| Last updated on February 27th, 2024
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
- 18.49% to 26.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 0% for 12 months from account opening date Intro Purchase APR
At a Glance
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a no-annual-fee business and cash back card from American Express and earns a flat 2% cash back on all purchases which are applied as a statement credit. It is best suited as a supplementary business card to use when an expenditure won’t earn rewards with another card.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate 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.
- Intro Purchase APR: 0% for 12 months from account opening date
- Regular Purchase APR: 18.49% to 26.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: If eligible, either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $39
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: $39
- You need a card that can handle large, unexpected business expenses regardless of the credit card limit
- You want cash back earnings applied towards your credit card balance
- You want complimentary employee cards with cash back earning potential
- You want rewards points on everyday business purchases on the card
In-Depth Review: The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a straightforward cash back business credit card that earns 2% back on all purchases (up to $50,000 per year) for no annual fee. After reaching $50,000 in purchases, cash back is reduced to 1% on eligible purchases (1X points per dollar), but all cash back earnings are deposited to your account as a statement credit.
Who Can Benefit from the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card?
Designed with small business owners in mind, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers an expanded buying power as its strongest feature. This means you can make purchases beyond your credit limit without any fees. To request temporary approval for such purchases, simply call a customer representative or check the ‘Spending Ability’ button on your account.
What’s even better is that you’ll still earn 2% cash back on these purchases. This perk is especially useful for new businesses that often have significant upfront costs, such as renting office space, outfitting offices with furniture and technology, and installing software. When combined with the zero-interest introductory offers, this card becomes a valuable asset for small businesses well equipped to handle to accommodate unexpected business expenditures quite well.
Introductory APR Benefit
The Blue Business Cash Card comes with a decent 12-month 0% APR introductory period. Large or numerous expenses requiring multiple payments will benefit most from this incentive as it provides a stress-free full year of no interest. Enjoy 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, with a competitive, variable APR after that.
Expanded Buying Power Benefit
One of the standout features of the Blue Business Cash™ Card is the Expanded Buying Power feature it provides. This feature is designed to give you more flexibility in your spending.
With Expanded Buying Power, you have the ability to make purchases that exceed your credit limit without being charged any extra fees. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who have substantial business expenses or who need to make a significant purchase.
Whether you need to invest in new equipment for your business or something else, this feature allows you to do so without any financial constraints. It provides you with the freedom to spend as needed, giving you peace of mind, and making sure you can meet your financial obligations without any annoying limitations.
How to Earn Rewards
Welcome Offer
New accounts with the Blue Business Cash Card can earn a $500 statement credit after using their new card to make $8,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Earn Up to 2% Cash Back
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers a competitive cash back rewards program that can help you earn significant savings on your business expenses. With 2% cash back on eligible purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, you have the potential to earn up to $1,000 in cash back rewards. After reaching the $50,000 threshold, you will still earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases.
What sets the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card apart from other cash back credit cards is its unlimited cash back potential. Many other cards impose limits or caps on the amount of cash back you can earn, but with this card, there is no cap on how much you can earn in cash back rewards. This can be a significant advantage for businesses with high spending volumes.
Additionally, the cash back rewards earned with the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card do not expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. This means you can accumulate cash back rewards over time and use them whenever you choose, giving you the flexibility to redeem them when it makes the most sense for your business.
How to Redeem Rewards
Unlike other American Express business cards, the Blue Business Cash Card has an extremely limited list of award options. All cash back earnings are deposited to your account as a statement credit.
This feature can either be a blessing or a headache, depending on how you typically choose to redeem rewards. But for a company that is solely focused on the bottom line, this card might be a lifesaver.
Other Card Benefits
Other notable features and benefits of the Blue Cash® from American Express include:
| Complimentary employee cards | Get more out of your Business Card with Employee Cards. Earn miles‡ and stay on top of how much employees are spending. |
| QuickBooks® integration | Save time with auto-expense categorization in QuickBooks- Once enrolled, your Business Card transactions are automatically tagged with your QuickBooks categories. |
| Account manager | Free up time. Assign a trusted team member to oversee your American Express account. Account Managers can handle tasks like making payments, reviewing transactions, and adding Employee Cards, so you’re free to focus on other priorities. |
| Account alerts | Set Account Alerts to help you avoid late payments, spot irregular spending, and monitor Employee Card use. |
| Vendor Pay by Bill.com | You can make the most out of paying your business bills. Improve your cash flow and take advantage of Card benefits when you use your Card to pay bills with Vendor Pay by Bill.com. Take advantage of Vendor Pay by Bill.com by enrolling your Card. With the basic plan, there is no monthly fee for the first user and no fee for a second user for six months. After six months, the second user will have a fee of $15 per month. Additional fees may apply based on plan type and number of users. |
| Year-end summary | After the end of the year, see a complete summary that categorizes your spending by month and purchase type, and helps you track your business expenses down to the last detail. |
| ‡ Terms apply | |
Spend Manager and QuickBooks access will allow you to keep track of receipts and transcripts across all company cards, making end-of-year expenses reviewing a breeze.
Vendor Pay from Bill.com will enable businesses to use their American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card to pay vendors that typically require checks or other non-electronic forms of payment. Not only does it simplify paying for the services and goods that keep your business running but it ensures that you never miss out on an opportunity to earn that 2% cash back.
Comparison
| Blue Business Cash™ Card | Blue Business® Plus | Ink Business Unlimited® | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Rewards | Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% | Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases on up to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, then 1X | Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases |
| Intro APR | 0% for 12 months on purchases | 0% for 12 months on purchases | 0% for 12 months on purchases |
| Employee cards | Free | Free | Free |
What We Like About the Card
Expense Management Tools
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers a suite of expense management tools that can help you track your business expenses and simplify your accounting processes. These tools can save you time and effort, allowing you to focus on running your business.
Expanded Buying Power
The ability to stretch your credit line to fit the needs of your business is excellent and is a great magic trick to get small-and-medium sized companies out of tight spots when it comes to buying software, upgrading the office, or paying for an upcoming conference.
No Annual Fee
Unlike many other credit cards, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card does not charge an annual fee. This can be a significant cost savings for small businesses, especially those just starting out or operating on a tight budget.
Things to Consider
The biggest drawback with the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is the limited redemption methods. Rewards only apply as statement credits, with no option to book travel or transfer points to your company’s preferred frequent flyer program.
American Express Ratings
How does American Express rate as a bank and issuer? Here is a selection of ratings for the bank from consumers and experts:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
1.5/5 |
Should You Apply for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card?
Overall, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card isn’t strong enough to be a business’ primary credit card but would make a great in-between business card. Use it to supplement cash back rewards for purchases that don’t fall into other rewards categories (i.e. restaurants or office supplies).
Business owners who don’t want to deal with multiple point redemption options will find this card easy to use – as the automated statement credit allows the earning and redemption of rewards without a second thought.
As a cash back business credit option, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is standard to other business credit cards that offer a flat cash back rate on earnings and have no annual fee. In direct comparison to those like the Ink Business Unlimited℠, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card does little to incentivize choosing this card over the other nearly identical options.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a fine option if you are already ingrained within the American Express ecosystem, but otherwise, you may as well pursue a business credit card that offers a strong welcome offer, like The Blue Business Plus® Credit Card from American Express, which earns 2X Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent. Other business credit cards to consider include Chase’s Ink cards, including the Chase Ink Business Cash and the Ink Business Unlimited – both excellent cash back options.
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