Why we like this card: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has many attractive features, including 2x the points for buying the goods and services you need for your company, 0% APR for 12 months, and $0 annual fee. Plus, you’ll enjoy various financial tools and protections, making running your business a breeze while adding an extra layer of peace of mind.
Pros
- No annual fee
- 12 months 0% introductory purchase APR
- Many cardholder perks, like purchase protection and car rental insurance
Cons
- No cash advances
- Cap on 2x points
- Potentially high purchase APR (after the introductory period)
To view rates and fees of the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, see this page.
Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Overview
APR
- Intro: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (then a variable APR of 18.49%–26.49%)
- Purchase: 18.49%–26.49% variable
- Balance transfer: 18.49%–26.49% variable with a fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Penalty: 29.99%
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Late payment fee: up to $39
Returned payment fee: $39
Account reopening fee: $25
Returned check fee: $38 (plus the value of the unpaid check)
Often, business credit cards that offer rewards charge an annual fee. However, the Blue Business® Plus Card is an exception to that norm.
You can take advantage of a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (then a variable APR of 18.49%–26.49%) and earn up to 2x the points on all eligible business-related purchases when doing so, though terms apply. Therefore, this card could look great in your wallet if you need to finance a large business purchase over the next year. If you pay the balance off before the promotional period ends, you’ll avoid interest charges and score double points on the charge.
Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Rewards
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has a simple rewards structure. You’ll earn 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases for the first $50,000 in purchases per year (1x point per dollar thereafter).
Most expenses on this business rewards credit card will help you earn points. However, there are some exceptions, including:
- Gift card purchases
- Person-to-person payments
- Traveler’s checks purchases
- Account fees and interest charges
- Prepaid card purchases or prepaid card reloading transactions
If you don’t want to worry about special spending categories or rotating rewards to maximize your point-earning potential, the Blue Business® Plus card hits the mark.
Does the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offer a bonus?
Unfortunately, the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express doesn’t offer new customers a welcome bonus at this time.
How to redeem Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express points
You can redeem Membership Rewards points earned with your Blue Business® Plus Credit Card in several ways. However, some redemption methods give you more bang for your points than others, so choose wisely.
Pay with points
You can use your points to shop online at MembershipRewards.com. You can browse thousands of items sold by American Express’ partner merchants there. Each point is worth half a cent on this platform.
Some retailers also let you link your card’s rewards account to their checkout pages. That way, you can apply your points to those purchases. You can also connect your rewards account to your PayPal account, giving you access to many merchants that will gladly accept your points as payment. Your points could be worth as much as one cent each when you use them during a participating merchant’s checkout process.
Redeem for travel
When you book flights through American Express Travel, you’ll enjoy an exchange rate of one cent-to-one point. Other travel booked through the platform, like hotel stays or cruises, has an exchange rate of one-half or two-thirds of a cent per point.
American Express also partners with many hotels and airlines. You can use Membership Rewards points to cover travel expenses when you link your frequent flyer or hotel loyalty account with your credit card rewards account. Generally, points are worth one cent each when you redeem them through a partner program. However, you can stretch your rewards with The Hilton Honors program, where each Membership Rewards Point is worth two Hilton Honors points.
Redeem for a statement credit
American Express lets you use Membership Rewards points to cover charges on your current statement. While you may be tempted to reduce your balance, note that you’ll only get 0.60 cents (that’s six-tenths of one cent) per point when using this redemption method. Plus, you must have enough points to erase an entire charge, and the credit doesn’t count toward your minimum payment due that billing cycle.
Redeem for gift cards
You can use Membership Rewards points to purchase a wide range of gift cards through the American Express Membership Rewards gift cards portal. Some dining and retail gift cards could get you close to the one point-to-one cent exchange rate. However, others could slash your rewards value, offering just half a cent credit for each point.
Additional benefits
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express provides cardholders with a myriad of valuable perks, including:
- Intro APR offer: Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (then a variable APR of 18.49%–26.49%).
- Expanded Buying Power: You may be able to go over your credit limit if needed. American Express will adjust your spending cap based on your known ability to repay debt, credit profile, account activity, and other factors.
- Relationship Care® Service: Receive 24/7 phone support for any questions or concerns about your account.
- Global Assist® Hotline: If you’re more than 100 miles from home and experience a travel emergency, such as a medical crisis or lost luggage, this hotline may be able to help.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: You may be covered if your vehicle is stolen or damaged when you use your card to pay for the rental and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW).
- Extended warranty: When you use your card to make a purchase, you can extend the item’s original manufacturer’s warranty for up to one additional year.
- Purchase protection: You can file a claim if you lose or accidentally damage an item bought with your card within 90 days of purchase. If the claim is approved, you can receive up to $1,000 to offset your loss.
- Employee cards: You can give your employees cards for free. They’ll earn points for your business when they make qualified purchases.
- QuickBooks integration: When you link your American Express account with QuickBooks, your purchases will automatically flow into your accounting system and get classified under the appropriate expense categories.
- Account management: You can designate a trusted party, such as your business partner or accountant, to manage your credit card account on your behalf.
- Account alerts: Get automatic notifications related to your account, such as payment reminders and irregular purchase warnings.
- Vendor Pay by Bill.com: Enroll in a Basic plan with Bill.com and pay your business bills for free.
- Mobile app: Use the American Express® mobile app (available for Android and iOS) to manage your account.
- Account statements and year-end summary: Use the card issuer-provided reports to understand and manage your company’s expenses.
Is the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express right for you?
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers a generous rewards program and many impressive cardholder benefits. Users can enjoy all of the card’s perks without paying an annual fee.
If you want to get rewarded for making everyday purchases for your business and like having multiple points redemption options, the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card would make a great addition to your financial tool belt.
However, suppose you’re purely interested in getting cash back or prefer the higher rewards cards with rotating bonus categories may offer for spending. In that case, another card might better fit your business spending needs. Some cards, like The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, offer 5x the Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com.
Credit cards similar to the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
If the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express isn’t quite right for you, you have other options to consider, such as:
Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express vs. Blue Business® Plus Card from American Express
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is similar to the Blue Business® Plus Card in that it has no annual fee and offers a 0% introductory purchase APR for 12 months, though terms apply. It also comes with many of the same perks, such as Expanded Buying Power, purchase protection, and 24/7 customer service.
However, it differs on the rewards front. While the Blue Business® Plus Card gives you 2x the Membership Rewards points on purchases, the Blue Business Cash™ Card gives you 2% cash back. The cashback you receive gets directly applied to your account statement, making the card a great fit if you want to reduce your monthly bill.
Frequently asked questions
How do you qualify for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express?
American Express doesn’t publish qualification requirements online. However, you can increase your approval odds for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card by having a good to excellent credit score (670+).
Does the Blue Business® Plus have a credit limit?
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express does assign cardholders a credit limit. However, you may be able to go over your limit without penalty through the card’s Expanded Buying Power feature. The amount you can go over is determined based on your credit profile, account activity history, financial resources, and other criteria.
What happens if you don’t pay your Amex business card in full?
If you don’t pay your Blue Business® Plus Card in full each month, American Express will charge interest unless you’re in the 0% APR introductory period, which comes with specific terms. Carrying a balance over a long period will increase your overall borrowing costs.
Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date but are subject to change at any time at the issuer’s discretion. Before applying, please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
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.
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