AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. 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.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is essentially the cashback twin of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, earning 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% (issued as a statement credit). The card charges no annual fee (Rates & Fees) and includes a generous introductory APR offer on purchases.
The card's simplicity in earning and redeeming cashback rewards is a huge benefit for time-strapped business owners. For those looking to maximize rewards from purchases in specific spending categories and redeem rewards for travel, however, this card may not be the right choice.
Let's take a closer look at what it offers — and what alternatives might be better for your situation.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That's why you've got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
- The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
Page Contents
- Amex Blue Business Cash Pros
- Amex Blue Business Cash Cons
- American Express Blue Business Cash Card Welcome Offer
- American Express Blue Business Cash Card Benefits
- American Express Blue Business Cash Card Earning Rates
- Redeeming Rewards With the Amex Blue Business Cash
- Application Restrictions
- Cards That Compete With the Amex Blue Business Cash
- Bottom Line
Amex Blue Business Cash Pros
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% (issued as a statement credit).
- No annual fee.
Amex Blue Business Cash Cons
- Only earns 1% cash back after $50,000 in spending each year.
- Limited benefits.
- Has a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. (Rates & Fees)
American Express Blue Business Cash Card Welcome Offer
The Amex Blue Business Cash currently has a nice welcome bonus for new applicants, offering $250 after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
Additionally, new cardmembers receive an introductory APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a Variable APR of 17.49% - 27.49% (Rates & Fees). You must pay off the entire balance before your promotional APR ends to avoid paying interest on purchases.
This makes the Amex Blue Business Cash a great low-cost method of financing major business purchases that are too large to pay for within a month.
Related: Best $0 Annual Fee Credit Cards with 0% Intro APR
American Express Blue Business Cash Card Benefits
Spend above your credit limit
The expanded buying power benefit on the Blue Business Cash allows you to spend above your credit limit without paying over-the-limit fees. You still collect cash back on the full amount spent — even the portion spent over your credit limit.
Multiple factors, including your purchase, payment, and credit history, determine the degree to which you can exceed your credit limit. The total amount spent above your credit limit is due in full each month as part of your minimum payment.
Travel and purchase protections
The Blue Business Cash doesn’t include the long list of benefits offered on some of the more premium Amex cards, but you do receive the following travel and purchase protections:
- Car rental loss and damage insurance (secondary)
- Extended warranty coverage (applies to warranties of 5 years or less on covered purchases in the United States or its territories/possessions.)
- Purchase protection (up to 90 days from the covered purchase date)
- Access to the Global Assist Hotline
Related: Best No-Annual-Fee Business Rewards Credit Cards
American Express Blue Business Cash Card Earning Rates
The headline benefit of the Amex Blue Business Cash is the ability to earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% (issued as a statement credit). The $50k spending cap is low by traditional business standards. But, considering the lack of an annual fee, earning $1,000 cash back on expenses every year will be attractive to many small-business owners.
If your company has a wide range of expenses, this card allows you to earn some easy cash back without worrying about spending in specific categories. Much like its Membership Rewards-earning twin, the Blue Business Plus, you can move expenses to any card that beats the base 1% return after you reach the annual spending cap.
Redeeming Rewards With the Amex Blue Business Cash
The Amex Blue Business Cash makes redeeming rewards very simple. All rewards are automatically credited to your account as a statement credit. The statement credit will automatically appear by your second billing statement after the billing statement with the eligible purchases.
The automatic redemption is helpful for busy business owners who may not remember to regularly redeem rewards. Moreover, earning cash back as a statement credit means you don't have to understand travel transfer partners or worry about getting reduced reward value from gift card or merchandise redemption options.
Application Restrictions
You should be aware of the application rules and restrictions for American Express cards before you apply for any Amex card:
- You can hold a maximum of five traditional American Express credit cards and up to 10 cards with no preset spending limit.
- You can be approved for a maximum of two Amex credit cards in 90 days.
- Amex has a “once per lifetime” rule, meaning you may not be eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you've had it in the past.
On a positive note, as it's a business card, your Chase 5/24 count will not be increased. So you can add this card to your wallet without affecting your ability to apply for Chase cards in the future.
Related: How To Get a Business Credit Card in 3 Steps
Cards That Compete With the Amex Blue Business Cash
Not sure if the Blue Business Cash is right for you, or just want to make a more informed decision? Here are three cards worth comparing it with:
- If your non-bonus spending is more than $50,000 per year, you’ll likely get more value from the Capital One Spark Cash Plus. While the card has an $150 annual fee, the 2% cash back you'll earn is uncapped. Plus, you receive a bonus of $2,000 cash back on the card once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Get more details about the card in our full review of the Spark Cash Plus.
- If you prefer earning travel rewards over cash back, the Amex Blue Business Plus is hard to beat, providing the best return on non-bonus expenses and earning transferable Membership Rewards points. While cash back clearly has the edge in simplicity, savvy points collectors can easily get a value of two cents or more when transferring Membership Rewards to partner programs, meaning this card can provide better value for those who use rewards primarily for travel. Learn more in our full review of the Blue Business Plus.
- If you're under 5/24 and want to earn points for travel, consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. It has a $95 annual fee and earns 3x on travel purchases, shipping, internet, cable and phone services, and advertising with social media sites and search engines (on the first $150,000 total spent each year, then 1x). Check out our full review of the Ink Preferred and our roundup of the best Chase business credit cards for all the details.
- 2% Cash Back on every purchase. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site.
(Terms Apply)
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
Related: Best Small-Business Credit Card Offers
Bottom Line
While it’s not the most lucrative option on Amex's roster of business rewards cards, the Blue Business Cash can play a stellar supporting role as part of a wider rewards strategy. It also can make a great cashback card for businesses with less than $50,000 in chargeable expenses each year. You pay no annual fee, get 2% back on every purchase up to the $50k spending cap, and receive a favorable introductory APR offer on purchases.
How does this card fit into your rewards strategy? If you are a small-business owner interested primarily in cashback rewards, it can make a great addition to your wallet.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That's why you've got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
- The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (Rates & Fees), The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
