Capital on Tap: how it works and what it costs
A business credit card for UK limited companies, with limits up to £250,000 and unlimited 1% cashback.
How it works
Capital on Tap is a business credit card, not a loan. You get a credit limit of up to £250,000 and spend against it on the card, then repay monthly. Because the credit revolves, anything you pay back becomes available to spend again. That makes it a fit for ongoing costs like stock, fuel, software and travel rather than one big purchase.
You apply online, and Capital on Tap says you can apply and get a decision in 2 minutes. The business itself must be a private limited company (Ltd), a limited liability partnership (LLP) or a public limited company (PLC) registered in the UK. Sole traders cannot apply. The person applying must be an active director or own 25% or more of the shares, live in the UK, and have no unsatisfied CCJs in the last 12 months. There is no minimum trading history requirement, so young companies are not shut out.
If approved, you get a virtual card straight away, so you can start spending online before the plastic arrives. Physical cards typically turn up within days. You can also order unlimited employee cards for free, each with its own per-card spend controls, which matters if more than one person buys things for the business.
Repayment works like any credit card. Each month you repay some or all of what you owe, and you pay interest on any balance you carry. The advertised rate starts at 13.86% APR (variable), and the word variable matters: the rate can change after you sign up. Here is what the headline rate means in cash. Carry a £10,000 balance for a full year at 13.86% APR and the interest comes to roughly £1,386. And that is the lowest advertised rate, not necessarily yours.
The card pays unlimited 1% cashback on all card spend on the free plan. Spend £2,000 a month on the card and that is about £240 back over a year. A Pro plan at £299 a year adds 1.25% cashback on preloaded funds and some extras. Whether Pro beats free depends entirely on how much you preload and spend, so run the numbers against your own figures before paying for it.
What it really costs
Capital on Tap advertises rates "as low as 13.86% APR (variable)". Two things to notice in that phrase. "As low as" means that is the best rate, given to the strongest applicants, and yours may be higher. "Variable" means the rate can move after you take the card.
At the time of checking, Capital on Tap did not publish a UK representative example on its site, only the headline rate. That makes it impossible to say here what a typical customer pays. Before accepting a card, ask for your exact APR in writing, ask whether any interest-free period applies to purchases, and ask what fees you could face beyond interest.
The real cost depends on how you use the card. Clear the balance quickly and it can cost very little while still earning 1% cashback on everything you buy. Carry a balance month after month and the interest mounts up. As a rough guide, every £1,000 you carry for a year at the headline 13.86% rate costs about £139 in interest, and more if your rate is higher.
The standard plan is free. The Pro plan costs £299 a year and pays 1.25% cashback on preloaded funds plus extras. That fee only makes sense if the extra cashback outruns it, so do the sums on your actual spending before upgrading.
Check the current figuresLenders change pricing without notice. The representative example on Capital on Tap's own site is the number that counts.
Who can apply
- A private limited company (Ltd), limited liability partnership (LLP) or public limited company (PLC) registered in the UK. Sole traders cannot apply.
- The applicant must be an active director or own 25% or more of the shares
- The applicant must be a UK resident
- No unsatisfied CCJs in the last 12 months
- No minimum trading history required
Good for
- Limited companies that want revolving credit for everyday spending rather than a one-off lump sum
- Teams where several people buy for the business, since employee cards are free and unlimited, each with its own spend controls
- Newer companies, because there is no minimum trading history requirement
- Regular spenders who will actually collect the unlimited 1% cashback
Watch out for
- Sole traders are excluded. This card is for UK-registered Ltds, LLPs and PLCs only.
- 13.86% APR is the 'as low as' rate, not the typical one. Your rate could be higher, and at the time of checking there was no published UK representative example to show what a typical customer pays.
- The rate is variable, so it can go up after you have the card.
- A credit card suits spending you can clear quickly. Carry a large balance for months and card-rate interest builds up fast.
- The Pro plan costs £299 a year. It only pays off if the extra cashback beats the fee, so check the maths on your own spending first.
How Capital on Tap compares
Capital on Tap makes sense as a card for ongoing spending, not as a way to borrow a lump sum. If you want money in the bank rather than a card in your pocket, iwoca offers a flexible credit line you draw on as needed, and Funding Circle does fixed term business loans. The card wins on everyday convenience and cashback. The others win when you need a defined chunk of money for a defined purpose.
Put Capital on Tap side by side with another lender →
Common questions
Can sole traders get a Capital on Tap card?
No. Capital on Tap only accepts a private limited company (Ltd), a limited liability partnership (LLP) or a public limited company (PLC) registered in the UK. If you trade as a sole trader, this card is not open to you.
How fast can I get the card and start spending?
Capital on Tap says you can apply and get a decision in 2 minutes. If approved, you get a virtual card straight away, so you can spend online immediately. Physical cards typically arrive within days.
Do I need a trading history to apply?
No minimum trading history is required. You still need to pass the other checks: the applicant must be an active director or own 25% or more of the shares, be a UK resident, and have no unsatisfied CCJs in the last 12 months.
Will I have to sign a personal guarantee?
Business credit card providers commonly ask a director to sign a personal guarantee, which makes you personally liable if the company cannot pay. We could not confirm Capital on Tap's current requirement at the time of checking, so read the credit agreement carefully before you sign. Our guide to personal guarantees explains exactly what you would be taking on.
What credit limit will I get?
Limits go up to £250,000, but that is the ceiling, not a promise. The limit you are offered depends on the strength of your business and its credit record. Treat the advertised maximum as the top of the range, not the starting point.
Can I pay it off early or avoid interest?
It works like any revolving credit card. You choose how much of the balance to repay each month, and the faster you clear it, the less interest you pay. There is no fixed term and no lump-sum loan to settle early. Ask Capital on Tap whether an interest-free period applies to your account before relying on one.
Regulation and status
In the company's own words: "Capital on Tap is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference number 625592 in respect of consumer credit activities) and is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, firm reference 900922, for the issuing of electronic money."
Capital on Tap runs a partner programme. FundSpeed may join it, and that never changes what we write. Facts checked on 7 September 2026 against the sources below. Spotted a change? Tell us and we will fix it.