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

Disclaimer: The information for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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

The Blue Business Plus has a long intro APR period , 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

Disclaimer: The information for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The drawback is that there is a foreign transaction fee , so it's not ideal if your business often travels abroad.

For Reward Points: Business Gold Card

Disclaimer: The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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)

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)

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

The Plum Card's real value lies in the payment flexibility . 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) . 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

Disclaimer: The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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 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 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 , 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.