American Express Blue Business Cash Card review 2024: No annual fee and simple rewards
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 6:56 p.m. UTC Jan. 22, 2024
Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy.
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. (terms apply) earns 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. The card charges no annual fee and offers an introductory APR on purchases. But limited redemption options and the spending cap might have some business owners singing the blues. Our Amex Blue Business Cash card review will break down what you need to know.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Why trust our credit card experts
Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 50+ cards analyzed.
- 8 data points considered.
- 5-step fact-checking process.
American Express Blue Business Cash Card basics
- Annual fee: $0.
- Welcome bonus: $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of card membership.
- Rewards: 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
- APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a 18.49% to 26.49% variable APR.
- Benefits: Credit limit flexibility, ability to designate an account manager, up to 99 employee cards at no additional cost, secondary coverage for car rental loss and damage¹, extended warranty² and purchase protection² on the 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. .
- Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Introduction
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. is ideal for small-business owners looking for straightforward rewards on everyday spending. The card earns a straightforward 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Cash back is automatically applied as a statement credit, and though redemptions with this card offer less flexibility than some of the other options on the market, some business owners may appreciate the simplicity and convenience of automatic cash back.
The card also comes with a helpful 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a 18.49% to 26.49% variable APR, which can help you make a large business expense more palatable.
Pros
- No annual fee: 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. has a $0 annual fee, allowing you to keep more money in your pocket to grow your business.
- Simple rewards: Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
- Useful perks: The card offers extended warranty and purchase protections, integration with QuickBooks, expanded buying power.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Cons
- Foreign transaction fees: There’s a (2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars) fee on foreign transactions.
- Spending cap: There is an annual spending cap for the elevated rewards rate, then it decreases to the base earning rate. Businesses with higher expenses may want a rewards card with a higher spending cap.
- No travel perks: 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. does not offer travel points or hotel and airline benefits. Frequent business travelers may find more value in a travel-oriented business card.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
American Express Blue Business Cash Card rewards
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. earns 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (automatically rewarded via statement credits), up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. There are no rotating categories — you automatically earn cash back on all eligible purchases.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
The Amex Blue Business Cash Card has only one option for reward redemption. For example, you can only redeem cash back as a statement credit versus for travel rewards, merchandise or gift cards. Amex will automatically apply your cash back as a statement credit within two billing cycles after the eligible purchases are made.
You can maximize your rewards by using a different business rewards card once you reach the annual spending cap. Ultimately, it comes down to your business needs — if you do a lot of spending, you’ll be better off with a card without a spending cap. Or, if you travel a lot, you can benefit from a card that offers travel rewards and perks.
American Express Blue Business Cash Card rewards potential
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a small business in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has incoming cash flow of $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card. At the elevated rewards rate, that would yield $501.74 in cash-back rewards annually with 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. .
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
our partner
Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
How the American Express Blue Business Cash Card compares to other business credit cards
Amex Blue Business Cash Card vs. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Businesses that routinely spend more than $50,000 may get more value from the no-annual-fee Chase Ink Business Unlimited card, thanks to its unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases and no spending caps. The card offers various options for rewards, allowing you to redeem points for cash, gift cards or travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The higher rewards potential and redemption flexibility make it a better choice for most than 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. . Plus, although both cards offer extended warranty and purchase protections, the Ink Business Unlimited offers primary rental insurance, while the Amex Blue Business’ coverage is secondary. The Ink Business Unlimited also comes with an appealing welcome offer: Earn $750 cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Amex Blue Business Cash Card vs. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card * The information for the World of Hyatt Business Credit 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 travel frequently and can stay within the Hyatt network, the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card * The information for the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is an excellent alternative. The card earns 4 points per $1 at Hyatt hotels, 2 points per $1 on the top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then the top two categories each quarter, 2 points per $1 on fitness club and gym memberships and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Note that your earning rate on Hyatt spending is boosted through membership in the World of Hyatt loyalty program to up to 9 points per $1 spent.
There is a $199 annual fee to carry this card — but you get plenty of money-saving perks in exchange, such as discounts on the standard room rate through the Hyatt Leverage program and up to $100 in statement credits for qualifying Hyatt purchases. The card also offers primary auto rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and access to travel and emergency assistance. 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. card doesn’t offer these benefits.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Amex Blue Business Cash Card vs. Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select * The information for the Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
For bigger spenders, the Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select * The information for the Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is another no-annual-fee card that rewards cardholders with an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. For businesses that spend well above $100,000 annually, the Spark Cash Select card will be more rewarding than the Business Blue Cash. It also comes with a welcome offer of $750 cash bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Employee cards, like with 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. , are complimentary. However, the Spark Cash Select card charges no foreign transaction fees, giving it an edge over the Blue Business Cash when it comes to international spending.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Should you get the American Express Blue Business Cash Card?
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. is a solid everyday rewards card for small businesses and startups. Businesses spending less than $50,000 a year will enjoy the hassle-free elevated rewards rate, while larger spenders may want to consider a rewards card with more earning potential. Though the rewards aren’t as robust as some of the other cards on the market, sometimes simple really is better.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. Factors we considered include:
- Annual fees.
- Rewards rates.
- Welcome bonuses.
- Any intro APR offers.
- Credits for services business owners might find helpful.
- Any protections and insurances like cellphone coverage, purchase protection or extended warranty coverage.
- Any other perks that make the card useful to the cardholder.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
A good to excellent credit score gives you the best approval odds for 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. . Even when applying for a business card, your personal credit can still be taken into consideration — meaning you’ll likely need a FICO Score between 670 and 850.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
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. does not have a points program. Instead, rewards come in the form of cash back which is automatically applied to your account as a statement credit. You should see the credit on your account within two billing cycles from when the purchases were made.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
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. does not charge an annual fee. There are also no annual fees on any employee cards you choose to add.
All information about The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.
¹Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
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.
*The information for the Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
