The first hotel night for a client is booked, a design software subscription is added and the advertising budgets run through an ad platform. Sooner or later the question comes up whether the business needs a business credit card, or whether a card that debits the business account directly will do. The difference is not in the plastic, but in the moment the money leaves the account. And that moment decides much of what follows: the limit, the registration with BKR (the Dutch credit registration bureau) and what happens with a deposit.
Below is what a credit card and a debit card are exactly, the difference at a glance, what is involved in applying for a business credit card and how virtual cards work. After that come a decision guide and the steps to choose the card that suits the business.
In short:
- With a debit card, the amount leaves the payment account straight away. With a credit card, settlement happens afterwards, usually once a month.
- In the Netherlands, almost all credit card payments have to be repaid in full every month, and no interest is charged on them, according to Betaalvereniging Nederland (the Dutch payments association).
- Business credit above €1,000 is registered with BKR if the entrepreneur is personally (co-)liable for repayment, and only then.
- According to Visa, debit and credit cards are generally accepted at hotels and large car rental companies across Europe; the rental company decides how the deposit is collected. The difference between a credit card and a debit card lies mainly in when the money leaves.
What is a credit card?
What is a credit card? In short: a card you pay with first and settle later. Payments are settled with the cardholder afterwards, usually once a month, explains Betaalvereniging Nederland. You can pay up to an agreed amount, the credit limit, and the monthly bill is debited from the payment account a few weeks later. With a credit card, an amount can also be reserved in advance, the pre-authorisation, for example for a hotel reservation or as a deposit for car rental.
In the Netherlands a credit card often works more strictly than the name suggests. Almost all credit cards have to be repaid in full every month; carrying the balance over to the next month is not possible, and no interest is charged on the payments. Some credit card companies do offer spread repayment. According to Nibud (the Dutch budget information institute), a high interest rate then applies and the limit is reported to BKR.
What is a debit card?
What is a debit card? A payment card where the amount is booked straight from the linked payment account. The card says “Debit”, to make clear that it is not a credit card. Since 2023, Dutch banks have been issuing payment cards under the Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard brands. These cards also work for online payments, with the card number, the name, the expiry date and the security code, and they are used more often for paying abroad.
According to Visa, a Visa Debit card can be used wherever Visa is accepted. For a business this means: spending shows on the account straight away, and what is not there cannot be spent. There is no monthly bill to keep an eye on; the balance is the overview.
Deposits with a debit card
A common belief is that a debit card does not work for rental cars or hotels. Visa calls that a misconception: technically there is no difference. With a debit card, a deposit is not debited straight away but placed as a reservation on the balance. So there has to be enough balance on the account while the reservation runs. With car rental companies, that reservation is usually cancelled once the vehicle is returned without damage.
Difference between credit card and debit card at a glance
The main differences between a credit card and a debit card side by side:
| Feature | Credit card | Debit card |
|---|---|---|
| When the money leaves | Afterwards, usually once a month | Straight from the payment account |
| Spending room | Credit limit agreed with the issuer | Balance on the account and the limits set |
| Interest in the Netherlands | Usually none; the bill is repaid in full every month | Not applicable |
| BKR | Possible: BKR registers business credit only above €1,000 and with personal liability | No credit, so no registration |
| Deposit at a hotel or car rental | Reservation on the credit limit | Reservation on the balance |
| Online and abroad | Widely accepted | Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard also work online and abroad |
For online purchases, the cardholder has a right to a so-called chargeback with a card payment, a refund if the webshop does not deliver or delivers wrongly. Betaalvereniging Nederland mentions this for the renewed payment card. Because transaction costs for credit cards are higher, a small share of Dutch retailers chooses not to accept credit cards.
Conversely, the Honour All Cards Rule applies: under that rule, a merchant that accepts Mastercard and Visa debit cards must also accept all other card types of both brands, including credit cards. For anyone receiving card payments themselves, this is a point to consider when choosing a payment solution. According to Betaalvereniging Nederland, a merchant can also opt for limited acceptance, where European credit cards are not accepted.
In summary: a debit card pays straight from the balance, a credit card settles monthly within a limit. In the Netherlands that monthly bill is usually repaid in full, without interest.
Applying for a business credit card
Anyone who wants to apply for a business credit card is in fact applying for a form of credit: the issuer advances the payments for a month. A provider therefore assesses the business, just as with other business financing. For business borrowing, the KVK (the Dutch Chamber of Commerce) names documents such as the annual accounts and bank statements, and advises supplying all requested documents in one go.
For starters it is different. Anyone without figures from previous years works with a realistic forecast, according to the KVK. A business credit card without annual figures is therefore not possible with every provider. Anyone who mainly needs a card for online payments, travel and subscriptions can also arrange that with a debit card: no credit is involved there, and so no credit assessment either.
The rules around deferred payment are also moving. The AFM (the Dutch financial markets authority) reports that the revised consumer credit directive applies from 20 November 2026, and that providers of, among other things, cards with deferred debit must check whether they need a licence for consumer credit. Those rules concern credit to consumers.
BKR and the business credit card
For a private credit card, BKR says: a credit limit above €250 leads to a credit registration. A charge card, where the full bill is paid every month, does not count as revolving credit and is only registered in case of arrears. For business credit, BKR applies its own rule: only if the business credit is higher than €1,000 and the entrepreneur is personally (co-)liable for repayment is it registered with BKR.
That personal liability depends on the legal form. With a sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak), vof, maatschap or cv, the entrepreneur is automatically personally responsible too. With a bv (private limited company) that is not the case by itself, unless the entrepreneur stands surety or co-signs. BKR does not register the amount of the business credit; it does record whether the credit is still outstanding and whether there have been any irregularities.
Virtual credit card or virtual debit card
A virtual credit card or debit card exists only digitally: a card number, an expiry date and a security code, without plastic. For online payments and subscriptions that is handy, because you can use a separate card per supplier. If a subscription is cancelled, only that one card is closed, and the other payments simply continue.
Whether a virtual card is a credit card or a debit card makes little difference to how it is used. The difference again lies in the debit: straight from the account or afterwards per month. For a team, a virtual card per employee or per project keeps things clear, because every payment is immediately linked to one card and one purpose.
In practice, a fixed routine helps: one virtual card per recurring subscription, a separate card for advertising budgets and a card for one-off online purchases. That keeps it visible where costs come from, and a card can be blocked quickly after a suspicious payment without the rest coming to a halt.
Which card suits which business?
The best business credit card does not exist in general; what exists is a card that suits how the business spends money. With a business credit card for freelancers (zzp’ers), the BKR rule for business credit can weigh more heavily, because with a sole proprietorship the entrepreneur is automatically personally liable. These questions help with the choice:
Betaalvereniging Nederland notes that credit cards are still often needed by companies renting out vehicles and vessels and holiday homes. For day-to-day spending, software and advertising, a debit card with good limits is more than enough for many businesses.
Good to know: a rental company may decide for itself how it collects a deposit, an ANWB spokesperson told Radar. Anyone who often rents a car should therefore check the rental company’s terms in advance.
Choosing the right card in 4 steps
Anyone who wants to compare a business credit card with a debit card reaches a quick choice with these steps:
Look at which payments the business makes per month: subscriptions, advertising, travel, purchasing. That determines how many cards are needed and which limits fit.
Decide whether deferred payment is really needed. If not, a debit card makes a credit assessment and BKR unnecessary.
If the business often rents cars or holiday homes abroad, check which card the rental company accepts for the deposit.
Decide who gets a card, which limits apply per card and whether virtual cards per supplier or project are handy.
Vivid: Visa debit cards for the business
At Vivid, all cards are Visa debit cards. They are balance-based debit cards: you only spend the money that is on the business account, without a credit line. There are business cards in three forms: virtual, made of 100% recycled plastic in your own colour and design, and metal. Every card can be added to Apple Pay or Google Wallet.
Because every payment comes straight from the business account, the spending shows in the overview immediately. For a team this means: each employee has their own card, and spending per card can be found without a monthly bill.
Vivid in short: balance-based Visa debit cards, virtual and physical, with card limits and blocks. No credit line, so every payment goes straight from the business account.
Visa debit cards for the whole team
Virtual and physical balance-based Visa debit cards, with card limits and a Dutch IBAN. The application is fully online.
Frequently asked questions
Is a business debit card a credit card?
No. With a debit card, every payment leaves the payment account straight away; with a credit card, settlement happens afterwards, usually once a month. A debit card says “Debit”, to make clear that it is not a credit card.
Is a business credit card registered with BKR?
That depends on the card and the legal form. BKR only registers business credit if it is higher than €1,000 and the entrepreneur is personally (co-)liable for repayment. With a sole proprietorship, vof, maatschap or cv that is automatically the case, with a bv only with a guarantee or co-signing. BKR does not register the amount of the credit itself.
Can you rent a car or book a hotel with a debit card?
According to Visa, debit and credit cards are generally accepted at hotels and large car rental companies across Europe. A deposit is then reserved on the balance. The rental company may decide for itself how it collects the deposit, so reading the terms pays off.
Can you apply for a business credit card without annual figures?
That differs per provider. A credit card is a form of credit, and lenders often look at the annual accounts. Starters without figures from previous years work with a forecast, according to the KVK. A debit card requires no credit assessment.
What is a virtual credit card?
A card that exists only digitally, with a card number, expiry date and security code. You use it for online payments and subscriptions. Virtual cards exist as credit cards and as debit cards. A separate card per supplier makes cancelling and blocking easy.
Do you pay interest on a credit card?
In the Netherlands usually not: almost all credit cards are repaid in full every month, without interest. With spread repayment, where offered, a high interest rate does apply according to Nibud, and the limit is reported to BKR.
Is a Vivid card a credit card?
No. All Vivid cards are balance-based Visa debit cards. You only spend the money that is on the business account. Every payment goes straight from the account, so there is no monthly bill and no credit assessment.
This article provides general information and is not financial, legal or tax advice. The rules mentioned are as published by BKR, Betaalvereniging Nederland, Nibud, Visa and the KVK and may change. Vivid’s payment services are provided by Vivid Money S.A., an electronic money institution authorised and regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) in Luxembourg; its Dutch branch is registered with De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) as an electronic money institution. Visa is a trademark of its owner; brand names mentioned belong to their respective owners.
