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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.
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
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.
Not convinced? Alternatives to the Blue Business Cash™ Card
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points (on up to $150,000 per year, then 1X) on 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle and 1X points on other eligible purchases. $375 annual fee.
Earn 5% cash back in select business categories (on up to $25,000 per year) and earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $25,000 per year). Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases. $0 annual fee
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The 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.
Earning 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.
Redeeming 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.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Benefits
Business benefits
Expanded buying power. The Amex Blue Business Cash card outperforms several other business credit cards because it gives you access to Expanded Buying Power. This feature lets you spend more than your limit, ensuring you can take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. Amex adds the overage to your minimum monthly payment, so you must pay it back by the end of your billing cycle.
Employee cards. American Express allows you to issue Employee Blue Business Cash cards, making it easier to track expenses by department or role. Employees can use their cards to cover business dinners, conference fees and other expenses. As the account holder, you get summary reports and spending alerts to make expense management even easier.
Account managers. With the Blue Business Cash card, it’s possible to add trusted individuals to your account. Each account manager can make payments, access summary reports and perform other activities if you’re on the road or busy handling other tasks.
Vendor Pay by Bill.com. When you enroll your card in Vendor Pay, you can use it to pay your company’s bills. There’s no fee for the first user, making this an easy way to stop on top of your expenses.
Connect to QuickBooks®. If you use QuickBooks to manage your bookkeeping, you can connect your Amex Blue Business Cash card to your QuickBooks account. Connecting the two accounts makes it possible to automatically tag your business charges with your QuickBooks categories.
Other benefits
Extended warranty protection: American Express gives you extra peace of mind with extended warranty protection, which extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by one year. This feature is available for warranties of five years or less on eligible purchases made in the United States or one of its territories/possessions.
Purchase protection: If you use your card to pay for a covered purchase, you’ll receive 90 days of purchase protection. This benefit reimburses you for up to $1,000 per occurrence if a covered item is stolen or accidentally damaged. Note that purchase protection has a coverage limit of $50,000 per year.
Car rental loss and damage insurance: If you use your card to cover the cost of a rental vehicle, American Express provides car rental loss and damage insurance. You must rent the vehicle in a covered territory and use your Amex Blue Business Cash card to pay the full rental fee. This insurance coverage is secondary, which means it only applies after you’ve exhausted your personal auto insurance benefits.
Global Assist Hotline: If you need help when you’re more than 100 miles from home, your Blue Business Cash card entitles you to use the Global Assist Hotline. Trained agents are available to help you with missing luggage, medical emergencies, lost passports and other problems. Agents can also refer you to medical and legal services as needed.
American Express mobile app: The American Express mobile app makes it easy to manage your account on the go. You can use it to check your balance, make payments, review your account benefits and complete other account-related tasks.
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.
Fees, rates & limit
Fees
Annual fee: $0
Balance transfer fee: $5 or 3% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater
Late payment: Up to $39
Returned payment: $39
Foreign transactions: 2.7% of the transaction amount after it’s converted to U.S. dollars
Cash advances: N/A (Blue Business Cash doesn’t allow cash advances)
Purchase intro APR: 0% interest for 12 months from the date of account opening
Cash advance APR: N/A
Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Credit limit
The American Express Blue Business Cash 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 Blue Business Cash card compares
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 American Express 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.
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.
FAQ: The 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.
American Express is more than just a credit card issuer
The first step in growing and maintaining consistent savings is to understand your personal finances through checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and more.
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.
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