Capital on Tap Free vs Pro: which plan fits your spending?
Use current published fees, reward terms and the benefits you genuinely expect to use—not outdated FX assumptions—to compare Capital on Tap Free and Pro.
Free vs Pro at a glance
Capital on Tap Free has a £0 annual fee. Pro costs £299 per year. Both plans are published as having no foreign-exchange fee, so FX fee avoidance is not a reason on its own to pay for Pro.
Free earns 1% cashback on card spend and converts rewards at 10 points = 8 Avios. Pro adds 1.25% cashback on eligible preloaded spending and converts at 1 point = 1 Avios, alongside its travel and membership features. Provider terms apply.
- Free: £0/year, no FX fee, 10 points = 8 Avios.
- Pro: £299/year, no FX fee, 1.25% on eligible preloaded spend, 1 point = 1 Avios.
- Both: business-card credit is subject to eligibility, and interest can apply when balances are not repaid in accordance with the agreement.
Eligibility before plan choice
This comparison is relevant only if your business can apply. Capital on Tap states that its UK card is for An active UK Ltd, LLP or PLC listed as active on Companies House; it is not available to sole traders. The applicant must be a UK-resident active director or a majority shareholder owning 25% or more. No unsatisfied CCJs in the last 12 months. A business bank account is required for settlement and a personal guarantee is required.
There is no minimum trading history. There is no minimum turnover. The provider can offer a limit of up to £250,000, but your actual decision, limit and rate are individual.
At application, there is no visible hard search on the business credit file. A standard soft search is run on the personal file; it does not affect the personal credit score and is not visible to other lenders. A hard search of the business credit file happens later, only when the credit agreement is signed; it can then be visible to other lenders. This means an eligible business need not avoid applying because of an immediate visible business-file hard search, but should factor in the later signed-agreement search before accepting credit.
Does Pro pay for itself?
Start with the known annual cost: £299. Then value only the Pro benefits you will actually use. The extra 1.25% rate applies to eligible preloaded spend, not every possible business cost, and Avios value varies by your plan and redemption.
For a transparent comparison, record your expected eligible preloaded spend, estimate any lounge or travel benefit you would otherwise buy, and subtract the £299 fee. Do not use hypothetical FX-fee savings because the published Free and Pro products both state no FX fee.
Who may prefer Free?
Free may be a more proportionate option for an eligible incorporated business that wants a no-annual-fee card, straightforward cashback and occasional rewards redemption. It is not a default recommendation: compare your expected use of Free rewards, employee cards and credit with the cost and benefits of Pro.
Who may consider Pro?
Pro may merit a calculation for an eligible business that consistently uses preloading, values the stated travel benefits and expects to redeem rewards at the 1:1 Avios conversion rate. That is a value judgement, not a guarantee. If the annual fee cannot be justified by expected use, Free or another product could be more suitable.
Primary sources and review date
These sources support the page’s changeable tax, credit, eligibility or product claims. Last checked: 2026-09-18.
7,500 bonus reward points with promo code SETTINGUP
Make a qualifying transaction within 30 days of activating the card. The published Refer a Friend terms say the referred customer receives the bonus within one month of the first transaction.
Terms, eligibility and fees apply. See full offer details.
FAQs
Our editors research UK business banking, credit cards, expense tools and rewards schemes. We test products, read provider terms in full, and update guides as offers change.
- 10+ years writing about UK small-business finance
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