The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express Review | Bankrate

This card works well for business owners whose spending budgets aren’t too high just yet.

Snapshot

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express can be an ideal card for small-business owners with an annual budget in this range. It has good features like no annual fee and a decent rewards rate on up to $50,000 in purchases per year. However, it may also stand out as a great choice for startup owners who don’t have predictable budgets yet.

As your business develops, the Blue Business Plus pairs especially well with other American Express cards as a flat-rate business rewards card, so it can remain a key partner in your rewards strategy well into the future.

• • 2X points on up to $50,000 in purchases per year, then 1X points thereafter
  • 2X points on eligible prepaid air, hotel, short-term rentals, car rentals or cruise reservations booked through AmexTravel.com
  • 1X points on all other purchases
• • No annual fee
  • 2.7 foreign transaction fees
  • Up to $39 fee for late or returned payments
  • No overlimit fee

  Expert Appraisal: Good

• • Expanded Buying Power gives cardholders a higher credit limit
  • Free employee cards with customizable spending limits
  • Account manager feature to monitor finances
  • Global Assist Hotline support
  • Staple insurance like purchase protection and extended warranty coverage
  • Additional reward opportunities with Amex Offers

The Blue Business Plus has a decent welcome offer, although it’s a far cry from the value that rival no-annual-fee business cards like the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card provide. This card’s main selling point is its easy-to-earn, long-term rewards value and its place in an overall Amex rewards card strategy.

Here’s what you can expect to squeeze out of it the first year versus ongoing year with the card, assuming spending $50,000 at 2X points (then 1X) and a rewards valuation of 2.0 cents per point. However, based on our card value rating methodology, it’s worth noting that we estimate the average small-business owner spends about $48,000 — just shy of spending cap — so it may not be an issue.

The American Express Blue Business Plus card has a rewards structure and features that allow for flexible budgets and timelines, giving cardholders a grace period that’s rare among no-annual-fee business cards. If you plan ahead, you could get the upper hand in balancing your venture's finances while growing for the future.

Perks: Expanded Buying Power lives up its name

The Blue Business Plus has decent perks for a no-annual-fee card, including staples like free employee cards and a few helpful benefits for business travel like secondary car rental loss and damage insurance, Global Assist Hotline and translation services and emergency legal and medical referrals if you’re more than 100 miles from your home.

However, the Expanded Buying Power feature is the stand-out perk if you need to make a large purchase worth more than your credit limit in a pinch. Based on your creditworthiness, American Express may allow you to go over your credit limit to cover business expenses like equipment and inventory, but it’s not unlimited. This flexibility can be especially handy for business owners who may worry that their credit limit sometimes won’t completely cover everything they need to purchase with the card in a month. However, be aware that you must pay off the over-limit portion at the end of each billing period as part of your minimum payment.

You can find out how much you may exceed your credit limit by using the “Check Spending Power” tool in your American Express account. Overall, this benefit can be especially handy with a flat-rate rewards card like this, especially if your small business runs into any unexpected startup costs or the like.

Rates and fees: Solid rewards value for no annual fee

Thanks to the Blue Business Plus card, small-business owners and side-hustlers who don’t spend enough to justify an annual fee can still enjoy an impressive flat rewards rate that can rank up plenty of points toward travel. Few no-annual-fee cards allow you to redeem rewards through travel transfer partners to begin with, let alone with a top-tier rewards rate on general spending.

However, it’s best to avoid using this card abroad if you’re on a business trip since the 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee could more than eat through any rewards value you’d earn from the purchase.

Intro APR: A rare intro APR offer for business cards

This is a standout feature on the Blue Business Plus because several popular business cards don’t have intro APR offers. Only a few business cards provide intro APRs, and this card is one of the best in this small club if you want to earn travel rewards. Granted, there isn’t an intro APR for balance transfers, but these offers are extremely rare on the business card market.

The 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, enabling you to finance large business expenses for one year without paying interest, is especially worthwhile if you’re trying to handle startup costs — or just want a back-up plan for any unexpected expense — and want a little breathing room to finance large purchases without dealing with a short-term loan.

After the intro period, your regular APR will be 17.24% - 27.24% Variable, depending on your creditworthiness. If you spend over your limit, the Expanded Buying Power feature means you won’t face an over-limit fee but be aware that other fees and rates could apply to your balance. You won’t want to use this feature as a safety net for accidental overspending, though, since you’ll need the money to pay back the surplus spending — not to mention that the extra spending allowance is only provided on a case-by-case basis.

While this card is a great choice for startups, freelancers, and contractors, it may not be the best for larger, more established companies. Between drawbacks like low redemption value for points and spending caps that limit rewards earnings, those with more expensive business needs won’t see this card’s worth.

Rewards redemption: Low value outside of travel

Each reward point could be worth between 0.5 and 2.0 cents, depending on your redemption option. But, unlike Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Citi ThankYou points that can be redeemed at a full 1 cent each for cash back, Amex only gives you 0.6 cents per point toward statement credits. Amex doesn’t even provide 1 cent back on all issuer travel bookings either, which could easily make rival cards better options for flexible rewards travel. In fact, the only redemption methods that give 1 cent per point through the issuer are:

• Airfare bookings
• Fine Hotels & Resorts bookings
• Pay with Points at checkout with NYC Taxi rides
• Gift cards for select merchants

If you’re in a pinch and need to use points, you can reserve prepaid hotel rooms, cars, cruises and planned vacations — but at the cost of only netting 0.7 cents per point.

If you want to get a competitive point value, you’ll want to plot out your travel plans ahead of time since Bankrate’s latest valuation estimates that redeeming through the right American Express transfer partner can bump each point to around 2.0 cents on average.

Rewards rate: Spending cap only suits small businesses

This card can offer solid value to small-business owners because it is one of the few cards with no annual fee that offers such a generous flat rewards rate. Plus, the unlimited 2X points on prepaid rental cars booked through the American Express Travel portal could sprinkle in some extra rewards value if your business sometimes takes you on the road.

However, companies with higher budgets or with a preference for higher rewards rates may find this card restricting. If your company’s annual budget goes over $50,000, the rewards on this card can be limited. This spending threshold is certainly worth considering since it’s easily within the realm of possibility for average small business owners.

Welcome offer: Potentially low value

Unless you can redeem the 15,000-point welcome offer (obtainable after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of cardmembership) through a high-value transfer partner, the rewards value can be pitiful compared to other no-annual-fee business cards’ offers. The potential $300 value is solid if you can get the 2 cents per point we estimate with the right transfer partner, but a $150 value toward American Express Travel portal airfare (1 cent per point) or just $90 for a statement credit (0.6 cents per point) can be quite low — even compared to no-annual-fee personal cards’ offers.

Personally, this card is the best way to ensure your Amex points never expire. With no annual fee, there’s no reason to get rid of it, which lets you keep the Membership Rewards points you earn on high-annual-fee cards. I put my high initial credit line and intro APR offer to use to finance needed expenses and get good value from Amex offers. With a solid flat 2X earning rate, this card is always a good choice for any purchase, especially for things that won’t get bonus earning rates with other cards.

The best pairing partners for the Blue Business Plus will depend on your unique business needs. The best way to take advantage of the card’s flat rewards rate is to pair it with another card that matches your spending in specific categories. This could be another business card or even a personal travel card that can pool rewards with the Amex Blue Business Plus.

The Blue Business Plus credit card is ideal for small business owners looking for a card with a simple rewards structure, no annual fee and an intro APR period. This card would not be a good fit for business owners operating large companies or those that rarely travel — at least not as a primary business card.

The best Amex business cards can help you manage your business’s cash flow and earn you rewards at the same time. But specifically, the Blue Business Plus card is right for you if you:

• Have a moderate business budget of around $50,000 or less

• Don’t mind saving your rewards for pre-planned travel partner transfers

• Want to accumulate rewards on all your spending without worrying about categories

• Don’t want to pay an annual fee for your business credit card

• Have a premium Amex card that you want to pair this card with for more points

Consider one of these two cards if the Blue Business Plus didn’t tick all your boxes for your next business credit card:

*The information about the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

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

For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash card, please click here.

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.

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:

In May 2024 and March 2025, Bankrate collaborated with a third-party vendor to survey 8170 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and our vendor 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. Users received an incentive for their feedback. 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

American Express Membership Rewards points are flexible and can be redeemed for travel, cash back, gift cards, and more. This is a major advantage, making it a cost-effective option for businesses of all sizes.

The features that helped me make my decision to get the card was the membership rewards, for everyday business purchases, protection/insurance, and the introductory APR rate.

Yes, the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express is a part of my everyday life. It's my go-to card for business expenses because it offers 2x Membership Rewards points on those purchases. I also use it for everyday purchases like gas, groceries, and dining, since it earns 1 point per dollar on those purchases.

Bought a brand new pair of Adidas Basketball Shoes, payed only 20% of the original price from earning cash back on Blue Card purchases. Shoes were $82, I payed only $20.50 and qualified for free shipping plus earned another $4 cash back..... WINNING BIG TIME

The Membership Rewards points on the Blue Business Plus Card from Amex are a game changer! I used mine to book a hotel right in downtown Seattle for a work trip. Saved a ton on the stay, making the whole trip much smoother. Definitely recommend this card for small businesses.

India is a Bankrate editor with expertise in credit cards that focus on students, building credit and small businesses. She also focuses on content that discusses debt relief guidance and Gen Z financial advice.

* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.

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.