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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.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

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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Advertising Disclosure

LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).
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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 American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card 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.
4.4
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Intro Purchase APR
0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening then 17.74% - 25.74% Variable
Rewards Rate
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%
Welcome Offer
Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
Editorial Note: shortenedCCEditorialNote

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

Our take: The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a simple business credit card that’s best for small business owners who don’t travel much and want a no annual fee card.

Is The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card a good card?

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is great for small business owners looking for a solid cash back rewards rate on every purchase for no annual fee.

You can earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. This rewards rate can simplify your life as a business owner, since you won’t have to juggle between several credit cards with different rewards rates. Plus, your cash back is automatically redeemed for statement credits.

This card works best if you plan on spending around $50,000 on it. If your business has more expenses than that, then a card without an elevated rewards cap like the Capital One Spark Cash Plus could be a better fit. It charges a $150 annual fee*, but earns unlimited Earn 2% Cash Back on every purchase; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

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

Quick facts

    • 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
  • 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
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance
  • Global Assist® Hotline
  • Extended warranty and purchase protection
  • Employee cards at no additional charge
  • Expense management tools
  • Amex Offers (enrollment required)
  • Vendor pay by Bill.com
  • Auto-expense categorization with QuickBooks

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

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Simple rewards structure
  • Flexible credit limit
  • No annual fee
  • Intro APR on purchases

Cons

  • Cap on bonus earning
  • No balance transfer intro APR
  • Foreign transaction fees

What we like about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

  • Simple rewards program

    The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is ideal for cardholders who want a simple rewards structure.

    Since you earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%, there’s no need to keep up with bonus spend categories. If you max out the spending cap by making $50,000 in purchases in a year, you will earn $1,000 cash back. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement, which is ideal for business owners looking for simplicity.

    This is an ideal rate if you spend in a lot of different categories, like dining, gas and business purchases. But if travel is a big spending category for your business, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns points and also has a simple rewards rate for no annual fee.

  • Flexible credit limit

    American Express’s Expanded Buying Power feature helps business owners deal with unexpected costs and pay for larger purchases. You can exceed The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card credit limit — with no overlimit fees — and earn cash back on those purchases.

    The portion above your credit limit is due in full at the end of your billing cycle as part of your minimum payment. There aren’t many cards that allow you to do that without fees, so it’s great for business owners who have a lot of variable expenses.

  • No annual fee

    Unlike business cards that can charge upwards of $595 per year, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has no annual fee. This allows you to enjoy all the benefits that come with the card without a big financial commitment.

  • Intro APR on purchases

    The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening, followed by a 17.74% - 25.74% Variable APR.

    It’s best to pay your card off in full every month, but the introductory offer will let you finance big business purchases over a long period of time without any interest charges. Plus, the card’s welcome offer can help provide some cash to pay it off.

    Many business cards don’t offer an introductory APR at all — which gives The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card an edge.

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

What to watch out for with The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

  • Cap on rewards earnings

    The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card only allows cardholders to Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.

    If your company charges more than $4,200 each month on business expenses, you’ll be better off with a card that offers bonus cash back without a spending cap. Some other options are:

    *To see rates & fees for Capital One Spark Cash Select, please click here.

  • No balance transfer intro APR

    Although The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has a generous intro purchase APR, it doesn’t offer the same for balance transfers.

    If you’re looking for a business balance transfer credit card, the U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card is your best bet. It offers a N/A; after, a 17.24% to 26.24% APR applies.

  • Foreign transaction fee

    The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card charges a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. It’s hard to find no-annual-fee cards that also don’t charge a foreign transaction fee, so it may be worth considering a different card if you travel abroad a lot for business.

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

Alternative business cards to The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card vs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

| Disclosures
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Rates & Fees
| Terms Apply
0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
17.74% - 25.74% Variable
No annual fee
Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or
  • 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.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

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.


 
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is essentially a travel rewards version of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card. Instead of earning cash back, you’ll 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.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express may be a better choice if you travel frequently. This card lets you transfer points (often at a 1:1 rate) to a number of airlines and hotels, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Choice Privileges, Marriott Bonvoy™.

With The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, your cash back will automatically be credited to your account as a statement credit.

*To see rates & fees for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card vs. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

| Disclosures
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Chase's secure site
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
17.99% - 23.99% Variable
$0
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
  • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
  • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

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.


 
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is another $0-annual-fee cash back business card. It earns a lower cash back earning rate than The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, but doesn’t have a cap on elevated earnings. You’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business.

Once your business spends over $100,000, the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card becomes more valuable.

A big advantage the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has is its generous sign-up bonus: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has a much lower welcome offer, so take that into consideration before applying.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card vs. Capital One Spark Cash Select

| Disclosures
Capital One Spark Cash Select
Capital One Spark Cash Select
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site
Rates & Fees
N/A
17.99% - 23.99% (Variable)
$0
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase; 5% Cash Back on hotels and
  • Earn a $500 bonus when you spend $4,500 in the first 3 months of account opening
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere — with no limits or category restrictions
  • No annual fee
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Rewards won't expire for the life of the account
  • Redeem your cash back rewards for any amount
  • Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • $0 Fraud Liability for unauthorized charges
  • For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
720 850
Excellent

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.


 
The Capital One Spark Cash Select is good for business owners who are looking for a $0-annual-fee simple rewards option, but not necessarily looking for an intro APR.

You can earn 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. As with the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, you’ll earn more with this card only if you spend more than $100,000.

You’ll also earn $500 Cash Back once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. This is a much more generous welcome offer than The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, if you’re looking to earn some extra cash.

The downside of this card is that, unlike The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, it doesn’t offer intro APRs on either purchases or balance transfers.

*To see rates & fees for Capital One Spark Cash Select, please click here.

Is The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card right for you?

If you want to keep things simple without paying an annual fee, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card could be right for you. It offers a generous earning rate as long as you don’t exceed its spending cap.

However, if you spend more than $50,000 per year on business expenses, you’ll be better off with a card that offers unlimited cash back on every purchase, like the Capital One Spark Cash Select. This card offers unlimited 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

But if you spend more than $50,000 and you don’t mind carrying two cards, you could get the most value from using The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card on your first $50,000 in expenses, then using an unlimited 1.5% cash back card on everything else.

apply-now-icon Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Rates & Fees
|Terms Apply
*To see rates & fees for The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please click here.
*To see rates & fees for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.

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

*The information related to Capital One Spark Cash Plus has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.

To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:

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 U.S. Bank Business Platinum 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.