American Express Blue Business Cash Card Review

Busy small-business owners who want to earn simple cash back on monthly expenses will get nice value from this card. Since there’s no annual fee, you can pocket your rewards without having to make up for a fee.

This card is also for people who don’t want to think about how or when to redeem rewards. You’ll get automatic cash back credited to your account each month. However, that’s the only way to redeem rewards, so keep that in mind if you like having options. 

• Good, simple flat-rate rewards: There are no bonus-earning categories to remember with this card. You earn the same flat earnings rate for all of your purchases, and the rate is higher than what some other cards offer.
• Introductory 0% APR on purchases: A full year of no interest on purchases is a good offer for a business card with no annual fee. Many comparable cards don’t have introductory APR offers longer than nine months, if they offer one at all.
• Automatic rewards redemption: You don’t have to do apply to redeem your cash back. You’ll get an automatic statement credit, which you can think of as a retroactive discount on your spending. 
• Squishy credit limit: You can spend more than your credit limit with no overlimit fees and without making a special request, which could be helpful in a pinch. The amount you can spend above the limit is not unlimited, however, and is based on your payment history, credit record, and other factors. 

• No welcome offer: Many other cash-back cards have generous sign-up bonuses, so it’s disappointing that this card does not. 
• Limited rewards-earning potential: If you put more than $4,200 of expenses on this card each month, you’ll max out your double-cash-back earning potential. Better to look for another card that will reward that much spending. 
• Foreign transaction fee: Once you’re off U.S. soil, you’ll have to fork over a 2.7% fee on all purchases. This is not the card to bring with you on international business trips.

This card’s simple rewards structure lets you earn 2% cash back on eligible purchases up to $50,000 per year. Once you hit that $50,000 purchase mark, you’ll get 1% back. 

You’ll get an automatic statement credit for anything earned each billing period, so there’s no need to lift a finger to redeem rewards. However, that also means you won’t have the vast redemption options that other rewards cards, such as those focused on travel, may offer. 

The card comes with the following perks:

• Rental car collision insurance (secondary to your own policy)
• Extended warranty
• Insurance for stolen or damaged purchases
• Travel and emergency hotline

American Express ranked No. 2 among 11 credit card companies in J.D. Power’s 2018 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, so you can expect top-notch customer service. Cardholders can call in or connect via the online chat function 24/7 or via the American Express app. 

There are also some handy tools for managing business expenses, including Spend Manager (which lets you add notes and receipts to your transactions), free employee cards with spending limits you set, and easy data transfer to QuickBooks.

American Express offers standard account alerts for this card to help you track activity. You’ll also have assistance sorting out fraud matters, if necessary. 

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee—for you or employees who get their own card—or an overlimit fee if you charge beyond your credit limit. Just remember that it does charge a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, so use another card while traveling abroad.