American Express Business Credit Cards
- : Best Overall Business Card
- : Best for Big Spenders
- : Best for 0% Intro APR Offer
- : Best for Financing
- : Best for Frequent Flyers
- : Best for Hotel Stays
: Best Overall Business Card
- Customizable rewards based on your business needs
- Good for business owners with fluctuating spending needs
- No foreign transaction fee
As far as American Express business cards go, this one offers the most flexible yet competitive rewards program, something that will likely attract business owners who want to get big rewards on categories that actually matter to them. This is largely due to the customizable rewards program that lets you earn points back on two of your top spending categories.
The points are retroactive and your categories change month-by-month based on a single billing cycle. For example, if your travel expenses are exceptionally high one month, you’ll be able to enjoy max rewards on those purchases. However, if it’s restaurant visits and client entertaining that accounts for the majority of your spending the next, the rewards program accommodates that change. You won’t be locked into specific categories, which is often the case with other rewards programs. Categories include gas station, restaurant, airfare, shipping, advertising, and technology (software, hardware, etc.) purchases.
All other purchases made with this American Express small business card are worth 1 point per dollar. Plus, if you use your points to book travel with Amex, then you’ll receive 25% points back.
This card does come with a rather high annual fee — — but with regular card use, the rewards can quickly outweigh the fee. Plus, new members will also receive 1 Free Year of G Suite Basic and Zip Recruiter Standard, a total value of $3,188.
: Best for Big Spenders
- Great for business owners with significant travel expenses
- Strong welcome bonus
- Annual airline fee credit
- High annual fee
often has one of the best welcome offers, and in many cases, the same is true for the rewards program. Adding to the travel perks is an annual $200 airline fee credit, $100 hotel credit, Amex and Delta lounge access, and a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔. It’s easy to see how business owners with travel needs can leverage this card.
You can also get a $200 statement credit when you purchase computers and more directly with Dell as well as a year-long WeWork membership, which gives you access to their services at over 335 locations worldwide ($2,700 value)
Cardholders who don’t do a lot of traveling will have a hard time validating the annual fee — understandably so — but for those who do, the statement credits and rewards programs can certainly make it worth it. Plus, though you must book through Amex Travel to get the most points rewards, you aren’t tethered to one airline or hotel group as you would be with a co-branded card.
: Best Card for 0% APR
- Great for earning rewards without paying an annual fee
- 0% intro APR
- No annual fee
- Expanded Buying Power feature
With an introductory APR of and no annual fee, is an attractive credit product for anyone. However, that’s especially true, especially for American Express small business customers who need a simple, no-hassle card.
With this card, you have the opportunity to finance big purchases for well over a year before you have to worry about interest kicking in. Plus, you can still take advantage of a rewards program without worrying about an annual fee, some of which can be pretty lofty.
Speaking of rewards programs, has you covered.
Another feature that sets this card apart from some of the other American Express business cards is the Expanded Buying Power option. With this feature, you can make necessary purchases even if they exceed your credit limit without facing penalties. You don’t have to apply for the expanded credit; simply make the purchase and pay off the credit limit surplus in the next billing cycle.
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: Best for Financing
- 60-day interest-free financing
- 1.5% discount for early payment
- Expanded Buying Power
- High annual fee
Though this card isn’t brimming with rewards benefits and does come with a hefty annual fee, if you’re looking for a card that offers payment flexibility, may be your answer.
One of the primary benefits of this card is the 60-day, interest-free financing offer, which gives you 60 days to pay off activity from a single billing cycle before interest begins to accrue; all you have to do is pay 10% of the eligible purchases. In other words, you make a $1,500 purchase, all you have to do it pay $150 for the first billing cycle, carrying the remaining $1,350 to the next.
In addition, with the Plum card, you can choose your billing cycle, opting for the beginning, middle or end of the month — a great option to help you spread your expenses out over the course of the month.
Further, this card, like the Blue Business Plus card offers the Expanded Buying Power feature, which allows you to temporarily exceed your existing credit limit.
It’s also worth noting that there is a 1.5% discount when you make a payment within 10 days of the statement closing date. Though this isn’t marketed as a “reward,” it’s akin to a 1.5% cash back bonus.
With a $250 annual fee, which is waived in the first year, this card won’t always pay off, but if you do need that extra time to pay, and the 0% interest and 1.5% discount works in your favor, you may find it outweighs the fee and helps you manage cash flow more efficiently.
: Best for Frequent Flyers
- Great for Delta Loyalists
- Annual companion certificate
- Priority boarding
- Relatively high annual fee.
While the may be great for business owners who spend a lot on general travel, if you’re a frequent flyer and you like Delta, then you may want to consider one of the three Amex Delta business cards available to consumers, especially the .
This alone doesn’t make it the best card, but the travel perks certainly do. With the , you can earn a generous welcome offer. And, in some cases, your benefits will extend to up to nine guests.
Flying with the will save you money and give you and your employees access to a lot of great travel perks. And though this card does have a annual fee, it’s easy to overlook with some of the perks, specifically the rewards miles, companion certificate, and bag-check waivers.
Amex Frequent Flyers Runner Up
If you’re a Delta loyalist, you may also want to check out these American Express Delta business cards:
Like the , this card offers miles per dollar on Delta purchases and a mile per dollar on all other purchases. It also offers some of the same points, like priority boarding, a bag-check waiver, and inflight savings.
Unlike the Delta Platinum, however, this card doesn’t offer an annual companion voucher or access to MQM bonuses.
Who is it good for? With a , this Delta Amex card is a good option for business owners who fly Delta enough to want the rewards and benefits without the high annual fee. In other words, this may be a good supplemental travel rewards card.
The has the same basic rewards structure as the Amex Delta Gold and Platinum cards – and it also offers annual bonus miles and MQMs.
However, one of the primary differences between the and the , aside from slightly elevated bonus earning power, is Sky Club access.
With the , cardholders will receive complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club lounge, with the ability to bring along two guests at a discounted rate of $29 each. For cardholders that regularly fly Delta and want access to the SkyClub, then this card may worth the annual fee. If not, the may be a better option.
– Best for Hotel Stays
This year, the Starwoods Preferred Guest (SPG) Business card was replaced by the the result of a 2016 acquisition by Marriott of both SPG and Ritz Carlton properties.
And while the SPG card will be phased out, many business owners may find the to a great addition to their wallet.
Earn
Cardholders will be able to take advantage of an annual Free Night Award, complimentary Silver Elite Status, and credit for 15 nights a year towards the next Elite status level. In addition, there are no foreign transaction fees.
Though there is a annual fee, many cardholders will find that this is easily wiped out by the annual free stay.
If you’re a fan of Marriott, SPG, or Ritz Carlton hotels, or your just looking for a hotel rewards card with a lot of potential, this card can certainly fit the bill.
Amex Best for Hotel Stays Runner Up
The thing about hotel cards is that it’s hard to select a “best of” when you factor in brand loyalty. For that reason, we thought it was also important to mention the Hilton Honors American Express Business card.
The thing about hotel cards is that it’s hard to select a “best of” when you factor in brand loyalty. For that reason, we thought it was also important to mention .
If Hilton is your exclusive travel partner, this can be a great card to boost your earning power
Why wasn’t it number one? The Marriott Bonvoy business card currently offers a bit more flexibility. With three different hotel brands under the parent company, there are a lot of options. In addition, the Marriott Bonvoy card also offers a bit more value when it comes to transferring points.
For example, if you want to use your points to book a flight with Delta, 30,000 Marriott points will earn you 10,000 Delta miles, while 10,000 Hilton Honors points will only earn you 1,000 miles.
With so many credit card options on the market today, American Express small business credit solutions shine through for a variety of reasons. Many of these cards offer highly competitive rewards programs and numerous small-business minded perks and benefits.
However, the cards above aren’t the only Amex cards worth considering. If you’re looking for an Amex small business card and the ones above don’t appeal to you, here are some additional ones worth considering.
Some cards, like the and the , are designed for everyday use, while other cards, like and the , are designed to meet specific needs, like flexible payments or extensive travel perks. How do you decide which American Express business card is right for you? Consider your needs and spending patterns and how they relate to potential rewards, annual fees, and welcome offers.