Business payment rewards platforms compared

A business that pays $100,000 a year in tax, rent and supplier bills can earn anywhere from about 100,000 to 300,000 points on them, or more with bonus point boosters. How many depends on the card and platform it uses, the fees it's willing to pay and which programs it wants.

Here's how the main Australian platforms compare.

How these platforms work

You pay a bill through the platform with your business credit card. The platform pays the biller by bank transfer or BPAY, and you earn your card's points. Some platforms add their own bonus points. You pay a fee, usually a percentage of each payment. How business payment rewards platforms work explains the model in depth.

The ATO accepts credit cards until 30 June 2027, but most cards earn few or no points on payments made directly to it. Paying through a platform earns your card's full rate. How to earn points paying the ATO has the details.

Fees and points at a glance

Fees exclude GST. Correct as of mid-2026; check each platform before you pay.

The others worth knowing

Marmalade Payments. Marmalade helps businesses collect invoice payments and pay bills. It pays 1 M-Coin per dollar of bills, at a 1% fee or free when the business you pay offers it, and 2 M-Coin convert to 1 Qantas Business Rewards or Virgin Australia Business Flyer point. It ran large Business Flyer bonuses in mid-2026.

Lessn. Lessn is built for larger businesses, automating accounts payable so suppliers can be paid by card and the business can claim rewards. It passed $100 million in turnover in March 2026.

Worked example: pay.com.au

This values Qantas Points at 3.5 cents each, a typical value for a business class Classic reward, and assumes the payment earns the card's everyday rate.

Business: a $10,000 supplier bill through pay.com.au on an American Express Qantas Business Rewards card (Free plan, PayRewards Core package)

A GST-registered business claims the GST on fees back as a credit on its BAS, and the fees are a business expense, deductible at a 25% company tax rate. Without PayRewards, the same bill nets $280.00, so the bonus points add $100. If you only get 1.6 cents a point, Point Hacks' average valuation, the net profit falls to $47.50.

How to choose

1. Pick your program first. Every platform here earns Qantas Points, and most earn Velocity Points too. For the widest program choice, choose pay.com.au.
2. Match the fee to your card. Every platform charges more for Amex than for Visa or Mastercard, so an Amex card needs a higher earn rate to come out ahead.
3. Run the break-even test. Divide the fee by the points you earn per dollar to get what each point must be worth. At 1.25% and 1 point per dollar, that’s 1.25 cents, or about 1.38 cents if you can’t claim the GST back. Because the fee can be tax-deductible, a business paying 25% tax breaks even at about 0.94 cents. Only use a platform for bills that won’t take your card directly.
4. Consider volume. Subscription plans only pay off at high monthly spend.
5. Check the fees are deductible with your accountant.

Why platforms can afford bonus points

The RBA's surcharge ban hasn't changed how these platforms charge. They set their own platform fee for the service, and that fee is more than the card networks and banks charge them to accept your card.

The gap is their margin, and it's what pays for bonus points: the platform buys airline points and builds the cost into the fee. An accelerator just widens the gap. You pay a higher fee and get more points, so value those points as points you've bought.

What I'd do

1. Estimate your yearly bills that could go on a card.
2. Shortlist two platforms that support your program.
3. Run the break-even maths for your card.
4. Set up before your next big tax or supplier bill.