As a hardware-centric or procurement-heavy company, having funds available for purchases is crucial. The traditional process of issuing a purchase order and waiting for multiple signatures is no longer necessary, thanks to technology. Instead, companies now have more flexibility in purchasing methods, and the decision between a charge card and a credit card is essential.
This blog post explores the differences between the two and why a charge card may be a better option for businesses looking to manage their finances more effectively. It highlights the importance of making wise decisions when using credit cards and the benefits of charge cards, such as better transaction management, less risk of fraud, and direct linking to software programs.
By the end of this post, you will have a clearer understanding of which option is best suited for your business needs.
What Is the Difference Between a Charge Card vs Credit Card?
A credit card and a charge card work in much the same way. When a purchase is needed, the card holder can simply use the card to make the purchase. However, what happens after this is important.
With a credit card, a company has a revolving line of credit. That means that the business can take more time to make payment in full. Business credit cards typically offer a credit limit, which is the highest amount the company can use without paying anything back. However, they can carry a balance month over month.
With a charge card, the company pays off the balance in full at the time of it being due. The entire balanced borrowed during the period is paid in full. The card assigns a specific designated period. Most often, this is a month, but it can be longer. All transactions made during that period are due to be paid on the due date.
What Are the Benefits of a Credit Card?
Business credit cards can be lucrative tools for well-qualified companies. To obtain them, companies may need to have a high credit score and solid credit report. This credit score often determines the amount of money the company can borrow at one time. It is a type of credit limit much like what applies to personal credit cards.
Business credit cards do have some key benefits. For example, they allow companies to pay over time. This could be beneficial to companies that are seasonal and need more time in between significant purchases. For example, a company purchasing a significant amount of material in the lead up to a product development phase may benefit from having more time to repay those funds.
In addition to this, business credit cards are easy to use. Vendors readily accept them to pay invoices or to make other purchases. A business credit card can also help the company build business credit. Establishing a healthy credit history for the company could be beneficial later if there is a need to borrow more.
Another key benefit to business credit cards is that they offer purchase protection. Depending on the card itself, most purchases are covered in situations such as lost or stolen packages. If the supplier does not honor a refund, the company may be able to dispute the transaction on the business card for benefits.
Some business credit cards also offer rewards or cash back offers. This could be a way for the company to earn additional funds just for making purchases using the card.
What to remember about business credit cards
There is risk that is associated with the use of these cards. Unlike a debit card, credit cards allow businesses to carry debt. As such, a credit card is a debt product that needs to be managed in the company's finances. If the company carries that debt month-to-month, it will lead to interest applying. Debt is not bad for organizations unless that debt becomes significant and hard to manage.
It is also necessary to keep credit utilization as low as possible. Not doing so could create a negative impact on the company’s credit history and credit score. That could mean that when the company needs to borrow money in the future, it is much harder to do.
It is essential for companies to make wise decisions when using credit cards. Even the best credit card with a low interest rate and high spending limit can create problems for organizations that overspend or mismanage money.
What Are the Benefits of a Charge Card?
While a traditional credit card may seem like a simple option for many businesses, that is not always the case. The use of a charge card could provide companies with numerous advantages. A business charge card is very similar to a business credit card in terms of the way the card is paid. The business does not have to pay them off right away. However, unlike a credit card, the business will need to pay them off at the end of the billing cycle.
A charge card is beneficial to companies that want to have the flexibility that a business credit card can offer but are fully confident they can pay off the amount charged in full each month. There are a number of benefits associated with these cards. For example, some can link directly to the company’s accounting software. That makes it far easier to track and manage expenses.
Charge cards do not have a lot of risk to the issuer of the card. However, the biggest concern to the business is being unable to make payment in full when due. In that situation, the card is locked, and the company may be labeled as being in bad standing.
A charge card enables a company to use it without many limitations. For example, a company can obtain it without concern for their credit score. Most often, the issuer does not consider the company’s credit report or credit score. At the same time, having a charge card does not build credit for the company like a secured credit card or a traditional credit card may do.
Also beneficial is that, unlike some of the best credit card offers, there is no personal guarantee on a charge card. That means that the company owner is not personally obligated to cover the transactions on the card, though business assets could be at risk if the company does not make payment.
What is a P card?
A Purchasing Card (P-Card) is a corporate credit card designed explicitly for business-related purchases.It empowers employees to make purchases on behalf of their organization,streamlining the procurement process
P card vs Credit Card?
Credit cards allow users to make partial payments and revolve balances, on the other hand purchasing cards, or P-cards, require you to fully pay your balance each month. Their statements generally include more information than credit card statements and often eliminate the need to retain invoices.
What is the expense recognition principle?
The expense recognition principle, a core guideline of accrual accounting, dictates that expenses should be recognized in the period they are incurred, regardless of when the cash payments are made. This principle ensures that financial statements accurately reflect a company's financial performance by matching expenses with the revenues they generate. For example, if a company incurs costs to produce goods sold in a specific period, those costs are recorded as expenses in the same period the related revenues are recognized, providing a clearer picture of the company's profitability during that timeframe.
What the Best Offers Provide
As a business owner, you have numerous options to choose from when it comes to purchasing tools. A credit card is the simplest of options. The biggest factors to consider about a traditional credit card include:
- It is possible to build debt over time since the full balance does not have to be paid in full each month.
- A credit card can help with establishing good credit history with on time payments. If the company needs to borrow later, having a solid credit score is beneficial.
- Credit cards have a spending limit. The amount of that spending limit may be dependent on the company’s credit history and other factors.
A debit card offers the following features:
- A debit card draws funds directly from the company’s bank account. It is not common for businesses to use debit cards because it exposes more of their finances to purchases.
- Debit cards do not create debt. When a debit card is used, the company is using the equivalent of cash.
- Debit cards also do not help build credit scores. There is no credit component to debit cards.
A secured credit card offers a few different features:
- A secured credit card has a set spending limit.
- These credit card offers allow companies to pre-load the card with the amount they wish to spend as an upper limit.
- Most businesses do not use a secured credit card unless they are new due to the higher fees and limitations on a debit transaction (you cannot spend more than is on the card).
A charge card offers a different scenario with features such as:
- It does not require borrowers to use credit history to obtain the account.
- A charge card does not charge an interest rate, which is something that both credit cards and secured credit card offers typically charge.
- Companies can set the spending limit and limit debit transactions based on the available balance.
Which one of these is best for your business? In some situations, startups need to have a way to make purchases that is efficient and cost effective. A credit card may offer some benefits, especially as it enables companies to build their credit over time and may offer a rewards program.
However, unlike charge cards and debit cards, a credit card has limitations. It has costly interest charges and, over time, it can lead to companies creating debt. That debt may become expensive and hard to repay over time.
A charge card is a way to have the flexibility of not paying for purchases immediately and provides a high spending limit rather than a credit limit. Unlike debit cards, a charge card does not require cash on hand to make purchases.
Learnings
For hardware-centric and procurement-heavy companies, having funds available for purchases is crucial for success. This blog post explores the differences between charge cards and credit cards, discussing which option is best suited for these types of businesses. A credit card offers a revolving line of credit, meaning the business can take more time to make payments, while a charge card requires the balance to be paid in full at the end of each billing cycle.
Business credit cards can be beneficial for well-qualified companies as they allow for payments to be made over time, which can be useful for seasonal businesses. Additionally, they are easy to use and can help build business credit. Credit cards also offer purchase protection and reward programs. However, credit cards carry the risk of accruing debt, and credit utilization should be kept low to avoid negative impacts on the company's credit history and score.
A charge card offers similar benefits to a credit card, but with more limitations. Unlike a credit card, a charge card does not require borrowers to use their credit history to obtain the account, nor does it charge an interest rate. However, it requires the balance to be paid in full at the end of each billing cycle, and there is no personal guarantee on the card.
Choosing the right purchasing method is critical for startups as it can impact the company's financial stability and credit score. By considering the benefits and risks of each option, startups can make an informed decision about which purchasing method is best suited for their needs. For example, a charge card may be a good option for startups with the flexibility to pay off the balance in full each billing cycle, while credit cards may be more beneficial for businesses that require more time to make payments.
Overall, this blog post emphasizes the importance of making wise decisions when using credit and charge cards to manage finances. It highlights the benefits and risks of each option and provides insights into how startups can use these tools to their advantage. By carefully considering these factors, startups can make informed decisions about which purchasing method is best suited for their specific needs, ultimately leading to greater financial stability and success.
