FoundersCard offers exclusive benefits for entrepreneurs. Is it worth it in 2025?

If you're an entrepreneur, an innovator, a startup creator — in other words, a founder — there's a unique and exclusive program that you might be interested in joining. Beyond personal benefits, it can provide direct, tangible benefits to the business or project that you're trying to grow. Here's our review of FoundersCard to help you determine if it's the right fit for you.

What Is FoundersCard?

Let's clear up one important thing from the get-go: FoundersCard is not an actual credit card. If you're looking for a credit card to maximize your spending and enjoy special perks, check out our guides to the best credit cards and the best small business credit cards.

FoundersCard is a private membership club for business founders designed to provide members with various elite statuses, VIP treatment, and top benefits. In addition, FoundersCard fosters an ambitious, social community of similarly driven people from different industries to help facilitate networking opportunities, connections, and more.

History and mission of FoundersCard

FoundersCard was founded in 2009 by Eric Kuhn, a new Austin-based venture for a veteran entrepreneur of the 1990s and early 2000s. Since running into a few issues in its early years, it has bolstered its membership and made connections with a lot of travel, lifestyle, and business services companies.

If FoundersCard sounds like something that could be useful to you, read on to learn more about how it works.

FoundersCard membership benefits

FoundersCard offers a wide range of benefits that can be loosely broken into three categories: savings and discounts, VIP treatment and perks, and exclusive events.

Exclusive networking opportunities

FoundersCard hosts an ongoing series of networking events in cities with high concentrations of members — thanks to business travel, though, there are often different people and new faces at these mixers, even if you go to two in a row in the same city. Usually with 100 to 200 members, the networking events offer attendees an opportunity to mingle, make connections, and share experiences with members from a wide spectrum of industries.

Travel benefits and discounts

Other benefits tend to change as promotions become active, things become available, or FoundersCard negotiates a new partnership or improvement to an existing one, so it's difficult to share a comprehensive picture of what membership entails.

There are also a ton of different benefits — this is a deliberate move to appeal to the widest possible cross-section of members, so that there are things that appeal to many different people. Some of these travel benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Virgin Atlantic offers complimentary Flying Club Silver status, along with a fast-track opportunity to reach Gold status. Silver benefits include priority check-in, preferred seating, and bonus miles on flights.
• Singapore Airlines provides up to 15% off fares originating from the U.S., helping members save on premium international travel.
• Alaska Airlines offers FoundersCard members a 5% discount on fares within the continental U.S., Hawaii, and Canada.
• Qantas features savings of up to 20% on flights between the U.S. and Australia or New Zealand, making long-haul travel more affordable.
• United Airlines gives members the opportunity to save up to 20% on both domestic and international fares.
• Surf Air offers up to 15% off On Demand flights, giving travellers discounted access to private air travel.
• AERO provides a $300 credit and up to 15% off flights on its semi-private luxury service.
• Qatar Airways features savings of up to 10% on select international flights, offering an upgrade to luxury travel experiences.
• JSX offers a $250 flight credit toward its semi-private flights, a convenient option for short-haul travellers.
• FXAIR delivers preferred pricing on private jet bookings for FoundersCard members seeking luxury travel options.
• La Compagnie provides a 10% discount on fares with its all-business-class flights between the U.S. and Europe.
• Air New Zealand offers up to 11% off select fares, making it easier to travel to New Zealand and Australia at a discount.

Business and lifestyle perks

When it comes to business and lifestyle, FoundersCard offers the following, plus more:

• Up to 47% off UPS
• 20% off business card and stationery orders from MOO — the company's CEO is a FoundersCard member
• One-year complimentary subscription with Entrepreneur Magazine
• A free year of service from the Phone.com virtual office service
• Loyalty pricing at Apple
• Up to $5,000 off a new BMW

FoundersCard pros and cons

FoundersCard may not be worth it for everyone. Here is a list of benefits and drawbacks to help you decide.

Pros of FoundersCard

• Exclusive discounts: FoundersCard offers savings like on UPS shipping and 10-15% off office supplies to help small business owners reduce operational costs.
• Networking opportunities: Access to events like the FoundersCard socials, where members can connect with entrepreneurs and potential partners around the globe.
• Travel perks: Discounts like 10% off Qatar Airways flights and 15% off private jet services through Surf Air for savings on luxury travel.
• Business benefits: Members enjoy up to $5,000 off a new BMW and discounts on services like Phone.com and IT solutions, benefiting business owners.

Cons of FoundersCard

• High annual fee: The annual fee of $595 plus a one-time $95 activation feemay be too costly for individuals or small businesses that can't fully take advantage of all the offered benefits, like the travel discounts or networking events.
• Selective membership: Membership isn't guaranteed, as the application process is subjective, meaning not all applicants are accepted.
• Primarily geared toward entrepreneurs: While some perks are personal, the card's main focus is on entrepreneurs and business owners, so it may not be as useful for individuals outside of these groups.

Applying for FoundersCard: What you should know

Eligibility criteria

To join FoundersCard, you have to complete an application. Because the organization is designed to be exclusive and especially curated to be useful and enjoyable for members, not everyone is accepted.

The process is fairly subjective. Despite its name, the FoundersCard isn't a credit card and doesn't involve transactions, which means that anyone can apply, regardless of what country they're from.

Application process

You can apply for a preview membership to get a better sense of which benefits are currently active. From there (or right away, if you don't care about the preview), you can fill out the complete application. You have to enter your personal details, including your company name and your title. FoundersCard is open to people other than strictly company founders, as well as your contact and billing information.

If you're approved, your payment method will be charged the first year's annual dues and initiation fee.

FoundersCard membership costs and fees

How much does the FoundersCard cost?

​The cost of a FoundersCard membership varies based on the tier and any applicable promotions. As of 2025, the standard membership is priced with an annual fee of $595 plus a one-time $95 activation fee.

However, discounted rates are often available through referral codes or special offers. For instance, some promotions offer the first year at $395, waiving the initiation fee. Additionally, FoundersCard occasionally provides a three-month free trial, after which the annual fee applies.​

Additional costs and fees

FoundersCard has hundreds of benefits, discounts, and offers available and can offer enough value to outweigh the annual fee even if you're a sole proprietor just getting your idea off the ground or even an individual who can take advantage of the retail and gym discounts.

If your small business has grown a bit, though, you can get tremendous value from discounts on shipping, IT services and gear, travel, and more.

Between that and the opportunity to network with like-minded and similarly focused entrepreneurs, FoundersCard presents a unique and potentially valuable opportunity — whether it's worth the $395 annual fee (with the Business Insider discount) depends on you.

FoundersCard alternatives

If FoundersCard isn't the right fit for your business, several other options offer similar benefits tailored to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Below are some top alternatives to consider based on your specific needs.

American Express Business Gold Card

The American Express® Business Gold Card offers 4 Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories of spends each month (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point), 3 points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com, and 1 point on all other purchases. It also includes travel benefits and access to Amex's concierge services, making it a strong choice for businesses that want to maximize rewards while enjoying premium perks (terms apply).

Chase Ink Business Preferred

While FoundersCard offers discounts on shipping and business services, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card provides 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. It comes with a solid points bonus and extensive travel protections, including trip cancellation insurance and primary car rental coverage, making it a good option for businesses that want both rewards and comprehensive travel benefits.

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers 2 points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners on the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter (terms and limitations apply). This card is beneficial for entrepreneurs who want to earn rewards without the need to track specific categories, making it a good alternative to FoundersCard for those who need a more general rewards structure for all their business needs.

Check for credit card offers

FoundersCard FAQs

David E. Slotnick

Senior Reporter

David is a Senior Transportation Reporter for Business Insider. He primarily covers airlines and air travel. A native New Yorker and avid photographer, David previously covered travel, credit-card rewards, and frequent-flyer programs. Before joining Business Insider, David was a freelance writer and editor — before that, he worked in public affairs. He earned his bachelor's degree from Muhlenberg College and his master's from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram, or send him an e-mail at dslotnick@businessinsider.com.

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Gabriel Vito

Gabriel Vito is a writer specializing in personal finance content. He simplifies complex financial topics, delivering clear and engaging content on banking, loans, investing, and credit cards.ExperienceGabriel has written for leading financial publications, including Forbes Advisor, GoBankingRates, Finder, and CNN Underscored Money. In these roles, he has contributed to countless guides, reviews, and articles, making personal finance more accessible to a wide audience.With a degree in English from the University of California, Riverside, Gabriel initially began his writing career as a copywriter. His passion for personal finance was sparked by his desire to help others, and he has dedicated his career to helping readers make informed financial decisions.Seeing the lasting effects of the 2008 financial crash on his grandmother and through the 2020 pandemic, Gabriel was inspired to educate himself about personal finance. This journey helped him develop expertise in crucial topics such as retirement planning, investing, loans, and banking. Now, he helps others achieve financial stability through clear, educational content.ExpertiseGabriel’s areas of personal finance expertise include:

• Banking
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EducationGabriel graduated from The University of California, Riverside, with a Bachelor's Degree in English, a foundation that has fueled his success as a professional freelance writer.

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