finder

Employee Purchase-Card Finder

Work out whether you need debit expense cards, prepaid cards, reimbursement or credit.

Who it is for: UK self-employed tradespeople and small trade contractors.

What you get: A suitability view based on structure, need, repayment approach and team size.

How this calculation works

This tool runs in your browser. No data is sent to our servers. Below are the assumptions used.

Sole traders are not eligible for the business credit card we cover, so credit CTAs are removed for them.
If you tell us essential commitments are already under pressure, all credit promotion is suppressed and support routes are shown instead.
Your answers are not sent to advertising platforms and are never appended to a partner link.

Your figures

Live

Cards to plan for3
One per person buying materials, plus one for you.
Card spend per month£1,800.00
2 people × £900 each.
Suggested limit per card£1,350.00
Monthly spend per person plus 50% headroom for an unusual week.
Value of missing receipts£260.00
4 lost receipts × £65 average.
Admin cost of the current process£90.00
3 hours × £30 per hour.
Total monthly leakage£350.00
Missing paperwork plus admin time. This is the figure any card fee has to beat.

Staff paying out of their own pocket and claiming back is the slowest and least popular option, and it is where receipts go missing.
Per-card spending limits and merchant controls are the features to filter on — not the headline cashback rate.
Missing paperwork and admin time are costing roughly £350 a month on your figures. Compare that with any card fee before deciding.
This tool sizes the problem. It is not a credit recommendation, and any card that borrows money should only be used with a plan to clear it.

How this is worked out

Sole traders are not eligible for the business credit card we cover, so credit CTAs are removed for them.
If you tell us essential commitments are already under pressure, all credit promotion is suppressed and support routes are shown instead.
Your answers are not sent to advertising platforms and are never appended to a partner link.

Results are planning aids based on figures you enter. They are not financial, tax or legal advice, and no price is guaranteed to be accepted.

Hypothetical worked examples

To help you understand the outputs, here are illustrative examples generated using the same logic.

Illustrative example 1: A sole trader working 30 billable hours per week with £18,000 in annual overheads needs to recover £11.54 per hour before any profit is added. If they want a £35,000 target owner pay before personal tax, the true hourly rate rises to around £28–£32 based on the inputs entered.

Illustrative example 2: A small team with a van, premises and two employees requires a higher day rate to cover shared operational costs. The calculator shows the break-even point clearly so the business owner can set a rate that covers all costs before profit is considered.

Disclosed partner offer

The account or card most trades use for this

A referral reward is not a recommendation. Check the terms and decide on the numbers you have just worked out.

Business credit card

Business credit card for eligible incorporated UK businesses. Use promo code SETTINGUP for 7,500 points (stated value £75) after the first qualifying card transaction within 30 days. Credit is subject to status.

7,500 bonus points (stated value £75) with promo code SETTINGUP

Promo codeClick to copy

Claim 7,500 points Capital on Tap promo code SETTINGUP

T&Cs apply. Get 7,500 points (worth £75) when you complete your first card transaction within 30 days of signing up. Subject to eligibility and status. Affiliate link.

Where this fits

Paperwork that goes with it

The written rules that let people buy what they need without you approving every fitting — and without losing a receipt a week.

Employee Expense Policy