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Status
The information for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Motley Fool Money. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Membership Rewards points are some of the best transferable rewards, but most business credit cards that earn points charge an annual fee. Most -- but not all. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is the only no annual fee business credit card that earns valuable Membership Rewards points. Best of all, you won't need to track bonus categories to earn bonus points on many of your purchases. Check out the full Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express review to see how it works.
Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Score:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 12 months
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
18.24% – 26.24%, Variable
Rewards
2X points on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each year, 1X points on purchases thereafter
1x - 2x points
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer
Earn 15,000 Membership Reward points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
15,000 points
While its welcome bonus and rewards program may not be the most generous, this card is a straightforward option with some added benefits. It allows businesses to earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on the first $50,000 in purchases annually (then 1X). We think it's a great choice for businesses that prioritize low-interest financing and want versatile rewards without the added cost of an annual fee.
Purchase rewards
Welcome bonus
Intro 0% APR offer
No annual fee
Foreign transaction fee
Personal guarantee
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.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® 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.
You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
*The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to American Express, and other factors.
0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.24% – 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening.
No Annual Fee
Terms Apply
The information for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Motley Fool Money. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Full Amex Blue Business Plus Credit Card review
This credit card is a good fit for: Business owners who want to earn Membership Rewards points without tracking categories or paying an annual fee.
Top perks
Earning rewards points is just one of multiple perks to this card.
Up to 2x points per dollar
The marquee feature of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is its purchase rewards. You'll earn 2x Membership Rewards points per dollar on the first $50,000 in purchases each year. This means there are no categories to track or activate; just 2x rewards for the first $50,000 you put on your card. After that, you'll get 1x points per dollar.
Membership Rewards are hugely popular -- and for good reason. You can get a great per-point value when you transfer your points to one of dozens of hotel and airline partner programs. Even though the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express isn't specifically a travel rewards credit card, you can still earn your way to free flights and hotel stays.
Welcome offer
Speaking of Membership Rewards points, the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express also has an easy way to earn a bundle of them: the welcome offer. New cardholders can earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points just for spending $3,000 on their card in the first three months.
One thing to note here is that American Express welcome offers can vary depending on where you get your offer. Even using incognito or private browsing may change the offer. If you're not seeing the best welcome offer, try changing your browsing options or checking for a referral offer from another site.
Introductory 0% APR offer on purchases
Another excellent offer for new cardholders is the intro 0% APR deal. You can get 0% APR on new purchases for the first 12 months after opening your account. That's an entire year of no interest fees on qualifying purchases.
Remember you need to make at least the minimum monthly payment on time even during the intro offer. Your purchase APR will revert to the go-to APR after the introductory period ends.
No annual card fee
A high flat-rate rewards rate could be worth paying an annual fee. But thankfully, you don't have to make that choice with this card. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has absolutely no annual fee.
This means even during slow months when you're not making many purchases, you're not paying extra just to keep your credit card on standby. It's also helpful if you want to add in another business credit card, perhaps one with bonus category rewards, to help maximize your overall rewards potential.
If you want to earn cash back: The Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express is similar to the Blue Business Plus, except this card earns cash back rewards. You'll also pay no annual fee, get an intro APR offer, and can qualify for a welcome offer.
If you want no foreign transaction fees: The Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business charges no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, making it a good choice for buying abroad or from foreign suppliers.
Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn 15,000 Membership Reward points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
15,000 points
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
$250 statement credit
Welcome Offer:
N/A
Rewards Program:
2X points on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each year, 1X points on purchases thereafter
1x - 2x points
Rewards Program:
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.
1% - 2% cash back
Rewards Program:
1.5% cash back
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, 12 months
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, 12 months
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, for 12 months
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR:
18.24% – 26.24%, Variable
APR:
17.74% to 25.74%, variable
Regular APR:
20.99% - 28.99%, variable
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
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.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® 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.
You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
*The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to American Express, and other factors.
0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.24% – 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening.
No Annual Fee
Terms Apply
Highlights:
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
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.
Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us and other factors.
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% to 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
No Annual Fee
Terms Apply
Highlights:
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, no limits or category restrictions
Save on interest with 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 20.99% - 28.99% variable APR after that
No annual fee
Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Rewards won't expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount
The information for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Motley Fool Money. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The information for the Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express has been collected independently by The Ascent. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
What could be improved
There are a few places this card falls short compared to some competitors.
Foreign transaction fee
The most notable con of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is that it comes with a 2.7% foreign transaction fee. These fees are charged when:
You make a purchase in a foreign currency
You make a purchase that routes through a foreign bank
In today's digital world, it's easier than ever to make a foreign transaction, even if you never leave the country. That great deal on supplies from an overseas company will likely route through its bank -- hitting you with a foreign transaction fee. Although 2.7% isn't super high for a few smaller transactions, it can really add up on large purchases.
No balance transfer intro offer
The fact that the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express comes with an intro 0% APR offer on new purchases is a nice pro. But if you've already made the purchases you need to save on, it's a lot less helpful. Since the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express's intro APR offer doesn't extend to balance transfers, you're out of luck if you really need that deal on a balance you already have with another credit card.
Personal guarantee required
The personal guarantee is a downside shared by most small business credit cards, including the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. When you apply, you're agreeing to accept liability for your credit card debt -- both jointly with your business, and separately on your own. In other words, if your business goes under, you are still personally responsible for paying off your credit card balance. If you don't, your personal credit will be affected and debt collectors will likely come, too.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is best for business owners who have good to excellent personal credit. In general, that means a personal credit score of 670 or higher, though Amex will look at your entire credit profile, not just your scores.
And yes, that's your personal credit history, not just your business credit. Due to the personal guarantee, American Express will evaluate your personal credit history as well as any applicable business credit history when considering your application.
The Amex Blue Business Plus Credit Card is right for you if:
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a good option for small business owners who don't want to track bonus categories. It may also be a good fit for companies with expenses that simply don't fit into popular categories. The card's $0 annual fee and welcome bonus both add to the appeal. Keep in mind the foreign transaction fees mean you'll pay extra for purchases abroad or from foreign suppliers. You can check our list of credit card reviews for other options if you need a card without foreign transaction fees.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Brittney Myers has positions in American Express. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
For rates and fees for the Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express, click here
For rates and fees for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard. The Motley Fool recommends Amex.
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