Compare top American Express business cards – February 2019
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Finding the right business card can save you lot of money in the long run.
American Express offers one of the largest varieties of business credit cards and charge cards in the industry. For your convenience, we’ve selected the best cards in their particular categories. However, that doesn’t mean that the other Amex business cards aren’t valuable — for your specific business needs, some of the other cards may prove to be just as good as the ones we’ve covered here.
Best business card for travel rewards: Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 50,000 points after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months. Plus earn 25,000 bonus points after spending an additional $10,000 in the same timeframe.
See Rates & FeesSmall to midsize business owners who want to enjoy the ultimate luxury benefits while traveling could find the Business Platinum Card® from American Express to be a great choice. With a $595 annual fee, this is one of the most expensive Amex business cards to own, but if you’re a frequent traveler, it’ll be worth it.
You’ll get benefits at hotels and resorts from Starwood, Hilton and Fine Hotels and complimentary access to The American Express Global Lounge CollectionSM. Not to mention, you’ll earn the highest number of membership points offered by a small business Amex card when booking airfare and prepaid hotels through American Express Travel.
Welcome offer. Spend $10,000 in the first 3 months of card membership and get 50,000 bonus points. With another $15,000 spent during the same period, you get an additional 50,000 bonus points. That’s up to $1,000 in reward value of the $25,000 you spent, or a 4% return.
American Express Global Lounge Collection. By owning the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you have access to more than 1,100 airport lounges across 120 countries — including Centurion and International American Express lounges, Priority Pass Select lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges and Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta.
Membership rewards. Earn 5x membership points on flights and prepaid hotels through American Express Travel. For a single eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, you get 1.5 points per dollar spent. For all other purchases, you earn 1x membership points. Redeem points for travel, statement credit, gift cards, Uber rides, shopping or make a charitable donation.
Airline fee credit and bonus. Every year, you’ll receive $200 in airline fee credit toward incidental airline fees and a 35% airline bonus when you pay for first or business class flights with membership rewards points. These benefits are available for a single qualifying airline of your choosing.
Hotel benefits. Get Gold Status at Starwood and Hilton hotels and resorts without meeting any stay requirements — all you have to do is enroll in their loyalty programs. Plus, you get complimentary benefits such as free nights, free breakfast, room upgrades and more. Also, when visiting Fine Hotels and Resorts, you can upgrade your room when available, get free breakfast for two, enjoy complimentary WiFi and more.
High annual fee. To get all the luxury benefits this card offers, you’ll have to pay a $595 fee each year.
Not a credit card. This is a hybrid charge-credit card, which means you have to pay your entire balance in full. However, you can enroll in the Pay Over Time feature and carry your balance with an APR of 20.49% variable and a penalty APR of 29.99% variable.
Best business card for airline rewards: Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card
Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you make $1,000 in purchases on your new card within your first 3 months.
The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card is an Amex small business credit card made for those who travel on Delta Air Lines but don’t spend more than $25,000 a year. You still get to enjoy frequent flyer benefits, such as getting your first checked bag free, priority boarding and earning Delta miles, but it’ll cost you less to own the card.
Welcome offer. Earn 30,000 bonus miles once you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months your account is open. Purchase a Delta flight during the same 3 months and get $50 in statement credit. This is one of the easiest-to-earn high-value welcome offers available, given the value of 30,000 miles can be up to $300.
Earn Delta SkyMiles. Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. Redeem miles for flights, seat upgrades, gift cards, shopping and more.
Priority boarding. If you don’t like to wait, board your plane with Zone 1 priority boarding. This perk usually costs $15 per person, but you can use it with up to nine passengers on your reservation for free. If you fly once a month, you can save up to $180 annually on priority boarding costs alone.
First checked bag free. Save up to $50 round trip by getting your first checked bag free. The first bag waiver applies for up to nine passengers on your reservation. With two round trips per year, you can offset the annual fee with the money you save with this perk.
Discounted Delta Sky Club® access. Take a breather if you’re stuck at the airport with discounted Delta Sky Club® access for you and up to two guests for $29 each. Regular access costs $59 per person.
Annual fee. You won’t pay an annual fee for the first year, but after that you’ll pay $95 a year.
Penalty APR. For one late payment, you’ll pay up to a $38 fee. If you pay late twice in 12 months, you’ll pay a penalty APR of 29.99% variable for at least 12 consecutive months. To get out of it, you’ll need to make timely payments during those 12 months.
Best business card for the ultimate airline rewards: Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card®
Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card®
Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months.
See Rates & FeesFor the business owner who spends more than $30,000 a year on air travel, the Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card® could be the right choice. You get a decent welcome offer, free access to Delta Sky Clubs and can earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) faster, which you can use toward earning a Medallion Status for comfort and luxury benefits when flying Delta.
Welcome offer. Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs once you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months your account is open.
Earn Delta SkyMiles. Earn 2x miles for every Delta purchase and 1x miles on all other purchases. Redeem miles for flights, seat upgrades, gift cards, shopping and more.
Delta Sky Club® access. Get complimentary Delta Sky Club® access for yourself and discounted access of $29 for two of your guests. Save up to $708 annually if you visit Delta Sky Clubs® once a month — more than enough to offset the card’s annual fee.
Miles Boost®. Earn 15,000 bonus miles and 15,000 MQMs when you spend $30,000 in a year. Spend an additional $30,000 and earn another 15,000 bonus miles and 15,000 MQMs, which will upgrade you to Gold Medallion Status.
Companion certificate. Earn a domestic, first class Delta Comfort+® or main cabin roundtrip companion certificate when you renew your card. Taxes and fees of up to $75 aren’t covered by the certificate.
Annual fee. To get the highest benefits of the Delta frequent flyer program, you need to pay $450 annually.
Penalty APR. Try to make your payments on time, otherwise you’ll pay a $38 fee. If you pay late twice in 12 months, you’ll pay a penalty APR of 29.99% variable for at least 12 consecutive months.
Best business card for hotel rewards: Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.
See Rates & FeesBusiness owners who frequently stay at Marriott Bonvoy properties would find this card to be of great value. The card’s welcome offer is easy to earn, plus you get to earn points you can redeem at participating hotels.
The rewards structure changed in August 2018, when SPG®, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® merged into one loyalty program, which allows you to earn even more points for every purchase you make.
Welcome offer. Get $100,000 in statement credit after you make $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of card membership.
Earn points. Earn 6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 4x points at US restaurants, US gas stations, on wireless telephone services from US providers and on US purchases for shipping; and 2x points on all other purchases.
Reward nights. Redeem points for stays at over 6,700 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Airline transfer program. Transfer points to a frequent flyer program or book a flight using them.
Gold Elite Status. After you spend $35,000 in a calendar year, you’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status. With Gold Elite Status, you earn 50% more points during stays and get late checkout, room upgrades when available, complimentary WiFi and more.
Annual fee. To own the card, you’ll have to pay a $95 annual fee, which is waived for the first year.
Penalty APR. Once you make a late payment, you’ll pay a $38 penalty fee. For two late payments within 12 months, you’ll incur a penalty APR of 29.99% variable. This APR will stick with you until you make timely payments 12 months in a row.
Best business card for cashback rewards: SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card
SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card
Save on interest with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months. After that your APR will be 14.49%, 19.49% or 21.49% variable.
See Rates & FeesFor small businesses that usually spend up to $50,000 a year on office supplies and wireless telephone services from US providers, you’ll find the 5% cash back a great value for your business. You’ll also get 3% cash back on a category of your choice, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The 5% and 3% cash back applies up to $50,000 annually. After that, the cashback rate drops to 1%.
In addition, you get a great introductory APR on purchases, which is helpful if you need to make a large purchase for your business and don’t want to pay interest for a limited period. As a bonus, you don’t have to pay an annual fee to own this card.
No annual fee. The SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card has a $0 annual fee.
Cash back. Get 5% cash back on office supply purchases and wireless telephone services from US providers, and 3% cash back on a category of your choice from US providers, including: airfare, hotels, car rentals, gas stations, restaurants, advertising in select media, shipping purchases or computer hardware and software purchases. This applies up to $50,000 in purchases per year. After you reach the cap, the cashback rate drops to 1%, which also applies for all other purchases.
Intro APR on purchases. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 9 months after opening your account. The rate reverts to a variable APR of 14.49%, 19.49% or 21.49% once the promo period is up.
Buy above your credit limit. Make larger purchases than your credit limit allows with this feature. The amount you can spend above your credit limit depends on your payment history, credit report and other factors determined by American Express.
International transaction fees. Every time you make a purchase abroad, you’ll pay a fee of 2.7% of your transaction.
Penalty APR. You’ll incur a $38 penalty fee every time you pay late. For two late payments within 12 months, you’ll incur a penalty APR of 29.99% variable for 12 consecutive months, and you may lose your intro APR on purchases.
Best business card for balance transfers: Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card
Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card
Earn 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases on up to $50,000 with no category restrictions.
See Rates & FeesThe Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card has one of the longest intro APR periods on purchases and balance transfers — 0% for the first 15 months after opening your account. The rate reverts to a variable APR of 13.49%, 17.49% or 21.49% after that.
If you get a low credit line, don’t worry — the card allows you to make purchases above your credit limit. Plus, for every purchase you make up to $50,000 per year, you earn 2x membership rewards points. Once you reach the cap, you earn 1x membership rewards points.
No annual fee. The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card costs you nothing to own.
Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. Get an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers of 0% for the first 15 months after opening your account, with a variable APR of 13.49%, 17.49% or 21.49% thereafter. This is ideal if you plan to make a large purchase or if you want to transfer your balance from another card.
Earn membership rewards points. Earn 2x membership rewards points on all purchases up to $50,000 per year, and 1x points after that. Redeem points for statement credits, gift cards, travel, shopping or donate to charity.
Buy above your credit limit. The card allows you buy above your credit limit, but the amount you can spend is based on your payment history, credit score and other factors determined by the bank.
Free employee cards. Get additional employee cards for free and earn membership rewards points faster.
International transaction fees. Try to limit your payments when traveling abroad or you’ll pay a 2.7% fee for every transaction.
Balance transfer fees and limits. Make your balance transfer requests within 60 days of your account opening. Also, be ready to pay $5 or 3% of the transaction, whichever is greater, for each transfer. Your transfer is limited up to $15,000 or 75% of your credit limit, whichever is lower. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to transfer your balance from another American Express account.
Penalty APR. Paying late will cost you a $38 penalty fee. For two late payments made in 12 months, a penalty APR of 29.99% variable will apply for 12 consecutive months, and you may lose your intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.
Best business card for flexible payment options: The Plum Card® from American Express
The Plum Card® from American Express
This charge card gives you the option to pay in full each month or to carry a balance for up to 60 with no interest.
See Rates & FeesFor businesses looking for payment flexibility with a 60-day grace period for purchases instead of the usual 25 days, The Plum Card® from American Express may be the best choice. In addition to the extra interest-free time, you get a 1.5% discount if you pay within 10 days of the closing date. This comes out to $3,600 per year in cash back if your monthly expenses are $20,000.
1.5% discount. Every time you pay within 10 days of the closing date, you get a 1.5% discount, which gets added as a statement credit.
Pay later with no interest. The Plum Card® from American Express gives you a 60-day grace period if you pay at least 10% of your balance by the due date. This is a great perk for companies that have limited cash flow and find it hard to pay their entire balance within 25 days.
No spending limit. Get increased purchasing power that adjusts with your card use, your payment history and other factors determined by American Express.
Choose your billing cycle. You get to choose your own billing cycle at the beginning, middle or end of the month — whichever suits you best.
No fee for additional cards. Only the main card has an annual fee of $250, which is waived for the first year. All additional cards have no annual fee.
High annual fee. The Plum Card® from American Express has a $0 annual fee for the first year. Starting the second year, you’ll have to pay $250 annually.
Penalty fees. For late payments, you’ll pay $38 or 1.5% of the past due amount, whichever is greater. For two consecutive late payments, you’ll pay $38 or 2.99%, whichever is greater.
Not a credit card. You have to pay your full balance before its due date.
Best corporate card: Business Green Rewards Card from American Express
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express
Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points after your first purchase on the card within the first year of card membership.
See Rates & FeesBusinesses with more than 50 employees or with an annual revenue of more than $20 million could find the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express to be an excellent business companion. Depending on your annual income and company needs, you can get a tailored corporate program designed with the help and expertise of an American Express representative.
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is good for employees who occasionally travel and have everyday business expenses. Once you enroll in the membership rewards program, your company will earn membership points, which you can redeem for travel, shopping and more.
Automate payments. You can set up automated payments to your suppliers with Buyer Initiated Payment (BIP).
Earn membership rewards points. Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all purchases. Corporations that spend more than $10 million per year earn just as many rewards points, up to $100,000 in value. Redeem your points for airfare, hotels, shopping, statement credit, gift cards and more.
Expense management and reporting. You have access to online tools that help you tackle your management tasks. You can also monitor cardmember activity, track balances, request balance refunds, send payment reminders, complete payments online, reduce fraud risk and more.
TripCase® app. Whenever you travel, the TripCase® app will alert you about flight delays, remind you about airport lounge access and give you a master itinerary that consolidates your travel bookings.
Annual fee. Every card issued has an annual fee of up to $95.
Foreign transaction fees. If you plan to use this card when traveling abroad, know that you’ll pay a 2.7% fee for each transaction.
How to compare American Express business credit cards
Each Amex card is tailored for a specific business — if you fall into one of the categories, you’ll get to reap the benefits.
Here are some things to consider when deciding on the right card for your business:
What do you spend most money on? For businesses that require frequent and large purchases of office supplies, the SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card, which comes with a strong cashback rate on office supplies and another business category of your choosing, could be a great choice.
Does your company need to make a balance transfer? If you want to transfer your balance from another non-American Express account, the Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card comes with a great introductory APR on purchases and balances transfers.
How often do you travel? The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is the ultimate travel rewards card, but if you don’t travel as much, then you won’t get to use any of its perks and you’ll pay the annual fee of $595 for nothing.
How often do you fly? Suppose you fly occasionally with Delta Air Lines but you don’t visit Delta Sky Clubs® every time you travel. In that case, the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card will be worth more to you than the Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card®. On the other hand, if you travel every month and want to enjoy luxury and comfort, the Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card® may be the superior choice.
Do you often stay at Starwood and Marriott hotels? If that’s the case, the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card would help you earn free nights and complimentary benefits every time you visit one of their 1,500 locations worldwide. Plus, you can use Starpoints to pay for flights.
Does your company have more than 50 employees? American Express offers tailored credit card programs for large businesses to help you make the most of your card. One of the best Amex business cards that can help you manage your expenses is the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express.
Why choose an American Express business credit card?
No preset spending limits. Amex small business charge cards have no preset spending limits. This gives you increased spending power, which adjusts based on your payment history, credit report and other factors determined by American Express.
Expense and management tools.Small business cards from American Express OPEN® come with a set of tools that help you track and manage your expenses. Also, you can send transactions directly to your QuickBooks account.
Payment flexibility. Get deferred no-interest payment of up to 60 days when you pay at least 10% of your balance — ideal for companies that have cashflow issues.
Employee cards. Earn more rewards and cash back with additional employee cards — depending on the card you choose, you can get additional cards for free. Set up spending limits for your employees and track their spending.
Travel protection. Get travel insurance in case of accidental death and dismemberment, car rental insurance against damage or theft and baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage.
Roadside and global assistance. Every time you need assistance on the road, whether it’s for a tire change or towing, call the roadside assistance hotline and they’ll send help. When traveling more than 100 miles from home, you get 24/7 access to medical, legal and other emergency services you may need.
Amex® app. Download the Amex app and manage your American Express business account online.
Some of these features aren’t available to all American Express business cardholders.
Does American Express report business card activities to credit bureaus?
American Express doesn’t report your business card’s activity to any credit bureaus. However, if you haven’t paid your balance in six months, American Express will notify the credit bureaus.
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn
Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
American Express offers a variety of business cards to fulfill your needs. Among them, you’ll find a decent no-annual-fee cashback card and one with a 60-day grace period to help you pay your balance when cash flow is an issue.
For frequent travelers, you can choose between general travel rewards cards, where you get to earn points that are redeemable for several types of rewards, or you can get a specific frequent flyer card for Delta Air Lines. For businesses loyal to a certain brand of hotels, you’ll find Starwood and Hilton cards that offer free nights and complimentary benefits.
Aside from the specific card perks, with every Amex small business card you get travel insurance, car rental insurance and baggage coverage. And expense and management tools can help you track your employee spending and set spending limits.
Kliment Dukovski is a writer who specializes in global financial markets and personal finance, with a focus on credit cards. His main goal is to deliver honest and accurate information to help you make the right financial decision. When he's not writing about finance-related subjects, he writes sci-fi stories.
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