Updated 2026-06-01
Corporate card underwriting models, explained
Cash balance, MRR, revenue, credit score, prepaid — what each one means.
Quick answer
TL;DR
Cash balance, MRR, revenue, credit score, prepaid — what each one means.
- •Cash balance: Brex, Ramp, Mercury IO — best for funded startups.
- •MRR / revenue: Capital on Tap, Pliant, Moss — best for SaaS / recurring revenue.
- •Credit score: legacy bank cards (Chase, Amex, Capital One) — best for established companies.
- •Prepaid: Soldo, Bento, Wallester — no underwriting, no credit, full control.
Cash balance
Underwriter looks at your bank balance and recent runway. Approval is fast, limits scale with cash. Trade-off: limit can shrink as cash shrinks.
Revenue / MRR
Underwriter looks at trailing revenue or MRR. Best for revenue-positive SaaS or ecommerce companies. Limits are stable and scale with revenue.
Credit score
Legacy underwriting. Best for established companies with strong credit. Slow to approve, often requires a personal guarantee.
Prepaid
No underwriting — you fund the card. Trade-off: no credit float, but no liability either.