The American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card is a popular choice among small business owners, offering a range of benefits and rewards.
It has a $0 annual fee for the first year, making it an attractive option for entrepreneurs on a budget. This fee is then $95 per year, which is relatively low compared to other business credit cards.
The card offers 2x points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 in combined purchases per year on the following categories: shipping, advertising, and gas stations. This can add up quickly for businesses that frequently use these services.
With a credit limit of up to $50,000, cardholders can enjoy a generous spending limit, giving them the flexibility to manage their business expenses.
Key Features
The American Express Blue Business Plus is a solid choice for small business owners and entrepreneurs. It offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, allowing you to finance large business expenses without paying interest.
The card also comes with Expanded Buying Power, which lets you spend above your credit limit, but be aware that other fees and rates could apply to your balance. This feature is based on several factors, including your payment history, credit history, and financial resources.
Here are some key benefits of the Blue Business Plus:
- Expanded buying power: Spend above your credit limit, but be aware of potential fees and rates.
- Secondary rental car coverage in the U.S. and abroad.
- Extended warranty: Manufacturers warranties on eligible purchases are extended up to one additional year.
- Purchase protection: Purchases are covered up to 90 days from the covered purchase date if the product is stolen or accidentally damaged.
The card also offers up to 99 authorized employee cards at no additional cost, making it a great option for small business owners who need to manage multiple employees' expenses.
Our Experts Say
Our experts say the Blue Business Plus Credit Card is a great option for business owners who want to finance large expenses without paying interest. This is because it offers a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months.
This card is also a great way to ensure your Membership Rewards points from American Express don't expire. With no annual fee, you can keep the points you earn on high-annual-fee cards without having to get rid of the card.
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card has a solid flat 2X earning rate, making it a good choice for any purchase. This means you'll earn double points on every purchase, regardless of the category.
One of the standout features of this card is its Expanded Buying Power feature, which means you won't face an over-limit fee if you spend over your limit. However, be aware that other fees and rates could apply to your balance.
The card's regular APR is 17.49% - 25.49% Variable, depending on your creditworthiness. This is after the intro period, so make sure to pay off your balance before the promotional period expires.
Key Features
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express is a solid choice for small business owners. It offers a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, allowing you to finance large business expenses without paying interest during that time.
You can earn rewards on your business purchases, including a 1:1 ratio with Choice Hotels, a 1:2 ratio with Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and a 1:1 ratio with Marriott Hotels & Resorts. These ratios are a great way to earn rewards on your business expenses.
One of the standout features of this card is its Expanded Buying Power, which allows you to spend above your credit limit, up to a point, without facing an over-limit fee. This can be a huge help for small business owners who need to make large purchases.
Here are some of the key benefits of the Blue Business Plus Credit Card:
- Expanded buying power: Spend above your credit limit, up to a point, without facing an over-limit fee.
- Secondary rental car coverage: Get coverage in the U.S. and abroad if you pay for the vehicle with your Blue Business Plus Card and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter.
- Extended warranty: Manufacturers warranties on eligible purchases are extended up to one additional year.
- Purchase protection: Purchases are covered up to 90 days from the covered purchase date if the product is stolen or accidentally damaged.
- Up to 99 authorized employee cards at no additional cost.
- Rental car insurance.
- Ability to link with Quickbooks for simplified accounting.
These benefits can be a huge help for small business owners who need to manage their finances and make large purchases. With the Blue Business Plus Credit Card, you can earn rewards, spend above your credit limit, and get protection on your purchases.
Pros and Cons
One of the standout features of the American Express Blue Business Plus is that there's no annual fee to eat into your reward earnings. This is a huge plus for small business owners who want to maximize their rewards without breaking the bank.
You can earn a high rewards rate with this card, but be aware that there's a $50,000 spending cap on general business purchases, after which the rewards rate drops to 1X points. This might be a consideration if you have a high-volume business.
The Blue Business Plus also offers an intro APR on purchases, which can be a great help for financing new business expenses. However, there's no intro APR on balance transfers, so it may not be the best option for managing high-interest debt on other cards.
Here are some key pros and cons of the American Express Blue Business Plus:
- No annual fee
- Intro APR on purchases
- Expanded Buying Power feature may allow you to spend a limited amount beyond your regular credit limit
- $50,000 spending cap on general business purchases
- No intro APR on balance transfers
- 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee
Cons
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express has some drawbacks to consider. The rewards rate drops to 1X points after reaching a $50,000 spending cap in a calendar year.
One major con is the foreign transaction fee of 2.7 percent for purchases from international merchants. This can add up quickly if you're a business owner who travels frequently or buys from international suppliers.
Another limitation is the lack of an intro APR on balance transfers, making it less ideal for managing high-interest debt on other cards. This can be a significant drawback for business owners who need to consolidate debt.
Additionally, the card's benefits and perks may not be as comprehensive as those offered by other cards, especially for big spenders. If you're a business owner with a high budget, you may find that the rewards cap and foreign transaction fee make this card less valuable.
Here are the key cons of the Blue Business Plus Credit Card:
- The 2X bonus category on general business purchases has a $50,000 spending cap, then the rewards rate drops to 1X points.
- No intro APR on balance transfers.
- There is a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee for purchases from international merchants.
Purchase Protection
Purchase protection is a valuable feature that comes with the right credit card. The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express offers purchase protection that covers theft or damage within 90 days of purchase.
This protection can be a lifesaver if something goes wrong with your item, and it's limited to $1,000 per occurrence. You can have up to $50,000 in protection per account per calendar year, which is a generous amount.
Having this kind of protection can give you peace of mind when making big purchases, and it's definitely worth considering when choosing a credit card.
Extended Warranty
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express offers extended warranty coverage for eligible new purchases in the US or its territories.
This extended warranty coverage can add up to one additional year of protection, giving you extra peace of mind when making new purchases.
Eligible purchases must have manufacturer's warranties of five years or less to qualify for this extended warranty coverage.
Rewards and Earning
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card has a straightforward rewards program, earning 2X Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases, up to $50,000 per year, and 1X point per dollar spent after that.
You can earn a welcome bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership. This bonus is a great way to get started with earning points.
The earning structure is simple: 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, and 1 point per dollar on purchases after that. This means if your business spends a lot more than $50,000 in a year, you may want to consider another card without a spending cap.
You can redeem your Membership Rewards points in various ways, including transferring them to airline or hotel partners, such as Delta, Air Canada Aeroplan, or Marriott Bonvoy, to book award flights or hotel stays. By transferring points to airline partners, you can potentially get a value of up to 2 cents per point.
Welcome Bonus
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card offers a welcome bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership.
This is a great opportunity to earn some extra points, especially since this card usually doesn't have an intro bonus.
To qualify for the welcome bonus, you'll need to spend $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.
This is a relatively achievable goal, and the bonus points can add up quickly.
Rewards and Earning
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card has a straightforward rewards program where you can earn 2X Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases, up to $50,000 per year. This makes earning rewards simple as you don't need to track specific spending categories.
Cardholders can earn 1X point per dollar spent after reaching the $50,000 limit. If your business spends much more than $50,000 in a year, you may want to consider another card without a spending cap.
The card offers a welcome bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership. This is a great opportunity to boost your rewards earnings.
You can earn 5X points for every dollar spent on travel booked on Amextravel.com, making it a great option for small business owners who travel frequently. This is in addition to the 2X points you can earn on everyday business purchases.
Here's a breakdown of the earning structure:
- 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year
- 1 point per dollar on purchases after that
- 5 points per dollar on travel booked on Amextravel.com
Redeeming and Using
You can redeem your American Express Membership Rewards points in a variety of ways, including covering charges on your billing statement or paying with points at checkout with partners like Amazon and Walmart.
The best value for your points is to transfer them to airline and hotel partners, where you can get up to 2 cents per point.
You can transfer your points to 19 airline partners and 3 hotel partners, including Delta, Air Canada Aeroplan, and British Airways.
Transferring to airline partners can also give you access to award flights on other airlines, even if they're not direct partners.
Business Insider's points and miles valuations peg Amex points value at 1.8 cents apiece, on average, when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners.
Here are some of the airline partners you can transfer your points to:
- Aer Lingus
- AeroMexico
- Aeroplan/Air Canada
- AirFrance/KLM
- Alitalia
- ANA
- Avianca
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Delta Air Lines
- El Al
- Emirates
- Etihad
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Iberia
- JetBlue
- Qantas
- Singapore Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Hilton Honors
- Choice Privileges
If you don't typically fly with one of these airlines, you can still use their loyalty programs and book with one of their travel partners.
You can also use your points to book airfare, hotels, rental cars, and more through American Express Travel, although this may not be the best value for your points.
Other options for redeeming your points include statement credits, merchandise, food delivery, charity donations, and gift cards, although some of these options have lower redemption values than transferring to airline and hotel partners.
Annual Fees and Costs
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card has no annual fee, which is a major perk for business owners on a budget.
You'll also enjoy a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, which can help you save money on interest charges.
After the introductory period ends, the APR will be 17.49% - 25.49% variable, so be sure to pay off your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.
If you travel overseas regularly, be aware that you'll be charged a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on all purchases made outside the U.S.
There are also late payment fees (up to $39) and balance transfer fees (if eligible, either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater) to consider.
Here's a quick rundown of the fees to keep in mind:
Comparison
The American Express Blue Business Plus credit card is a great option for small business owners, but how does it compare to other cards on the market?
The Blue Business Plus has no annual fee, which is a big plus for those who don't want to shell out extra cash each year.
One of its main competitors is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, which also has no annual fee. However, it earns 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
Another card that's worth considering is the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, which has a $150 annual fee but offers 2% Cash Back on every purchase and 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Here's a comparison of the Blue Business Plus with some of its main competitors:
Ultimately, the best card for you will depend on your individual business needs and preferences.
Conclusion
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card is a game-changer for small business owners who can strategically use their Membership Rewards points.
These rewards can be redeemed to reduce travel costs when booking travel with points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit score do you need for American Express Blue Business Plus?
There is no minimum credit score requirement for the American Express Blue Business Plus card, but a score of 700 or higher is recommended for approval. Good or excellent credit can improve your chances of getting approved for this card.
Can anyone get the Blue Business Plus card?
To be eligible for the Blue Business Plus card, you typically need to be a business owner with good credit (700+ personal credit score) and a stable income. Approval is also influenced by your existing debts, so it's essential to review your financial situation before applying.
What is Amex Blue credit limit?
The average credit limit for Amex Blue card members is $11,825, with $10,000 being the most common. Your individual credit limit may vary based on your creditworthiness and other factors.
What is American Express Blue business?
The American Express Blue Business is a no-annual-fee credit card designed for small businesses, offering rewards points on purchases. It earns 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on up to $50,000 in purchases each year.
Sources
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/small-business/amex-blue-business-plus
- https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/reviews/the-blue-business-plus-credit-card-from-american-express-review/
- https://www.cnbc.com/select/american-express-blue-business-plus-review/
- https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/review/amex-blue-business-plus-credit-card/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/amex-blue-business-plus-credit-card-review
Featured Images: pexels.com