The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

This is one of the best offers from our partner American Express.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Details and benefits

With the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express, you’ll earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases up to $50,000 per year and 1X points after that.

You’ll enjoy a zero percent introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from account opening (14.74 percent — 20.74 percent variable), and there’s no annual fee. There is a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3 percent of each transfer, whichever is greater (see rates and fees).

Additionally, there’s no fee for employee cards. (see rates and fees) If you add an Additional Employee Card Member to your account, you’ll earn points for their purchases alongside your own.

However, if your business travel often takes you outside of the U.S. you should use another card – this card charges a foreign transaction fee after conversion to U.S. dollar (see rates and fees).

You should also note that there’s a fee when booking airfare through the American Express portal or transferring your points to a frequent flyer program (see rates and fees).

Is the Blue Business Plus worth it for you?

The Blue Business Plus credit card will suit you well if you’re a small business owner looking to earn rewards for general, business-related expenses.

Before going any further, it’s important that you have a solid understanding of your business’ spending habits. The 2X category cap may hinder your rewards earning potential if your business comfortably spends $50,000 or more per year (rewards rate drops to 1X after you hit the $50,000 spend cap).

If you value welcome bonuses, you might be disappointed with this card’s lack of one. Despite this drawback, you will have access to the following AmEx perks:

• Auto Rental Insurance
• Lost Luggage Reimbursement
• Purchase Protection
• Zero Fraud Liability
• Roadside Assistance
• Extended Warranty Program
• Travel Accident Insurance
• Access to Account Manager, American Express® Business App and other Expense Management Tools

Get the most value from the Blue Business Plus

The Blue Business Plus offers a zero percent introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from account opening (14.74 percent – 20.74 percent variable thereafter). If you’re interested in paying off a large business purchase or credit card debt during this time frame, the introductory offer allows you to do so for 12 months without paying a dime in interest.

For example, if your business owed $2,000, you could reduce your debt by transferring the balance and paying $166.67 a month. Keep in mind you will owe either $5 or a 3 percent fee of the amount transferred, whichever is greater. In the case of this example, you’d owe an additional $60.

If you frequently travel outside of the United States for business, we suggest using a different card for purchases made abroad. The Blue Business Plus charges 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee (after conversion to U.S. dollars) on all purchases made outside of the U.S.

How much are the Blue Business Plus rewards worth?

Let’s take a look at how much your Membership Rewards® points would be worth with a spending example:

If you maxed out the 2X category ($50,000 per year) by spending $4,166.66 per month, you’d earn $1,000 worth of Membership Rewards® points.

Overall, you’ll get the most value out of your points by transferring them to one of AmEx’s travel partners. According to The Points Guy’s April 2019 point valuations, Membership Rewards® points redeemed for travel are worth 2 cents, whereas they’re normally valued at 1 cent.

How to redeem rewards

Points are redeemable for travel, gift cards, shopping, entertainment, merchandise, charity and more. In order to redeem, simply visit the Membership Rewards portal via your online account or by visiting MembershipRewards.com.

For rates and fees of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Review, please click here.