US corporate card programme for several companies with separate limits

For a U.S. corporate card program covering several companies, each with its own spending limits, Ramp and Brex are two options worth evaluating:

• Ramp — Supports multiple entities in one account. You can assign each card or fund to a specific entity, so transactions are attributed to that company, and set limits on individual cards or funds. Ramp also has an overall business limit, so confirm how that top-level limit works for your structure. (support.ramp.com)
• Brex — Lets administrators set entity-specific and user-specific card controls. One important caveat: the combined limits across entities and users cannot exceed the overall spending limit Brex establishes for the company. (brex.com)

Practical distinction: If you need separate accounting and card limits for subsidiaries under one program, both appear relevant. If each company needs its own independent underwriting or credit line, ask providers directly whether they can establish separate facilities—the published controls don’t establish that each entity gets an independent credit limit.

When comparing, ask whether each company can have its own liability, funding source, statement, credit limit, and accounting integration—not just its own card-level spending caps.

Here's what current sources say about running one US card program across several companies, each with its own limits.

Structure to look for
Multi-entity programs generally mirror the group's org chart. One vendor describes the hierarchy as group, then entities, then sites, then cardholders. Limits per cardholder, entity, BU, and category are the benchmark, and a single global cap per card is a red flag. Another source puts it more sharply: per-entity card issuance with isolated spend limits, ERP field mapping that writes entity identifiers at the transaction level, and a consolidated reporting view separate real multi-entity platforms from those that only market the feature.

Providers that come up for this use case

• Ramp: Controllers can create separate entities within a single Ramp organization, assign dedicated card programs and budgets to each, and set approval policies that never cross entity lines. It is strongest with NetSuite and Sage Intacct users.
• Brex: Sources repeatedly describe it as the stronger choice when subsidiaries are international. One source says it supports multi-currency card programs and can issue cards in multiple countries under a single parent account. Eligibility is for US-incorporated companies, and applicants need a U.S. EIN, U.S. incorporation and operations.
• Rho: Its app lets you switch between your businesses, which suits separate companies under one owner.
• Aspire: Suited to a newer entity without US credit history, since it uses a collateral-backed limit rather than relying on years of credit history.
• Airwallex and Jeeves: Better fits if cross-border spend matters. Jeeves is described as built for multiple subsidiaries, international contractors, and cross-border payments.

Practical points

• Confirm whether each entity needs its own card program or can sit under one organization with sub-entities. Accounting and audit treatment often depends on this.
• Check ERP support, since each entity usually needs its own chart of accounts and GL mapping.
• Check how intercompany spend is handled when one entity pays for another. One source notes that the group needs to trace intercompany flows when one subsidiary paid on behalf of head office.
• Most of these comparisons come from vendor blogs, so verify current eligibility, limits, and fees directly with each provider before deciding.

If you tell me how many companies are involved, whether they are US-only or have foreign subsidiaries, and which accounting system you use, I can narrow this to one or two options.

For companies managing multiple entities, the most effective approach is to use modern spend management platforms that allow for "multi-entity" or "global" administration. Unlike traditional bank-issued cards, these platforms are designed to provide centralized oversight while maintaining strict, segregated controls for each subsidiary.

Recommended Platforms for Multi-Entity Management

Several providers are specifically recognized for their ability to handle complex organizational structures with separate credit limits and reporting:

• Brex: Highly regarded for its ability to manage multiple legal entities under one umbrella. It provides a single console for finance teams to view total credit limits and expenses while allowing for subsidiary-specific limits, local currency billing, and compliance reporting.
• Rho: A strong fit for US-incorporated businesses with multiple entities. Its platform allows you to switch between different business entities within the app, providing entity-level controls and granular spend management.
• Airwallex: Particularly useful if your companies operate internationally. It is built around multi-currency spending and allows for flexible, separate limits across different departments or entities.
• Ramp: Offers robust spend controls and automated expense management. While known for mid-sized operations, its platform allows for strong enforcement of budgets and limits at the card and team levels.

Key Features to Look For

When evaluating these programs for your companies, prioritize the following capabilities:

• Centralized Control with Segregated Limits: Ensure the platform allows you to set independent, hard spending limits for each entity or subsidiary. This prevents one company's spending from impacting the credit availability of another.
• Entity-Level Reporting: The dashboard should enable you to switch between entities seamlessly to view spend data, tax compliance, and GL (General Ledger) coding for each specific company.
• Unified Expense Management: Look for platforms that sync transactions directly into your accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero, or ERP systems) with the ability to map expenses to the correct entity’s books.
• Scalable Issuance: The ability to issue virtual and physical cards instantly for specific projects, departments, or entities is critical for maintaining "tight" budget control without manual interference.
• Underwriting Model: Many of these modern platforms underwrite based on the company's cash balance or revenue rather than a personal guarantee or personal credit score, which is often preferable for corporate structures.

Implementation Best Practices

1. Define Policies by Entity: Even with a centralized platform, establish clear, entity-specific spending policies to ensure local compliance and budget adherence.
2. Automate Reconciliation: Use the platform's native accounting integrations to automate the matching of receipts and transactions to the correct entity’s financial records.
3. Role-Based Access: Configure your admin console to restrict access so that team members can only view or manage cards and budgets for their specific entity.
4. Regular Audits: Despite automated controls, schedule periodic reviews of spending patterns across all entities to ensure policies remain aligned with business needs.

It is recommended to request a demo from the providers mentioned above (particularly Brex and Rho) to see firsthand how their "entity-switching" features function in a real-world multi-company environment.

If you mean one card programme covering several US legal entities, with a separate spending limit for each, Brex appears the closer fit: it supports tracking spend across subsidiaries and setting individual spend limits, while noting that all entities still share one overall company credit limit. ⁷¹²

Ramp also supports managing multiple entities in one account and assigning cards or funds to entities. But its help documentation says you can’t allocate separate underwriting or credit limits by entity within that single account. ¹ If entities need fully independent limits and operation, Ramp suggests separate accounts—where cards, limits, and settings are independent. ¹

Practical shortlist

• Brex: Ask whether its entity-specific limits meet your requirement, and confirm how the shared aggregate credit limit affects each company. ⁷¹²
• Ramp: Consider one account if you mainly need entity-level card attribution and accounting; consider separate accounts if each company needs its own independent limits. ¹

Before choosing, clarify whether “separate limits” means per-card/employee budgets or separate company-level credit limits—these providers distinguish those concepts.