High-risk businesses face two brick walls: credit-card approvals are scarce, and the few cards you do land rarely reach Dun & Bradstreet. After reviewing every 2025 issuer policy, we identified five secured—or no-PG—business cards that send positive payments straight to your D&B Paydex file. This guide walks you through which cards report, how to use them, and how to turn a refundable deposit into an 80-plus Paydex—without exposing your personal credit. Let’s put your company on the map.
Quick picks: 5 secured cards that report to D&B
You don’t need a dozen accounts; only a few that appear on Dun & Bradstreet. The five choices below follow 2025 policies that send positive payment data to D&B, and each suits a different cash-flow scenario.
FairFigure secured card: lead-off tradeline
FairFigure’s secured option is a straightforward way to build business credit that actually shows up where it counts. It reports to Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), so your activity contributes directly to your company’s credit file. You fund a security deposit to set your own limit, which makes the process predictable and easy to manage.
From there, the strategy is simple: use the account responsibly and prioritize on-time payments. Each month of positive activity helps establish a consistent payment history with D&B. Because it functions as a primary tradeline—not an authorized user add-on—it can carry more weight in shaping your business profile.
Start here to establish clean, reliable reporting before expanding your credit mix. Once you’ve logged a few months of strong performance, you can layer in additional accounts to diversify your tradelines. The whole approach is transparent, controllable, and beginner-friendly—ideal if you want a clear first step that belongs at the front of the line.
Tillful Card powered by Nav: the simple on-ramp
The Tillful Card powered by Nav is a clean, simple on-ramp for building business credit. There’s no personal guarantee and no hard credit pull, so you’re not tying your personal profile to your business to get started. You set your spending power with a refundable security deposit, with a minimum of $500, which keeps the setup straightforward and under your control.
Reporting is the real win here. According to Nav’s help center, Nav reports to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax on the first business day of each month. That steady cadence gives you frequent opportunities to show positive activity and build payment history across the major business bureaus—exactly what you want from an early tradeline.
Because it’s designed for brand-new or credit-bruised owners, the Tillful Card powered by Nav is ideal as a first step: fund the deposit, use the card responsibly, and pay on time. It’s a fast path to getting an initial primary tradeline on the books, setting the stage for future accounts once you’ve established consistent, positive reporting.
BILL Spend & Expense (Divvy): revenue-based charge card
BILL Spend & Expense (formerly Divvy) is a revenue-based charge card that leans on your business’s cash flow rather than your personal credit. There’s no security deposit, and your spending capacity adapts to your linked bank-account balances, which keeps limits aligned with real operating activity. Because it’s a charge card, balances are paid in full on a preset schedule—encouraging disciplined spend and avoiding revolved interest by design.
On the reporting front, BILL/Divvy feeds data to the Small Business Financial Exchange (SBFE) and reports directly to Dun & Bradstreet, according to Divvy’s FAQ (April 2025). That combination helps your payment behavior filter into the bureaus many lenders and vendors actually check, supporting the buildout of a credible business file over time. Steady, on-time payments on the set schedule turn into consistent, positive signals.
This setup shines when cash flow is stable but personal scores are less than perfect. If your revenues are predictable, the dynamic limit and pay-in-full structure can deliver meaningful spend capacity without leaning on a personal guarantee. Use it to centralize expenses, keep utilization tight, and generate bureau-visible history—then layer in other accounts once your profile starts to season.
Bank of America Business Advantage Secured: big-bank credibility
The Bank of America Business Advantage Secured card pairs big-bank credibility with a predictable path to building business credit. You post a refundable security deposit between $1,000 and $10,000, which becomes your spending limit, and you earn a flat 1.5% cash back on purchases. That mix gives you both control over capacity and a simple return on everyday expenses while you establish history.
On reporting, Bank of America sends account data to the Small Business Financial Exchange (SBFE), and Dun & Bradstreet typically ingests SBFE files within about 30–60 days (per the eCredable issuer matrix). That flow helps your on-time payments translate into bureau-visible activity that vendors and lenders can verify, amplifying the value of each month you manage the account responsibly.
Strategy-wise, the move is to qualify now, use the card regularly, and make every statement payment on time. After 12 consecutive on-time statements, ask Bank of America to review the account for graduation to an unsecured line and the return of your deposit. It’s a straightforward way to add a primary tradeline from a national lender, earn cash back, and build toward better terms.
FNBO Business Edition Secured Mastercard: high-limit path
The FNBO Business Edition Secured Mastercard is a strong high-limit path for building business credit. You can post collateral from $2,000 up to $100,000 for a matching credit line, letting you right-size capacity to your revenue and planned spend. Because it’s secured, underwriting is more accessible while still giving you room to scale limits as your cash position grows.
FNBO reports directly to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax, which means your responsible use shows up across the major business bureaus. With a larger limit, your statement activity can carry more weight in dollar-sensitive models—useful for strengthening the payment-based factors observed in D&B scoring (including what influences Paydex) when you pay on time or, better yet, early.
For a fast route to a robust file, pair this with two or three complementary accounts and pay them ahead of the due date. That approach helps you reach D&B’s typical three-tradeline threshold for generating a Paydex score within a few months, while also diversifying your reporting footprint across bureaus.
Why D&B reporting feels like a black box
In consumer credit, card issuers automatically feed TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. Business credit is optional. Dun & Bradstreet relies on voluntary data, so each bank weighs the cost of reporting; many simply opt out.
eCredable’s 2025 issuer matrix shows only three of the eight largest business-card banks—Capital One, Chase, and Citi—send positive payment history straight to D&B. The rest keep records internal or route them through the Small Business Financial Exchange (SBFE), a members-only database that D&B can query but updates less predictably (according to eCredable).
That opt-in model explains why you can swipe a card all year and still see a blank Paydex file. Until an issuer pushes data, whether directly to D&B or indirectly via SBFE, your on-time payments remain invisible. The silence isn’t on you; it’s structural. Once you know the rules, you can pick accounts that do report and sidestep the black box.
1. Secure your D-U-N-S number before anything else
Dun & Bradstreet can’t log a tradeline for a company it doesn’t recognize, so claim, or confirm, your D-U-N-S number first. Search your business on D&B’s site; if nothing appears, submit the short online form. A standard request is free and typically processed within 30 business days, while an optional expedited service can deliver a number in about eight days.
When you apply, enter the exact legal name, address, and phone you’ll use on future credit applications. Even a stray suite number can block incoming data. If your company is already listed, review every field and update anything that has changed since launch. Spending 10 minutes now can prevent weeks of “missing tradeline” trouble later.
Once your D-U-N-S is active, and only then, move on to the secured card that will report your payments.
2. Open one secured card and fund it like you mean business
Pick a card from the Quick Picks, then pledge a deposit you can leave untouched for at least 12 months. Dun & Bradstreet weighs each tradeline by its highest dollar balance, so a $5,000 limit moves your Paydex score more than a $500 limit, even when monthly spending matches (nav.com).
Aim for a credit limit that mirrors 30 days of normal vendor spend without straining cash flow. After the card arrives, activate it and confirm that the billing address and legal name match your D-U-N-S record; even a mismatched ZIP code can block the account from posting. A business credit monitoring platform like FairFigure shows your Dun & Bradstreet and Equifax files in one place, so you can spot and fix any name or address mismatches before they delay reporting.
Once those details align, start using the card sparingly and build your first, weighty tradeline.
3. Swipe something every month, then pay it early
A secured card with zero activity sends zero data. Assign one recurring expense (software, fuel, or your phone bill) to the card each month. Two days after the charge posts, pay the full balance online. Why pay so soon? Dun & Bradstreet’s Paydex scale rates you as:
- 80 when you pay on the due date
- 90 when you pay 20 days early
- 100 when you pay 30 days early (creditstrong.com)
Prompt payments lift you from “good” to “excellent” risk. Calendar alerts or autopay keep the rhythm tight: charge, then clear. A steady record of “pays sooner than terms” is the quickest route to a low-risk profile.
4. Check your D&B file after two cycles and act if the tradeline is missing
Wait 60 days (about two billing cycles) before checking your report. Then pull a fresh file through Nav, CreditSignal, or D&B’s portal. A successful post lists the creditor’s name, your high-credit limit, and a “Pays promptly” note.
If nothing appears:
- Call the card’s business-credit team to confirm they have your correct D-U-N-S number.
- If the issuer says the account was submitted, open a support ticket with Dun & Bradstreet and upload a recent statement or payment receipt.
- Tillful users can file Nav’s Credit Builder form; Nav states bureaus may take 14–45 business days to add the data once it’s sent.
Most issues clear within two weeks after a human matches your record. Catching the problem early keeps your Paydex clock moving.
5. Add two more tradelines to trigger your Paydex score
Dun & Bradstreet won’t calculate a Paydex until it sees at least two tradelines and three payment experiences (nav.com), making maintaining strong business credit crucial. Your secured card covers the first tradeline. Reach the required three by adding:
- One net-30 vendor account. Uline, Summa Office Supplies, and Crown Office Supplies all report to D&B. Place a small order, even $60 in paper, and pay the invoice within a week.
- Nav Business Boost. The $49 monthly subscription posts as a financial account to D&B, Experian, and Equifax on the first business day of each month, creating a new payment experience every 30 days (Nav help center).
With three clean payments across these accounts, D&B typically posts your first Paydex within 90 to 120 days of the initial reports (nav.com). An on-time history usually starts at 80; pay early and the score can rise into the 90s, positioning you as a low-risk borrower.
6. Graduate the card and widen your credit menu
After 12 consecutive on-time statements, many issuers review secured accounts for graduation. Bank of America automatically reviews your Business Advantage Secured card at the one-year mark and may refund the $1,000–$10,000 deposit while keeping the account open (wallethub.com). FNBO offers no upgrade path, so plan to keep that line long-term or close it once you have a replacement.
When your Paydex reaches 80 or higher and your secured history is clean, apply for one unsecured card that reports to Dun & Bradstreet, such as Capital One Spark Classic or Chase Ink. One approval is enough; opening several new accounts can shorten your average age of credit. If you’re still leaning on a subprime personal card for business spend—like Credit One—compare these five EIN-only business card alternatives that keep charges off your personal reports and align with the no-PG path you’ve started
Stick with the same rhythm: charge a small amount, then pay early. Each additional revolving line broadens your profile and raises total available credit, factors lenders weigh when you need equipment financing or a seasonal cash bridge. An aged secured tradeline paired with a well-managed unsecured card builds a durable business-credit backbone.
Alternatives when you can’t get a card
Net-30 vendor accounts
If cash for a deposit is tight, or a bank still says no, vendor credit offers a quick route to your first tradeline. Net-30 suppliers extend small “pay-within-30-days” limits based on your EIN alone and report those payments as commercial accounts.
Start with vendors that explicitly report to Dun & Bradstreet:
- Uline – packaging and shipping supplies; reports to D&B and Experian (fairfigure.com).
- Crown Office Supplies – office products; its terms of service authorize reporting to “the Bureaus,” including commercial bureaus (crownofficesupplies.com).
- Summa Office Supplies – stationery; industry disclosures list D&B among its reporting bureaus (vendor FAQ, 2025).
Place a modest order of $50–$100 and pay the invoice within a week. D&B weighs payment speed more than purchase size, so three prompt payments from even a $500 limit can lift your Paydex as effectively as a credit-card tradeline.
Each vendor usually appears on your D&B file 30–45 days after it furnishes data. Follow up if the line takes longer. For many high-risk merchants, a vendor account is the most affordable first tradeline on the board.
Conclusion
Stick with the same rhythm: charge a small amount, then pay early. Each additional revolving line broadens your profile and raises total available credit, factors lenders weigh when you need equipment financing or a seasonal cash bridge. An aged secured tradeline paired with a well-managed unsecured card builds a durable business-credit backbone.
FAQ: straight answers to common questions
Which secured business cards report to Dun & Bradstreet?
As of 2025, four secured or no-PG options send positive data to D&B: Bank of America Business Advantage Secured (via SBFE), FNBO Business Edition Secured Mastercard (direct), Tillful Card powered by Nav (direct), and BILL Spend & Expense Card (via SBFE).
Does Capital One Spark build business credit with D&B?
Yes. Capital One reports every Spark Business card to D&B, Experian, Equifax, and SBFE, and it also reports to the personal bureaus.
Do American Express business cards help my Paydex?
Not for positive history. Amex submits data to D&B only when an account is seriously delinquent; on-time payments stay invisible.
How long before a new account shows up?
Most issuers transmit at month-end. D&B processes files in 15–30 days, so a tradeline usually appears within two billing cycles (about 45–60 days).
Why do I need three tradelines for a Paydex?
D&B won’t calculate a Paydex until it sees at least two tradelines and three payment experiences, which gives the algorithm enough data for statistical confidence.
Will I always need a personal guarantee?
Often. Most secured cards require a PG, but Tillful and BILL Spend & Expense evaluate a business on revenue and deposit alone.
Is paying early worth it?
Yes. D&B assigns a Paydex of 80 when you pay on the due date, 90 when you pay about 20 days early, and 100 when you pay roughly 30 days early. Early payments move you from “average risk” to “low risk” in many lender models.
