Editor’s note: This is a recurring post with regularly updated card details.
The American Express Blue Business CashTM Card is designed for business owners who may need to spend beyond their credit limit and want to earn unlimited cash back without keeping track of spending categories. It features Expanded Buying Power, which is an adjustable credit limit based on your usage, payment history, credit record, and financial resources. Plus, the card comes with expense management tools and doesn’t charge an annual fee.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
BEST FOR:
Those who want better cash back rewards
- 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, 18.49% - 26.49%, 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.
- 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.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
Pros
- 0% intro APR
- Welcome bonus
- Fixed rate rewards
- $0 annual fee
Cons
- Cash advance isn’t allowed
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 2% cash back is capped at $50,000 in annual spending
- Expanded buying power: Enjoy flexible buying power when your business needs it. Expanded buying power gives you the freedom to spend beyond your credit limit and help get business done. While the amount you can spend above your credit limit isn't unlimited, it adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: As a Card Member, You can be covered for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental company counter.
- 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, 18.49% - 26.49%, 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.
- 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.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
Pros
- 0% intro APR
- Welcome bonus
- Fixed rate rewards
- $0 annual fee
Cons
- Cash advance isn’t allowed
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 2% cash back is capped at $50,000 in annual spending
- Expanded buying power: Enjoy flexible buying power when your business needs it. Expanded buying power gives you the freedom to spend beyond your credit limit and help get business done. While the amount you can spend above your credit limit isn't unlimited, it adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: As a Card Member, You can be covered for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental company counter.
When grading fixed-rate cash back business credit cards like the American Express Blue Business CashTM Card, we first consider the ongoing rewards. We also rate the introductory rewards, annual fee, introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs), and additional features.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 30 | 30 |
Introductory Rewards | 0 | 20 |
Additional Features | 13 | 15 |
Annual Fee | 15 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 10 | 10 |
Ongoing APR | 8 | 10 |
Total Score | 76 | 100 |
Who the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Is Best For
- Businesses with up to $50,000 expenses per year: It offers 2% cash back on all eligible purchases of up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% after that. This is one reason why it is our top pick for the best cash back business credit cards.
- Business owners who don’t want to monitor spending categories: You can earn fixed-rate rewards for all eligible purchases, regardless of categories.
- Business owners who might exceed their credit limit: You can spend above your credit limit with its expanded buying power feature. Your buying power adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, your credit record, financial resources, and other factors.
If this card does not meet your needs, see our recommended alternatives below.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Rewards
- $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- 2% cash back on all eligible purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year
- 1% cash back after the $50,000 purchase cap is met
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Rewards Calculator
Use our rewards calculator to compute the potential rewards you can earn with the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card. Enter your projected monthly spending and let our calculator do the rest.
How To Redeem American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Rewards
The cash back you earned will be credited to your account automatically as a statement credit by the second billing statement after you earned the rewards. For example, if you made a total of $5,000 in eligible purchases in January, you will receive $100 cash back as a statement credit on your March billing statement.
Note that you will not receive a statement credit for your eligible purchases if you fail to pay the minimum payment by its due date. Also, your rewards are forfeited if your account is canceled before the statement credit is issued.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Additional Features
- Expanded buying power: Spend over your credit limit and enjoy cash flow flexibility. The amount you can spend will depend on your card usage, payment history, credit score, and financial resources.
- QuickBooks integration: Connect to QuickBooks so your financial transactions are automatically tagged with your QuickBooks categories.
- Year-end summary: Access a complete summary of your spending, which is categorized by month and purchase type, at the end of each year. This will help you keep track of your business expenses.
- Free employee cards: Add employee cards at no additional cost and monitor employee spending with alerts and summary reports.
- Account managers: Assign a trusted employee or partner as account manager to access and manage your business credit card account so that you can delegate this task when needed.
- Vendor Pay by BILL: Use your card to pay bills with Vendor Pay by BILL. You can take advantage of free access to the Basic Plan for the first user and no fee for a second user for six months. Note that you’ll pay $15 per month for the second user after the free trial period.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: Rent a car using this card, and you’re covered with car rental loss and damage insurance. To be eligible, decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company.
- Global Assist® hotline: Access medical, legal, financial, and other emergency services when you’re traveling farther than 100 miles from home through this 24/7 hotline. Note that this is a concierge service only—any fees charged by third-party service providers will be charged to card owners.
- Purchase protection: Get coverage against theft and damage on new purchases for up to 90 days from the purchase date. This coverage is limited to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per calendar year.
- Extended warranty protection: Take advantage of an extended warranty for one additional year for purchases with original manufacturer’s warranties of up to five years or less. To be eligible, the items must be purchased in either the United States or its territories or possessions using your American Express credit card.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Fees
APR
- Introductory: 0% on purchases for the first 12 months
- Ongoing APR on purchases and balance transfers: 18.49% to 26.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Penalty: 29.99% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate. It applies to your account if you:
- Make late payments twice in a 12-month period
- Fail to pay the minimum payment by the closing date when it is due
- Make a returned payment
Fees
- Annual: None
- Balance transfer: Either $5 or 3% of the amount transferred, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to United States dollars (USD)
- Cash advance: Cash advances aren’t allowed
- Late payment: Up to $39
- Overlimit: None
- Returned payment: $39
- Amex mobile app: Simply download the Amex iOS or Android App to pay your bills on the go, anytime.
- Direct bank payment: Pay bills automatically through direct payment. Just provide your bank account details to American Express and indicate the amount you’d like to pay every month.
- AutoPay: Set up AutoPay through your American Express online account. However, your first AutoPay payment may not be applied to your current billing cycle, so you need to make your usual payments until it begins.
- Online: Make a payment through your American Express online account anytime by choosing your payment account and selecting your bank account and payment date. Note that credit cards and debit cards cannot be accepted as a form of payment.
- Via mail: Mail your payment either by check or money order made payable to American Express. Ensure to include your account number at the front of your payment.
First Class Mail
American Express
PO Box 650448
Dallas, TX 75265-0448
Express Mail
American Express
Attn: Express Mail Remittance Processing
20500 Belshaw Ave.
Carson, CA 90746
When To Consider American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Alternatives
You Want to Earn a Sign-up Bonus
While American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers unlimited cash back rewards on eligible purchases, it does not offer a sign-up bonus. If you plan to make a large purchase during the first few months after opening an account, our recommendation is the Chase Ink Business Unlimited®.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Those who want fixed-rate 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Earn $900 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
Pros
- With interest-free financing option on purchases
- Fixed unlimited cash back on all purchases
Cons
- Does not have interest-free financing option on balance transfers
- Charges high foreign transaction fees
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You can decline the company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to this card.
- Travel and emergency assistance services: Call the Benefit Administrator for legal and medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance.
- Purchase protection: You can ensure that your new purchases are covered for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Zero liability protection: Chase will not hold you responsible for unauthorized transactions made with both your card and your account information.
- Cellphone protection: Receive up to $1,000 per claim in cellphone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees included in your monthly cellphone bills when using your card to pay for it. This applies for a maximum of three claims within a 12-month period and will charge a $100 deductible per claim.
- Earn $900 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
Pros
- With interest-free financing option on purchases
- Fixed unlimited cash back on all purchases
Cons
- Does not have interest-free financing option on balance transfers
- Charges high foreign transaction fees
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You can decline the company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to this card.
- Travel and emergency assistance services: Call the Benefit Administrator for legal and medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance.
- Purchase protection: You can ensure that your new purchases are covered for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Zero liability protection: Chase will not hold you responsible for unauthorized transactions made with both your card and your account information.
- Cellphone protection: Receive up to $1,000 per claim in cellphone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees included in your monthly cellphone bills when using your card to pay for it. This applies for a maximum of three claims within a 12-month period and will charge a $100 deductible per claim.
Key Features:
- Lets you earn $900 cash back bonus when you spend $6,000 within three months of opening an account
- Offers 5% cash back on Lyft rides Offer runs through March 2025 and 1.5% cash back for every dollar spent on any business purchase with no cap
- Charges no annual fee
- Comes with 0% APR for the first 12 months
It is our top-recommended small business credit card and one of our best business credit cards with no annual fees.
You Plan To Use the Card for International Purchases
You will be charged a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of each transaction, which is an additional cost if you use the card when you travel abroad. If you travel frequently or make international purchases often, consider the U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard®.
- Introducing the U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect™ World Elite Mastercard®, the business travel card that's 5X more rewarding.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points, worth $600 if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center.
- Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend.
- Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers.
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
- Rewards never expire.
- Earn a $25 statement credit on every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter.
- Points transfer between business and consumer U.S. Bank Altitude products (excluding Reserve).
- Airport lounge access - Priority Pass™ Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide, plus four complimentary visits per membership year.
- Divide large purchases into fixed monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay® Plan.
- Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2022 World's Most Ethical Company® - Ethisphere Institute, February 2022
- Terms and conditions apply
Pros
- High sign-up bonus
- Priority Pass Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide and four complimentary visits per membership year
- ExtendPay® Plan feature lets you divide your large purchase into fixed monthly installments without interest—only a small monthly fee
Cons
- No 0% APR offers
- Premium rewards on travel and fuel have a maximum cap
- Charges annual fee
- Free employee cards
- ExtendPay® Plan
- Transfer points between your business and personal Altitude cards
- No foreign transaction fee
- Introducing the U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect™ World Elite Mastercard®, the business travel card that's 5X more rewarding.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points, worth $600 if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center.
- Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend.
- Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers.
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
- Rewards never expire.
- Earn a $25 statement credit on every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter.
- Points transfer between business and consumer U.S. Bank Altitude products (excluding Reserve).
- Airport lounge access - Priority Pass™ Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide, plus four complimentary visits per membership year.
- Divide large purchases into fixed monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay® Plan.
- Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2022 World's Most Ethical Company® - Ethisphere Institute, February 2022
- Terms and conditions apply
Pros
- High sign-up bonus
- Priority Pass Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide and four complimentary visits per membership year
- ExtendPay® Plan feature lets you divide your large purchase into fixed monthly installments without interest—only a small monthly fee
Cons
- No 0% APR offers
- Premium rewards on travel and fuel have a maximum cap
- Charges annual fee
- Free employee cards
- ExtendPay® Plan
- Transfer points between your business and personal Altitude cards
- No foreign transaction fee
Key Features:
- Charges no foreign transaction fee on international purchases
- Lets you earn 60,000 bonus points (worth $600) when you spend $6,000 within the first 180 days after opening an account
- Offers up to 5x points, depending on expense category
- Charges a low annual fee of $95, which is waived for the first year
- Lets you access over 1,300 VIP airport lounges worldwide through Priority PassTM
- Features ExtendPay® Plan, which lets you divide your large purchase into fixed monthly installments without interest—you only need to pay a small monthly fee
It is also one of our leading fuel cards for small businesses because of its generous rewards and other perks.
You Have Significant Purchases on Certain Expense Categories
Note that American Express Blue Business Cash™ offers fixed-rate cash back on all spending categories. If you have substantial expenses on certain categories (like gas or office supplies), you may benefit more from other business credit cards that offer premium rewards on these categories. Our recommended alternative is the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
BEST FOR:
Those who want to earn 3% cash back in a spending category of their choice
9 billing cycles
- Get a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas stations & EV charging stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services, 2% cash back on dining purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- You'll earn 3% cash back on purchases in the category of your choice and 2% cash back on dining purchases on the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter.
- You can earn up to 75% more cash back on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier. That means you could earn up to 5.25% cash back in your selected choice category and up to 3.5% cash back on dining purchases on the first $50,000 in those combined purchases each calendar year, and up to an unlimited 1.75% cash back on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- Choose how to redeem your cash rewards-as a deposit into your Bank of America® checking or savings account, as a card statement credit or as a check mailed to you. Cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to the Mobile Banking app or Business Advantage 360, our small business online banking. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.49% to 28.49% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Pros
- Offers flexible redemption options
- Doesn’t charge annual fees
- With sign-up bonus
Cons
- Premium cash back rewards are capped on a selected spending category
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- Short introductory APR period
- Access to a business credit score: Bank of America lets you view and monitor your Dun & Bradstreet business credit score for free through Business Advantage 360.
- Zero liability protection: Stay protected against unauthorized transactions. Bank of America offers additional protections that cover certain purchases against loss, damage, theft, or fire and provides extended warranty coverage.
- Fraud monitoring: Bank of America will block potential fraud if it detects abnormal patterns in your transactions. It’ll also notify you if it suspects any fraudulent activity.
9 billing cycles
- Get a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas stations & EV charging stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services, 2% cash back on dining purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- You'll earn 3% cash back on purchases in the category of your choice and 2% cash back on dining purchases on the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter.
- You can earn up to 75% more cash back on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier. That means you could earn up to 5.25% cash back in your selected choice category and up to 3.5% cash back on dining purchases on the first $50,000 in those combined purchases each calendar year, and up to an unlimited 1.75% cash back on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- Choose how to redeem your cash rewards-as a deposit into your Bank of America® checking or savings account, as a card statement credit or as a check mailed to you. Cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to the Mobile Banking app or Business Advantage 360, our small business online banking. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.49% to 28.49% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Pros
- Offers flexible redemption options
- Doesn’t charge annual fees
- With sign-up bonus
Cons
- Premium cash back rewards are capped on a selected spending category
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- Short introductory APR period
- Access to a business credit score: Bank of America lets you view and monitor your Dun & Bradstreet business credit score for free through Business Advantage 360.
- Zero liability protection: Stay protected against unauthorized transactions. Bank of America offers additional protections that cover certain purchases against loss, damage, theft, or fire and provides extended warranty coverage.
- Fraud monitoring: Bank of America will block potential fraud if it detects abnormal patterns in your transactions. It’ll also notify you if it suspects any fraudulent activity.
Key Features:
- Lets you earn 2% cash back on dining purchases and 3% cash back in the category of your choice for the first $50,000; then 1% cash back on all other expenses and when the cap is met
- Offers $300 sign-up bonus when you spend at least $3,000 within the first three months of card ownership
- Charges no annual fee
- Comes with 0% APR on purchases for the first nine billing cycles
It is also a great option if you don’t want your business transactions to affect your personal credit score. It is one of our top business credit cards that don’t report to personal credit bureaus.
Your Personal Credit Score Cannot Qualify
You need to have a good to excellent credit score to qualify for the American Express Blue Business Cash™. If you don’t, check out our guides for the best business cards for fair credit and leading business cards for bad credit for options. You may also consider the Emburse Spend Card.
Key Features:
- Does not perform a personal credit check, and you don’t need to provide a personal guarantee
- Lets you earn 1% cash back on all business-related purchases
- Has no annual or monthly fees for virtual and physical cards
- Has a high maximum load limit of $100,000, which you can request to increase (subject to approval)
- Comes with robust spending controls and streamlined expense reporting
Keep in mind that Emburse Spend Card is a prepaid card—meaning you need to load funds to the card before you can use it. It is ideal for businesses with sufficient cash on hand to use as working capital. It is one of our leading business prepaid cards and top business cards with no personal guarantee.
If you prefer another credit card from American Express, see our list of the best American Express credit cards. You may also check out our guide to the leading small business credit cards for more options.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can apply online or by phone by calling (877) 673-6758. You will need to provide the following information:
- Business’s legal name, address, phone number, and email address
- Federal tax identification number (TIN) or Social Security number
- Type of industry your business is engaged in
- Company structure
- Number of years your company has been in business
- Number of employees
- Annual business revenue
- The name you would like to appear on the card
No, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card does not offer an interest-free period on balance transfers. If you need to transfer a balance, the balance transfer amount will be charged an ongoing APR, which will vary based on the prime rate. On top of that, you’ll need to pay a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount transferred, whichever is higher.
No, you are not required to pay your full balance every billing cycle because the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is not a charge card. However, you need to pay at least the minimum required balance on every due date; otherwise, you will be charged a penalty APR. Keep in mind that if you choose only to pay the minimum required due, the remaining balance carried over to the next billing cycle will be charged with an interest based on the ongoing APR.
Bottom Line
Our American Express Blue Business CashTM Card review determines that this card is best for business owners wanting to earn fixed-rate cash back rewards on all purchases with no annual fee. It is also a great option for those who need flexible buying power. Keep in mind that the premium cash back of 2% is only applicable to the first $50,000 purchases per year.