American express blue business cash card eligible purchases

Selecting the best business credit card can be a challenge, as there are so many business credit cards to choose from. And while it can be tempting to simply use your personal credit cards for your business expenses, that could lead to an accounting nightmare — and you’d be missing out on the major advantages of a business credit card. As such, it’s worth your while to consider a business credit card that can earn you valuable cash back like the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card.

In this American Express Blue Business Cash Card review, you'll learn who it’s a good fit for, along with the benefits and perks of the card. Also, I’ll answer a few common questions that readers have about the Amex Blue Business Cash Card.

Who should get the American Express Blue Business Cash Card?

If you’re a small business owner looking to reduce your bottom line, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card could be a great start. If you value simplicity and convenience, this card has exactly that — you’ll earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then 1% after that. With cash back on all purchases, you could lower your bottom line with ease, as the rewards you earn will post automatically to your statement.

Additionally, if you make large purchases for your business, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card is extremely handy, since you can buy above your credit limit with no phone calls needed. Plus, it comes with an intro 0% APR (annual percentage rate), then 16.24% to 24.24% (variable)

Lastly, if you travel for work, this card comes with car rental loss and damage insurance (secondary coverage) in case something goes awry during your trips.

Card basics

Card type Business
Credit card issuer American Express
Annual fee $0. Terms apply.
Welcome offer Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
Reward rate 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then 1% after that
Recommended credit score Excellent, Good
Intro APR 0% for 12 months on purchases, then 16.24% to 24.24% (variable)
Foreign transaction fee 2.7%

American Express Blue Business Cash Card benefits and perks

  • Welcome bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of cardmembership.
  • Respectable cashback earnings: With the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, you’ll earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then 1% after that. All the cash back you earn will automatically post to your statements as statement credits, so you don’t need to worry about manually redeeming it.
  • Large purchase perk: If you need to make purchases beyond your designated credit limit, you can do so. With the Blue Business Cash Card, you can spend above your credit limit. However, the amount you can spend isn’t unlimited. You’ll still have a ceiling on these purchases, which will be determined based on your use of the card, payment history, credit record, and other factors.
  • Travel coverage: The Blue Business Cash Card offers coverage for car rental loss and damage, along with access to the Global Assist Hotline. This hotline can provide access to medical, legal, financial, or other emergency needs while on the road. This perk is available when you’re traveling more than 100 miles from home.
  • Intro APR: Cardholders have an intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months after account opening. After the introductory APR period, the regular APR is 16.24% to 24.24% (variable).
  • No annual fee: The American Express Blue Business Cash Card is a $0-annual-fee card.
  • Extended warranty protection: When you use your card for eligible purchases, you could get up to one year of additional warranty coverage.
  • Purchase protection: Get up to $1,000 purchase protection if a covered item you bought with your card is damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase. 

Drawbacks to the American Express Blue Business Cash Card

  • Annual spending cap: The American Express Blue Business Cash Card comes with a $50,000 annual spending cap for bonus cash back. If you're a business owner who typically spends more than that each calendar year, another card might be a better option.
  • Has foreign transaction fee: This card has a foreign transaction fee of 2.7%, so it's probably not the best card to use if you travel abroad.
  • No intro APR on balance transfers: There's no intro APR on balance transfers with the American Express Blue Business Cash Card. If you want to transfer a balance from a high interest rate card and pay it off over time, a 0% APR credit card with a balance transfer offer would likely be a better bet.

Earning & redeeming cash back with the American Express Blue Business Cash Card

Best ways to earn

To make the best of your earnings with the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, consider maximizing the 2% cash back. You earn 2% on eligible purchases on up to $50,000 spent each year, after that 1%. This bonus cash back amounts to a sizeable $1,000 in earnings in the form of statement credits if you meet that spending threshold.

However, once you reach that threshold, you might want to consider switching credit cards. After you hit that limit, you’ll be reduced to 1% cash back on everything else until the next year of card ownership. That isn’t a great rate, and there are plenty of business credit cards that could get you more.

Maximizing your redemptions

If you reach the $50,000-per-year spending threshold for the 2% cash back, you’d net $1,000 in cashback rewards in the form of statement credits. But if you continue to spend beyond that, you’ll earn only 1% cash back. For that reason, you may want to add another business credit card to your collection to use in conjunction with the Amex Blue Business Cash Card to keep maximizing your cash back.

American Express Blue Business Cash Card FAQs

How do I redeem cashback rewards with the Amex Blue Business Cash Card?

This is one of the largest perks of this card — you don’t need to redeem anything. As you earn with the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, your cash back will automatically post each month as a statement credit. There’s no manual redemption needed. You can simply use your card for purchases, and your earnings will follow.

What credit score do you need for the Amex Blue Business Cash Card?

You will likely need good-to-excellent credit in order to be approved for the Amex Blue Business Cash Card.

How many American Express business cards can you have?

American Express limits each person to four cards total, including personal cards. So, for example, you could have two personal cards and two business cards. 

Is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card worth it?

The Blue Business Cash Card is great for someone looking to score valuable cash back for their business purchases. The ability to earn up to 2% cash back on your purchases can make a sizable difference on the bottom line of your business.

Does the American Express Blue Business Cash Card have a foreign transaction fee?

Yes, the Amex Blue Business Cash Card does have a foreign transaction fee of 2.7%.

What are some alternatives to the American Express Blue Business Cash Card?

Other cards to consider

If the American Express Blue Business Cash Card isn’t the best credit card for your wallet, there are plenty of other options to consider. Here are two cards to keep in mind for your business expenses.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is very similar to the American Express Blue Business Cash Card. This rewards credit card offers 2% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus offers a more generous welcome bonus. You’ll earn up to $1,000 cash bonus — $500 after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus $500 after spending $50,000 in the first 6 months.

Read our full Capital One Spark Cash Plus review.

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is another similar small business credit card. With this card, you can earn $750 bonus cash back after spending $7,500 in the first 3 months. However, the rewards rate on this card works a bit differently — 5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, or phone services (up to $25,000 combined annually); 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 combined annually); and 1% cash back on everything else. This cash back card also offers an intro 0% APR for 12 months on purchases (then 15.49% to 21.49% (variable)).

Read our full Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card review.

Author Details

American express blue business cash card eligible purchases

Brett Holzhauer Brett Holzhauer is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. He writes about using points & miles for travel, travel industry news, utilizing credit cards as financial leverage, and investing for the future. He has been featured in publications such as The Points Guy, Million Mile Secrets, The Money Manual, Recruiter, Travel Pulse, and Bald Thoughts. He is a full-time digital nomad with his wife, Kiersten.

What are eligible purchases American Express?

Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents.

What is the credit limit on American Express blue business cash?

The credit limit for the Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express generally ranges from $1,000 to $10,000 or more depending on creditworthiness. This card also offers expanded buying power that lets you exceed your credit limit.

Does American Express Blue cash work at Walmart?

No, Blue Cash Preferred does not count Walmart as a supermarket, which means that Walmart purchases are not eligible for the card's bonus cash back rate. Purchases at Walmart get 1% cash back – the same rate as any other purchases that don't fall into the Blue Cash Preferred's bonus categories.

What is the American Express Blue business cash Card?

The American Express Business Blue Cash Card is a cash back rewards business credit card ideal for small business owners who spend equal to or not much more than $50,000 each year.