American Express Business Cards: Complete Guide to Amex for Business

American Express built its reputation on business cards. From the iconic Business Platinum to the straightforward Blue Business Cash, Amex offers cards for every business type and spending pattern.

But the Amex ecosystem is complex. Charge cards vs. credit cards. Membership Rewards vs. cash back. Annual fees from $0 to $695. Making the right choice requires understanding what each card offers and how it fits your business.

Here's the complete guide to American Express business cards.

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Amex Business Card Types

Charge Cards vs. Credit Cards

Charge cards:

• No preset spending limit
• Balance due in full each month
• No APR (because you can't carry balance)
• Examples: Business Platinum, Business Gold

Credit cards:

• Set credit limit
• Can carry balance month to month
• APR applies to carried balance
• Examples: Blue Business Plus, Blue Business Cash

Which to choose:

• Charge cards: Higher spending power, forced discipline
• Credit cards: Flexibility to carry balance, 0% APR offers

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The Amex Business Card Lineup

Blue Business Cash

The simple cash back card

Best for: Businesses wanting simple, flat-rate cash back with no annual fee.

Blue Business Plus

The everyday points card

Best for: Building Membership Rewards points without annual fee; pairing with premium Amex cards.

Amex Business Gold

The category bonus card

Best for: Businesses with heavy spending in advertising, travel, or other 4x categories.

Amex Business Platinum

The premium charge card

Best for: Frequent travelers who will use lounge access and travel credits.

Amex Business Green

The entry-level charge card

Best for: Moderate travelers who want charge card benefits at lower cost.

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Card-by-Card Comparison

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Membership Rewards Points Value

Redemption Options

Best Transfer Partners

Airlines (best value):

• ANA (Japan): Excellent for international business class
• Singapore Airlines: Premium cabin awards
• Air France/KLM: Good for Europe awards
• Delta: Domestic options (value varies)
• British Airways: Short-haul awards

Hotels (use sparingly):

• Marriott: 1:1 ratio but lower value
• Hilton: 1:2 ratio, moderate value

Calculating True Value

When evaluating Amex cards with annual fees, calculate net value:

Business Gold example:

• Annual spend on 4x categories: $50,000
• Points earned: 200,000
• Value at 1.5¢/point: $3,000
• Minus annual fee: $3,000 - $375 = $2,625 net value

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Which Amex Card Should You Get?

Choose Blue Business Cash If:

• You want simplicity—no points management
• Your spending is under $50,000/year
• You don't want to pay an annual fee
• You prefer cash over points

Ideal profile: New business, straightforward expenses, cash flow focused

Choose Blue Business Plus If:

• You want to build Membership Rewards without annual fee
• You'll pair with Business Gold or Platinum later
• Your spending is varied across categories
• You value 0% APR for 12 months

Ideal profile: Building toward premium cards, want points flexibility

Choose Business Gold If:

• You spend heavily in 4x categories:
  • Advertising/marketing: $5,000+/month
  • Shipping: $2,000+/month
  • Travel: Regular business travel
  • Restaurants: Client entertainment
• You value category bonuses over flat rate
• Annual fee is justified by spending

Ideal profile: Established business with significant marketing or travel spend

Choose Business Platinum If:

• You fly frequently (10+ trips/year)
• You value airport lounge access
• You book through Amex Travel
• You'll use the travel credits ($400+/year)
• Premium perks matter to you

Ideal profile: Road warrior, frequent flyer, values luxury travel experience

Choose Business Green If:

• You travel moderately (5-10 trips/year)
• You want charge card flexibility
• You can't justify Business Platinum fee
• You value the 3x travel rate

Ideal profile: Growing business with increasing travel

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The Amex Lifetime Rule

One Bonus Per Card Per Lifetime

American Express limits sign-up bonuses to once per card—ever.

What this means:

• Get Blue Business Plus bonus now
• Cancel the card 5 years later
• Reapply—no bonus eligibility

Strategy implications:

• Don't waste bonuses on cards you'll cancel quickly
• Consider long-term value before applying
• Time applications strategically

Pop-Up Purgatory

Amex may show a pop-up denying bonus eligibility, often due to:

• Opening and closing Amex cards quickly
• Not using Amex cards you have
• High inquiry activity

Avoiding pop-ups:

• Use your Amex cards regularly
• Keep accounts open longer
• Space applications

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Building an Amex Business Portfolio

The Starter Stack

Cards: Blue Business Cash + Blue Business Plus

Benefits:

• No annual fees
• 2% cash back OR 2x points on everything
• 0% APR on both for 12 months
• Flexibility to choose cash or points

Total cost: $0/year

The Growth Stack

Cards: Blue Business Plus + Business Gold

Benefits:

• 4x on top spending categories
• 2x on everything else
• Points pool together
• More transfer partner value

Total cost: $375/year

The Premium Stack

Cards: Business Platinum + Business Gold + Blue Business Plus

Benefits:

• 5x on flights (Platinum)
• 4x on categories (Gold)
• 2x on everything else (Blue Plus)
• Full lounge access
• Maximum credits and perks

Total cost: $1,070/year (but $600+ in credits)

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Amex for 0% APR Strategy

Which Cards Have 0% APR?

Only the credit cards (not charge cards):

Charge cards (Gold, Platinum, Green) require full payment monthly—no 0% APR.

Using Amex for Interest-Free Funding

Strategy:

1. Apply for Blue Business Plus
2. Use 0% APR for large purchases
3. Pay off within 12 months
4. Earn 2x points on everything

Example:

• $30,000 equipment purchase
• Pay $2,500/month for 12 months
• Zero interest paid
• Earn 60,000 points (worth $600-900)

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Amex Approval Tips

Factors That Help

Strong indicators:

• Existing Amex relationship
• Strong personal credit (700+)
• Established business (1+ years)
• Significant stated revenue
• Low utilization on existing cards

Factors That Hurt

Watch out for:

• Recent Amex applications (less than 90 days)
• High number of recent inquiries
• Low stated income
• New business with low revenue

Business Verification

Amex may request:

• Business tax returns
• Bank statements
• Articles of organization
• Business license

Tip: Have documents ready but don't worry unless asked.

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Maximizing Amex Business Cards

Stacking Credits

Business Platinum offers multiple credits:

• $200 airline fee credit (annual)
• $200 hotel credit ($100 semi-annual)
• $189 CLEAR credit
• $120 wireless credit ($10/month)
• Dell credits ($200/year)

Total potential credits: $700+/year (more than covers $695 fee)

Using Amex Offers

How Amex Offers work:

• Targeted discounts added to your card
• Spend $X, get $Y back
• Must add offer before purchasing

Examples:

• Spend $100 at Dell, get $20 back
• Spend $200 on advertising, get $40 back
• Various rotating offers

Strategy: Check offers weekly, stack with regular purchases

Employee Cards

Add employee cards to business accounts:

• No additional annual fee on most cards
• Earn points on employee spending
• Set spending limits per employee
• Track expenses easily

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Amex vs. Chase for Business

When Amex Wins

• Higher category bonuses (4x vs 3x)
• Better travel credits and perks
• Superior lounge access
• More flexible charge limits

When Chase Wins

• Lower annual fees
• Better transfer partner for Hyatt
• 5/24 rule doesn't apply to business cards (but need to be under 5/24 to get approved)
• More 0% APR options

The Hybrid Approach

Many business owners carry both:

• Chase Ink for shipping, 0% APR
• Amex Gold for advertising, restaurants
• Amex Platinum for travel perks

Points accumulate in separate programs but maximize earnings in each category.

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Common Amex Mistakes

Mistake 1: Paying Annual Fee Without Using Benefits

A Business Platinum without using credits costs $695 for minimal value.

Fix: Use all credits and perks or choose lower-fee card.

Mistake 2: Wasting Lifetime Bonuses

Getting a card for the bonus, canceling, and losing future bonus eligibility.

Fix: Only get cards you'll keep long-term or that justify the bonus value.

Mistake 3: Not Pooling Points

Having Blue Business Plus points separate from Gold points.

Fix: Points automatically pool when cards are on same account.

Mistake 4: Poor Redemptions

Using points for statement credits at 0.6¢ value.

Fix: Transfer to airline partners for 1.5-2.0¢+ value.

Mistake 5: Ignoring Business Checking

Amex Business Checking offers additional points opportunities.

Fix: Consider Amex Business Checking if you're in the ecosystem.

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Your Amex Business Card Strategy

Starting Out

1. Apply for Blue Business Plus (no fee, 2x points, 0% APR)
2. Use for 6-12 months, build relationship
3. Evaluate spending patterns
4. Add Business Gold if advertising/shipping spend justifies

Scaling Up

1. Add Business Gold for 4x categories
2. Keep Blue Business Plus for 2x on everything else
3. Consider Business Platinum when travel justifies

Optimizing

1. Use right card for each category
2. Stack Amex Offers with purchases
3. Redeem points through transfer partners
4. Maximize credits on premium cards

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Next Steps

American Express offers some of the most valuable business credit cards available. The key is matching cards to your actual spending patterns.

Start with a no-annual-fee card to enter the ecosystem. Add premium cards as your spending justifies the fees. Stack cards for maximum category coverage.

The Amex ecosystem rewards loyal customers with excellent perks and earning potential.

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Need help building your Amex business card strategy? Freedom Consulting helps business owners optimize their card portfolios. Book a free consultation to maximize your rewards.

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Related: 0% APR Funding Strategy | Chase Ink Business Cards

Disclaimer: Credit card terms change frequently. Verify current offers before applying. Approval based on creditworthiness.

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Continue Learning

This article is part of our 0% APR Business Funding: How to Access $50K-$300K Interest-Free guide series.

Related articles in this series:

• Best 0% APR Business Credit Cards 2025: Complete List
• Credit Card Stacking: How to Get $100K+ in Business Credit
• Balance Transfer Strategy: Move Debt to 0% APR and Save Thousands