What the Mercury Visa Card Is

The Mercury Visa is a business credit card issued by Mercury, a financial technology company focused on serving startups and small businesses. It functions like a standard business credit card — you use it to make purchases, pay the bill monthly, and build business credit history. The card is designed for founders and business owners who want a card tied to their business rather than their personal credit.

Mercury does not charge an annual fee for the card. The company makes money when merchants pay interchange fees (the percentage of each transaction that goes to the card network), not by charging you directly. This means there is no yearly cost to hold the card, though you will pay interest on any balance you carry month to month.

The card is issued by Evolve Bank & Trust, a bank that partners with fintech companies to issue cards. This matters because it means your card is backed by a real bank and protected by the same fraud rules as any other Visa card.

Key Takeaways

  • Mercury Visa is a business credit card with no annual fee, designed for startup founders and small business owners who want to separate business spending from personal credit.
  • You need an active Mercury business checking account to get the card, which requires an EIN (Employer Identification Number) or Social Security Number and business formation documents.
  • The card reports to business credit bureaus, helping you build a credit history separate from your personal credit score.
  • Interest rates and credit limits depend on your business financials and credit history, and Mercury will pull your personal credit report as part of the review process.
  • You can order multiple cards for employees and set spending limits on each one through the Mercury dashboard.

How to Get a Mercury Visa Card

You must have an active Mercury business checking account before you can get the card. If you do not already have one, you will need to open that first. The process takes about 10 minutes online and requires your business name, EIN or Social Security Number, business address, and the names and ownership percentages of all owners with 20% or more stake in the business.

Once your Mercury account is open and funded, you can order the Visa card directly from the Mercury dashboard. Go to the Cards section, select "Order Card," and follow the prompts. Mercury will review your process, which includes a soft pull of your personal credit report. This pull does not affect your personal credit score. The review typically takes a few business days.

Your physical card will arrive by mail within 7 to 10 business days. You can use the virtual card number when ready while you wait for the physical card to arrive — Mercury generates a temporary card number you can use for online purchases right away.

What You Can Use the Card For

The Mercury Visa works like any other business credit card. You can use it for business expenses: software subscriptions, office supplies, travel, meals with clients, equipment purchases, contractor payments, and advertising spend. You can also use it for personal expenses if you want, though the card is designed and marketed for business use.

The card has no preset spending limit. Instead, Mercury sets a limit based on your business financials, credit history, and account activity. If you have been using your Mercury checking account for a while and maintaining a healthy balance, your limit will typically be higher than if you just opened the account. You can request a limit increase through the Mercury dashboard.

You can add employee cards to your account. Each employee card can have its own spending limit, and you can freeze or delete cards when ready from the dashboard. This is useful if you want to give team members purchasing power without giving them access to your main business account.

How Interest and Payments Work

Mercury Visa charges interest on any balance you carry past the due date. The interest rate (called the APR, or annual percentage rate) is not published as a single number — it varies based on your creditworthiness and business profile. You will see your specific APR in your card agreement before you accept the card.

Your bill is due 21 days after the end of your billing cycle. You can pay the full balance, the minimum payment, or any amount in between. Payments are made through your Mercury dashboard and typically post within one business day. If you pay the full balance by the due date, you will not pay any interest.

Mercury reports your card activity to business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian), which means using the card responsibly — paying on time and keeping your balance low — will help build your business credit score. This is separate from your personal credit score and can help you may have access to for better terms on business loans later.

Rewards and Benefits

Mercury Visa does not offer cash back, points, or travel rewards. The card is straightforward: you use it, you pay the bill, and that is it. There are no bonus categories, no sign-up bonuses, and no rewards program. If earning rewards on business spending is important to you, this card is not the right fit.

The card does include standard Visa protections: fraud protection, purchase protection, and the ability to dispute unauthorized charges. You also get access to Mercury's dashboard, which shows all your card transactions in real time, lets you set spending limits on employee cards, and integrates with your Mercury checking account so you can see your full business finances in one place.

Who Should Consider the Mercury Visa

The Mercury Visa makes sense if you are a business owner who wants to separate business spending from personal spending and build business credit history. It is especially useful if you are a startup or early-stage business that may not yet may have access to for a traditional business credit card from a bank.

It is also a good choice if you want to give employees purchasing power without opening separate accounts or dealing with expense reports. The ability to set limits on each card and freeze them when ready from your phone is a real advantage over traditional corporate cards.

The card is less useful if you are looking for rewards, cash back, or travel benefits. It is also not a fit if you do not have a Mercury checking account or do not want to use Mercury for your business banking.

What Happens If You Are Denied

Mercury may decline your card request if your business is too new, your personal credit score is very low, or your business does not meet Mercury's underwriting standards. Mercury does not publish exact requirements, but the company tends to work with businesses that have been operating for at least a few months and have a founder with a credit score in the mid-600s or higher.

If you are denied, you can contact Mercury support to ask why. Sometimes the issue is fixable — for example, if your account has not been open long enough, you can reapply after a few more months of account activity. If your personal credit is the issue, you may need to work on that separately before reapplying.

If you cannot get approved for Mercury Visa, other business credit cards to consider include the Capital One Spark Cash, the American Express Business Gold, or the Chase Ink Business Preferred — though these typically require a longer business history or higher credit score than Mercury.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a business license or EIN to get the card?

You need either an EIN (Employer Identification Number) or a Social Security Number. If you are a sole proprietor, you can use your SSN. If you have formed an LLC, S-corp, or C-corp, you will need an EIN. You do not necessarily need a business license, though Mercury will ask for your business formation documents (articles of incorporation, operating agreement, or equivalent).

Will explore for the Mercury Visa hurt my personal credit score?

Mercury performs a soft pull of your personal credit report, which does not affect your score. A soft pull is a background check that only you can see. However, if you carry a balance on the card and miss payments, that can eventually hurt your personal credit if Mercury reports it to personal credit bureaus — though Mercury primarily reports to business credit bureaus.

Can I use the Mercury Visa for personal expenses?

Technically yes, but it is not recommended. The card is designed for business use, and mixing personal and business expenses makes accounting and tax time harder. If you need a personal credit card, it is better to keep that separate.

What is the credit limit, and can I increase it?

Mercury does not publish a standard credit limit. Your limit is set based on your business financials, credit history, and account activity. You can request an increase through the Mercury dashboard, and Mercury will review your request based on your current account standing.

What happens if I close my Mercury checking account?

If you close your Mercury checking account, your Visa card will likely be closed as well, since the card is tied to your business account. Check with Mercury support before closing your account if you want to keep the card active.