AwardWallet may receive compensation from advertising partners when you visit our site, click on a link, when you are approved for a credit card, or when an account is opened. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here’s our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for The Plum Card® from American Express are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
If you've heard the rumors that American Express is launching a new business card, you're in for a treat. The Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card is an all-new business credit card that offers unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases in exchange for a $295 annual fee (Rates & Fees). If you're looking for simplicity, this card was designed for you.
Here's everything you need to know about the Graphite Business Cash.
(Terms apply)
- Earn $1,500 Cash Back in the form of Reward Dollars after you spend $50,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Reward Dollars can be redeemed as statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout.
- Start saving while you spend. Get unlimited 2% cash back* in Reward Dollars on all eligible purchases. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get more for your travels with 5% cash back* on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel® Online. Purchases eligible for multiple cash back rates will only receive the highest eligible cash back rate.
- No Preset Spending Limit. The spending limit on this Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
- Pay Over Time gives you the ability to carry a balance with interest up to your Pay Over Time Limit, so you can handle expected and unexpected expenses that come your way.
- Your business, your choice: metal Employee Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card for $95 Annual Fee for the first 5 Cards, $95 Annual Fee for each thereafter, or plastic Employee Business Expense Card for no Annual Fee.
- Unlock up to $2,400 in statement credits for use in the next calendar year on American Express One AP® monthly fees** after spending $250,000 on eligible purchases on the Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card this calendar year. Terms apply. **Monthly fees include an auto-renewing platform access fee.
- Terms apply.
- 2% cash back in Reward Dollars on eligible purchases.
- 5% cash back on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Travel®
Earn $1,500 Bonus Cash Back With the Graphite Business Cash
New cardholders of the Graphite Business Cash will earn $1,500 in cash back after spending $50,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
This means you'll need to spend more than $8,333 per month to meet this spending requirement, so plan accordingly. This is definitely not feasible for a freelancer or small business that doesn't have significant cash flow.
Related: The Best Small-Business Credit Card Offers Right Now
Why Get the Graphite Business Cash?
If your business values simplicity and doesn't have any desire to maximize earned rewards through travel transfer partners, the Graphite Business Cash makes a lot of sense. Flat-rate earnings and easy redemptions make for a solid business credit card, especially for those with lots of expenses that need to be charged to a credit card.
Unlimited cash back on all purchases
The highlight of the Graphite Business Cash is the ease of earnings. You'll earn an unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases. You'll also earn unlimited 5% cash back on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®. If you are looking for a credit card that offers flat-rate cash back, the Graphite Business Cash is a great option.
Your cash back is earned as Reward Dollars. You can then redeem them as a statement credit on your account or toward purchases on Amazon.com. Unfortunately, that means that you won't have access to American Express transfer partners. This is truly a cash back card with no way to maximize your earnings.
Before applying, make sure your business spends enough to justify the $295 annual fee. For instance, if you are a freelancer and only have $1,000 per month in business expenses, you'll earn $20 in cash back, for a total of $240 per year. That means you're in the red after factoring in the annual fee. However, if your business spends $10,000 per month, you'll earn $2,400 in cash back each year, which far exceeds the annual fee.
No preset spending limit
As a cardholder, you won't have a preset spending limit. Instead, your spending capacity will adapt based on factors like your purchase, payment, and credit history. As a result, this is a pay-in-full credit card, which means you can't carry a balance from month to month. However, if you need to carry a balance, you can do so with the Pay Over Time feature.
Note: Eligible charges can be included in a Pay Over Time balance, up to the Pay Over Time Limit. All charges not added to a Pay Over Time balance or monthly payment plan or Cash Advance balance must be paid in full each month by the payment due date. Pay Over Time only applies to eligible charges meeting minimum transaction amounts for certain cards.
Business tools
You can get employee Graphite Business Cash cards for $95 per year for the first 5 Cards, and $95 for each thereafter (Rates & Fees). This allows you to earn Reward Dollars on all employee purchases. You can also set up alerts to see which employee is using the card and to receive helpful information like what they are purchasing and how much they are spending. However, if you don't want to pay $95, you can get an Employee Business Expense Card for no annual fee.
You can also earn up to $2,400 in statement credits for use in the following calendar year on monthly fees for One AP, American Express' accounts payable automation platform, after you spend $250,000 on your card in a calendar year. This is the same credit and spending requirement as offered on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
Graphite Business Cash Application Restrictions
Understanding application rules and restrictions is important to avoid unnecessary hard pulls on your credit report and ensure you're eligible for a welcome bonus. Keep in mind that with most American Express cards, you cannot receive a welcome bonus on a card you either currently hold or have held in the past. Since the Graphite Business Cash is new, that won't be a problem for some time.
Fortunately, American Express offers an eligibility tool that will notify you if you are ineligible for a welcome offer before you submit your application. American Express typically restricts each person to having just five traditional credit cards and 10 cards with no preset spending limit at a time. If you've already gotten approved for one or two Amex cards within the last 90 days, you're unlikely to be approved for the Graphite Business Cash, but this is on a case-by-case basis.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
How the Graphite Business Cash Fits in the Amex Business Card Lineup
The Graphite Business Cash is a great option for businesses with heavy spending needs.
To compare it with other American Express business credit cards, only The Plum Card® from American Express offers unlimited cash back, but requires you to pay your bill within 10 days of your statement closing date to earn it. Plus, it offers a lower 1.5% cash back compared to the 2% offered by the Graphite Business Cash.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% (issued as a statement credit). However, it doesn't charge an annual fee (Rates & Fees). To do a little math, you'd need to spend more than $80,000 on your business each year to justify opting for the Graphite Business Cash instead of the Blue Business Cash:
- Graphite Business Cash: If you earn unlimited 2% on $80,000 in spending, you'll earn $1,600 in cash back per year. Subtract the annual fee to get net earnings of $1,305.
- Blue Business Cash: If you earn 2% on $50,000 in spending and 1% on the remaining $30,000, you'll earn $1,300 in cash back per year. With no annual fee, your net earnings remain at $1,300.
The Graphite Business Cash fills a gap in American Express' card portfolio — unlimited 2% cash back. However, it comes at a higher annual fee than competitor cards like the Capital One Spark Cash Plus. Spark Cash Plus cardholders earn a comparable 2% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel at a lower $150 annual fee.
If you have an existing relationship with American Express and think you'll spend enough to earn the One AP credit, the Graphite Business Cash could be worth the additional investment.
Our Take on the Graphite Business Cash
The Graphite Business Cash was designed to provide businesses with substantial spending requirements a streamlined way to earn cash back on every purchase. Its flexible spend capacity and added business features make it a well-rounded, easy way to squeeze value from purchases you're already making. However, you have to determine if your spending justifies the high annual fee. If not, you might be better off with another, more affordable American Express business card.
(Terms apply)
- Earn $1,500 Cash Back in the form of Reward Dollars after you spend $50,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Reward Dollars can be redeemed as statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout.
- Start saving while you spend. Get unlimited 2% cash back* in Reward Dollars on all eligible purchases. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get more for your travels with 5% cash back* on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel® Online. Purchases eligible for multiple cash back rates will only receive the highest eligible cash back rate.
- No Preset Spending Limit. The spending limit on this Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
- Pay Over Time gives you the ability to carry a balance with interest up to your Pay Over Time Limit, so you can handle expected and unexpected expenses that come your way.
- Your business, your choice: metal Employee Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card for $95 Annual Fee for the first 5 Cards, $95 Annual Fee for each thereafter, or plastic Employee Business Expense Card for no Annual Fee.
- Unlock up to $2,400 in statement credits for use in the next calendar year on American Express One AP® monthly fees** after spending $250,000 on eligible purchases on the Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card this calendar year. Terms apply. **Monthly fees include an auto-renewing platform access fee.
- Terms apply.
- 2% cash back in Reward Dollars on eligible purchases.
- 5% cash back on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Travel®
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card (Rates & Fees), and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (Rates & Fees)
