The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

This card is built for small business owners and side hustlers who want a simple way to earn Membership Rewards points on everyday spending without paying an annual fee. It works best as a broad business spending card, especially if you can keep most of your annual purchases within the first $50,000 that earns 2x points.

Welcome Offer

Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points

Annual Fee

No annual fee

Rec. Credit Score

Good

Good For

Everyday business spending

How to Apply

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Terms Apply. For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please visit the American Express website.

Is The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express worth it?

This card is great for...

General business purchases

No-fee Membership Rewards earning

Moderate annual business spend

Yes, for the right business owner. The Blue Business Plus is one of the more straightforward ways to earn transferable Amex points on routine business expenses, and the no annual fee makes it easy to keep long term. If your business spends across many categories rather than heavily in one or two bonus areas, earning 2x points on the first $50,000 each year is the real draw.

Where it becomes less compelling is after that cap, or if your spending happens outside the U.S. The card drops to 1x points beyond $50,000 in annual purchases, and the foreign transaction fee makes it a poor fit for international use. Benefits are also fairly light compared with premium business cards, so this is strongest as a practical points earner, not as a perks card.

MaxRewards Verdict

A strong fit for business owners who want simple Amex points earning on everyday purchases without an annual fee. Its main limitation is that the headline 2x rate only lasts through the first $50,000 in purchases each year, and it is not a good card for spending abroad.

Welcome Offer

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.

≈ $90–$300

What 15,000 Points could be worth, based on how you redeem

Transfer to airline/hotel partners
Most partners transfer 1:1
≈ $300
≈ 2¢ per point
Amex Travel - flights
$150
1¢ per point
Pay with points at checkout
$105
0.7¢ per point
Amex Travel - prepaid hotels / other
$105
0.7¢ per point
Gift cards
≈ $105
≈ 0.7¢ per point
Statement credit (cover charges)
$90
0.6¢ per point

Required Spend

$3,000

Time Frame

3 Months

Required Spend

$3,000

Time Frame

3 Months

What's your average monthly spend?

$1,000

You should easily hit the bonus threshold with this spend!

Rewards

Rewards percent based on a valuation of 1¢ per Membership Rewards point

The rewards story here is simple: you earn Membership Rewards points, with 2x points on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year and 1x after that. That makes this card most useful for broad, uncategorized business spending rather than trying to line up a long list of bonus categories.

CategoryEst. yearly spendRateRewards

Office Supplies, Client Dinners

Est. yearly spend

Rate2%

Rewards

Purchases Up To $50,000

Up to $50,000 spend per year

Est. yearly spend

Rate2%

Rewards

Everywhere

Est. yearly spend

Rate1%

Rewards

Est. Annual Rewards

Benefits

$0 / $250

The benefits are modest, but there are a few practical protections that can still matter for a small business, especially on purchases and car rentals. Since there is no annual fee, these features are better viewed as helpful extras rather than the main reason to carry the card.

Enrollment is required for select benefits

$250/yr

Automatically track your credits with MaxRewards

Our app automatically tracks valuable credits so you don't miss any rewards.

Get the app

Venue Collection

Autotracked

of $250Every 12 months

Insurance

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the Rental Company counter, You can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.

Extended Warranty

With Extended Warranty you can shop with less worry knowing the terms of the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty can be extended up to one additional year. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less on Covered Purchases in the United States or its territories or possessions.

Purchase Protection

When something you buy breaks or is stolen, Purchase Protection can have you covered. Use your Eligible Card for Covered Purchases, and your Membership can help protect them for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. Coverage Limits Apply. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.

Premium Car Rental Protection

When you enroll in Premium Car Rental Protection and you use your enrolled Card to pay for rental charges for a Rental Car, you can enjoy primary coverage for Theft of or Damage to a rental vehicle and excess medical coverage if you are injured in an accident. Fees, coverage limits and coverage areas apply. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Refer to your description of coverage for a complete list of excluded vehicles. This product does not include liability coverage.

Status & Access

Amex Special Ticket Access

Card Members have access to purchase Amex Presale Tickets and Amex Reserved Tickets to select can’t-miss events and moments across sports, music, and more. Plus, Card Members can enjoy additional perks when attending select events. While supplies last, not all seats may be offered.

Other

Expanded Buying Power Feature

With Expanded Buying Power, you have the option to spend above your credit limit. The amount you spend above your credit limit is due in full each month as part of your minimum payment due. Terms apply.

Recommended Minimum Credit

Min: Good

Poor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Good credit or higher is recommended for this card.

Credit approval is not guaranteed. Meeting the recommended credit range does not ensure approval, and applicants with lower scores may still be considered.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee

Purchase APR

16.74% - 28.49%

Variable

Foreign Transaction Fee

None

Balance Transfer

None

Cash Advance

None

Late Payment

$39

For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please visit the American Express website.

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are MaxRewards' alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards® Points

Worth $3,000

After spending $20,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

5%Flights (amextravel.com), Prepaid Hotels (amextravel.com)
2%U.S. Construction Material & Hardware Suppliers, Electronic Goods Retailers, Software & Cloud System Providers, Shipping Providers, Purchases Of $5,000+
1%Other Eligible Purchases

Annual Fee

$895

Rec. Credit

Good

See Details How to Apply

Terms apply.

See rates & fees.

American Express® Business Gold Card

You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards® Points

Worth $2,000

After spending $15,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

4%Top Two Eligible Categories
3%Flights (AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App), Prepaid Hotels (AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App)
1%Everywhere

Annual Fee

$375

Rec. Credit

Good

See Details How to Apply

Terms apply.

See rates & fees.

American Express Platinum Card®

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points

Worth $1,750

After spending $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.