| Last updated on February 12th, 2024
In-Depth Review: GM Business™ Mastercard®
Saving for purchasing or leasing a new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac vehicle is easy (and free) with the no annual fee GM Business Mastercard from Marcus and Goldman Sachs. Ideal for small to mid-sized business owners looking to start or expand their fleet of company vehicles, this highly specific card can take a significant chunk out of the cost of purchasing a new vehicle.
Although the bonus categories are versatile enough to be used for more than just business purchases, the question then becomes whether you should use this as your primary credit card will depend on whether you’re comfortable with sinking your rewards for the down payment of a GM vehicle.
How to Get the GM Business Card
Applying for the GM Business Mastercard is simple and straightforward. Here’s everything you need to know about the process:
Credit Needed
Marcus and GM are very upfront about the credit and application requirements for the card. The GM Business™ Mastercard® credit score requirement is 700 or better. You will need a “good” FICO Score to qualify for the card.
Application Requirements
GM and Marcus have the following requirements for applicants for their credit cards:
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older
- Must have a physical U.S. address (PO Boxes not accepted)
- Social Security Number (SSN) or ITIN
- Proof of income
Marcus by Goldman Sachs uses Experian for most credit checks and applications.
0% Intro APR Offer
New GM and Business Mastercard accounts enjoy an interest-free period on purchases when opening an account. New accounts enjoy 0% APR for 12 months on purchases, followed by a variable rate after that (which you can view above).
That variable rate is highly competitive with other business cards and similar to what you can expect elsewhere for a rewards business card with good credit.
Free Employee Cards
Business cards are great for amassing a huge amount of points. Part of that comes from the more significant spending company cards provide versus a personal credit card.
Another reason is employee cards. Companies can issue employees additional cards from the same account, meaning your brand can significantly (maybe even exponentially) increase your business’s total rewards.
You can request unlimited employee cards for your workers with the GM Business™ Mastercard®. Even better, the unlimited employee cards are free of charge. You can even set individual spending limits and track all individual spending activities at no additional cost.
GM Business Card Rewards Guide
About My GM Rewards
The My GM Rewards program is the exclusive rewards program for GM, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. The program earns points on most things you do with GM, with additional points earned outside through the GM Rewards credit cards offered through Marcus by Goldman Sachs.
Reward Tiers
There are three (3) tiers in the My GM Rewards program:
| How to Unlock a New Tier | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-year total spend on a new, eligible GM vehicle | $0 to $44,999 | $45,000 to $109,999 | $110,000+ |
| Combined spend on paid, eligible GM service, eligible accessories or parts, and OnStar and Connected Service Plans | $0 to $1,499 | $1,500 to $2,499 | $2,500+ |
| Yearly spend on My GM Rewards Mastercard | N/A | Automatic Gold Tier | $15,000+ |
| Points expiration | Account is Closed; 5 Years of Inactivity | Never Expire | Never Expire |
What tier you’re in is based on vehicle spending, GM non-vehicle spending, and cardmember status and spending. Progress toward the next tier for My Chevrolet Rewards members is reset every year on January 5th.
GM Business Mastercard Early Spend Bonus Offer
The GM Business Card from Marcus comes with a decent cash back bonus for new accounts. New business accounts can redeem $750 in Bonus Earnings at GM towards the purchase or lease of eligible new GM vehicles after spending $5,000 on purchases in their first five months.
That welcome bonus is close to the value of the old sign-up bonus with the Capital One version of the BuyPower Card (this offer no longer accepts new applicants as the program has ended).
How to Earn GM Rewards
Having one singular redemption method paired with such wide accompanying bonus categories makes this card a powerhouse for accumulating savings toward a shiny new set of wheels. Thankfully, this card has far more versatility when earning rewards than redeeming them.
Offering bonuses for purchases of gas, dining, office supplies, and, of course, GM products, the business version of the Marcus GM credit card has category bonuses that are on par with those of more general use reward cards:.
- 5% back on parts, service, and accessories at authorized GM Dealers
- 3% back at gas stations, restaurants, and office supply stores
- 1% back on all other purchases
Unfortunately, the “business” part of this credit card leaves much to be desired as it only awards companies for making purchases at dedicated office supply stores – which can be limiting if your business doesn’t operate out of a traditional office setting.
How to Redeem GM Rewards
The single redemption option available for GM Business cardholders is for (no more than 30 at a time). To do so, find a participating GM dealer nearby, and your points will be deducted once you use them in person.
Earnings never expire, and there are no limits on how much you can earn. There is great news if you have business employee cards (which also have earning power).
This feature is useful if company vehicles need to be replaced or purchased regularly. Still, if you’re unsure if you’ll ever purchase a GM vehicle more than a few times, you could find yourself stuck with thousands of unusable points.
Mastercard Business Features
GM Business members can expect a full suite of Mastercard for Business protections and benefits, including:
| Zero Liability | Mastercard Airport Concierge | Intuit QuickBooks® and TurboTax® |
| ID theft Protection | Priceless Golf | Salesforce Essentials |
| Global Emergency Services | Business Controls | Microsoft 365 |
| Mastercard Biz | Mastercard Receipt Management | Car Rental Insurance |
| Mastercard Easy Savings® | ||
You can expect even more from the GM Rewards Card as a World Elite Business Mastercard. These additional features include Mastercard’s 24/7 Business Assistant, exclusive travel and lifestyle services from Mastercard, additional discounts with select merchants through the Mastercard Premium Easy Savings program, and a complimentary ShopRunner membership.
Other Cards to Consider
| Ramp Visa Card | Revenued Business Card | BILL Divvy Corporate Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guarantee required? | No | No | No |
| Rewards | Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase | None | Earn up to 7X on dining purchases, up to 5X on hotels, up to 2X on recurring software subscriptions, and up to 1.5X on all other purchases |
| Integrations | Block or restrict spending to a specific vendor – for either a specific card or your entire company | Payment calendar and transaction history | Combines seamless expense management software with business cards so you never have to process another expense report |
| Fees | No fees – including foreign transaction, setup, or replacement fees | No fees or hard credit checks to apply | No interest rates, no annual fee |
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Can carry a balance | Rewards categories are narrow |
| 0% Intro APR | Only one reward option |
| Quick Preapproval | No balance transfers allowed |
| No hidden fee |
What We Like About the GM Business Mastercard
Perfect for Companies with a Fleet
An auto rewards credit card might not be the sexiest rewards card for companies – but it can provide significant value to businesses with fleet cars. The My GM Rewards Business credit card provides significant savings on the types of purchases those companies make, with even more value coming to those who plan on issuing complimentary employee cards. To pay for business dinners, fill up company cars at the gas station, or even buy some more toner and paper for the office copy machine.
Those companies will find exceptional value with the GM Card. That’s because points only apply towards the lease or purchase of a vehicle from GM, GMC, Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac.
Generous Welcome Bonuses
The $750 welcome bonus with the card is significantly higher than what you might find with other auto rewards cards. Additionally, how those rewards apply is nice – if you want to purchase a new fleet vehicle, that is.
Things to Consider
High Spend for Welcome Bonus
But that $750 bonus also comes with a very high spending requirement. Companies need to spend $5,000 to reach that $750 bonus. Of course, you have five (5) months to reach the spend target compared with the three (3) months you typically see.
Equally frustrating is the redemption option for the sign-up bonus with the GM Business Card. As GM states in the terms $ conditions,
“Bonus Earnings are equal to $750 only when redeemed for the purchase or lease of a new vehicle at GM. Earnings may not be redeemed for any other use.”
This limits the value of the welcome offer significantly unless you are actively planning to upgrade your fleet or purchase a new car in the coming months or years.
FAQs About GM Rewards
- No. There is no limit on the total number of rewards a My GM Rewards member can redeem.
- No. GM points never expire as long as the credit cardholder’s account is open and active. Non-GM credit cardholders points may expire, depending on their loyalty status.
- Managing your My Gm Rewards account is easy. You can manage your GM Financial Account through the GM Financial App or online by going to www.gmfinancial.com and signing in to My Account. There, you can make a payment, access billing statements, update your profile and communication preferences, and even message with our Customer Experience agents.
- Marcus can pull from any of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion), but most datapoints point to TransUnion being the most commonly used scoring model.
Applying for the GM Business Mastercard is a soft pull. If you are approved and accept the offer, Marcus will conduct a full pull of your credit file.
Goldman Sachs Ratings
How does the My GM Rewards Card stack up? Here are a selection of expert reviews for the card and Marcus by Goldman Sachs – the card’s issuer:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4/5 |
2/5 |
2.5/5 |
Should You Apply for the GM Business™ Mastercard®?
Since this card is solely focused on helping pay for the acquisition of a new vehicle, this card should only be used by companies the purchase new vehicles with any sort of regularity. Otherwise, cardholders could find their earnings stuck in a credit card program with no opportunities to cash them out.
The signup bonuses are a nice touch, but nothing worth going out of your way to achieve. Still, be strategic with the time that you apply for this card in order to increase your likelihood of meeting the high spending requirements.
Overall, there is no shortage of similarly structured rewards cards that provide equally competitive returns on dining and gas (the categories that will likely do the bulk of the earning) and provide much more flexibility in their redemption options. The main GM Business Mastercard instead of a cash back alternative would be because you are undoubtedly certain that you will be purchasing a GM vehicle in the near future and want to make a dent in the down payment.
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