HSBC’s Commercial Card is built for businesses that want a separate credit line for day-to-day spending, with terms that may suit sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, schools and charities with borrowing authority. The Visa card offers up to 56 days of interest-free credit on purchases if the balance is paid in full and on time, or 38 days if payment is made by Direct Debit.
The card starts with a flexible credit limit from £500, can be paid in full or by a minimum amount each month, and is free for the first year before costing £32 a year per card from year two. HSBC says the card includes online account access, the HSBC UK Business Banking app and downloadable statements, and is widely accepted wherever Visa is taken in the UK and abroad.
For smaller firms, the Commercial Card is the main option. HSBC also offers a separate Corporate Card for larger businesses with more complex needs, including centralised billing, customised reporting, individual spend controls per cardholder and integration with expense management systems. That split matters because the Commercial Card is not a one-size-fits-all product; it is aimed at businesses that want a straightforward way to manage spending without linking every purchase to a business current account.
There are trade-offs. HSBC charges a 2.99% non-sterling transaction fee on overseas spending, with a minimum charge of £3, and the card carries a representative APR of 22% variable. It also does not include a rewards programme. In return, HSBC says cardholders get zero liability for fraudulent transactions and access to a dedicated identity theft helpline through PrivacyGuard, while contactless payments are supported up to £100 and the card works with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
The practical question for any business is not whether the Commercial Card is useful, but whether it is the right fit. The free first year and interest-free window can help with cash flow, especially for firms tracking short-term expenses, but the ongoing fee, foreign exchange charge and lack of rewards make it a product that rewards careful use. For businesses with more complicated spending patterns, HSBC’s Corporate Card is the more advanced option, while the Commercial Card remains the simpler one.
