American Express Business Card Offers

American Express has many promotions for small business applicants. But which business card is best? Read this in-depth review and comparison of Amex business cards.

American Express, a CreditDonkey partner, offers several cards for small businesses. Whether you're a new business, want cash back or travel miles, AMEX has a card that could work for you.

Read on to see which card is right for you.

• Blue Business Cash (for Cash Back)
  
• Business Gold (for Reward Points)
  
• Blue Business Plus

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For Startups: Blue Business Plus

At American Express' Secure Site The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns 2X Membership Reward® points on the first $50,000 spent on eligible purchases each calendar year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. There is a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable rate, currently 13.24% - 19.24%. There is no annual fee. Terms apply. Apply Now | See Rates & Fees Intro APR for Purchases Intro APR for Balance Transfer Regular APR Annual Fee 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening N/A 13.24% - 19.24% Variable No annual fee

Who this card is right for: Small businesses just starting out.

The Blue Business Plus has a long intro APR period (See Rates & Fees), which is great if you have some larger purchases to make for your business and need time to pay them off. It's also good for small businesses that don't yet have a steady cash flow. That intro period will come in handy if there's a slow month and you can't make the payment.

You get rewarded on purchases, so it's also good for small businesses with varied spending.

For Cash Back: Blue Business Cash

At American Express' Secure Site American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. There is a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months. Then a variable rate, currently 13.24% - 19.24%. There is no annual fee. Terms apply. Apply Now | See Rates & Fees Intro APR for Purchases Intro APR for Balance Transfer Regular APR Annual Fee 0% on purchases for 12 months N/A 13.24% - 19.24% Variable No annual fee

The drawback is that there is a foreign transaction fee (See Rates & Fees), so it's not ideal if your business often travels abroad.

For Reward Points: Business Gold Card

At American Express' Secure Site American Express® Business Gold Card earns 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months. This card earns 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. 1X is earned for other purchases. The 4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year. There is a $295 annual fee. Terms apply. Apply Now | See Rates & Fees Intro APR for Purchases Intro APR for Balance Transfer Regular APR Annual Fee N/A N/A 14.24% - 22.24% Variable $295

Who this card is right for: Businesses with expenses concentrated in specific categories.

If earning reward points is your priority, consider the AMEX Business Gold. Membership Rewards points can be used to purchase flights, transferred to airline and hotel partners, or swapped for gift cards.

For Business Travelers: Business Platinum (Charge Card)

At American Express' Secure Site The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers 75,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on qualifying purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. You get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Earn an extra half point per dollar on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more (up to 1 million additional points per year). Earn 1 point per dollar for qualifying purchases under $5,000. You can use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of a flight with your selected qualifying airline, and you can get 35% of the points back (up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year) when you book on amextravel.com. There is a $595 annual fee. This card has premium benefits for travelers: The card includes access to the Global Lounge Collection, which gives you complimentary access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. That includes Delta Sky Club, The Centurion lounge network, The International American Express lounges, Priority Pass Select lounges (enrollment required), and Airspace Lounge. In addition, you can enroll your card with Gogo to get 10 Gogo inflight internet passes annually. Terms Apply. Apply Now | See Rates & Fees Card Type Annual Fee Business Charge Card $595

Who this card is right for: Very frequent business travelers.

The Business Platinum is rich is travel perks. You get perks like an airline fee credit, global lounge access, and Global Entry application credit. Frequent business travelers will be able to make use of them, which more than helps justify the hefty annual fee.

You can transfer the points 1:1 to 20 airline and hotel partners. And if you pay for a flight with points on the AMEX travel portal, you get 35% of the points back (up to 500,000 bonus points per year).

For Managing Cash Flow: Plum Card (Charge Card)

At American Express' Secure Site The Plum Card® from American Express helps you manage cash flow. You get a 1.5% Early Pay Discount when you pay early (with no cap on what you can earn back). Or you can take up to 60 days to pay with no interest (if you pay your minimum due by the payment due date). There are no foreign transaction fees. There is an introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $250. Terms apply. Apply Now | See Rates & Fees Card Type Annual Fee Business Charge Card $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $250

Who this card is right for: Businesses with unpredictable cash flow.

The Plum Card's real value lies in the payment flexibility (See Rates & Fees). This option to take up to 60 days to pay with no interest (if you pay your minimum due) could be invaluable if your business doesn't have steady cash flow. It's also good for seasonal businesses.

There are no bonus categories, but you do get rewarded for paying a bill early. You get a 1.5% discount when you pay within 10 days of your statement closing date. The discount will be applied as a credit on the next statement.

There is a $250 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year) (See Rates & Fees). Your business must have enough expenses to justify the annual fee. To get enough rewards to break even on the annual fee, your business would have to pay at least a total of $17,000 early each year.

For Delta Flyers: Delta SkyMiles Gold Business

At American Express' Secure Site Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, if you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you will earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit that can be used toward a Delta flight purchase. This card earns 2 miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, and on dining at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases. There are no foreign transaction fees. There is a $99 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year). If you fly Delta, here's what you should know: you can check your first bag free on Delta flights with this card. Plus, you can settle into your seat sooner with Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding. Terms apply. Apply Now | See Rates & Fees Intro APR for Purchases Intro APR for Balance Transfer Regular APR Annual Fee N/A N/A 15.74% - 24.74% Variable $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99

Who this card is right for: Businesses that fly Delta.

The value of this card lies in the perks, like the free first checked luggage. That helps justify the annual fee (See Rates & Fees) even if you fly Delta just once a year (round-trip) with a partner and each check a bag. If your business flies Delta often, then this card can save you a ton on a luggage fees.

Amex has two other Delta co-branded business cards as well: The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business. You can earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend a certain amount a year, which can buy you more benefits (like seat upgrades). The Delta Reserve also gives you complimentary Delta Sky Club access.

For Hotel Nights: Marriott Bonvoy & Hilton Honors

If your business often stays in hotels, then you may prefer one of the AMEX hotel business cards.

	Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card	The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
	Summary
	Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. 6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees. Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Terms apply. See Rates & Fees	Welcome Offer: Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases, 3X Everywhere Else. Terms & Limitations Apply. Enjoy complimentary Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year. Relax with 10 free airport lounge visits each year once enrolled in complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, which offers access to over 1,000 lounges in over 120 countries. Terms apply. See Rates & Fees
	Interest Rates and Fees
Purchase APR	15.74% to 24.74% Variable based on your creditworthiness and other factors	15.74% to 24.74% Variable based on your creditworthiness and other factors
Annual Fee	$125 annual fee	$95 annual fee
	Benefits and Features
Introductory Bonus Hotel Rewards	Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.	Welcome Offer: Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Bonus Hotel Rewards	Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.	Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
Hotel Rewards	6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.	Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases, 3X Everywhere Else. Terms & Limitations Apply.
Airline Status		Relax with 10 free airport lounge visits each year once enrolled in complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, which offers access to over 1,000 lounges in over 120 countries.
Hotel Status	Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.	Enjoy complimentary Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
Gas Rewards	4x points at U.S. gas stations
Dining Rewards	4x points at U.S. restaurants
Airline Transfer Partners	Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer partners include Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air China, Air France/KLM, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, Alitalia, ANA, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates, Etihad, Frontier Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia Plus, Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank, Jet Airways, JetBlue, Korean Air, LATAM Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar, Saudia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Southwest Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, THAI Airways, Turkish Airlines, United, Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin Australia.
Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details.

• Marriott points are very valuable in the travel world. You can transfer them to airline partners (with a bonus), so you get more flexibility in how you want to use your points.

• The AMEX Hilton Honors Business will allow you the opportunity to earn up to 2 additional weekend night rewards when you reach certain spending thresholds.

What You Get With AMEX Business Cards

• Mobile app. American Express® Business App allows you to track business expenses and organize your receipts. You can also connect to QuickBooks to quickly categorize your expenses.

• Employee cards. Track each card's spending and earn rewards from their purchases. You can set spending limits and purchase alerts. (Note that some cards charge an annual fee for each employee card.)

• Year-end summaries. Get a year-end itemized report of your spending.

• Purchase protection. You are covered if your eligible item is damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase.

• Extended protection. Extend the manufacturer's warranty up to 1 year (for warranties of 5 years or less).

Things to Know About American Express Business Credit Cards

• There's a difference between a credit card and charge card. Charge cards have no preset limit, but you must pay your bill in full each month. So there are no interest charges. Credit cards have a spending limit, and you are allowed to carry a balance, but you'll accrue interest. Only get a charge card if you are sure you can pay in full each month (the exception is the Plum Card).

• Beware the welcome bonus restrictions. Some cards have a fine print that says that the welcome offer is not valid for applicants who have held that card before. This applies even if you opened the same card years ago and closed the account. Also, AMEX may consider the number of AMEX cards you have opened and closed for the welcome offer eligibility.

• They do not show up on your personal credit report. AMEX does not report your business card activities to consumer credit bureaus, so your personal credit will not be affected.

• You will need to provide business information. On the application, you will need to provide your business' annual revenue and Tax ID Number or Employer ID Number. Don't worry, even if you're a new business with no revenue, you can still apply. Read: How to Get a Business Credit Card.

• You will have to sign a personal guarantee. This is a clause that states that you, personally, will repay any business debt. If you stop making payments on the card, American Express can come after you personally to recover the balance owed.

• Generally, you need excellent credit. The American Express business cards require excellent credit, typically around 700+.

Which Small Business Card?

The right one for you depends on your business' needs and spending habits. Newer businesses may want to start out with one of the no-annual-fee cards. The Blue Business Plus is good if you need an promotional interest rate (See Rates & Fees), while the Blue Business Cash is good for cash back.

More established businesses with higher expenses will find that the annual fee cards offer better reward potential. The Business Platinum is great for frequent business travelers, while the Business Gold will allow you to rack up points fast. And if you're a frequent Delta flyer or like to stay in hotels, AMEX has got several co-branded cards as well.

Remember, as with all credit card offers, terms and limitations apply.