Capital One Venture X Business Card vs. the Amex Business Platinum Card [Detailed Comparison]

Having the right business card for your operation can add value to your business’s bottom line. And while earning rewards on every purchase your business makes is a key benefit, there are other benefits to having a business credit card that is not as obvious.

The right business card can provide tools for managing expenses, offer benefits that can save business revenue, and deliver perks that can result in your travel being more comfortable.

Today, we’re excited to talk about 2 premium business cards that are prime examples of cards that deliver value. The Capital One Venture X Business Card and The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, are both worth considering for your business, but after review, you’ll find that one card may be a better fit over the other.

(The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer)

Overview

Here’s how the 2 cards compare in all the key attributes:

Welcome Offer Comparison

Newly approved cardholders of the Capital One Venture X Business card or the Amex Business Platinum card will have the opportunity to jumpstart their rewards earning by qualifying for a welcome bonus.

A welcome bonus is earned by meeting minimum spending requirements within a specified period after card approval.

Welcome offers vary, so you’ll want to review the most current offer before applying for any card.

Here are snapshots of our featured cards, which include the welcome offers:

Capital One Venture X Business Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening

150,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$2,700

Annual Fee

$395

APR

All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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The Capital One Venture X Business card is a great all-around premium rewards card that helps you rack up miles on all of your business expenses.

From 2x miles per dollar on all purchases, airport lounge access, an annual travel credit, complimentary employee cards, and more, there is plenty to love about the Capital One Venture X Business card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per dollar on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates and fees)
• 10x and 5x bonus categories are limited to Capital One Travel bookings

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
• This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs. The annual fee on this card is $395
• Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Earn unlimited 10X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get the best prices on thousands of options
• Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
• Skip the lines with up to a $120 statement credit on TSA PreCheck^® or Global Entry. Then enjoy unlimited complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and a network of 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium Group lounges
• This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
  

Financial Snapshot

• APR: All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

ELEVATED OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

150,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$3,300

Annual Fee

$695

APR

18.74% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
• Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)

Cons

• High annual fee of $695 (rates & fees)
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card^®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card^®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.74% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Bottom Line:

Both the Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Business Platinum card come with generous welcome offers that can be earned by meeting minimum spending requirements within the specified period immediately following card approval.

Earning Potential

In addition to qualifying for the welcome offer on the Capital One Venture X Business card and the Amex Business Platinum card, you’ll be able to earn rewards in several additional ways.

Here’s how you can earn ongoing rewards with our featured cards.

Referral Opportunities

There are certain rules you need to be aware of before referring friends and family for a Capital One card. The person cannot currently have that Capital One card in order for you to receive a bonus. Also, at the time of writing this article, the Capital One Venture X Business card does not yet have a referral bonus.

Once you’re approved for a Capital One Venture X Business card, be sure to check your online account for referral bonus opportunities that could be added in the future.

American Express offers a generally more robust referral program.

One positive aspect of referring friends or family with American Express is that they can select any American Express card, and you will still receive the referral bonus once they’re approved.

Referral offers and limits do change, so you’ll want to log into your online card account and check the most recent offer before referring.

Spending on the Card

Spending on the Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Business Platinum card may be your primary source of earning rewards.

The Capital One Venture X Business card earns rewards in the form of Capital One miles, and the Amex Business Platinum card earns Membership Rewards points. Don’t let the terms miles and points confuse you as both are flexible rewards that are similarly earned and redeemed.

Let’s start with how you’ll be earning rewards when spending on either of our featured cards:

Both the Capital One Venture X Business card and the Amex Business Platinum card receive elevated earnings when purchasing select travel via their respective travel portals. If your business has large travel expenses outside of the portal, the Capital One Venture X Business card may offer greater value with 2x earnings versus 1x earnings on the Amex Business Platinum card.

We estimate Capital One miles are worth approximately 1.8 cents each and Membership Rewards points 2.2 cents each. With these valuations, you’d be earning about 3.6 cents per dollar spent with the Capital One Venture X Business card on general travel purchases and 2.2 cents per dollar spent with the Amex Business Platinum card.

The Amex Business Platinum card earns 1.5x points on key business categories. These categories include electronic goods retailers, U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers.

You’ll receive similar overall value with either card on all purchases of $5,000 or more (a total of 3.6 cents per dollar spent on the Capital One Venture X Business card with 2x earnings and 3.3 cents on the Amex Business Platinum card with 1.5x earnings).

Renewal Bonus

The Capital One Venture X Business card comes with a 10,000-mile bonus at each card renewal, starting with the first renewal.

The Amex Business Platinum card does not have a renewal bonus.

While earning potential is important and a key element to consider when selecting a business card, there are other attributes of a business credit card that may add significant value to your business operation. We’ll look at redemption options and additional card benefits next.

Bottom Line:

You will earn rewards on every purchase you make with either the Capital One Venture X Business card or the Amex Business Platinum card. With 2x earnings on general purchases, the Capital One Venture X Business card has the earning edge. In addition to spending on either card, you can earn referral bonuses with the Amex Business Platinum card and bonus miles on the Capital One Venture X Business card at each card renewal.

Redemption Options

Earning rewards on business purchases can add up quickly. Soon, you’ll be faced with the exciting task of redeeming those rewards. While the Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Business Platinum card have similar redemption options, there are key differences.

Here are your options when it’s time to redeem the rewards earned on either card:

The best potential value at redemption time for either card is to transfer rewards to airline or hotel partners. You can review a list of transfer partners and inspirational ideas for the best redemptions via Capital One transfer partners and American Express transfer partners in these related links.

As we mentioned earlier, Capital One miles can be worth approximately 1.8 cents each when redeemed via transfer partners, and Membership Rewards 2.2 cents each. The actual value you receive will depend on the specific airline ticket or hotel night redemption you select.

One key benefit of the Amex Business Platinum card is that when you use points to pay for flights via AmexTravel.com, you can receive a 35% points rebate for premium flights purchased with any airline and any flight purchased with your pre-selected airline.

Using rewards earned on either card for a general statement credit results in generally poor value.

Bottom Line:

The best value for rewards earned on the Capital One Venture X Business card or the Amex Business Platinum card is to transfer rewards to an airline or hotel partner and redeem them for award flights or free hotel nights. You can also redeem rewards earned on either card via the cards’ respective portal for travel at a value of 1 cent each.

Travel Benefits (Air Travel, Hotel and Car Rental)

Air Travel Advantages

Airport Lounge Benefits

While the Capital One Venture X Business card and the Amex Business Platinum card each come with worldwide lounge access, lounge property access does differ. Since this can be a valuable benefit, it’s worth noting the details of the lounge benefits that come with each card:

The Amex Business Platinum card clearly has greater potential for worldwide lounge access. The card also offers the same lounge access benefits as the primary cardholder to authorized users. Learn more about Amex Business Platinum card authorized user benefits in our detailed guide.

The Capital One Venture X Business card only extends lounge access to primary cardholders. However, the Priority Pass benefit extends to non-lounge experiences and restaurants.

Here are the additional benefits unique to each card and additional details for some of the common benefits listed above.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

• Annual Capital One Travel Credit — Each year, receive a credit of up to $300 to use toward travel purchases via Capital One Travel.

Amex Business Platinum Card

• CLEAR Plus Statement Credit — Pay for your CLEAR Plus expedited security membership with your card and receive up to $199 as a statement credit each year. You could also pay for a friend or family member’s membership.
• Airline Incidental Fee Credit — Select your preferred airline via your online card account, use your card to make a qualifying purchase with the airline, and receive a statement credit for up to $200 total each year.

Hotel Program Privileges

Capital One Venture X Business Card

• Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection Hotel Benefits — Book your stay via Capital One Travel and receive a room upgrade (when available), daily breakfast for 2, complimentary Wi-Fi, early check-in/late checkout, and up to $100 in credit for an on-site experience.

Amex Business Platinum Card

• The Hotel Collection Benefits — Use your card to book a stay for a minimum of 2 nights and receive an upgraded room, when available, and a $100 experience credit to use on-site for dining, spa, and resort activities.
• Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefits — Receive elite-style perks, including an upgraded room (when available), complimentary breakfast for 2, $100 on-site amenity or experience, and early check-in/late checkout when available.

Car Rental Program Perks (Amex Platinum Card only)

• Car Rental Program Benefits — Enroll to receive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle discounts and perks, Avis Preferred Plus car upgrades and discounts, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status.

Comparing Travel Protection and Insurance Coverage

Travel protections can add tremendous value for cardholders. The Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Platinum Business card have several travel protections in common and additional benefits that are unique to each card.

First, let’s look at a summary of the attributes of both of our featured cards.

Amex Business Platinum Card Only

• Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption — Receive up to $10,000 per eligible trip, up to $20,000 per eligible card per consecutive 12-month period if your trip is canceled or interrupted for an eligible reason.
• Trip Delay — For delays of 6 hours or more, receive up to $500 per covered trip, up to 2 claims per eligible card each consecutive 12-month period.
• Baggage Insurance — Receive up to $3,000 if your luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Please note that we have not included every available travel protection or benefit, only key ones for comparison purposes. We have also abbreviated descriptions and not included the terms and conditions. You’ll want to access the Guide to Benefits for each card for complete information.

Bottom Line:

Both the Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Business Platinum card are loaded with travel protections and benefits, save you money on select travel-related purchases, and can make your trip more comfortable. The better card for your business will be the one with the most usable benefits for your situation.

Shopping Showdown – Protection and Benefits

You’ll be using your business credit card for a large number of purchases. Fortunately, the Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Business Platinum card come with several shopping protections and benefits that can protect your purchases or save you money.

Here are the shopping protections and benefits you’ll find on both cards:

Amex Business Platinum Card

• Cell Phone Protection — Receive up to $800 per claim, for a maximum of 2 claims per year, up to $1,600 in total coverage each year.
• Return Protection — Purchase an eligible item with your card, and if the merchant will not accept a return within 90 days, you could receive up to $300 per item, a maximum of $1,000 per year.
• Dell Statement Credit — Receive a statement credit of up to $200 from January through June, and an additional statement credit of up to $200 from July through December, for Dell Technologies purchases. That’s a total of $400 in annual statement credits.
• Wireless Phone Service Credit — Use your card to make a payment to your monthly wireless phone bill with your card and receive up to $10 in statement credits each month, up to $120 each year.
• Adobe Statement Credit — Receive up to $150 back each year on purchases made with the card for prepaid Adobe subscriptions, Creative Cloud, and Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams.
• Indeed Statement Credit — Make an eligible purchase with your card, directly with Indeed, and qualify for up to $90 in statement credits each quarter, for up to $360 in credits each year.

Bottom Line:

The Capital One Venture X Business card and Amex Business Platinum card each come with several useful shopping protections and benefits. The Amex Business Platinum card offers additional protections and benefits, including return protection and hundreds of dollars in statement credits for select purchases.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

The Capital One Venture X Business card charges an annual fee of $395. The Amex Business Platinum card charges an annual fee of $695.

The Capital One Venture X Business card fee is lower, but the Amex Business Platinum card may provide greater economic value depending on the number of the card’s benefits you can actually use.

Additional users can be valuable assets when it comes to managing your business expenses. Authorizing a key member of your organization to make business purchases can free up an owner for more important actions while still exercising control.

There is no additional fee to add authorized user employee cards to the Capital One Venture X Business card.

There is a fee of $350 a year to add each additional Amex Business Platinum card authorized user. You can add Amex Business Gold card members for $45 each annually, and there is no charge to add Amex Business Green card members. You can add up to 99 additional card users.

Hot Tip:

Authorized users on the Amex Business Platinum card receive worldwide lounge access with the same privileges as primary cardholders.

Final Thoughts

The Capital One Venture X Business card has plenty of value for the business owner. And, with a lower annual fee, the card offers elevated earnings, flexible redemption options, and premium benefits. The $300 Capital One Travel purchase credit, worldwide lounge access, and cell phone protection make this card a contender for a primary business card.

One caveat is that the initial minimum spending threshold to earn the card’s generous welcome offer can be much higher than the Amex Business Platinum card. You’ll want to check the current requirements before applying to be sure you’re able to meet the spend and qualify for this potentially valuable bonus.

The Amex Business Platinum card, even with its higher annual fee, could provide even more value for the right business owner. If you can use just a fraction of its benefits, you may realize more value than the outlay of the annual fee, especially if you’re a frequent traveler. You won’t find a business card with more premium travel benefits and potential overall value.

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For the secondary rental car coverage benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 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. 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.

For the baggage insurance benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the purchase protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, when 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. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, the maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the Return Protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express^® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

For the cell phone protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12-month period. Eligibility 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.