American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card 2023 review: Travel rewards for no annual fee

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express * The information for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) is likely a good credit card for small business owners seeking travel rewards at no annual fee. It also has a solid intro APR offer on purchases. But if you want robust benefits, look elsewhere.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express * The information for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers small business owners the chance to earn Amex Membership® Rewards points, a coveted travel award currency, for no annual fee.

While American Express offers other business rewards credit cards with more points multipliers, this card charges no annual fee and offers an introductory APR on new purchases.

The main drawbacks to the Blue Business Plus Card are that it comes with an annual spending cap, after which the reward rate dips, and it has very limited travel benefits. It also charges foreign transaction fees, which is unfortunate on a travel card. Still, it’s a solid rewards card option in the right wallet. 

Blue Business Plus Card basics

• Annual fee: $0.
• Welcome bonus: 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.
• Rewards: Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.49% to 26.49% applies.
• Other perks and benefits: Global Assist Hotline¹, Expanded Buying Power program, dispute resolution.
• Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? No.
• Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.

About the Blue Business Plus Card 

If you’re seeking an American Express credit card to help your business earn rewards and manage cash flow, the Blue Business Plus is worth considering. It earns Membership Rewards points at a competitive flat rate (until you hit the annual spending cap, after which the rate drops). And those points are flexible travel rewards you can use to book travel in the Amex portal or transfer to nearly two dozen airline and hotel partners.

You can add up to 99 employee cards. And you’ll earn rewards on purchases your employees make, too.

The card also provides a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.49% to 26.49% applies. If you need to finance a big-ticket purchase, this gives time to do so without paying interest. 

Pros

• No annual fee. There is no cost to carry this card.
• Intro APR on purchases. Not all business rewards cards come with an intro APR period, so this is a useful feature that sets the Blue Business Plus apart. 
• Rewards. Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• Expanded Buying Power. This feature allows you to spend over your credit limit with no over-limit fees, as long as you pay off the excess balance each month (it will be due as part of your minimum monthly payment). If you fail to pay that amount, a penalty APR will apply to the balance.
• Employee cards. You can add up to 99 employees to your primary card account.

Cons

• Limited travel benefits. The card comes with just the Global Assist Hotline¹ and secondary car rental insurance². Frequent travelers seeking protections like baggage delay insurance won’t find them here.
• Late payments can impact both business and personal credit. The Blue Business Plus Card requires both joint and several liability. That means both the individual cardholder and the business can be held responsible for balances owed. That said, this is fairly standard. Getting a business credit card will involve a personal guarantee in almost all cases, unless you’re able to qualify for a corporate card.
• Foreign transaction fees. You’ll be charged 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to U.S. dollars.

Blue Business Plus Card rewards

Cardholders earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. There’s also a welcome offer of 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.

The value of Membership Rewards points depends on how you redeem them. For example, you can book flights through American Express Travel at a value of 1 cent per point. But using your points to cover past charges on your card only nets you a value of 0.6 cents per point. You can also transfer points to nearly two dozen travel partners, many at a 1:1 rate, then book award travel directly with your preferred airline or hotel.

Amex’s list of transfer partners includes popular programs such as Delta SkyMiles® and Marriott Bonvoy®.

Blue Business Plus Card APR

The Blue Business Plus comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.49% to 26.49% applies. There is no intro APR offer on the card for balance transfers. 

Cardholders can also take advantage of the Expanded Buying Power feature, which lets you make purchases over your credit limit as long as you pay the amount over your credit limit in full by the statement closing date. If you do not pay the entire minimum payment due by the closing date, you will be subject to the penalty rate. Note, what you can spend isn’t unlimited, but adjusts based on card use, payment history and other factors.

Blue Business Plus Card benefits and perks

The Blue Business Plus comes with some basic benefits listed below, but comes up short compared to other business cards, as it doesn’t offer benefits such as return protection, cellphone insurance, lost or stolen baggage protection when traveling nor trip delay/trip interruption protections.

• Extended warranty. Your purchases are covered for an additional year, on original warranties of five years or less, up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per account³.
• Purchase protection. Your purchases are covered for up to 90 days against damages or theft up to $1,000 per item and up to $50,000 per account⁴.
• Car rental damage and theft coverage. This is secondary insurance, meaning you’ll have to file a claim with your primary insurance carrier first².
• Global Assist Hotline. Get assistance when traveling, from pre-trip arrangements to emergency services. Third-party charges will apply. Note, you must be traveling more than 100 miles from home to take advantage of emergency assistance and coordination services¹.
• Employee cards. Add up to 99 employees to the account at no additional cost. You can set up spending limits on those cards as well.

How the Blue Business Plus Card compares to other business rewards credit cards

Blue Business Plus Card vs. American Express® Business Gold Card * The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you don’t mind paying a $295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24) annual fee in exchange for more enhanced benefits and a more generous rewards program, you may want to consider the American Express Business Gold Card (terms apply) instead.

Cardholders can earn 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year on the 2 select categories your business spends the most each month, 3 points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com and 1 point per $1 for other purchases. Eligible categories include transit purchases, U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio), U.S. purchases made directly from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud solutions providers, U.S. purchases at gas stations, U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery and monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.

There’s a welcome bonus of 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.

Plus, there are no foreign transaction fees and the card provides coverage for trip delays⁵ and baggage loss, damage or theft⁶.

Blue Business Plus Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

For just a $95 annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred Card offers new cardholders 100,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening as well as a generous ongoing rewards program. 

Cardholders earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Points are worth 1 cent each if redeemed for cash back, but you can redeem them for travel bookings in the Chase portal for 25% more value or transfer them 1:1 to travel partners.

The Ink Business Preferred does not come with an intro APR offer. However, it does offer robust benefits including trip cancellation and interruption insurance and primary rental car coverage. Those protections, along with earning flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, make this card a great choice for frequent travelers.

Finally, there are no foreign transaction fees.

Blue Business Plus Card vs. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card * The information for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Blue Business Cash (terms apply) is another $0-annual-fee American Express business rewards card. 

Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. 

There is a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a 18.49% to 26.49% variable APR.

The cash back you earn is automatically redeemed as a statement credit, but some business owners may prefer that simplicity. And the benefits are comparable to those offered by the Blue Business Plus Card.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Apply Now

On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website

Welcome Bonus

Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn $900 bonus cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Regular APR

18.49% – 24.49% Variable

Credit Score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent

Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Editor’s Take

Pros

• No annual fee.
• Rich rewards rate in areas where businesses are likely to spend the most.
• Employee cards at no additional cost.

Cons

• There’s a foreign transaction fee.
• Bonus categories are capped at $25,000 in spending each account anniversary year.
• Lackluster rewards outside of bonus categories.

For business owners who are comfortable tracking various rewards categories, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card earns exceptional cash-back rewards, on areas of typical office spending and elevated rewards in other common business areas, too. Add in a larger-than-average welcome bonus, plus travel and purchase coverages and you’ve got a top-notch small business card.

Card Details

• Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• No Annual Fee
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• Member FDIC

How do I apply for the Amex Blue Business Plus Card?

You can apply for the Blue Business Plus Credit Card online, or by calling 1-800-223-2670. Be prepared to provide the following information:

1. Business information: Details include your business name, address, industry and DBA if applicable.
2. Personal information: Provide your address, SSN, role and income information.
3. Documents: Amex may request bank statements, company financial statements or other documents.

American Express may provide your credit card decision in as little as a few seconds after your application is submitted, unless further information is needed for their application review.

¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

^{²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.}

^{³When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}

^{⁴When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}

^{⁵Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.}

^{⁶Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}