Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express overview
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is the best no-annual-fee (see rates and fees) Amex small-business card. It offers 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar after that). Membership Rewards points are exceptionally valuable because they transfer to 20-plus airline and hotel partners. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Given the overwhelming number of business rewards credit cards available, it’s safe to say that there is a business card with the right benefits and perks for your operation — no matter the size.
The Amex Blue Business Plus is an underrated credit card since it’s the single most rewarding Amex business credit card for everyday spending. In addition to a simple rewards-earning structure, the card offers some valuable benefits for small businesses — all for no annual fee.
You may have heard about business cards stacked with valuable perks and spending bonuses, such as The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or the American Express® Business Gold Card. The Blue Business Plus perfectly complements these cards. Not only does it have no annual fee, but you can earn twice as many Amex points for purchases that don’t fall into one of the other cards’ bonus categories.
We recommend you have a credit score of 670 or above to increase your chances of being approved for this product.
Here’s everything you need to know about this solid business credit card.
Related: How to pick a strategy for your small-business credit cards
Blue Business Plus pros and cons
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Blue Business Plus welcome offer
New cardmembers of the Blue Business Plus can earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within the first three months of cardmembership.
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According to TPG’s March 2025 valuations, this welcome offer is worth $300. This is the standard welcome offer for this card, so it may be worth waiting for a higher offer.
Remember that American Express has a once-per-lifetime policy for earning welcome bonuses. As a result, if you’ve had this card in the past, you may not be eligible for any welcome offer on it.
Fortunately, Amex will tell you whether you’re eligible for a welcome offer before you submit your application. Pay attention to any pop-ups that appear during the application process.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses currently available
Blue Business Plus benefits
Despite being a no-annual-fee business card, the Blue Business Plus offers several perks that could be highly valuable for small businesses:
- Expanded buying power: This benefit allows you to spend beyond your credit limit to help pay for larger purchases. This additional spending must be paid in full by your due date; the amount up to your credit limit can be carried from month to month. Note that this does not mean that American Express will grant you unlimited spending power — the amount adjusts based on various factors, including your card use, payment history and credit history.
- Employee cards: American Express allows you to get up to 99 employee cards at no additional cost (see rates and fees), making it easy to rack up rewards through your employees’ spending.
- Amex Offers: These are statement credits or bonus points with specific merchants, which can save you hundreds of dollars over a year.
- Coverage: This card offers extended warranty*, purchase protection* and rental car insurance**.
*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.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Related: Your complete guide to travel protections on American Express cards
Earning points with the Blue Business Plus
Earning points on the Blue Business Plus is straightforward — one of the greatest merits of the card. You earn 2 points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 spent on the card annually (then 1 point per dollar after that).
This is the best earning rate for everyday purchases on a business card — equal to a 4% return, based on TPG’s March 2025 valuations.
There are no bonus categories to keep track of, which makes it very easy to manage.
Related: Comparing flat-rate with bonus-category cash-back credit cards
Redeeming points with the Blue Business Plus
The Membership Rewards points you’ll earn with the Blue Business Plus can be transferred to several loyalty program partners.
Though you’ll generally get the most value from your Amex points by transferring them to a travel partner, you can also redeem points for cash back, Amazon purchases, gift cards and more. However, these tend to offer much lower value for your points.
Alternatively, you can use points to book travel directly through Amex Travel, but if that’s the type of redemption you’re after, you’ll want to pair the Blue Business Plus with the Business Platinum Card to get a 35% of your points back on airfare booked with points (up to 1 million points back per calendar year on the Business Platinum).
Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Amex Business Platinum?
Transferring points with the Blue Business Plus
The Blue Business Plus earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to various airline and hotel partners. These include Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
You can use these points to fly virtually anywhere in the world, including economy flights to Hawaii, business-class tickets to Europe and first-class journeys to Japan.
TPG credit cards writer Danyal Ahmed keeps an eye out for transfer bonuses to key programs, which can reduce the cost of a flight or hotel redemption by up to 50%.
Which cards compete with the Blue Business Plus?
There are many small-business credit cards on the market that compete with the Blue Business Plus. Here are some alternatives to consider:
- If you prefer Chase: Try the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, which earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, all for no annual fee. Note that you can only transfer these rewards if you have a Chase card that earns transferable Ultimate Rewards points. If so, you can combine your rewards in a single account. To learn more, check out our full review of the Ink Business Unlimited.
- If you prefer Capital One: Go for the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. It earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, although some differences exist. Capital One’s card doesn’t have a spending cap for that earning rate but carries a $95 annual fee beginning the second year ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year). When using your miles, you can redeem them for travel at 1 cent apiece — or you can transfer them to 15-plus airline and hotel partners. To learn more, check out our full review of the Spark Miles for Business.
- If you want more benefits: The Amex Business Platinum Card offers a wide range of statement credits that can help your business offset costs (enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply). The card earns 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. Plus, you’ll earn 1.5 points per dollar in key business category purchases or on purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million in purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar). It comes with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.
For additional options, check out our full list of the best business cards.
Related: Your guide to the Chase Ink Business credit cards
Is the Blue Business Plus worth it?
If you own a small business and want to earn lucrative Membership Rewards points on your everyday business spending, you should consider Amex’s Blue Business Plus Credit Card. Its industry-leading return of 4% (TPG’s March 2025 valuation) on the first $50,000 spent each year is fantastic — as is the fact you can earn this many points without paying an annual fee.
Bottom line
The Blue Business Plus card is a fantastic option for small businesses, though depending on the types of purchases your business makes, it may make the most sense for you to pair this card with another Amex business card that offers bonus categories.
A great sibling is the American Express Business Gold Card, which earns 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on the two categories in which you spend the most each billing cycle (on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) — all for an annual fee of $375 (see rates and fees).
Apply here: Blue Business Plus American Express
For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Plus Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold Card, click here.