Cards that work for you and your team

What can you do with a business payment card?

With a business payment card you pay business expenses directly from your company's account: in shops, online, contactless and abroad. These days such a card is almost always a Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit, which works anywhere that network is accepted.

The amount comes straight off your account, so you never spend more than is in it. The idea that a regular business payment card doesn't work online or outside Europe dates from the days of Maestro. Those cards are being phased out and replaced by debit cards on the Mastercard or Visa network. With them you pay at web shops, software suppliers and foreign terminals without needing a separate card.

Do you need a business payment card or a business credit card?

For most day-to-day business expenses, a business payment card with a debit function is enough. You pay with money that is already in your account, there is no statement to settle at the end of the month and you don't have to pass a credit check. That also makes a debit card usable straight away for start-ups and freelancers.

A business credit card only becomes interesting if you want to pay later or need to be able to leave a deposit, as many car rental companies and some hotels ask. Credit cards often come with stricter conditions, such as a minimum period your business has existed. GoDutch does not issue credit cards: if you need credit or deferred payment, a credit card from another provider suits that situation better.

It doesn't have to be a choice of one or the other either. Many business owners pay day-to-day costs and team expenses with debit cards, and keep a credit card in reserve for the occasional trip that requires a deposit.

What is the difference between a virtual and a physical payment card?

The difference between a virtual and a physical payment card is that the virtual card has no plastic: it has its own card number, but only exists in the app. You use it for online payments and, through your phone, also contactless in shops. You need a physical card at terminals where you don't want to or can't pay with your phone, and to withdraw cash from a cash machine.

In practice it is not a choice between the two. Many business owners use a physical card on the go and one or more virtual cards for online purchases, because a virtual card number can't get lost in a wallet.

Why a separate virtual card per supplier or subscription?

Use a separate virtual card per software subscription, advertising account or regular supplier because you can then see per destination what is being charged. If all recurring payments come from one card, you have to work out where every unexpected charge comes from. With its own virtual card per supplier, that is already shown.

It also helps with security. If the card number leaks at one supplier, only that one card is affected and not the payments to all your other suppliers.

What should you look for in business payment cards?

When choosing business payment cards, the network makes the least difference, because Mastercard and Visa work almost everywhere. The difference lies in how you manage the cards. Pay particular attention to these points:

• Cards per team member: can you give everyone who makes business payments their own card, or does the team share one card and you don't know afterwards who paid for what.

• Limits you set yourself: can you set your own limit per card and adjust it without a form or a phone call.

• Virtual cards: do you have a card for online payments straight away, or do you wait for a physical card in the post.

• Paying with your phone: does the card work with Apple Pay and Google Pay, so you can also pay contactless without a physical card.

• Costs per card: what does an extra card for a team member cost, and how many cards are included in your plan.

• Connection with your administration: do card payments and receipts end up in your bookkeeping by themselves, or do you export them manually.

The last two points often only become clear after opening the account. So ask about them in advance, especially if you need more than a few cards. You can see how card payments and receipts end up together in one overview under managing your business expenses.

How do you arrange business payment cards at GoDutch?

At GoDutch you arrange business payment cards together with your account: Debit Mastercards and virtual Mastercards that you create and manage in the app, for yourself and for your team.

You apply for the account in 3 minutes and have your IBAN and card within 1 day. Want your team to pay for themselves without paying upfront? Take a look at the GoDutch business account and create your first cards.