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If you've got a lot of monthly spending for your business, it makes sense to get a card that'll maximize your rewards. However, there is a whole host of cards out there — from those that charge no annual fee to those that'll give you big benefits in return for your loyalty. Among the most premium small-business credit cards are the Capital One Venture X Business and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Both have a lot to offer their customers and provide flexible spending, so let's break down their benefits, earnings, and value to see which one better suits your needs
Page Contents
- Venture X Business vs Business Platinum Card Welcome Offer
- Venture X Business vs. Business Platinum Card Annual Fee
- When To Use Venture X Business vs. Business Platinum Card
- Other Venture X Business Benefits vs. Business Platinum Card
- Capital One Travel Portal vs. Amex Travel Portal
- Capital One Miles vs. Amex Membership Rewards Points — Comparing Value
- Which Is Better: Venture X Business or Business Platinum Card?
Venture X Business vs Business Platinum Card Welcome Offer
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on flights booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 1.5X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
Both of these cards offer a substantial sign-up bonus, though you'll need to meet huge minimum spending requirements in order to qualify. Here are their current offerings:
- Venture X Business: Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Business Platinum Card: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
As you can see, the Venture X Business is willing to give you 30,000 more miles than Amex, but the spending to earn it is significantly higher. That may be a bigger task than many can accomplish in just three months.
Winner: Business Platinum Card
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
- Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 1.5X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
Venture X Business vs. Business Platinum Card Annual Fee
Both of these cards are premium cards, which means you'll be shelling out hundreds of dollars per year to remain a cardholder. However, the annual fee for the Venture X Business is just $395 compared to the Business Platinum Card‘s $695 (Rates & Fees).
Winner: Venture X Business
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on flights booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases
When To Use Venture X Business vs. Business Platinum Card
These cards have different bonus categories in which you'll earn elevated rewards, so it's entirely possible to hold both at the same time and maximize your value. However, the Business Platinum Card operates with more complicated categories compared to the Venture X Business.
- Venture X Business: Earn 10X Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X Miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X Miles on all other purchases.
- Business Platinum Card: Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
The Venture X Business matches or beats the Business Platinum Card on travel bookings and wins with 2X Miles on every purchase, no matter what you're buying.
Winner: Venture X Business
Other Venture X Business Benefits vs. Business Platinum Card
Employee cards
When it comes to employee cards, the Business Platinum Card and the Venture X Business really diverge. While both have the option to provide no-annual-fee employee cards (which don't provide any benefits but do allow you to earn points on your employees' spending), only Amex has an option for a paid version.
It's not cheap, however. Adding an Employee Business Platinum Card will run you $350 per card (Rates & Fees), though this card does come with certain benefits:
- Hotel elite status
- Rental car elite status
- Airport lounge access
The added flexibility for cards makes Amex the winner here, even if the cost for an employee card with benefits is steep.
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Winner: Business Platinum Card
Annual, monthly, or other credits
Both cards come with additional benefits to help reduce the sting of those annual fees.
Venture X Business
You'll get two items yearly, plus another every four years:
- $300 annual travel credit valid for bookings made through Capital One Travel
- 10,000-mile anniversary bonus
- Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit (available every four years)
Business Platinum Card
Amex is becoming well-known for the variety of credits available on its cards, and the Business Platinum Card is not exempt from this. Each year you'll get:
- $400 at Dell ($200 every six months)
- $360 at Indeed ($90 per quarter)
- $150 at Adobe Creative Solutions
- $200 airline incidental fee credit
- $189 CLEAR Plus credit
- $120 wireless credit ($10 monthly)
You'll also get up to a $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit to cover your application fee. This is available every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck.
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
As you can see, if you're able to maximize the credits you'll receive with the Business Platinum Card, you'll far surpass the card's annual fee. However, the monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual restrictions make these credits difficult to use. The Venture X Business card's travel credit is a bit limited, but it's far more flexible. Plus, its points can be transferred to any of Capital One's 18 hotel and airline partners.
Winner: Venture X Business
Capital One vs. Amex transfer partners
Both Capital One and American Express have a robust selection of transfer partners, including many that overlap.
Capital One
American Express
It's mostly preference when it comes to which set of transfer partners you prefer since both will give you a wide variety of options. However, Amex has 21 transfer partners while Capital One has just 18.
Winner: Business Platinum Card
Related: What Are the Best Flexible Rewards Points for Free Travel?
Travel insurance protections and other benefits
Because both of these cards are oriented toward travelers, they offer protections for when things go awry. The Business Platinum Card has a clearly defined suite of benefits:
- Rental car damage and loss protection: This is secondary coverage, which means it'll cover you for damages after your personal insurance or other coverage kicks in, though you can use this policy to reimburse deductible costs on your primary policy. Coverage is up to $75,000.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: You'll be reimbursed for nonrefundable travel expenses incurred by covered reasons such as jury duty, illness, or injury. Coverage is up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per eligible card in a 12-month period.
- Trip delay insurance: Reimbursement for expenses during a delay of at least six hours, though coverage is limited to $500 per trip and two claims per 12-month period.
- Baggage insurance plan: Your luggage is covered against loss or damage up to $2,000 per checked bag and $3,000 per carry-on bag per person, per trip. This is excess coverage in addition to what your travel carrier provides.
- Extended warranty protection: Receive an additional year of warranty protection on items you've purchased with your card (warranty must be five years or less). Coverage is up to $10,000 per incident and up to $50,000 annually — or up to the amount spent on your card to pay for the item.
- Return protection: Coverage up to the full purchase price for an item that the seller won't accept for a return, minus shipping and handling charges. Maximums are $300 per item and $1,000 annually.
- Purchase protection: Coverage against loss, damage, or theft of items bought with your card for 90 days from the date of purchase.
- Cell phone protection: Be reimbursed for up to $800 if your phone is stolen or damaged, subject to a $50 deductible and a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period.
The Venture X Business also offers travel insurance benefits, cell phone protection, and an extended warranty. However, Capital One issues both Mastercards and Visas (and even issues several types of Visa cards), which means that the benefits you'll receive can vary. You also won't know what card you're getting ahead of time, which can make it difficult to understand what your benefits will be.
Winner: Business Platinum Card
Hotel elite status
While the Venture X Business is a premium travel card, it lacks some of the more premium offerings that the Business Platinum Card provides. This can be seen with the elite statuses the card provides:
- Hilton Gold status
- Marriott Gold Elite status
- Hertz President's Circle status
- National Emerald Club status
- Avis Preferred status
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
The statuses conferred by the Business Platinum Card provide benefits like complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, rental car upgrades, and more. The Venture X Business doesn't offer any elite statuses.
Winner: Business Platinum Card
Airport lounge access
Both of these cards offer airport lounge access when traveling, which can be an extremely useful benefit. The Business Platinum Card and the Venture X Business both offer Priority Pass Select memberships, which provides access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide.
However, the membership provided by the Venture X Business also includes credits for Priority Pass spas and restaurants, which Amex does not offer. This can be a great feature when lounges aren't available.
That being said, those who have the Business Platinum Card can enjoy the Global Lounge Collection. This includes Amex's own Centurion Lounges, certain Lufthansa lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and more. Note that recent Delta changes included reduced access to Sky Clubs starting February 1, 2025, after which you'll only get six visits per year with your card, unless you spend $75,000 or more on your card annually to gain unlimited visits.
In contrast, the Venture X Business grants unlimited entry to Plaza Premium Lounges and Capital One Lounges — but there are only two currently open.
Winner: Business Platinum Card
Combining rewards
Many card issuers are strict with how and when you'll use your rewards. Capital One is not. The miles that you earn with your Capital One card can be shared with absolutely anyone for free.
American Express is not as forgiving. You're not able to combine Amex points between accounts. However, if you have authorized users on your account, you're able to transfer your points to their reward accounts (like Hilton Honors or British Airways Executive Club). They are then able to redeem those points how they'd like. Note that you must have someone listed as an authorized user/business employee card for at least 90 days before you can transfer points to their loyalty program accounts.
Winner: Venture X Business
Capital One Travel Portal vs. Amex Travel Portal
Both Capital One and American Express offer travel portals to their cardholders. While much of their functionality is the same, Amex offers a broader array of booking options.
With the Amex Travel portal, you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises. Capital One Travel allows you to book hotels, flights, and rental cars but not cruises.
It's really a toss-up here as to which is better. Amex offers the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, which gives luxury perks on high-end hotels around the world. Capital One's Premier Collection is supposed to do the same, but it's much newer and limited in scope.
Those who have the Business Platinum Card also can take advantage of the International Airline Program, which can give you specially discounted rates on first, business, or premium economy airline tickets.
Beyond this, cardholders are able to redeem their points for flights on Amex Travel and receive up to 35% of them back (for first- or business-class flights on any airline or economy flights on their selected airline). This can offer great value when award redemptions aren't otherwise available. And you can get up to 1 million points back annually. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
However, Capital One allows you to earn more miles and redeem them (for the most part) at a greater value than when using its travel portal. It also offers a price-drop guarantee on eligible flights that you book.
Winner: It depends. Each portal has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Related: Why You Should Never Redeem Capital One Miles Through Capital One Travel
Capital One Miles vs. Amex Membership Rewards Points — Comparing Value
Both Capital One miles and American Express Membership Rewards are highly valuable, but recent AwardWallet user redemptions show that Capital One miles are easier to redeem for increased value with transfer partners.
| Redemption | Value per Capital One Mile | Value per American Express Membership Rewards Point |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | 1¢ | 0.6¢ |
| Travel portal | 1¢ | 0.7¢ to 1.54¢ |
| Gift card | 1¢ | Varies |
| Transfer to partners | 2.66¢ | 2.15¢ |
As you can see, Capital One gives you a better value in nearly all circumstances. The only exception to this is when you redeem your Amex points with a 35% rebate for flights. In this case, your Amex points are being redeemed for 1.54 cents each compared to Capital One's 1 cent per mile through its portal.
Winner: Venture X Business
Which Is Better: Venture X Business or Business Platinum Card?
It's honestly difficult to decide whether the Venture X Business or the Business Platinum Card is better. Both cards have no preset spending limit, providing flexible access to funds for your business, and numerous built-in perks. For a lot of people, that ranking is going to depend on how they use the card. If they can take advantage of the many credits offered by the Business Platinum Card, they'll come away with more value each year than the Venture X Business can offer.
However, the Venture X Business card is a much more user-friendly option, with its easy-to-use travel credits and ability to earn 2X miles on all purchases. Plus, its miles are more valuable. Although the Business Platinum Card won more categories in these comparisons, for most people, the simplicity and extra redemption values may make the Venture X Business the better card.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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