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Amex Blue Business Cash Review: Cash Rewards for No Fee

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card review
KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in eligible business purchases per calendar year.
  • What we think: The Blue Business Cash card is a solid option for small businesses. Other cards may earn more than this card’s flat rate of 2%, but for the business owner who doesn’t want to track complicated spending categories or pay an annual fee, this card fits the bill.
  • This credit card has no annual fee (see rates and fees).
  • Blue Business Cash cardholders have access to several card benefits, including extended warranty protection and purchase protection.
  • With the Blue Business Cash card, it’s possible to give your employees their own cards.
  • The Blue Business Cash card works with QuickBooks to automatically categorize your business expenses.

*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.

SUMMARY

Whether you just started your own company or you’ve been running a small business for years, using a rewards credit card is a great way to earn cash back on your purchases.

If you’re ready to earn rewards based on your spending habits, it’s important to find the right credit card. 

We reviewed The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card to determine if this business card is worth a slot in your wallet.

Stick with us as we explore:

  • Why the Amex Blue Business Cash card is a great fit for start-ups and small businesses
  • How you can earn rewards based on your business spending
  • What benefits are available with this American Express card
PROS & CONS

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • High rewards rate
  • Simple cash back structure

Cons

  • Spending cap for 2% rewards
  • Requires good to excellent credit
  • Limited redemption options
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
LEARN MORE
Key Information
Earn 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in combined purchases each year (then it drops to 1%). This card does not have an annual fee.

Is the American Express Blue Business Cash card worth it?

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is absolutely worth it if you’re a small-business owner who doesn’t have time to track multiple spending categories.

This credit card has no annual fee, making it an excellent fit for budget-conscious business owners. The Blue Business Cash card also comes with Expanded Buying Power, which allows you to spend beyond your credit limit as your company’s needs change.

Pros and cons of the Amex Blue Business Cash card

Pros
  • No annual fee
  • Allows you to spend above your credit limit
  • 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in eligible business purchases each year
  • Built-in tools for expense management
Cons
  • 2% cash back only applies to your first $50,000 in business purchases each year
  • Limited features compared to other business credit cards
  • 2.7% foreign transaction fee
  • Limited redemption options (statement credits only)

Learn more about the Amex Blue Business Cash Card

Terms apply / Rates & fees

*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.

American Express Blue Business Cash card rewards

The Amex Blue Business Cash card has a straightforward rewards structure, making it easy to earn cash back on your eligible purchases.

Welcome bonus

Amex Blue Business Cash members have two opportunities to earn a welcome bonus. If you spend $5,000 on your card within six months of opening it, you’ll earn a $250 statement credit.

If you spend an additional $10,000 or more within your first year of membership, you’ll earn another statement credit worth $250.

When all is said and done, you have the potential to earn $500 in welcome bonuses if you spend $15,000 or more within one year of opening your account.

Earn Blue Business Cash card rewards

The simple Amex Blue Business Cash rewards structure is one of the best features of this cash-back credit card. You get 2% back on up to $50,000 in eligible business purchases per calendar year and 1% back on everything else.

Note that cash back isn’t available for gift cards, person-to-person transactions or cash-equivalent purchases. For example, if you use your card to load funds on a prepaid debit card, you won’t earn cash back on the transaction.

Redeem Blue Business Cash card rewards

The main drawback of the Amex Blue Business Cash card is that you can’t redeem your cash back for miles, travel perks or anything other than statement credits. American Express automatically applies these credits to your account. Each statement credit reduces your balance, but it doesn’t eliminate your minimum monthly payment.

For example, if you have a balance of $5,000 with a $150 minimum monthly payment, a statement credit of $200 would reduce your balance to $4,800. However, you’d still have to make your $150 payment as scheduled.

American Express Blue Business Cash card benefits

The American Express Blue Business Cash Card offers several benefits for business owners. It also comes with some of the standard card benefits offered by American Express.

Business benefits

American Express offers several benefits designed to make things easier for business owners, including:

Other benefits

Blue Business Cash cardholders also have access to some of the general credit card benefits offered by American Express.

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.

American Express Blue Business Cash card fees, rates & limit 

Before you open an American Express Blue Business Cash account, note the rates, fees and credit limit associated with the card (see rates and fees).

Blue Business Cash card fees

The Blue Business Cash card comes with the following fees:

Amex Blue Business Cash card interest rates

American Express charges the following rates to Blue Business Cash cardholders:

American Express Blue Business card credit limit

The American Express Blue card limit depends on your income, debt load and other factors. If you have an excellent credit score, you may qualify for as much as $20,000. If you have a limited credit history, limits may start out as low as $1,000 or $2,000.

Note that American Express may occasionally offer credit limit increases based on your account usage. For example, if your credit score increases significantly within two years of opening your account, you may qualify for a higher limit.

How the American Express Blue Business Cash card compares

The main advantage of getting the American Express Blue Business Cash card is that it has a simple rewards structure. You don’t have to keep track of ever-changing bonus categories or pull out a calculator every time you make a transaction. 

Compared to other business credit cards, the Amex Blue Business Cash card offers more features for expense management. You can give employees their own cards, download summary spending reports, review spending alerts and even designate an account manager to monitor your account when you’re busy doing other things.

If you use QuickBooks for bookkeeping, the Blue Business Cash card is a no-brainer, as it integrates with QuickBooks for auto-expense categorization.

Where the Amex Blue Business Cash card falls a bit short is the limited number of cash-back redemption options available. Other cards let you use your rewards for travel perks, flights, gift cards, retail purchases and more. In contrast, the Blue Business Cash card automatically applies your rewards to your account in the form of a statement credit. This makes it less flexible than other credit products aimed at business owners.

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

The Blue Business Cash card outperforms The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express because its rewards scheme is simpler. With Blue Business Cash, you get either 1% or 2% cash back. The Blue Business Plus card gives you points, so you have to keep track of how much you spend and then figure out how much your points are worth (see rates and fees).

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card vs. American Express® Business Gold Card

Compared to the American Express® Business Gold Card, the Amex Blue Business Cash card is a bit underwhelming. Amex Business Gold gives you a much bigger welcome bonus and more rewards on your spending. For example, Gold cardholders receive 4X back on their top two spending categories and 3X on prepaid flights and hotels (see rates and fees).

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

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card from Chase also outperforms the Amex Blue Business Cash card. Cardholders qualify for 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined spending on office supplies, internet service, cable service and telephone services. The Ink Business Cash card also offers 2% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined spending at restaurants and gas stations.

Additionally, Ink Business Cash gives you way more redemption methods than the Amex Blue Business Cash card. You can buy gift cards, book travel through Chase Travel or request statement credits.

Is the Amex Blue Business Cash card right for me?

The Amex Blue Business Cash card is right for you if you want a no-frills rewards card with no annual fee. It’s also ideal for business owners who want to get a better handle on their spending. 

Amex Blue Business Cash may not be the best fit if you’re looking for a rewards program with multiple rewards redemption options.

If you’re not convinced this is the right card for you, consider these other Amex business cards to see if you find a better fit.

You can also check out Chase business cards or Capital One Spark business cards to learn more about your options with other card issuers.

How do I get the Amex Blue Business Cash card?

You can learn more about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card and apply online from the comfort of your own home.

American Express doesn’t publish minimum approval requirements for the Blue Business Cash card. We recommend waiting until your FICO® scores are in the high 600s before you apply. Note that you may have to pay a higher interest rate if your scores are at the lower end of the approval range.

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FAQ: American Express Blue Business Cash card

Is it hard to get the American Express Blue Business Cash card?

Blue Business Cash is for business owners with scores in the good to excellent ranges, so it’s more difficult to get than a starter card aimed at consumers looking to build their credit.

What are the rewards on the Amex Blue Business Cash card?

You get 2% cash back on your first $50,000 in business spending each year. After that, you get 1% cash back on all purchases.

For example, if you spend $65,000 in a calendar year, you’d get $1,000 back on the first $50,000. Then, you’d get $150 back on the remaining $15,000. This is a total of $1,150 in rewards.

What is the credit limit on the Blue Business Cash card?

American Express sets your credit limit based on your income and creditworthiness. Cardholders report having limits ranging from $1,000 to $20,000.

Is the American Express Blue Business Cash card worth it?

Amex Blue Business Cash is worth it if you’re looking for a business credit card with a simple rewards structure and extra tools to help you manage your expenses.

What is the annual fee for the Amex Blue Business Cash card?

Amex Blue Business Cash has no annual fee, making it ideal for budget-conscious business owners.

Leigh Morgan
Leigh Morgan Personal Finance

Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.

In the last five years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.

In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.

* Opinions expressed here are those of the LA Times Compare Cards Team and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser or entities included within this content. See our editorial policy for more details.

All products or services are presented in this content without warranty. The information, including card details such as rates and fees, is accurate at the time of publish. Please visit each bank's website directly for the most current information.

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