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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a top-notch cash-back business card — especially if you’ve just started your new business, thanks to a 0% APR period on new purchases (for new cardholders) and a simple rewards system that lets you focus on running your company.
Below, CNBC Select reviews the Blue Business Cash card, looking at the rewards program, benefits and alternatives, so you can decide if it’s the best card for your small business or side hustle.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
On the American Express secure site
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Rewards
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
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Welcome bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening
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Regular APR
18.49% – 26.49% % variable; APRs will not exceed 29.99%
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- No annual fee
- Straightforward rewards program
- Spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power
Cons
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee
American Express Blue Business Cash review
Welcome bonus
Benefits and perks
The two standout benefits of the Blue Business Cash card are its 0% intro APR period and its Expanded Buying Power feature (which lets you go over your credit limit in certain situations).
New cardholders are eligible for a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a variable 18.49%-26.49% APR applies (APR will not exceed 29.99%; see rates and fees).
The Expanded Buying Power (which also comes with several other Amex business cards) lets you spend over your credit limit without incurring any fees, penalties or interest — provided you pay off this extra spending in full at the end of the billing cycle, along with whatever minimum payment is due.
Other features include purchase protection* and extended warranty protection** for eligible items. With these benefits, an original manufacturer’s warranty can be extended for up to one year, and eligible items are covered for 90 days against accidental damage and theft (up to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 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.
Cardholders also get theft and damage insurance for rental cars***, but only if you waive the rental company’s insurance.
* Applies to warranties of five 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
** Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply.
*** Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
How to earn and use cash back
Earning
The cash-back rates provided by the Blue Business Cash card are generous and straightforward. You’ll earn:
- 2% back on up to $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year (then 1% back)
- 1% back on all other purchases
Redeeming
The rewards you earn with the Blue Business Cash are automatically applied to your account as a statement credit. So you’ll never have to decide how to use your cash back or worry about expiring rewards.
Rates and fees
Alternatives to the Amex Blue Business Cash
Amex Blue Business Cash vs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
On the American Express secure site
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Rewards
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases up to $50,000 per year, then 1X point per dollar
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Welcome bonus
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening
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Regular APR
18.49% – 26.49% variable; APRs will not exceed 29.99%
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express and Blue Business Cash are extremely similar business cards with one major exception — the Blue Business Cash is a cash-back card and the Blue Business Plus earns travel rewards.
This card earns American Express Membership Rewards points, which you can redeem in several ways including transferring them to 20+ hotel and airline loyalty programs. It earns 2X points on up to $50,000 per calendar year in eligible purchases, then 1X points on all purchases after that.
While the Blue Business Plus has a more complicated rewards system, it also provides much more value if you use it right. By maxing out the 2X bonus category each year, you’d earn 100,000 Amex points or $1,000 in statement credits depending on which card you have. With 100,000 Amex points, you can book travel worth several thousand dollars, including business class awards with partners such as Iberia, ANA and Avianca.
Amex Blue Business Cash vs. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
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Rewards
Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
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Welcome bonus
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases; N/A for balance transfers
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® earns a minimum of 1.5% cash back on all purchases. This is 0.5% less than the highest rate of return you’ll earn with the Blue Business Cash but the Ink Business Unlimited has no cap on the 1.5% cash-back rate.
Once you pass the $50,000 spending threshold for the Blue Business Cash, the Ink Business Unlimited earns 50% more rewards (1% back vs. 1.5% back). This means if your business has $100,000 a year in credit card expenses, both of these cards would earn $1,500 cash back. If you expect to spend more than that on a business card, the Ink Business Unlimited becomes more valuable. It also earns 5% back on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025) and has a large welcome bonus offer. If you have a growing business, the Ink Business Unlimited can be more valuable.
Is the Amex Blue Business Cash right for you?
The Blue Business Cash is an all-around excellent business cash-back card. It has no annual fee (see rates and fees) and provides an above-average return on the first $50,000 in spending each year. It also has an automatic redemption for your rewards, so you can spend your time on what matters most to your business instead of navigating a complicated rewards program.
However, as your business grows and its expenses increase, there’s a point where you’ll be able to earn more rewards with a business card that has uncapped bonus cash back. Also, business owners who want to use credit card rewards for travel can receive better value with a card that earns transferrable travel rewards.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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