RewardsPilot or a business credit card?
A business credit card earns about 1 point per £1 and can be used wherever cards are taken, on credit. RewardsPilot earns 4 points per £1 on bills paid from the business's own funds, including HMRC bills that do not take personal credit cards. On £50,000 of monthly bills that is 200,000 points against about 50,000.
Side by side
The card column uses the Capital on Tap Business Credit Card as a published example; other cards differ.
| RewardsPilot | Business credit card | |
|---|---|---|
| Earn rate | 4 RewardsPilot points per £1 of net spend; each point is 1 airline mile | 1 point per £1, worth 0.8 Avios (free card) or 1 Avios (Pro) each |
| Cash instead of miles | 3% of the spend behind the points (0.75p a point), paid within 24 hours | 1% cashback on card spend |
| HMRC bills (VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax) | Yes. RewardsPilot pays HMRC by bank transfer with the business's own reference | Corporate cards are accepted online for a non-refundable fee; personal credit cards are not accepted |
| Supplier invoices, rent, payroll | Yes, any genuine business payment, paid to the payee's bank account | Only where the payee takes card payments |
| How it is paid | From the business's bank account, against RewardsPilot's invoice, due one day before the bill's pay-by date | On credit, repaid on the card statement |
| Credit | None. No credit lines are available | Credit limit up to £250,000; interest from 13.86% APR (variable) if not repaid in full |
| Fees | No subscription or set-up fee for qualifying clients. RewardsPilot's invoice carries VAT on its service, intended to be recoverable for VAT-registered businesses, subject to their own position | no annual fee; HMRC's card fee on tax bills; interest if a balance is carried |
| Caps | No minimum monthly spend, no spending limit, points never expire | The credit limit |
| Who it is for | VAT-registered UK businesses with genuine corporate expenditure | UK businesses that pass the lender's credit checks |
Sources: Capital on Tap, business credit cards and Avios pages; GOV.UK, "Pay your VAT bill" (card rules). Checked 1 October 2026. Card terms change; check the issuer’s site.
Worked figures
Monthly bills put through each. Points are earned on the net amount; the card column assumes every bill could be paid by card, which HMRC and many suppliers limit.
| Monthly bills | RewardsPilot points | or cash | Card points | as Avios (free / Pro) | or cashback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £10,000 | 40,000 | £300 | 10,000 | 8,000 / 10,000 | £100 |
| £50,000 | 200,000 | £1,500 | 50,000 | 40,000 / 50,000 | £500 |
| £100,000 | 400,000 | £3,000 | 100,000 | 80,000 / 100,000 | £1,000 |
What the points buy: how many Avios for a flight · Avios calculator.
Questions
Which earns more, RewardsPilot or a business credit card?
Per pound, RewardsPilot: 4 points per £1 of net spend against about 1 point per £1 on a business card. On £50,000 of monthly bills that is 200,000 points a month against about 50,000, or £1,500 against £500 as cash.
When is a business credit card the better choice?
When the business needs credit, or is paying at a till or online checkout where only a card will do. A card also suits spend below what a business would route through a bill-payment programme.
Can I pay HMRC with a business credit card?
HMRC accepts corporate credit and debit cards online for a non-refundable fee, and personal debit cards free. It does not accept personal credit cards. Through RewardsPilot, HMRC is paid by bank transfer with the business's own reference.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many businesses keep a card for day-to-day and point-of-sale spend and put their large bills, such as VAT, PAYE, suppliers and payroll, through RewardsPilot.
What does RewardsPilot cost?
There is no subscription or set-up fee for qualifying clients. RewardsPilot invoices its service with VAT on the full amount; for a VAT-registered business using it for taxable activities that VAT is intended to be recoverable through the normal VAT return, subject to its own position, so it is principally a cash-flow timing consideration. This is not tax advice.
Is RewardsPilot a credit card?
No. RewardsPilot is a corporate membership. The business pays RewardsPilot's invoice from its own funds and RewardsPilot pays the bill. No credit lines are available.
RewardsPilot is not a bank or a lender and does not provide credit or financial advice. Programme facts come from the published RewardsPilot rate and the Rewards Programme Rules. Card figures are the issuer’s published terms on the date checked. Capital on Tap is a trade mark of its owner; RewardsPilot is not affiliated with it.