How do business cards work?

Business cards work the same way personal credit cards do. Charges are made throughout the statement period and you must either pay off the entire statement when due (charge card) or have the option to make at least a minimum payment and carry over a balance (credit card). If you own a business, you’ll want to keep personal expenses separate from business expenses and a business credit card can help you do that. You will, however, be personally responsible for paying the charges on your business credit card and your personal credit will be used to determine whether you’re approved for the business credit card.

How does a cash-back business card work?

On a cash-back business credit card, any purchase you make on the card earns a percentage of that purchase back in cash. Some credit cards allow you to take the cash, but most apply the cash as a statement credit. Many cash-back credit cards have bonus spending categories that allow you to earn as much as 5% cash-back on your purchases. The biggest benefit of cash-back is the money can be invested directly back into your business to help offset expenses.

What qualifies as a business for a business credit card?

Even small side businesses such as photographing sports on the weekends or selling homemade jams have the potential for a business credit card, but you’ll need to have a strong personal credit history to be approved. The IRS recognizes any activity that has the intent of earning a profit as a business, so that’s a good guideline to start with, but credit card issuers want your personal credit history to be strong, as you’ll be personally responsible for paying the business credit card.

Are there 0% interest credit cards without a balance transfer fee?

Most business credit cards with introductory APR periods for balance transfers charge fees, usually 3% to 5% of the amount being transferred. You’re more likely to find personal credit cards that offer a 0% APR period for balance transfers that do not charge transfer fees. Our complete guide to 0% APR credit cards includes some American Express personal credit cards that meet these criteria.

Can I use my American Express business credit card for personal purchases?

The short answer is yes, it is possible to use your business credit card for personal expenses. However, one of the reasons for obtaining a business credit card is to keep personal and business expenses separate. The benefit of keeping these expenses separate is bookkeeping will be easier at tax time without having to determine which are personal and which are business expenses on the credit card. Also, should you be audited, it’s best to have only your business expenses on the business credit card.

The 8 Best Amex Business Credit Cards [March 2023]

American Express is a known leader when it comes to business credit cards with many great options for business owners.

Finding the perfect Amex business credit card that brings the most value back into your business operation may seem challenging, but we’re here to walk you through the variety of choices and help you determine which card is the right fit for your business.

Table of contents

The 8 Best Amex Business Cards
Other Amex Business Cards
How To Select a Business Credit Card
- Business Card Basics
- Narrow Your Business Card Options by Answering These Questions
Which Types of Businesses Qualify for a Business Credit Card?
How To Apply for an American Express Business Credit Card
Business Credit Cards vs. Personal Credit Cards
Deciding Between an American Express Business Charge Card or a Business Credit Card
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

The 8 Best Amex Business Cards
Other Amex Business Cards
How To Select a Business Credit Card
- Business Card Basics
- Narrow Your Business Card Options by Answering These Questions
Which Types of Businesses Qualify for a Business Credit Card?
How To Apply for an American Express Business Credit Card
Business Credit Cards vs. Personal Credit Cards
Deciding Between an American Express Business Charge Card or a Business Credit Card
Final Thoughts

The 8 Best Amex Business Cards

Summary

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — Best for Travel, Lounge Access
American Express® Business Gold Card — Best for Earning Points
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card — Best for Start-ups, Cash-back
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express — Best for No Annual Fee (rates and fees)
The Plum Card® from American Express — Best for Cash-back
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card — Best Delta Loyalists, Lounge Access
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card —Best for Hotels
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card — Best for Hotels, Lounge Access

Amex Business Card Comparison Table (2023)

Card	Welcome Offer and Annual Fee	Main Benefits
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express	Earn 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $695 (rates and fees)	5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amex Travel Access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass (upon enrollment), Plaza Premium Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta), and more Generous annual statement credits 35% airline bonus when using Pay With Points (up to 1,000,000 bonus points per calendar year)
American Express® Business Gold Card	Earn 70,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $295 (rates and fees)	4x points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most (up to $150,000 per calendar year) 25% airline bonus when using Pay With Points (up to 250,000 bonus points per calendar year)
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card	Earn a $250 statement credit after making $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $0 (rates and fees)	2% cash-back on all eligible purchases up to $50,000 per year 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening; variable rate, 17.99% – 25.99%, applies thereafter (rates and fees)
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express	Earn 15,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Annual fee of $0 (rates and fees)	2x points on all purchases up to $50,000 per year 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then 17.99% – 25.99% variable thereafter (rates and fees)
The Plum Card® from American Express	No welcome offer available. Annual fee of $250 (rates and fees)	1.5% cash-back on the portion of your balance you pay within 10 days of your statement closing date, or when you need more time, get up to 60 days to pay without interest
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card	Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 miles after spending $6,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. Offer ends 3/29/23. Annual fee of $550 (rates and fees)	3x SkyMiles on Delta purchases Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access Ability to earn MQMs toward your Medallion status
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card	Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Offer ends 5/3/23. Annual fee of $125 (rates and fees)	6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels 4x points in select categories 2x points on all other purchases Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status Annual free night award
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card	Limited Time Offer: Earn 165,000 points after spending $5,000 in purchases the first 3 months. Offer ends 4/5/23. Annual fee of $95 (rates and fees)	12x points at Hilton hotels and resorts 6x points on select business and travel purchases 3x points on all other eligible purchases Hilton Honors Gold status 10 complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge visits per year

1. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Best for Travel, Lounge Access)

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum card! (The current public offer is 120,000 points.)

The Amex Business Platinum card sets the bar high when it comes to earning, redemptions, and endless benefits that come with the card.

Cardholders can earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amex Travel and 1.5x points on eligible purchases at U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year).

Praised by business travelers everywhere, the card delivers all the perks a traveler would value. Lounge access alone covers the annual fee, and when you add in 35% Pay With Points rebates on travel purchases, hotel and rental car status and benefits, and luxury hotel benefits with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection, there’s no better fit for the frequent business traveler seeking an American Express travel business card.

The card also comes with a host of statement credits, including:

Up to $200 in airline credits
Up to $189 in CLEAR credit
Up to $400 in Dell statement credits
Up to $360 in Indeed statement credits
Up to $150 in Adobe statement credits
Up to $120 in wireless phone service statement credits

When we look at all of the American Express Business cards, there isn’t one that comes close to delivering more value for travelers than the Amex Business Platinum card.

Yes, it does come with a high annual fee, but it delivers value for the frequent traveler far beyond the amount of that fee.

2. American Express® Business Gold Card (Best for Earning Points)

Another solid business card is the Amex Business Gold card, which rewards your greatest purchases with 4x points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month for the first $150,000 annually (then 1x). This ensures your greatest spending categories earn the greatest rewards. Eligible bonus categories are selected from a list of 6 common business expense categories:

Airfare purchased from airlines
U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
U.S. purchases made from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions
U.S. purchases at gas stations
U.S. purchases at restaurants
U.S. purchases for shipping

If your business has significant spending in a particular category, points will add up quickly.

Hot Tip: The Amex Business Gold card also earns a spot on our list of best business credit cards for advertising purchases.

3. American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (Best for Start-ups, Cash-back, Introductory APR Offer)

Startup businesses may have an initial mix of expenses that differ from established businesses, as they may need to build technology infrastructure, open a brick-and-mortar storefront, or have the need to launch a massive marketing campaign to get up and running.

For this reason, selecting a business credit card that rewards startup expenses is critical to getting the most value back from a business credit card.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card is a solid card for a startup business because it offers the business owner a simple cash-back earning structure — 2% cash-back on every eligible purchase their business makes (up to $50,000 per year; 1% thereafter). The card also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening; variable rate, 17.99% – 25.99%, applies thereafter.

4. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Best for No Annual Fee, Introductory APR Offer)

Those looking for a rewards-earning business credit card without an annual fee should highly consider the Amex Blue Business Plus card.

With it, you’ll earn 2x points on all purchases of up to $50,000 in spend per year, and 1x points thereafter.

Further, the Amex Blue Business Plus card is one of the few business credit cards to come with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then 17.99% – 25.99% variable thereafter.

5. The Plum Card® from American Express (Best for Cash-back)

Cash-back is, of course, the most liquid form of rewards you can earn on your business card because the money can go right back into your business. While American Express doesn’t offer a lot of cash-back cards, the Amex Plum card, with a more simplistic structure, earns 1.5% cash-back on the portion of your balance you pay within 10 days of your statement closing date. However, if you need more time to pay off your charges, you’ll also get up to 60 days to pay without interest.

Additionally, the card has added perks like no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection (rates and fees).

6. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Best Delta Loyalists, Lounge Access)

If your business requires air travel, it makes sense to look at how American Express’ Delta co-branded business credit cards can add value and save your business money.

Delta business credit cards can earn SkyMiles for reward flights, deliver travel perks that make your journey more comfortable and productive, and even fund a family vacation.

With the Delta Reserve Business card, you’ll enjoy card benefits like:

3x SkyMiles on Delta purchases
Lounge access at Delta Sky Clubs, Centurion Lounges, and Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner
Ability to earn elite status miles (MQMs) with credit card spending
Annual Companion Certificate
Priority boarding, free checked bags, and access to complimentary upgrades

7. Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Best for Hotels)

If you regularly stay at Marriott hotels then the Marriott Bonvoy Business card is likely to be a great option for you.

For starters, it allows you to earn 6x points on Marriott stays, 4x points at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping, plus 2x points on all other purchases.

Beyond point earning, it offers automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, 15 Elite Night Credits each year, a 7% room rate discount, and more.

8. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Best for Hotels, Lounge Access)

Business owners who’ve made Hilton their hotel chain of choice will find tons of value in the Hilton Business Amex card. For a reasonable $95 annual fee you can take advantage of all of these perks:

12x points on Hilton stays
6x points at U.S. gas stations, on U.S. purchases for shipping, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
3x points on all other purchases
Automatic Hilton Honors Gold status
10 complimentary Priority Pass visits each year
A Free Night Reward after you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, and a second Free Night Reward after spending $60,000 in a calendar year

Other Amex Business Cards

While they didn’t make our top 8, American Express offers several other great business credit cards. You can learn more about each of them in our dedicated review pages.

Amex Membership Rewards Cards

Business Centurion® Card from American Express (By invitation only)
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express

Amazon Business Cards

Amazon Business American Express Card
Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

Delta Business Cards

Lowe’s Business Rewards Card from American Express

Lowe’s Business Rewards Card from American Express

How To Select a Business Credit Card

Business Card Basics

Your personal credit will play a significant role in whether you’re approved for a business credit card, so you’ll need to provide this information when applying for a business credit card.
Credit limits and APRs may be higher for business credit cards than for personal credit cards.
The CARD Act does not apply to business cards. The Federal Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 set provisions protecting consumers from the negative practices of credit card companies. Business credit cards are not covered by the act, so these cards may be less consumer-friendly, although some card issuers now voluntarily include CARD protections on their business cards.

Narrow Your Business Card Options by Answering These Questions

In which category of business expenses does my business spend the most? Earning rewards and bonus points or cash on your most significant spending categories is critical to maximizing the benefits of any business rewards-earning credit card.
Does my business involve frequent travel? Does your business purchase airline tickets frequently, or are you a road warrior who spends a lot at gas stations and hotels? Perhaps you work out of your home and have no travel expenses at all.
Would my business benefit more from cash-back or travel rewards? Do I want cash-back to reinvest back into my business, or is earning travel rewards more of a priority? Even if your business doesn’t involve travel, you might want to use the miles or points earned on your business expenses to fund a family vacation.
Am I comfortable paying an annual fee? Will the credit card deliver enough benefits to your business to offset any annual fee, or would you prefer a card with no annual fee?

Which Types of Businesses Qualify for a Business Credit Card?

The IRS defines a business as an activity “carried on with the reasonable expectation of earning a profit,” but credit card issuers have their own criteria for approving business credit card applications.

Some issuers want to see tax returns that show your business operation and others find a small side gig with little income as a perfectly acceptable business operation.

The stronger your personal credit history, the more likely you are to be approved for a business credit card, even if your business is just starting out.

Bottom Line: A strong personal credit history is needed to get approved for a business credit card because you will be personally responsible for paying your business credit card.

How To Apply for an American Express Business Credit Card

Before completing a business credit card application, you’ll want to gather the information you’ll need to complete the application accurately.

The name of your business (this can be your name or another legal name)
The type of business entity (sole proprietor, partnership, S corporation, limited liability company)
The business tax ID number (either an Employer Identification Number or your own Social Security number)
The number of years you’ve been in business
Total business revenue and total personal income, it’s fine to put zero if your business has no income yet
Address of the business (can be the same as your personal address) and phone number
Type of business and sub-type of business (for example, services, accounting services)
Number of employees
Additional personal information

Tips for completing the business credit card application:

Complete the application as accurately as possible, even if you have to estimate some of the numbers or generalize the nature of your business. Keep notes on why you answered a question a certain way and what your process was for estimating any business revenue or personal income.
Keep a copy of the application. If American Express needs more information before approving you for one of their credit cards, you’ll want to be able to refer to your application and any notes you made during any follow-up conversations.
Document the offer you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for an offer that gives 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, make sure you have a screenshot or other documentation if for any reason the points don’t show up.

Business Credit Cards vs. Personal Credit Cards

You may wonder if you need a business credit card for your startup or small business. You may not be generating a lot of profit starting out, and you’ve probably been able to get by using your personal credit card for your business expenses.

The most important reason for using a business credit card is to keep business expenses separate from personal expenses.

The easiest way to do that is to put all of your business expenses on a business credit card. Separating your expenses can be especially important when it comes time to complete your annual tax return and add up your business expenses for the year, or in case you face an audit.

You’ll also want to open a separate bank account for your business even before applying for a business credit card. It’s a prudent business practice to use funds from your business bank account to pay your business expenses on the credit card.

Hot Tip: Another reason to secure a business credit card is business cards frequently offer perks for businesses, have business cash management tools, offer higher credit limits, and reward business category spending more than personal cards.

Deciding Between an American Express Business Charge Card or a Business Credit Card

You’ll want to know the difference between a business charge card and a business credit card to make a good decision on which card will match your business spending patterns — and which will bring the most value to your bottom line.

An Amex business credit card allows you to carry a balance from one statement period to another. You will be charged interest on any balance remaining on the card when your statement period ends.

A charge card requires the balance to be paid off in full each statement period as charge cards do not typically allow a balance to be carried over to another statement period.

The Amex Plum card offers the opportunity to carry over a balance, but this option is the card’s key feature and it is stated upfront. Each card has different requirements, and the opportunity to carry over a balance must be initiated by the card issuer.

Charge cards usually have no preset spending limit, although that does not mean you have an unlimited credit limit. The credit card issuer will determine your limit internally based on how you’re managing the card.

Hot Tip: For more information on this topic, check out this article dedicated to the differences between charge cards and credit cards.

Final Thoughts

American Express offers more business credit cards than you could use in the lifetime of your business. Their business credit card options are generally strong contenders against other credit cards in their categories, so an American Express business credit card can be a good choice.

Of course, a prudent business owner compares other options before making a decision, so we’ll speed up the process and encourage you to take a look at our comprehensive list of the best business cards for cash-back, rewards, and more.

You’ll find a selection of business credit cards for every type of business operation and confirmation that American Express is a rock star among issuers in the business credit card world.

The information for the Amazon Business American Express Card, Amazon Business Prime American Express Card, Business Centurion® Card from American Express, and the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The Plum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, click here.

2 comments

Catherine June 13, 2021

Thanks, Christine, for a great article! Does AmEx voluntarily add CARD Act protections to all of its business cards? If so, are these protections equal to the CARD Act protections consumers receive? Which issuers are voluntarily adding CARD Act protections to their business cards? Thanks in advance for your reply! : )

- Christine Krzyszton June 16, 2021
  
  Thank you for reading Catherine. Although the CARD act does not apply to business cards, there is an easy way to compare cards and the associated rates, fees, and protections. The legally required Schumer Box (named after the senator who sponsored the legislation) must be displayed by each card issuer when offering any credit card. The box discloses all of the fees, interest rates, and terms/conditions for the card. You will find this box by clicking on a link that says “rates and fee”, “account terms”, or a similar title.