The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card review: Ideal for new business owners
The perfect pick for budding business owners.
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Snapshot
4.3
Bottom line
Small business owners who want to earn rewards on everyday purchases will find the American Express Blue Business Cash Card to be an excellent choice. However, if you’re seeking more flexibility with how you use your rewards and prefer not to be tied to a spending cap, a card with multiple spending categories and redemption options could be a better option.
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees, Terms ApplyIntro offer
$250 statement credit
Rewards Rate
1% - 2%
Annual fee
No annual fee
APR
17.99% - 25.99% Variable
Bankrate Score
Rewards value
APR
Rewards flexibility
Features
Why you'll like this: The ability to earn low-fuss cash back rewards makes it easy to earn and redeem rewards while letting you focus on growing your business.
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American Express Blue Business Cash overview
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card’s no annual fee, intro APR period on purchases and low ongoing APR makes it one of the best cash back cards for startup businesses. However, the American Express Blue Business Cash card’s cap on flat-rate cash back and its thin list of features mean it may fall short compared to other American Express and business credit cards. You might consider upgrading your card in the future to match your growing business, optimize rewards and enjoy more benefits.
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Rewards
- 2 percent cash back on all eligible purchases (up to $50,000 per year, then 1 percent)
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Welcome offer
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months.
Expert Appraisal: Typical
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0% APR offer
- 0 percent on purchases for 12 months
- No intro APR for balance transfers
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17.99% - 25.99% Variable APR
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- No annual fee
- No over-limit fee
- 29.99 percent variable penalty APR
- 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- Expanded Buying Power feature
- Shopping and travel protections
- Amex offers
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
See our expert analysis
American Express Blue Business Cash pros and cons
Pros
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For a no-annual-fee business card, it has one of the highest flat rewards rates in the market.
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The Expanded Buying Power feature gives business owners more flexibility if they need to go over their credit limit for an unexpected expense.
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It has a decent introductory APR period for new purchases.
Cons
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The $50,000 spending limit per year on the 2 percent category limits reward earning potential.
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Besides the Expanded Buying Power feature, there are limited cardholder perks compared to other business reward cards.
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The card's 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee can add up and cut into your rewards earnings if your business takes you abroad often.
Why you might want the American Express Blue Business Cash Card
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card is a fantastic choice for new or small-business owners who know their budget and want a rewards card to help with business spending. It includes a high flat rewards rate, an intro APR offer on new purchases and its most valuable benefit, the Expanded Buying Power feature, which allows you to spend more than your credit limit with no fee, if necessary (conditions apply).
Rewards: A high flat cash back rate
Earning cash back with the Amex Blue Business Cash is simple: All purchases will earn 2 percent cash back until you’ve spent $50,000 in combined purchases in a calendar year. Then, you’ll earn 1 percent back for the remainder of the year.
As far as no-annual-fee business cards go, flat-rate 2 percent cash back is one of the highest rates available. Although you only earn 2 percent back on your first $50,000 in combined purchases each year (after which your rate drops to 1 percent), the average small-business owner should still have plenty of room to earn rewards
On the other hand, plenty of competing business cards offer unlimited cash back at a slightly lower flat rate of 1.5 percent for no annual fee and no spending cap. If you maximize the Blue Business Cash’s 2 percent rate and spend $50,000, you’ll earn $1,000 in cash back. With a card that has an unlimited 1.5 percent cash back rate, you’ll have to spend a little more than $66,600 to earn the same amount back.
Review your business spending and run a little match to determine if you’ll earn more with unlimited 1.5 percent back or the Blue Business Cash’s capped 2 percent rate.
Fees: No annual fee and an adequate intro APR period
If you’re looking for a card that’s light on ongoing costs, Amex Blue Business Cash charges no annual fee and provides a decent intro APR period for new purchases, which might give you breathing room for a large expense. Plus, the Expanded Buying Power feature lets you go over your credit limit without an over-limit fee (depending on payment history, credit record and financial resources). Just be careful to pay the over-limit amount and your minimum payment due each month to avoid the 29.99 percent variable penalty APR.
If you travel abroad for business or make a lot of foreign transactions, the card’s 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee is another potential cost worth considering. While foreign transaction fees are fairly common, a cash back card with no foreign transaction fee can save you from added costs.
Cardholder perks: The Expanded Buying Power feature is stellar
As a no-annual-fee card, the benefits on this card aren’t particularly robust, but the Expanded Buying Power perk may provide small businesses a bit of a lift in a pinch. If you’re faced with a sudden expense or a terrific opportunity, you can spend beyond your credit limit with no over-limit fee. But keep in mind that purchases are approved on a case-by-case basis.
This benefit gives your small business card temporary purchasing power you may not otherwise have. While the amount you can spend above your credit limit isn’t unlimited, it adjusts with your card use, payment history, credit record and other factors. This can play well with your wallet so long as you manage your money responsibly and adjust to the higher demand placed on top of your regular expenses.
Why you might want a different business card
Though the American Express Blue Business Cash Card offers a high rewards rate, that rate has a $50,000 cap before it drops, which might be a significant drawback if your business typically spends more or you prefer unlimited rewards with no cap. Also, if you want more flexible redemption options and outstanding cardholder perks, you'll be out of luck. You can only redeem your cash back earnings as a statement credit and the card offers a narrow list of basic benefits.
Redemption options: Not flexible compared to similar cards
Unfortunately, you won’t have any flexible cash back redemption options, such as direct deposit or check. The Blue Business Cash card only redeems cash back as an automatic statement credit. While a statement credit is nothing to shrug at, other cards offer more flexible redemption options.
This can be a little discouraging, especially if you want to use your rewards toward future travel. If flexible redemption is important to you, another option would be better for you. However, if you want low-maintenance rewards, then the Amex Blue Business Cash card is the one to consider.
Spending cap: Potentially limits earning rewards
The Blue Business Cash card is a competitive, no-frills cash back card and its rewards are easy to earn and redeem — until you cross the $50,000 yearly rewards spending cap. Though an annual spending cap is expected on a card that earns in this high rewards bracket, and $50,000 is still a healthy chunk of money to spend in one year, it’s still very limiting to the cardholder.
If you reach the $50,000 spending cap, you’ll earn a combined total of $1,000 in statement credits for the year. All spending beyond $50,000 will reward you with 1 percent back. If you spend an additional $50,000 over the spending cap, you’ll receive $500 more in statement credits, totaling your yearly rewards at $1,500 with a $100,000 spend. This is effectively a combined rate of 1.5 percent back.
Cardholder perks: Disappointing besides the Expanded Buying Power feature
The Blue Business Cash doesn’t have any features that really standout compared to other similar business reward cards. It comes with Amex Offers, which is an activation-based rewards program that lets you earn another small helping of cash back or American Express Membership Rewards points (with the appropriate cards) on limited-time promotions from participating merchants. Plus, it has basic shopping and travel protections, such as car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty and purchase protection.
These basic Amex benefits’ safety features might help you rest easier during your day-to-day operations, but there aren’t any significant perks such as airport lounge access or cardholder credits toward entertainment, restaurants or airlines that could boost its value even more.
How the Blue Business Cash card compares to other business cards
The Blue Business Cash delivers one of the highest cash back rates for no-annual-fee business cards, but the $50,000 yearly spending cap on the 2 percent cash back rate might be a drawback. This card suits small businesses that spend at least $50,000, but not a significant amount more.
If the Blue Business Cash yearly rewards rate spending cap is a dealbreaker, here are a few alternatives:
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
Rewards rate
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. 1% cash back on all eligible purchases after spending $50,000 per calendar year.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro 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.
Rewards rate
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.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate
5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with the Blue Business Cash Card
Ultimately, other cash back cards that earn higher rates on your key bonus categories are the best partners for the flat-rate Blue Business Cash card.
Who is the Blue Business Cash Card right for?
The Amex Blue Business Cash is a terrific fit for many different types of businesses and could be the next great addition to your rewards-earning strategy.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Blue Business Cash Card worth it?
The American Express Blue Business Cash card is best for small businesses or startups with expenses that may fall outside of typical business spending categories. The 2 percent cash back rate is top-notch, but the $50,000 yearly spending cap may not be attractive for many cardholders. However, it makes a great card for those with smaller yearly expenses or who are just starting out.
For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express , please click here.
Dig deeper: Is the Amex Blue Business Cash Card worth it?
How we rated this card
Our proprietary card rating system takes into account a mix of factors when scoring business credit cards, including each card’s rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more.
We analyzed over 50 of the most popular business credit cards and scored each based on how its key features stacked up compared to those of other cards in its category.
Here are some of the key factors that gave this card its score:
Frequently asked questions
What cardholders think
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are based on individual cardholder’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these cards.
Community Reviews
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.