The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a well-liked business credit card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. It offers a decent cash back rewards program that benefits business owners for their regular purchases. This card is a good fit for general business use, and its 12-month, 0% APR promotion is a boon for business owners planning to make large purchases.
This card competes with several business-focused rewards cards, including the American Express Blue Business Plus and Chase Ink Cash Business. If you’re unsure whether the Blue Business Cash Card is the right fit for you, let’s compare it with another popular cash-back card for small business owners: the Capital One Spark Cash Plus credit card.
The Blue Business Cash Card doesn’t charge an annual fee, while the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card charges $150. The Blue Business Cash Card offers 2% cash-back on the first $50,000 spent on eligible purchases each year, then 1% cash-back on eligible purchases. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card offers 2% cash back on most purchases and 5% cash-back on eligible Capital One Travel purchases.
The Blue Business Cash Card offers a 0% APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then a variable regular APR applies: 18.49% to 26.49% APRs will not exceed 29.99%. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card does not offer an introductory APR at this time.
As a new card member, you can earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months with the Blue Business Cash Card. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card offers $500 once you spend at least $5,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months and another $500 once you spend at least $50,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months.
The Blue Business Cash Card has several key features. You can earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. The card earns 2% cash back on the first $50,000 spent on eligible purchases each year. Above the limit, purchases in these categories earn an unlimited 1% cash back. Accrued cash back is automatically applied to your account as a statement credit at the end of each billing period. Enjoy 0% APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening. After the introductory APR period, a variable regular APR applies: 18.49% to 26.49% APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
There is no annual membership fee. Foreign transactions cost 2.7% of the total transaction amount, regardless of denomination. Late and returned payments cost up to $39. The card comes with several value-added benefits that aren’t available to non-business cardholders. These include the American Express® Business App, the ability to assign an authorized Account Manager, customizable account alerts, and integrations with third-party apps and sites like QuickBooks and Bill.com.
With this card’s Expanded Buying Power feature, you can spend beyond your credit limit to make bigger purchases for your business while earning cash back on those purchases. However, your additional spending power isn’t unlimited – it adjusts with your card use patterns, payment history, credit record, financial resources known to Amex, and other factors. This card requires good to excellent credit. Any notable credit blemishes are likely to be disqualifying.
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card has some significant benefits for regular users. It has no annual fee, a solid offer, a good cash-back program, and simplified cash-back accrual and redemption, among other high points. However, it also has a foreign transaction fee and a spending cap for the 2% cash-back category — a cap that’s low enough to trouble heavier spenders.
If you haven’t considered applying for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card or another business credit card because you don’t think you qualify as a business owner, it’s time to take another look. Even if you’re a sole proprietor without formal incorporation, you may still be eligible for this credit card if you certify that you intend to use it only for business expenditures. In many cases, filing a Schedule C with your income taxes, signifying that you’re self-employed, is enough to demonstrate that you’re a business owner – whether you oversee a one-person operation or a multi-employee company.
It’s important to remember that while the American Express Blue Business Cash Card’s terms resemble those of many consumer credit cards, business cards are exempt from some of the key provisions of the CARD Act, such as the requirement that cardholders regularly be notified of changes in terms and conditions.
