Best Business Credit Cards for LLCs in 2026
Short answer: Mercury IO for a new or small LLC that banks at Mercury. It runs no credit check at sign-up, asks for no personal guarantee, and pays a flat 1.5% cash back, with the limit set by your balances. Expect daily repayment until balances reach $15,000. A funded LLC holding $25,000 in a US business account should price Ramp. An LLC that wants a revolving line or a welcome bonus should expect a bank issuer to review the owner's credit.
Read the underwriting first: your account balance, your revenue, or your personal credit. The rewards rate is the last thing to compare.
An LLC can apply for a business card with an EIN, and the card that approves you depends on what the issuer looks at first: your cash balance, your monthly revenue, or the owner's personal credit file. Pick the underwriting you can pass, then compare rewards, because a 2% card you cannot get pays nothing. Toolradar data: across the 84 expense tools we track, only 5 are fully free and 50% are paid-only, so expect the software around a card to cost something even when the card itself does not.
Mercury and Rho are the most open doors for a new single-member LLC: both skip the personal guarantee and the personal credit check, and both start new customers on daily repayment. Ramp and Brex suit an LLC with cash or funding behind it. BILL sits between them, with lines from $1,000. Relay, Novo, and the Expensify Card depend on a bank account you already hold.
The cards most owners search for, from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bank of America, sit on the other side of the line. They typically review the owner as well as the company, and Chase prints a 0% intro APR on purchases, which no card in the ranked list does. They have no Toolradar profile, so they appear in the comparison table and the guide text, not in the ranked list. The new Intuit Business Credit Card is in the same position.
Card terms change, and approval is the issuer's decision. Read the current terms on the issuer's page before you apply. This guide compares published terms and is not financial advice.
The broader field, including cards built for venture-backed companies, is the startup business card guide. Accounting fit for the same entity type is in accounting software for LLCs.
How we chose: we started from the 84 tools in expense management plus the major bank issuers, and kept the cards an LLC can realistically apply for. Terms and prices come from issuer and vendor pages dated October 2026.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | No annual fee; 1.5% back | 4.6 182 reviews | A new or small LLC that holds its cash at Mercury and wants no credit check at sign-up. |
| Rho | No fees; 1.25% to 2% | n/a | An LLC that will move its operating cash to Rho to earn a higher printed rate. |
| BILL Spend & Expense | No annual fee; from $1,000 | 4.5 2,542 reviews | An LLC with a US business bank account and an EIN that needs a small starting line. |
| Ramp | Free; Plus $15/user | 4.8 2,727 reviews | A funded LLC that wants no personal guarantee and a 30-day charge card. |
| Brex | Free; Premium $12/user | 3.6 2,343 reviews | A venture-backed or revenue-led LLC that wants category points and no personal guarantee. |
| Relay | No annual fee; rate by plan | 4.2 31 reviews | An LLC that already banks at Relay and clears the revenue bar. |
| Novo | No annual fee; 1% to 2% | 4.0 4,812 reviews | A Novo checking customer who wants the card inside the same login. |
| Expensify | No card fee; from $5/member | 4.5 7,035 reviews | An LLC with a business bank account that wants controls and cash back with no credit review. |
A new or small LLC that holds its cash at Mercury and wants no credit check at sign-up.
- Pro: IO runs no credit check at sign-up and asks for no personal guarantee, so the owner's personal score is not part of the application.
- Pro: Mercury says it supports all types of LLCs with no deposit minimums, and IO has no separate application: eligibility is checked inside the dashboard once the account is open.
- Pro: Cash back is a flat 1.5% on every purchase, deposited after you pay the balance, with no annual fee and no points catalog.
- Con: IO is only for Mercury account holders, and the limit follows total balances at Mercury plus any linked accounts, so a small account gets a small limit.
- Con: New customers with lower balances repay daily, with the full balance drafted each business day, until balances reach $15,000 and 30-day terms open up.
Mercury's Business Banking and Treasury tiers are exceptionally generous, offering core banking services and high-yield options for free.
Watch out
Personal tier is annual-only billing
An LLC that will move its operating cash to Rho to earn a higher printed rate.
- Pro: An LLC applies with its EIN and formation documents, and Rho states there is no personal guarantee and no personal credit check.
- Pro: There is no annual, subscription, or per-card fee, and physical, virtual, and vendor cards carry the same terms.
- Pro: Every account starts on Daily Terms at 1.25% standard cashback, so a young LLC gets a printed rate before any cash minimum.
- Con: Platinum, up to 2% on Daily Terms and up to 1.75% on Monthly Terms, needs payroll and revenue routed through Rho, most company assets held there, and an open Rho card.
- Con: Monthly Terms need $25,000 held at Rho, or $75,000 combined with linked external accounts, subject to underwriting. Personal accounts do not count.
Rho's pricing is exceptionally fair and generous, offering a comprehensive suite of business banking and treasury management tools for $0.
Watch out
Potential fees for specific banking services (e.g., international wires)
An LLC with a US business bank account and an EIN that needs a small starting line.
- Pro: BILL says the Divvy Card needs no deposit and no personal guarantee, the initial application is a soft inquiry, and a registered LLC qualifies with a US business bank account and an EIN.
- Pro: Lines start at $1,000 and come as variable, fixed, or secured pre-fund options, so a thin LLC can begin small instead of being declined outright.
- Pro: BILL says flexible underwriting may be lenient with weak credit if you pay more often or accept a smaller starting line, and it reports performance to the Small Business Financial Exchange.
- Con: Rewards follow the payoff schedule: up to 7x on restaurants and 5x on hotels needs a weekly schedule, and other purchases earn 1.5x on a weekly or daily cycle.
- Con: A month with spend under 30% of the credit line forfeits that month's points, and points cannot be redeemed for 12 months or before 5,000 points.
No subscription or per-user fees; BILL Spend & Expense is free software with corporate cards and credit access built in.
A funded LLC that wants no personal guarantee and a 30-day charge card.
- Pro: Ramp accepts corporations, LLCs, and LPs, requires no personal guarantee, and runs no personal credit check. The limit comes from the company's cash, cash flow, and revenue.
- Pro: It is a corporate charge card with 30-day payback, no annual fee, and unlimited physical and virtual cards on the $0 per user Free plan.
- Pro: Ramp sets the limit as a percentage of cash in linked bank accounts, or on revenue-based underwriting, so an LLC with strong revenue and a modest balance has a second route.
- Con: US applicants need at least $25,000 in cash in a linked US business bank account, and Ramp is not accepting individuals or sole proprietors, so a brand-new LLC with a small balance is out.
- Con: An EIN is required on the application and cannot be waived.
Ramp's pricing is highly generous, especially with its robust Free tier that offers features often found in paid plans from competitors.
Watch out
No explicit mention of minimum user count for Plus
A venture-backed or revenue-led LLC that wants category points and no personal guarantee.
- Pro: Brex says it serves US-incorporated companies including LLCs, applications use an EIN, and no personal guarantee is required.
- Pro: Limits come from revenue, amount raised, or cash balance rather than a personal FICO score, and applying does not affect personal credit.
- Pro: Rewards are 7x on rideshare, 4x on Brex prepaid travel, 3x on restaurants, 2x on software, and 1x on everything else.
- Con: Brex frames low-cash approval around venture-backed LLCs, so a bootstrapped LLC should expect underwriting to look for revenue or cash.
- Con: Essentials covers up to two entities, and a multi-entity setup needs Premium or Enterprise.
Brex's pricing is quite generous for startups and growing companies with its free Essentials tier, offering robust features without a per-user fee.
Watch out
Smart Card program may have specific procurement requirements.
An LLC that already banks at Relay and clears the revenue bar.
- Pro: The application does not check personal or business credit, and Relay does not report denied applications to credit bureaus.
- Pro: LLCs, partnerships, and corporations qualify. Sole proprietorships do not.
- Pro: There is no annual fee, and cash back is up to 1.5% on every purchase, with the rate set by the monthly Relay plan.
- Con: The card is by invitation only. Relay emails eligible customers and prompts them to apply inside the account.
- Con: Standard eligibility is an entity established at least 1 year with $50,000 in monthly revenue. The cash route is 6 months, $20,000 in monthly revenue, and a $25,000 minimum balance in Relay.
Relay's pricing is quite generous, especially with a robust free 'Starter' tier offering 20 checking accounts and 1.03% APY on savings.
A Novo checking customer who wants the card inside the same login.
- Pro: Cash back is 2% with a Novo checking balance of $5,000 or more and 1% below that, on every business purchase, with no rotating categories.
- Pro: There is no annual fee, and checking eligibility does not impact your credit score.
- Pro: The card sits in the same dashboard as checking and invoicing, with expenses categorized automatically.
- Con: The card is not open on request. Eligibility is decided after the checking account opens, from account activity and financial profile, and Novo describes it as available to select customers.
- Con: The public page prints no APR, repayment schedule, or credit limit basis, so those stay unknown until you check eligibility.
Novo's pricing is exceptionally generous, offering a completely free tier with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements.
An LLC with a business bank account that wants controls and cash back with no credit review.
- Pro: Expensify says the card needs no platform fees, deposits, personal guarantees, or credit checks, and no minimum balance.
- Pro: Cash back is 1% on every swipe and 2% above $250,000 a month across cards, on USD purchases on US cards.
- Pro: There is no interest because the card cannot carry a balance, and owners and admins set limits tied to the connected bank account.
- Con: Expensify says plainly that this is not a credit card. It spends cash already in the linked account, so it will not finance the gap between payroll and a customer payment.
- Con: The card is available in the US, the UK, and 12 named European countries, and the higher cash-back rate applies to US purchases only.
Expensify's pricing is fair for small to medium businesses, especially with the annual commitment.
What a business credit card for an LLC is
A business credit card for an LLC is a card issued to the company, used by the owner and any employees, and repaid from business funds. An LLC is its own legal entity, but a new single-member LLC has no credit history of its own, which is why issuers lean on balances, revenue, or the owner's file instead.
Corporate charge cards are underwritten on the business. Mercury, Rho, Ramp, Brex, BILL, and Relay take an EIN and formation documents, and each states that no personal guarantee is required. The cost is that the full balance is due on the issuer's schedule.
Bank cards typically involve the owner's credit as well. Capital One says applicants provide personal and business details to establish creditworthiness. Bank of America asks for the Social Security number of each controlling individual. Amex says accepting a card may affect the personal credit score. In return, Chase's Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash offer a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, and the bank cards print bigger welcome bonuses.
Bank-funded cards skip underwriting. The Expensify Card is not a credit card: it spends the linked business account, so there is no credit line and no interest.
Software-company cards are the newest group. Intuit launched a business credit card in July 2026 with limits from $1,000 to $50,000 set on the business profile, and no impact on the personal score to apply.
Why underwriting beats the rewards rate for an LLC
Every headline rate on this page comes with a condition, and for a young LLC the condition is the product. Mercury's 1.5% is flat, but new customers with lower balances repay daily, and the limit can fall after large withdrawals. Ramp wants $25,000 in a linked US business account. Relay wants a year in business and $50,000 in monthly revenue, or six months, $20,000 in monthly revenue, and $25,000 held at Relay.
The top rates are conditional too. Novo's 2% needs a $5,000 checking balance. Rho's 2% needs Platinum status, which means payroll, revenue, and most company assets at Rho. BILL's 7x on restaurants needs a weekly payment schedule, and a month with spend under 30% of the line forfeits its points.
Bonuses scale the same way. Capital One's Spark Cash Plus offer is $2,000 after $30,000 in the first three months, and Chase's Ink Business Unlimited is $750 after $6,000, both as of October 2026. An LLC that spends $2,000 a month never reaches either.
Match the card to the cash you hold and the revenue you book, then read the repayment schedule. A card that approves you on day one and drafts the account every morning is a different product from one that gives you a month of float.
Key Features to Look For
What the issuer underwrites (Essential)
Mercury sets the limit from balances at Mercury plus linked accounts. Ramp looks at cash, cash flow, and revenue. Brex looks at revenue, dollars raised, or cash. Relay and Novo look at the account relationship. Bank issuers typically add the owner's credit. The underwriting input decides who gets approved, not the rewards table.
Personal guarantee and the owner's credit file (Essential)
Charge card or revolving line (Essential)
Mercury IO, Rho, Relay, and Capital One Spark Cash Plus require the full balance on their schedule. Chase's Ink cards print a variable APR after a 0% intro period. A carried balance on an LLC card is a bank-card feature, not a corporate-card one.
Where the cash has to sit (Essential)
Ramp needs $25,000 in a linked US business account. Rho's monthly terms need $25,000 at Rho or $75,000 combined with linked accounts. Relay's cash route needs $25,000 inside Relay. Novo's top rate needs $5,000. Moving operating cash is often the price of a longer float.
Entity type and EIN (Important)
Ramp, Rho, Brex, and Relay take LLCs with an EIN, and Ramp and Relay exclude sole proprietors. Capital One accepts an SSN for sole proprietorships. An LLC with no EIN and no formation documents cannot start with the corporate programs.
Rewards that depend on how you pay (Important)
BILL pays more on a weekly schedule and forfeits points under 30% utilization. Rho pays 1.25% on daily terms and 1% on monthly. Mercury pays a flat 1.5% once the balance is paid. The rate you earn depends on repayment behavior you choose, not only on the card.
Business credit reporting (Nice to have)
Mercury reports IO payment history to Experian, Equifax, and Dun & Bradstreet. BILL reports to the Small Business Financial Exchange. Reporting turns on-time payment into a credit file for the LLC rather than the owner.
The software seat next to the card (Nice to have)
Ramp Plus is $15 per user per month plus a platform fee. Brex Premium is $12 per user. Mercury's NetSuite sync needs a paid plan from $35 a month. Expensify starts at $5 per member. The card is usually free and the finance tooling is not.
What to settle before you apply
If you want a revolving balance or a 0% intro APR, only the bank cards offer it. Accept that the owner's credit is part of the review.
If the LLC is funded, price Ramp and Brex against each other and ask both for the software fee at your headcount. See Ramp vs Brex.
If a card has to earn a printed percent, start with Mercury, Rho, Novo, or Relay. Ramp prints no rate and Brex prints multipliers.
Evaluation Checklist
On Mercury, check which repayment schedule today's balance qualifies for before you plan around a month of float.
On Ramp, confirm $25,000 sits in a US business bank account you can link, and that the LLC is not a sole proprietorship.
On Rho, choose Daily or Monthly Terms before you quote a rate, and note that Monthly needs $25,000 at Rho or $75,000 combined.
On BILL, ask whether your line is a charge line or carries interest, and which payment schedule earns which multiplier.
On any bank card, read the issuer's rates and fees page for the APR range and the bonus spend requirement.
Pricing Overview
No annual fee, card tied to an account
$0 annual fee
Free plan, optional paid seat
Ramp Free and Plus, Brex Essentials and Premium, and BILL, when finance wants coding and controls on top of the card.
$0 to $15 per user per month
Annual-fee bank cards
Amex Business Gold at $375, Chase Ink Business Preferred at $95, and Capital One Spark Cash Plus at $150, refunded at $150,000 of spend.
$0 to $375 a year
Pricing Comparison
| Card | Price and annual fee | Rewards as published | What it checks |
|---|---|---|---|
Mercury IO | $0 annual fee. Paid Mercury plans start at $35/mo, needed only for NetSuite sync. | Flat 1.5% cash back. Daily repayment, then 30-day terms once balances reach $15,000. | Balances at Mercury plus linked accounts. No credit check at sign-up. |
Rho | $0 annual, subscription, or per-card fee. | 1.25% on Daily Terms, 1% on Monthly. Up to 2% or 1.75% with Platinum. $1,000,000 yearly cap. | EIN and formation documents. Monthly Terms need $25,000 at Rho or $75,000 combined. |
BILL Divvy Card | $0 annual fee. Lines from $1,000. | Up to 7x on restaurants and 5x on hotels on a weekly schedule. 1.5x on other purchases. | Registered business, US business bank account, EIN. Soft inquiry to apply. |
Ramp | Free plan $0/user. Plus $15/user/mo plus a platform fee. | Cashback listed with no rate printed. 30-day payback charge card. | $25,000 in a US business account. No sole proprietors. No personal credit check. |
Brex | Essentials $0/user/mo. Premium $12/user/mo. | 7x rideshare, 4x Brex travel, 3x restaurants, 2x software, 1x else. | Revenue, dollars raised, or cash. EIN only. No personal guarantee. |
Relay Visa | $0 annual fee. Late fee 3% of the unpaid balance. | Up to 1.5% cash back, set by the monthly plan. 30-day charge card. | Invitation only. 1 year and $50,000 monthly revenue, or the cash route. |
Novo | $0 annual fee. | 2% with a $5,000 checking balance, 1% below it. | Novo checking customers. Eligibility is decided after account opening. |
Expensify Card | No card fee. Expense plans start at $5/member/mo. | 1% cash back, 2% above $250,000 a month. US purchases only. | Linked business bank account. Not a credit card. No credit check. |
Amex Blue Business Plus (bank card) | $0 annual fee. | 2X points on the first $50,000 a year, then 1X. | Check approval with no personal score impact. Accepting a card may affect the personal score. |
Chase Ink Business Unlimited (bank card) | $0 annual fee. | Unlimited 1.5% cash back. 0% intro APR for 12 months, then 16.99% to 24.99% variable. | Bank credit review. $750 bonus after $6,000 in 3 months, as of October 2026. |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus (bank card) | $150 annual fee, refunded at $150,000 of annual spend. | Unlimited 2% cash back. 5% on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Business Travel. | Charge card, no preset limit. EIN, or SSN for sole proprietorships. |
Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash (bank card) | $0 annual fee. | Unlimited 1.5% cash back. | Owner or authorized officer applies. Social Security number of each controlling individual. |
Intuit Business Credit Card | $0 annual fee. 2.7% on foreign transactions. | 2% on everyday purchases. 5% on Intuit products and services. | Limits $1,000 to $50,000 on the business profile. No personal score impact to apply. |
Terms read on issuer and vendor pages in October 2026, and they change often. The bank-issued cards and the Intuit card are in the table for comparison and have no Toolradar profile. Two head-to-heads for the cards above: Ramp vs Brex and Rho vs Mercury. Alternatives to the leading pick are listed at Mercury alternatives.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Assuming an LLC shields the owner's credit. Capital One asks for personal and business details, Bank of America asks for each controlling individual's Social Security number, and Amex says accepting a card may affect the personal score.
- ×
- ×
Treating Mercury IO as a month of float. New customers with lower balances repay daily until balances reach $15,000.
- ×
Applying to Ramp with less than $25,000 in the bank. The cash minimum is a gate, and sole proprietors are excluded.
- ×
Chasing a welcome bonus the LLC cannot spend toward. Spark Cash Plus wants $30,000 in three months and Ink Business Unlimited wants $6,000, both as of October 2026.
- ×
Calling a charge card a credit line. Mercury IO, Rho, Relay, and Spark Cash Plus all require the full balance on their schedule.
Expert Tips
- →
- →
Get the repayment schedule in writing. Mercury's daily and 30-day terms and Rho's Daily and Monthly Terms change both the float and the rate.
- →
Ask whether the issuer reports to business bureaus. Mercury reports to Experian, Equifax, and Dun & Bradstreet, and BILL reports to the Small Business Financial Exchange.
- →
Use a 0% intro APR only for a purchase you can clear in the window. Chase's Ink Business Unlimited prints 12 months, then 16.99% to 24.99% variable.
- →
Compare Capital One's $150 annual fee with the $150,000 of spend that refunds it before you treat the 2% as free.
- →
Price the software separately from the card. Ramp Plus is $15 per user plus a platform fee, Mercury's NetSuite sync needs a plan from $35 a month, and Expensify starts at $5 per member.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A Ramp quote that cites a cashback percent. Ramp's pages print none, so any number comes from a sales call, not the terms.
-
A charge card described as a credit line. Mercury IO, Rho, Relay, and Capital One Spark Cash Plus all want the full balance on schedule.
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A welcome bonus that needs spend the LLC does not have. $30,000 in three months is the Spark Cash Plus bar as of October 2026.
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A card sold to a sole proprietor as an LLC card. Ramp and Relay both exclude sole proprietorships, and an LLC that was never formed does not qualify.
The Bottom Line
Choose Mercury IO if the LLC is new, banks at Mercury, and wants no credit check and a flat 1.5%, and plan for daily repayment until balances reach $15,000. Choose Rho if you will move cash for a printed rate, and BILL if you need a small line to start. Choose Ramp or Brex once the LLC holds the cash or funding. Choose a bank card only when you want a revolving balance and accept an owner credit review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an LLC get a business credit card?
Yes. An LLC can apply with an EIN and formation documents, and several issuers approve on the company's cash or revenue instead of the owner's credit. Mercury IO, Rho, Ramp, Brex, and the BILL Divvy Card each state that no personal guarantee is required.
Bank cards from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bank of America also take business applications, and several involve the owner's personal details or credit. Card terms change and approval is the issuer's decision, so read the current terms before you apply.
What is the best business credit card for a new single-member LLC?
Mercury IO is the first card to price if the LLC banks at Mercury: no credit check at sign-up, no personal guarantee, a flat 1.5% cash back, and a limit set by your balances. New customers with lower balances repay daily until balances reach $15,000.
Rho is the next option for an LLC that will move cash, and BILL offers lines from $1,000 with flexible underwriting. Ramp needs $25,000 in a US business account, and Relay needs revenue, so both usually wait until the LLC is funded.
Does an LLC business card require a personal guarantee?
It depends on the issuer. Mercury IO, Rho, Ramp, Brex, and BILL state that no personal guarantee is required, and Relay does not check personal or business credit at application. The Expensify Card spends the linked bank account, so there is nothing to guarantee.
Bank issuers work differently. Capital One asks applicants for personal and business details to establish creditworthiness, Bank of America requires an owner or authorized officer who can borrow on behalf of the business, and Amex says accepting a card may affect the personal credit score.
Do I need an EIN to get a business credit card for my LLC?
For the corporate programs, yes. Ramp states the EIN is required and cannot be waived, Rho and Brex apply with the EIN, and Mercury asks for the IRS EIN document when you open an LLC account.
Capital One lists an EIN, or an SSN for sole proprietorships, as the tax ID on its Spark Cash Plus application. An LLC without an EIN should get one first, because it opens the widest set of cards.
Can a business credit card help an LLC build business credit?
Only if the issuer reports to business bureaus. Mercury says it reports IO payment history to Experian, Equifax, and Dun & Bradstreet. BILL says it reports customer credit performance to the Small Business Financial Exchange, so on-time payment builds a history for the business.
Relay says it does not check or report adverse events during application. Ask each issuer which bureaus it reports to, and whether reporting covers on-time payments as well as missed ones.
What is the difference between a charge card and a credit card for an LLC?
A charge card requires the full balance on a set schedule, so it does not carry interest or a revolving balance. Mercury IO, Rho, Relay, and Capital One Spark Cash Plus all work this way, and Ramp is a corporate charge card with 30-day payback.
A revolving credit card lets you carry a balance and pay interest. Chase's Ink cards print a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then a variable APR, which is 16.99% to 24.99% on Ink Business Unlimited.
Which LLC business cards have no annual fee?
Mercury IO, Rho, Ramp, Relay, Novo, the BILL Divvy Card, and the Expensify Card all state no annual fee. Among bank cards, the Amex Blue Business Plus, Chase Ink Business Unlimited, and Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash have none as of October 2026, and so does the Intuit Business Credit Card.
Amex Business Gold is $375 a year, Chase Ink Business Preferred is $95, and Capital One Spark Cash Plus is $150, refunded when you spend $150,000 in a year.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best Business Credit Cards for LLCs in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/best-business-credit-cards-for-llcs
Sources
Prices and plan details on this page come from each vendor's own pricing page, re-checked by the Toolradar pricing tracker:
- Mercury pricing, checked
- Rho pricing, checked
- BILL Spend & Expense pricing, checked
- Ramp pricing, checked
- Brex pricing, checked
- Relay pricing, checked
- Novo pricing, checked
- Expensify pricing, checked
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