If you’re a small-business owner or even have a side hustle like driving for Uber or walking your dog, chances are you’re paying annual credit card fees while trying to save on expenses.
Fortunately, there are two solid welcome offers from American Express on its pair of business-oriented, no-annual-fee cards: the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (see rates and fees) and American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (See Rates and Fees).
Historically, these cards have offered little or no welcome bonus – so this is a good deal if you’re considering applying for either card.
Both cards have similar earning rates, so you’ll have to decide whether you want to earn Membership Rewards points (and a wide range of other redemption options) or cash back for travel. In this post, we will review the elevated welcome bonuses of these cards and evaluate their value.
Amex Blue Business Plus
If earning Membership Rewards points is your choice, then Blue Business Plus is the card you need.
Welcome offer: New cardmembers can earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first three months of cardmembership. That’s worth $300, according to TPG’s September 2024 valuation.
Annual Fee: $0
Earning Rate: Earn 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 spent on purchases each calendar year and 1 point per dollar on subsequent purchases.
To learn more, read our full review of Blue Business Plus.
Daily newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the latest news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Amex Blue Business Cash
If you’re on Team Cash Back, you should choose Blue Business Cash Card.
Welcome offer: New cardmembers can earn $250 cash back via statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of cardmembership.
Annual Fee: $0
Earning Rate: Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% cash back; Earned cash back is automatically credited to your statement.
To learn more, read our full review of Blue Business Cash.
Amex Blue Business Plus Vs. Amex Blue Business Cash
There are many similarities between them Blue Business Plus and Blue Business Cash. Both cards have the same bonus rewards rate (2 points or 2% back per dollar) on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year (1 point or 1% back per dollar thereafter).
So, if you can’t decide which product is better for you, the first step is to evaluate your personal and business needs.
Points are earned through the Amex Blue Business Plus membership rewards program. This means you have the ability to maximize the value of your welcome bonus (and any points you earn thereafter), as you can choose from a library of redemption options.
You’ll often get the most value out of your points by transferring to one of Amex’s 21 airline and hotel loyalty partners, though that may require more effort than redeeming for pure cash-back rewards.
If you are a cardmember of another membership rewards-earning card — ie Platinum Card® from American Express Or American Express® Gold Card – You can pool any points you earn from your new Blue Business Plus.
This is great if you’ve been eyeing that business-class award ticket and need to top off your Membership Rewards points balance with this new welcome offer, or increase your earning potential by taking home 2 points per dollar.
On the other hand, Amex Blue Business Cash is for those who are looking for simplicity. You’ll get cash back, which is automatically credited to your account as a statement credit, helping you reduce your overall operational costs.
The only downside is that you don’t have flexibility for your earnings; They can only be redeemed for statement credit. Of course, if you’re looking to earn cash-back rewards instead of navigating the complexities of Amex’s transfer partners, this can be a great option — especially with the current welcome offer.
Related: Which American Express Credit Card Is Best For You?
What are the other benefits and advantages?
You can’t go wrong with either card under your belt, thanks to Amex’s included travel and purchase protection. On both cards, you will enjoy the following:
Both cards come with expense management tools and a free employee card upon request.
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Not all types of vehicles 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 provided by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Cardmembers are responsible for charges incurred by third-party service providers.
***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
The bottom line
Both of these cards come with an excellent 2% rewards rate on the first $50,000 spent each calendar year (1 point or 1% back per dollar thereafter). For small businesses that spend well under this threshold annually, one of these cards is a great option for maximizing all your purchases without having to deal with confusing and insignificant bonus categories.
This welcome bonus is an added incentive to apply, as cards usually don’t have welcome offers. As a result, picking one up today can be a great option for your travel goals—and beyond.
Apply here: Amex Blue Business Plus
Apply here: Amex Blue Business Cash
Related: How to Get a Business Credit Card
For Blue Business Plus rates and fees, click here.
For Blue Business Cash rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Platinum rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Gold rates and fees, click here.