Resource hub
Corporate cards
The category background behind our card reference pages: what a corporate card is, how it is underwritten, and how to configure one so it reduces work rather than creating it.
Introduction
Corporate cards are the instrument most companies use to decentralise spending without losing control of it. The category is straightforward once the terminology is settled, and confusing until it is — which is why three of the four guides here are essentially definitional.
These guides describe the category rather than any single provider. Provider-specific material lives on our card reference pages, which apply the same framework to individual products.
Guides in this hub
Each guide is self-contained and links to the product pages it relates to.
Topic categories
How the material in this hub is organised.
Category and terminology
What corporate means, and how it differs from business, charge and credit.
UnderwritingLimits and eligibility
How commercial limits are set, reassessed and occasionally reduced.
OperationsControls and administration
Per-card limits, merchant rules, approvals and offboarding.
Related product references
Recently updated
The most recently reviewed material in this hub.
Frequently asked questions
Company liability, central issuance to employees and administration by the company rather than the issuer. See the comparison guide for the full definition.
No. Eligibility usually depends on entity type, jurisdiction and financial position rather than headcount, and some programmes are designed specifically for small, well-funded companies.
A per-card limit sized to the role, then a vendor-locked virtual card for each recurring subscription. Those two cover most of the practical risk.
Keep reading
Sources and further reading
Every factual statement on this page is checked against primary documentation. Terms change frequently, so confirm details with the provider before acting on them.
- Brex — official website Primary source for current product names, availability and terms.
- Visa — commercial payment solutions Network-level background on commercial card products and data levels.
- Mastercard — commercial payments Network-level background on commercial card programmes.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit card resources Background on card terminology, billing cycles and consumer-vs-commercial distinctions.
Independent resource notice
Brex Card Reference is an independent publisher. We do not provide account access, financial services, card applications, payments or official customer support, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Brex.
Product names, features and terms referenced here belong to their respective owners and change over time. Verify anything decision-critical with the official provider.
Keep reading in the resource library
Vendor-neutral guides on corporate cards, underwriting, expense policy, spend controls and month-end close — written and reviewed by named editors.