American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card: Expert Review & Considerations

Finding the right credit card for your small business is vital if you want to enjoy spending flexibility and benefit from cash back rewards you can utilize fully. In our American Express Blue Business Plus Card review, we’ll explore what this card has to offer, like its 2X membership rewards program for everyday business purchases — as well as some of its potential drawbacks. Because the card’s 2X points accrual rate only counts for the first $50,000 in purchases per year, we recommend it for small business owners rather than executives with larger expenses.

Card Details to Know Up Front

Bonus, Fee or Feature
Has or Not
Has Annual Fee
Has Balance Transfer Offer
Has APR Offer
Cash Back Rewards
Travel Rewards
Hotel Benefits
Airline Benefits
Has Rewarding Welcome Offer
Has Foreign Transaction Fee
Credit Needed
Good–Excellent

Click to see this card’s rates, fees and how they compare to other cards in our dataset.

American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card at a Glance

Sole proprietorships, partnerships and small LLCs will all find plenty of use for the American Express Blue Business Plus Card. A credit card with no annual fee and a 12-month 0% APR introductory period, the American Express Blue Business Plus card offers spending flexibility and low costs — especially for initial purchases.

One of the card’s most impressive aspects is its 2X membership rewards points accrual rate for the first $15,000 in business purchases. It also includes an “Expanded Buying Power” feature that gives you the freedom to spend beyond the card’s set credit limit without worrying about overdraft fees and similar setbacks. Note that the extra credit has to be paid in full by your next bill’s due date.

American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card
Great no-annual-fee card for earning rewards on business spending
- Good–ExcellentCredit Needed
- $0Annual Fee
- 2 Miles per $1*Rewards Rate
- 1xRewards Rate on TV, Phone, Internet Services
- 1xRewards Rate on Online Shopping
Pros:
No annual fees
0% intro APR on purchases
Earn 2% reward points on spending of up to $50,000 per year, followed by 1%
Free employee cards
Can assign an account manager
Download interactive year-end summaries
Use Vendor Pay to improve business cash flow
Purchase protection

Cons:
Penalty APR applies when you make a late payment
Foreign transaction fees
Balance transfer fees
There’s a minimum required to redeem points
Pay no annual fees for the life of the card.
Earn 2% reward points for the first $50,000 you spend on purchases each year. Earn 1% after your spending exceeds this limit.
Redeem points for travel booked through American Express Travel, purchases via select online merchants or gift cards.
You may also transfer your reward points to different frequent flyer programs.
Save money on interest by using the 0% intro APR offer on purchases for 12 months.
Get free employee cards and set individual spending limits.
Improve cash flow by using your card to pay bills via Vendor Pay.
Safeguard purchases made using the card through extended warranty and purchase protection.
Get protection when you or your employees rent cars through car rental loss and damage insurance.
Get access to American Express Experiences and purchase pre-sale tickets for various events.
Use the American Express Business App and Connect to QuickBooks tools to simplify transferring spending-related data to your existing accounting system.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated credit cards at CardRatings.com.

Pros & Cons Explained

Unsure if this card is a good choice for your small business purchasing needs? Take a closer look at the American Express Blue Business Plus Card’s benefits and downsides.

Pros

Benefits
Description
Initial rewards accrual rate
The Blue Business Plus Card’s initial rewards points accrual rate is fantastic, especially if you don’t usually spend more than $50,000 on office or business purchases per year. Getting two points per dollar spent means you’ll rack them up quickly and be able to spend those points on a variety of redemption options.
Free employee cards
As mentioned, you can get up to 99 Blue Business Plus Cards for your employees. Hand them out to anyone trustworthy in your organization, and you'll start racking up points quickly. Best of all, the employee cards can be picked up at no additional cost.
No annual fee
The low overall costs and lack of annual fees make this a budget-friendly rewards card for small business owners who want to maximize their profit margins.
Purchase protection
The American Express Blue Business Plus Card also comes with purchase protection and extended warranty protection for certain products you buy using the card for up to 90 days. These coverages can help small business owners save money when they may not have the funds to cover unexpected repair or replacement expenses.

Cons

Drawbacks
Description
Lack of rewards category
While the $50,000 spending cap for rewards is a downside, we’re also disappointed at this card’s lack of special categories or bonus points accrual options. As a result, you can’t target your spending during specific promotional periods to maximize the points you gain.
Lack of travel benefits
The lack of elite travel benefits or other perks makes this a jack-of-all-trades card rather than a specialized rewards tool. As a result, some small businesses may prefer a card with rewards tailored directly toward their interests and savings opportunities.

LOOKING FOR THE BEST CREDIT CARDS OF 2021?

MoneyGeek has selected the American Express Blue Business Plus Card as one of the best business credit cards of 2021. You can compare this card to other cards that made it to our list - Top 5 Business Credit Cards of 2021.

Bonuses & Rewards Explained

The American Express Blue Business Plus Card’s rewards program is fairly straightforward. You earn two membership rewards points for every $1 you spend on up to $50,000 in certain business expenses.

Once you reach the $50,000 cap, you’ll still earn points, but only at a rate of one point per $1 spent. You may occasionally receive American Express offers in the mail, directing you to make purchases with specific merchants in exchange for bonus points accrual.

Want to know how to redeem points with the American Express Blue Business Plus Card? Fortunately, there are lots of possibilities, including:

1

Travel Credits

Airfare or other travel benefits with American Express’s travel partners, including hotel stays, flights, rental cars and more

2

Statement credit

You can use your accrued points to help pay your monthly statement, allowing you to save money overall

3

Gift Cards

Gift cards for American Express-affiliated merchants — each point redeemed in this way is worth $0.007 or 0.7 cents

Other Features Explained

The other features and benefits you may expect if you get the American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card include:

Card Feature
Description
Expanded buying power
This feature lets you use your Blue Business Plus Card beyond its actual credit limit. Your Expanded Buying Power limit may vary based on your credit record, payment history, financial resources and other factors.
Connect to QuickBooks
You may integrate your business credit card account with QuickBooks for auto-expense categorization.
Account manager
All Blue Business Plus cardholders get access to dedicated account managers.
Year-end summaries
You get year-end summaries at the start of every year that let you view category-based spending through interactive charts.
Vendor Pay by Bill.com
The first user from your account to sign up for the basic plan pays no monthly fees, giving your business a quick and cost-effective way to pay vendors. Safeguarding purchases. Purchase protection and extended warranty apply on all eligible purchases you make using this card.

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

To make the most of this credit card, grab a few extras and give them to your purchasing managers or supply chain executives at the beginning of your fiscal year. Since most small businesses front-load their purchases toward the beginning of the fiscal year, MoneyGeek recommends making as many business expenses as possible using your American Express Blue Business Plus cards to rack up points quickly.

With the 2X accrual rate, you’ll rapidly collect enough points to redeem them for rewards that can save you money through the second half of your fiscal year.

Understanding the Fine Print

Understanding the American Express Blue Business Plus card’s associated fees and charges in detail can help you determine if it’s right for your budget and needs.

The table below explains the most important fees, interest rates and associated charges that apply to this card. We’ll also break down how the foreign transaction fee can impact your overall business costs and what goes into the variable APR rate you’ll receive upon applying for this card.

Card Feature
Amount or Rate
APR
13.24%–19.24%
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Back Rewards
Rewards Rate
2 Miles per $1*
Airline Benefits
Rewards Rate on Groceries
1x
Rewards Rate on Gas
1x
Rewards Rate on Dining
1x
Rewards Rate on Entertainment
1x
Rewards Rate on Online Shopping
1x
Rewards Rate on TV, Phone, Internet Services
1x
Rewards Rate on Air Travel
1x
Rewards Rate at Hotels
1x
Balance Transfer Fee
3%
Balance Transfer APR
Unspecified
Late Fees
$39.00
Cash Advance Fee
Unspecified
Cash Advance APR
Unspecified
Foreign Transaction Fee
2.70%

Variable APR
The most important of these is the variable APR between 13.24% and 19.24%. Note that the variable APR rate you’ll receive will be settled at the time of your account opening. Your APR is set based on the credit score you have when you apply for the card. Even if your small business’s credit score improves over the 12-month 0% APR introductory period, it won't necessarily lower your APR rates.
American Express determines your variable APR rate based on factors like your creditworthiness, financial history and current business expenditures. Because these factors also impact how much extra credit you get with the “Expanded Buying Power” feature, we recommend applying for this card when your creditworthiness metrics are as positive as possible.
Foreign Transaction Fees
The American Express Blue Business Plus charges foreign transaction fees at a rate of 2.7%. That may not sound like a lot, but it can significantly impact how costly it is to do business with countries overseas.
For example, say you need to spend $10,000 on suppliers for an overseas vendor. You’ll end up paying another $270 in foreign transaction fees if you use your American Express Blue Business Plus Card.
If you do business overseas, MoneyGeek suggests picking a different card or using an international-focused card in conjunction with the Blue Business Plus.

FINDING YOUR CARD'S RATES AND FEES

Need to know how to find information about a credit card already in your wallet? You can check out a variety of official resources to learn more, including:

The card’s customer service page
The last billing statement you received for the card
The credit card agreement database maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Burea

Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card?

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Other Considerations for American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card

Versatile and flexible, the Blue Business Plus Card is a solid general use option for small business owners.

Things to Consider if This is Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card

If you plan only to use this business credit card for your small venture, keep these major factors in mind:

Your 0% APR period won’t last forever. Get in the habit of paying down your credit card balance as much as possible in the first year so you don’t spend extra money on interest.
The American Express Blue Business Plus Card is best used for all your business purchases up to $50,000. Use it as often as possible to wrack up rewards points, and then redeem them in the form of credit off your statement to save money.
Don’t use the card for foreign transactions because of the fee associated with these purchases.
Your credit has to be good to excellent for you to be approved for this card. Most business owners don’t get approved unless they have a credit score of at least 690.

Things to Consider if This is Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet

If you plan to keep the Blue Business Plus Card in your wallet alongside other credit tools, you have a little more freedom in your spending options. The Blue Business Plus is best used:

To buy domestic business supplies: Choose another card without foreign transaction fees to buy bulk supplies or products from international companies.
With multiple employees making transactions simultaneously: Even everyday business expenses can quickly add up and get you a significant amount of points if four or five people are using the Blue Business Plus at the same time.
When the Expanded Buying Power feature is utilized only when absolutely necessary: This feature can quickly rack up expenses if you spend more than you can realistically repay within 30 days. If you have other cards in your wallet, consider using their remaining balances if you don’t have enough regular credit space on your American Express Blue Business Plus Card.

WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS

At MoneyGeek, we use a standardized, six-step process to review credit cards and other financial tools in detail. We also utilize a mathematical ranking system to determine the objective value of credit card factors relative to one another by considering factors like APR, fees and more.

In this way, we hope to provide valuable and thorough reviews so you know exactly which cards are best for your spending needs.

How American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card Compares to Other Cards

The American Express Blue Business Plus is similar to several other American Express credit card offerings, like the American Express Cash Magnet Card.

The unlimited cash back rate of the American Express Cash Magnet Credit Card makes it particularly attractive for regular spenders. However, it may not be worthwhile for small business owners, who make most of their business purchases in the first half of the fiscal year.

The Cash Magnet card is also attractive thanks to its promotional bonus: $150 of statement credit after spending $1000 or more within the first three months of having an account.

In the end, the Cash Magnet might be slightly better for small-time freelancers and regular spenders rather than small business owners specifically. In comparison, the Blue Business Plus's 2X points accrual rate is better for short-term points gains.

Comparing the American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card

American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card

Introductory Bonus: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months
Variable APR: 13.24% to 19.24%
Rewards Rate: 2X up to $50,000
Intro Offer: 0% APR for first 12 months
Best For: An ideal credit card for small business owners

American Express Cash Magnet Credit Card

Introductory Bonus: $150 of credit after spending $1000 within the first three months
Variable APR: 13.99% to 23.99%
Rewards Rate: 1.5% unlimited
Intro Offer: 0% APR for first 15 months
Best For: A good "all-around" credit card for general spending

Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As

Still on the fence about the American Express Blue Business Plus Card? Let’s answer some helpful questions so you can make an informed decision.

Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.

Want to do some more research or still aren’t certain that the American Express Blue Business Plus Card is right for your company? Take a look at some of the other American Express credit cards we’ve reviewed at MoneyGeek. Alternatively, consider a different type of credit card or financing solution depending on what you need for your upcoming business goals.