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LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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American Express Disclosure
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express Disclosure

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Review

Updated on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
LendingTree's Review

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
3.8
The Blue Business<sup>®</sup> Plus Credit Card from American Express
Intro and Regular APR
0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening, then 17.74% - 25.74% Variable
Rewards Rate
Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
Flexible Spending
Enjoy the flexibility to put more purchases on the Card
We receive commissions from our advertising partners. These commissions do not influence our recommendations. Click here to learn more.

The information related to the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.

Key takeaway

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers great value for small businesses. It lets you earn Membership Rewards at a high rate for no annual fee, though it does come with a cap on bonus rewards.
*To see rates & fees for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.

Pros and cons of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

  • Earn Membership Rewards at a high rewards rate
  • Points transfer to 20+ travel and hotel programs
  • Pairs well with other Membership Rewards cards
  • Intro APR to finance new purchases
  • No annual fee
  • Valuable welcome offer
  • Protects your purchases for your small business
  • Puts a cap on your bonus earnings
  • Foreign transaction fees and limited acceptance abroad
  • Cash back redemptions have low value

Who is The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express best for?

If you’re a small business owner who wants the prestige and benefits that come with carrying an American Express business credit card, check out The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. This $0-annual-fee card lets you earn rewards at a high flat rate, which can help offset a number of everyday company-related expenses. It offers valuable, flexible points that you can transfer into more than 20 hotel and airline loyalty programs. You will also get an interest-free period on purchases for an entire year.

While this card offers a high flat earning rate, it does cap your earnings at $50,000 in purchases. This is something to keep in mind for your budget, but you can still earn points at a lower rate after you hit this spending cap. The card also comes with a foreign transaction fee, so it may not be the best choice for frequent international travelers.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express overview

    • Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
    • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% - 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
    • Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
    • You’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
    • No Annual Fee
    • Terms Apply.
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion
  • 660 720 850
    Good / Excellent
  • Employee cards at no additional fee
  • Expanded Buying Power
  • Designated account manager
  • American Express® Business App
  • Vendor Pay by Bill.com
  • Relationship Care® Service
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance1
  • Global Assist® Hotline2
  • Extended warranty3
  • Purchase protection4

Intro Purchase APR

0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening

Regular Purchase APR

17.74% - 25.74% Variable

Intro BT APR

N/A

Regular BT APR

N/A

Annual Fee

No annual fee

Cash Advance Fee

N/A

Foreign Transaction Fee

2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Balance Transfer Fee

N/A

What we like about The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

  • Earn membership rewards at a high rewards rate

    The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers a high rewards rate on all your purchases: Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.

    This makes it a great option for cardholders who prefer to earn simple rewards at a high rate, as well as those looking for a good flat-rate card to pair with other cards.

  • Points transfer to 20+ travel and hotel programs

    The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers the same redemption options as a premium Membership Rewards card, like the American Express® Gold Card, without the high price tag. Membership Rewards points — which are valued at up to 1 cent each, depending on how you use them — can be redeemed for travel, gift cards or merchandise. You can also use points to cover previous charges or to pay for purchases at a variety of merchants. Or, you can transfer Membership Rewards points to 22 airline and hotel partners, mostly at a rate of 1:1. Transfer partners include:

    • Delta SkyMiles® (1:1)
    • Emirates Skywards (1:1)
    • Marriott Bonvoy™ (1:1)
    • Hilton Honors (1:2)
    • JetBlue TrueBlue (2.5:1)

    Visit the full list of partners for details.

  • You can pair it with other membership rewards cards

    With The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express being a Membership Rewards® credit card, it offers the flexibility to transfer all of the points that you earn at a 2x rate to your Business Green Rewards Card from American Express, American Express® Business Gold Card or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, which can significantly boost your rewards earnings.

    The information related to Business Green Rewards Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

  • Lets you finance new purchases at 0%

    If you need to finance a large purchase, such as company equipment or business travel, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. Once the introductory period ends, a regular APR of 17.74% - 25.74% Variable applies to any unpaid portion of your balance. If you do plan to use this introductory APR to make a large purchase, keep in mind there is an annual spending cap on reward earnings.

  • No annual fee

    The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express comes with no annual fee and no charge for employee cards.

    With no annual fee, you will be able to put what you earn in rewards right back into your business rather than using it to offset any additional costs. Similar small business cards like the Capital One Spark Cash Plus (see rates & fees) and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card do come with an annual fee. Unlike these cards, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express lets you earn valuable travel rewards at a high rate without an extra business expense.

  • Gives you expanded buying power and free employee cards

    The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express comes with a number of helpful features that can be helpful in managing your business expenses including:

    • Expanded Buying Power: Allows you to spend beyond your credit limit when needed for your business.
    • Employee cards: There is no annual fee for additional cards, and you earn additional Membership Rewards® points on these cards.
    • Expense management tools: Amex provides you with tools like Vendor Pay by Bill.com, integration into QuickBooks and more to help you easily manage and track your business expenses.
  • Protects your purchases for your small business

    The The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express also offers benefits like protections and warranties including:

    • Car rental insurance1: American Express offers secondary coverage for qualifying car rentals purchased with the card, in case your rental is damaged or stolen.
    • Global Assist® Hotline2: Get 24/7 medical, legal, financial and other select emergency and coordination services when you travel more than 100 miles away from home.
    • Extended warranty3: Allows you to extend the terms of the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year.
    • Purchase protection4: Covers purchases made with your card for up to 90 days from the purchase date if the item is stolen or damaged.

What to watch out for with The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

  • Puts a cap on your bonus earnings

    Unfortunately, your 2x earnings rate only applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, after which rewards drop to a measly 1 point per dollar on every purchase. If your company charges more than $4,200 each month on business expenses, you may be better off with a card that offers bonus points without a spending cap.

    In comparison, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus allows you to earn 2% Cash Back on every purchase; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. However, it comes with a $150 annual fee (see rates & fees). Also, it doesn’t allow you to transfer your rewards into loyalty programs like The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express does. If you plan to transfer your Membership Rewards points, you may still come out ahead with the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, even if you surpass its earning cap.

  • Foreign transaction fee and limited acceptance abroad

    When traveling abroad, it’s best to use a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express assesses foreign transaction fees of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. This can make your trip cost more. American Express cards are also not accepted everywhere that you travel abroad, so if you frequently travel internationally, you may want to choose another card.

  • Cash back redemptions have low value

    Like other Membership Rewards® credit cards, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers low cash back redemption value at only around 0.6 cents per point. You’ll need to stick to redeeming points for travel to get a good value. If you are looking for a simple cash back rewards program, you will want to go with The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card.

Alternate business card to The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Compare it to the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

| Disclosures
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card*
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
17.74% - 25.74% Variable
No annual fee
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000
  • Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% – 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
  • Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
  • From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
  • The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Terms Apply
660 720 850
Good / Excellent
*The information related to the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


 
If you prefer simple cash back rewards, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card may be the better card for you. It’s virtually identical to The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. For no annual fee, it offers the same introductory APR on purchases, and the same benefits, including Expanded Buying Power, car rental loss and damage insurance2 and extended warranty3.

However, in lieu of Membership Rewards points, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card gives you cash back. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Also, American Express makes redeeming rewards as simple as possible with this card since your cash back is automatically credited to your account as a statement credit.

Like The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card limits your bonus earnings to $50,000 in purchases per year — that’s up to $1,000 in rewards each year before your card drops to the 1% cash back rate. This matches the rewards that you can earn with The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (assuming you don’t take advantage of its point transfer options). For simple redemption, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is the way to go.

*To see rates & fees for The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please click here.

Is The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express right for you?

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a great fit if you are looking for a no-annual-fee small business card with a valuable rewards structure and a number of useful benefits. You’ll also get a good value for your points for travel by redeeming them through American Express Travel or transferring them to a loyalty partner.

If you are looking for a cash back card, frequently travel internationally or find that the rewards spending cap does not work for your business needs, you may want to consider a different rewards credit card.

1. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
2. You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
3. When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
4. When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by third parties such as Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.

The information related to the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, Business Green Rewards Card from American Express, American Express® Business Gold Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.