products or how customers have responded.
U.S. Bank also announced that Jessica Alba, actress and entrepreneur, would serve as its new small-business spokesperson and spotlight the cards. Alba said she founded The Honest Company in 2012 and described the value of support while building a business. Her role is part of the bank’s communications around the launch, not evidence about card performance or customer outcomes.
““Our new Business Essentials cards offer small business owners straightforward, easy-to-use benefits that help simplify their spending, banking and expense management.””
— Courtney Kelso, U.S. Bank senior executive vice president of payments, consumer and small business
Terms Behind the Rewards
The source report does not specify the qualifying checking-account balance, how the additional cash back is calculated, or whether other account conditions apply. It also does not provide the welcome-offer amounts, application requirements, interest rates, fees beyond the Plus card’s annual fee, or full benefit terms for either Visa product.
Details about the 5% category reward are also limited to the top spending category and the annual cap of $200,000 in spending. The release as reported does not say which categories qualify, whether category selection is automatic, or how the cap is applied. It remains unclear when applications became available and whether the terms vary by customer or account.
The figures on rewards preferences come from a PYMNTS Intelligence report, but the source material does not give the survey dates, sample size or methodology. They offer a measure of stated preferences, not proof that rewards alone drive card choice across all small businesses.
Application and Account Details
Prospective cardholders will need to review U.S. Bank’s application materials and account disclosures for complete pricing, eligibility, reward and benefit terms. In particular, businesses considering the Plus card can compare its $295 annual fee with their expected spending and any qualifying checking balance before estimating the value of its cash-back offers.
The bank’s announcement names Alba as the spokesperson who will spotlight the cards. The source report gives no schedule for that campaign, application launch milestones or further product announcements. Until U.S. Bank publishes or provides those details, the cards’ full terms and customer response remain open questions.
Key Questions
What are the two new U.S. Bank cards?
They are the Business Essentials Visa Card and the Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature Card, announced Sept. 28, 2026.
What is the annual fee for each card?
The Business Essentials Visa Card has no annual fee. The Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature Card has a $295 annual fee.
How much cash back do the cards offer?
Both offer unlimited 2% cash back on everyday business purchases. The bank says qualifying checking balances can raise total cash back to up to 2.5% on the no-fee card and up to 3.5% on the Plus card. The Plus card also offers 5% on the business’s top spend category, up to $200,000 in annual spending.
What other features does U.S. Bank list?
Both cards include a welcome offer and access to Spend Management and the ExtendPay fixed-fee payment plan, according to the bank. The source report does not give the welcome offer value or ExtendPay’s detailed terms.
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