American Express Basic Charge Card review 2023

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Pros and cons

The American Express range

Whether you’re looking for a card that lets you earn rewards or one that offers payment flexibility on forthcoming purchases, American Express has a wide range to match a variety of financial requirements.

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Name	Product	Rewards earn rate	Max. intro bonus	Annual/monthly fees	Representative APR	Ratings	Link	Incentive	Representative example
The American Express Rewards® Credit Card Finder Award		1 point per £1 spent	10,000 points	£0	28.8% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every £1 spent thereafter. Earn up to 90,000 bonus points per year through refer a friend, 4,000 points awarded for every friend approved. 1 point = 0.45p (min 1000 points) to shop, other rewards have differing conversions	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 28.8% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
British Airways American Express® Credit Card Finder Award		1 point per £1 spent	5,000 points	£0	28.8% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	New Cardmember Offer: Earn 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend £3,000 in your first 3 months of account opening. Terms Apply	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 28.8% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card Finder Award		1% cashback	£100	£0	28.8% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	New cardmember offer: Get 5% cashback on your purchases (up to £100) for the first three months of Cardmembership. Terms apply. Spend £0 to £10,000 and receive 0.5% cashback on all purchases. Spend over £10,000 and receive 1% cashback on purchases.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 28.8% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Nectar Credit Card Finder Award		3 points per £1 spent with selected partners 2 points per £1 spent elsewhere	20,000 points	Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £25 per annum	34.3% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	Earn 20,000 bonus Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in your first 3 months. Earn a minimum of 3 Nectar points for virtually every £1 spent at Nectar partners, and 2 Nectar points for virtually every £1 spent elsewhere.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £25 per annum, your representative rate is 34.3% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Platinum Cashback Credit Card Finder Award		1.25% cashback	£125	£25 per annum	34.3% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	New cardmember offer: Get 5% cashback on your purchases (up to £125) for the first three months of Cardmembership. Terms apply. Spend £0 to £10,000 and receive 0.75% cashback on all purchases. Spend over £10,000 and receive 1.25% cashback on purchases.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £25 per annum, your representative rate is 34.3% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card Finder Award		6 points per £1 spent with selected partners 2 points per £1 spent elsewhere	20,000 points	£75 per annum	46.6% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	Earn 6 points for every £1 spent at eligible Marriott properties. Earn 2 points for virtually every £1 spent elsewhere. Earn up to 90,000 bonus points per year through refer a friend, 9,000 points awarded for every friend approved. Points can be redeemed for hotel stays of varying values (min 15000pts)	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £75 per annum, your representative rate is 46.6% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card Finder Award		3 points per £1 spent with selected partners 1 point per £1 spent elsewhere	20,000 points	Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £160 per annum	72.4% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	2 points earned per £1 spent on travel related purchases and spending abroad. 3 points for every £1 spent when booking through American Express Travel.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £160 per annum, your representative rate is 72.4% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card Finder Award		3 points per £1 spent with selected partners 1.5 points per £1 spent elsewhere	25,000 points	£250 per annum	108.9% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	Earn 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend £3,000 in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. Terms apply. 18+, subject to status. New Cardmembers Only	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £250 per annum, your representative rate is 108.9% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express The Platinum Card Finder Award		2 points per £1 spent with selected partners 1 point per £1 spent elsewhere	30,000 points	£575 per annum	458.2% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Check eligibility Read review	Earn 2 points per every £1 spent on amextravel.co.uk and 1 point per every £1 spent elsewhere.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £575 per annum, your representative rate is 458.2% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Vitality American Express® Credit Card (Vitality Members only) Finder Award		0.5% cashback	N/A	£0 (but £4.75 fee for the Vitality programme)	44.3% APR (variable)	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Read review	0.5% on £1 to £10,000 of yearly spend and 1% thereafter. Paid on anniversary. Must spend £3,000 annually to earn cashback. Earn up to 2% additional cashback on first £1,000 spend each month based on Vitality products held and monthly activity points earned. New cardmember offer: earn £100 statement credit when £2,000 spent in first three months.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.8% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £6.5 per month, your representative rate is 40.0% APR (variable).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express Basic Charge Card Finder Award		N/A	N/A	£0	N/A (this product is a charge card).	Finder score ★★★★★ User survey ★★★★★	Read review	Access to tickets for must-see music, theatre and film events, often before they go on sale to the general public with American Express Experiences.		Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How to apply

If you've compared cards and settled on the American Express Basic Charge Card, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the information and documents you'll need to make the process as straightforward as possible.

The verdict

As the name suggests, the American Express Basic credit card is a straightforward charge card with limited perks. There’s no ongoing reward scheme and no introductory bonus, which really just leaves you with the American Express Experiences as a potential draw.

Unsurprisingly, this means you won’t need to pay an annual fee, and given it’s a charge card, there’s also no interest to pay. But you’ll still need to clear your balance in full to avoid late payment fees.

Frequently asked questions

How does American Express Experiences work?

Formerly called ‘American Express Invites, Amex Experiences is an entertainment service that’s only available to American Express cardholders. You can get exclusive discounts, access to pre-sale tickets and entry into Amex competitions.