Ramp vs Brex vs American Express: Best Business Credit Cards for Photography & Videography
For photography and videography businesses, a business credit card is more than just a way to pay. The right card helps you invest in new lenses, manage travel for shoots, and cover software subscriptions without mixing personal finances with business costs. It builds your studio's financial history, offers spending controls for your assistants, and ideally, protects your personal credit. Choosing poorly can tie your personal assets to every camera body or drone purchase for years.
READY TO TAKE ACTION?
Use the free LaunchAdvisor checklist to track every step in this guide.
The Quick Answer
Ramp is best for established photography or videography studios that need top-tier expense tracking for shoots and gear, plus a simple 1.5% cashback without an annual fee. Brex suits growth-focused videography startups or content creators with good business cash flow, offering corporate cards with high limits for equipment upgrades, no personal guarantee needed. Amex Business is for seasoned photographers or videographers with strong personal credit who travel often for shoots and want premium rewards on advertising or travel.
Side-by-Side Breakdown
**Ramp:** $0 annual fee. 1.5% cashback on all business purchases, great for general studio supplies or unexpected gear rentals. No personal guarantee for qualifying photography/videography businesses. Excellent controls to track spending on specific shoots or by assistants. Best for studios wanting simple rewards and detailed expense management, like auto-matching receipts for lens purchases or software subscriptions.
**Brex:** $0 annual fee. Tiered rewards: great for common photography/videography expenses like 7x on rideshares to shoot locations, 3x on client meals, 2x on editing software subscriptions (Adobe Creative Cloud, DaVinci Resolve). No personal guarantee. Strong spend controls. Best for content creation startups or videography agencies with good business cash flow, using their bank balance as collateral for higher limits to buy a new Blackmagic camera or lighting kit.
**Amex Business Gold/Platinum:** $295-$695 annual fee. Gold offers 4x points in your top two spending categories, useful for advertising new client packages or booking flights for destination shoots. Platinum provides extensive travel perks, essential for photographers constantly flying. Requires a personal guarantee. Basic spend controls. Best for experienced photographers or videographers with strong personal credit who spend heavily on travel, online ads for wedding leads, or large equipment purchases.
When to Choose Ramp
Ramp is the straightforward choice for photography and videography studios with consistent revenue from client bookings, not just occasional gigs. You get no annual fee and 1.5% cashback on all business spending, whether it's paying for a second shooter, renting specialized gear like a gimbal, or purchasing licensing rights for music. Its expense management is top-tier: auto-matching receipts for your new lighting setup, integrating with your accounting software for shoot budgets, and setting spending limits for specific projects or team members. To qualify, your studio needs a business bank account with a minimum balance, typically $25,000, which shows you can cover operational costs like high-end camera body leases or ongoing marketing campaigns.
When to Choose Brex
Brex is ideal for new or fast-growing videography startups and content creation agencies that have strong business bank balances or have secured significant initial funding, perhaps from large commercial contracts or a successful Kickstarter for a creative project. Your credit limit is tied directly to your business deposits, not your personal credit score. This means you can get high limits that match your studio's financial strength, perfect for large equipment investments like a new RED camera system ($10,000+) or building out a green screen studio. The category rewards are useful for common photo/video expenses, like 7x on rides to shooting locations, 3x on client meals, and 2x on editing software subscriptions. Keep in mind, Brex now focuses on businesses with established cash flow, so very new solo photographers might find approval challenging.
When to Choose American Express Business
American Express Business cards are for established photographers and videographers who don't mind a personal guarantee in exchange for premium rewards. If you have strong personal credit and consistent high spending in specific areas, Amex can be very rewarding. The Business Gold card earns 4x points on your top two spending categories, which could be a game-changer if you spend heavily on online advertising for new clients, large equipment rentals, or even flights for multi-city event coverage. The Business Platinum card is best for high-volume destination wedding photographers or international documentary filmmakers who frequently travel, as its annual fee is offset by lounge access, travel credits, and elite status. Choose Amex if your studio regularly incurs significant costs in their bonus categories like airline tickets, hotel bookings, or marketing campaigns.
The Verdict
For most established photography studios managing varied client projects and needing solid expense tracking, Ramp is the clear winner. For growth-focused videography startups or content creators needing high limits for large gear investments without a personal guarantee, Brex is a strong contender. If you're an experienced photographer or videographer with excellent personal credit and significant spending on travel or advertising, Amex Business cards offer unmatched rewards. Don't chase a flashy sign-up bonus; choose the card that best supports your studio's daily operations and long-term financial health for years, not just a few months.
How to Get Started
Applying for these business credit cards is usually straightforward and takes under 20 minutes for each. **Ramp:** Apply directly at ramp.com. You'll need your studio's EIN, a business bank account, and meet their minimum deposit balance requirement. **Brex:** Visit brex.com to apply. Approval is typically easier for videography startups or content creation agencies with proven business cash flow. **Amex Business:** Apply at americanexpress.com/business. This will require your Social Security Number (SSN), a personal credit check, and an estimate of your photography or videography business's annual revenue. Prepare these details to get your application moving quickly.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Ramp
Best expense management with 1.5% cashback and no annual fee
Brex
Corporate cards with no personal guarantee for funded startups
American Express Business
Premium business cards with strong rewards for qualifying businesses
Some links above are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will applying for a business card hurt my personal credit?
Amex and most traditional business cards do a hard pull on your personal credit. Ramp and Brex do not — they evaluate your business bank balance instead.
Do I need a business credit card or can I use a personal card?
Mixing personal and business expenses creates an accounting nightmare and weakens the liability protection your LLC provides. Always use a dedicated business card.
How do I build business credit if I am brand new?
Start with a business bank account and EIN. Apply for a secured business credit card or a card that does not require credit history. Pay in full every month. After 12-24 months, your business credit profile develops.
Apply This in Your Checklist