Which American Express Business Card Is Best?

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

American Express is one of my favorite credit card issuers because they have terrific transfer partners, great customer service, and a host of extremely valuable charge cards and credit cards. In this article, I’m going to review what I think are some of the best Amex Business cards.

Each American Express card below can serve a different purpose for your business. And in some cases, you might even prefer to get two or three cards to cover all of your different needs.

For example, you could use the Blue Business Plus Credit Card to take advantage of 0% APR, the Business Platinum Card for its travel perks, and the American Express Business Gold for its bonus earnings on select categories like advertising.

So don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to one or even two options because it’s not uncommon to pair up some of these cards together for maximum value.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

The Business Platinum Card

Amex Business Cards

The Business Platinum Card is a premium card that comes with a hefty $595 annual fee but it’s loaded with perks and benefits.

It offers the following features:

The 100,000 welcome bonus is solid though the spend requirement is a lot at $15,000 in the first 3 months.

There’s not a whole lot to the bonus earning aside from the 1.5X on purchases over $5,000. So if you have purchases that don’t fall into one of the Gold Card bonus categories and they regularly are over $5,000, that is a sign that the Business Platinum Card could be for you.

But the Business Platinum Card is really tailor made for you if you value travel.

If you enjoy quality airport lounge access, then you will love the Business Platinum Card because you will get free Centurion Lounge access, Delta Sky Club access (when flying Delta), and also an annual priority Pass Select membership.

Centurion Lounges are some of the nicest airport lounges you’ll find in the US and it’s definitely a keystone benefit of the Platinum Card. Priority Pass lounges aren’t always the most amazing lounges but there are some pretty great Priority Pass lounges around, especially if you travel internationally.

The 35% airline bonus means Business Platinum Card Members will receive 3.5 extra points for every 10 points they redeem for either a First or Business class flight on any airline, or for flights with their selected qualifying airline.

This amounts to a redemption rate of 1.54 cents per point which is better than the 1.5 cents per point you get with the Chase Sapphire Reserve!

This benefit is huge for people who don’t or can’t transfer points to airlines and want to just book their tickets through American Express Travel (which is not subject to inventory controls, black-out dates, etc.).

So for the business traveler who wants a “no non-sense” way of using points for travel, it really is hard to beat the Business Platinum Card — especially since you can earn 5X on your airfare.

The other benefit I really like is the free Gold status with Hilton. That elite status can hook you up with free breakfast, upgrades, and other benefits like late check-out.

The Centurion Lounge at IAH.

American Express Business Gold

The American Express Business Gold stands out with its high bonus earning potential, which covers a lot of categories that businesses will need to make purchases in. With this card, you earn 4X Membership Rewards points on the 2 categories where your business spent the most each billing cycle from the list below:

  • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
  • U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
  • U.S. purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants
  • U.S. purchases for shipping

4X points applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year then earn 1 point per dollar.

The ability to earn 4X on your top two categories gives the American Express Business Gold a prime advantage over competitors.

For one, the 4X is one point higher than the 3X offered by the Chase Ink Business Preferred. And the flexibility is perfect for a business that might shift gears throughout the year with its budget.

Here are a couple of the additional features of the card:

  • Get 25% points back, after you book a flight using Pay with Points (there is a limitation on your rebate as you will only be able to receive up to 250,000 bonus points per calendar year).
  • $295 Annual Fee

It will cost you $50 to add an authorized user if you want them to have an American Express Business Gold but the good news is that you can add multiple authorized users for only $50. In addition, you can also add Green Card authorized users for no additional fee.

Blue Business Plus Credit Card

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card is one of my favorite business cards because it offers an easy and convenient way to earn a lot of Membership Rewards and it comes with no annual fee. Here’s what the card features:

  • 2x Membership Rewards points on all purchases up to $50K
  • No annual fee
  • 0% interest intro period for 12 months

Sometimes this card comes with a 25,000 point welcome bonus but even without the welcome bonus, this card is still a strong contender.

The reason is that this card earns 2X Membership Rewards on every single purchase up to $50,000 each year. That’s a phenomenal return. If you value Membership Rewards at 1.8 cents per point, then that’s a 3.6% return on every purchase.

And did I mention it’s a no annual fee card?

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card also has a 0% interest introduction period that could come in handy if you needed to make some purchases that you couldn’t immediately pay off.

Remember, this card will not report to your personal credit so even if you had high utilization on this card, it wouldn’t affect your credit score. (It also would not affect your 5/24 status).

The drawback is that this is a credit card and not a charge card so if you need to put substantial spend on your card each month, the charge cards might be better options. Note that you can often spend above your credit limit using the “Expanded Buying Power” feature.

American Express Business Card

Amex Blue Business Cash

While the cards above earn Membership Rewards, many business owners simply want to put cash back into their pocket. For those people, the Amex Blue Business Cash Card might be a better choice. That card earns 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.

So it is just like the Blue Business Plus Credit Card except it earns cashback and not Membership Rewards. This means that this card would be better for somebody who wants straightforward rewards and does not care to transfer points and mess around with all of that.

If you don’t want to have to “think” about your rewards this is a terrific option.

This card also comes with no annual fee. 

But note that this card does come with foreign transaction fees, so you probably don’t want to use this card on international trips since you’ll have to pay foreign transaction fees.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a perfect business credit card for a business traveler who prefers the Hilton brand. Hilton has a pretty massive footprint so you will not struggle to find Hilton properties in most major cities across the US and internationally.

This Hilton card currently comes with a pretty impressive bonus of 150,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months. With that many points, you could cover one night at a top hotel like the Conrad Maldives or you could stretch your points and stay a couple of nights at a pretty decent hotel.

Hilton cards are known for their high bonus earning rates and this card does not disappoint with 12X at Hilton properties and 6X on select business and travel purchases. You’ll also earn 3X on all other eligible purchases.

My favorite benefit of this card is that you get free Hilton Gold status which is a middle tier status that provides you with free breakfast and can also get you other perks like late check out and even upgrades.

If you spend $15,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, you can also earn a free weekend night which can be worth $700. And if you put another $45,000 in purchases on your card in the same calendar year you can earn a second weekend night.

And finally, this card also provides you with Priority Pass which is a lounge membership. (You will be provided with 10 free lounge visits every year.)

Marriott Bonvoy Business Card from American Express

If you are more of a Marriott person then you may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card from American Express.

This card currently comes with a pretty awesome limited one time offer of 75,000 bonus points after you spent $3,000 in the first three months.

You can also earn a $150 statement credit within your first six months for eligible purchases on US advertising.

There is also a special offer to earn Marriott Platinum elite status for one year which will be good from February 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022. That offer ends on January 13, 2021.

Getting Marriott Platinum elite status for one year is an extremely valuable perk. That’s because you can get some really nice perks from Platinum status like free breakfast and lounge access. For some people, getting that perk alone would be enough reason to pick up this card and pay the annual fee.

The bonus earning on this card is pretty good as you can earn a 6X at Marriott properties and also 4X at US restaurants, US gas stations, wireless telephone services, and on US purchases for shipping.

Every year you will receive one free night award after your account anniversary. But you can also earn an additional free night award when you put $60,000 in purchases on your card within the calendar year.

It’s pretty easy to get over $100 in value using a free night award so this is one of those cards where it pays to hold onto it in the long run. Sometimes you might even get issued a retention offer with a reduced annual fee, making this card all the more lucrative.

Amex Plum Card

The Amex Plum card is a great option for someone who might need an extension on the payment every now and again. So if you are working with inventory or dependent on volume of sales, this could be a very fitting option.

It comes with an annual fee of $250 that’s waived the first year and doesn’t currently come with a welcome offer. So why is it so compelling?

It has two unique payment features.

The most useful would be that you can take up to 60 days to pay your entire balance off without interest when you pay the minimum Due by the Payment Due Date.

The card will also give you a 1.5% discount when you pay early so it’s like getting 1.5% back so long as you pay everything off.

I’d personally prefer the Amex options listed above over the Plum Card though if you’re dealing with somewhat unpredictable inventory and sales, it could make sense to go with a card like this. 

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card

I personally like the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card because it sometimes comes with a high 60,000 point welcome bonus, though the standard public offer is for 40,000 after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months.

You can earn 2 miles for every dollar that you spend on Delta and on US advertising, US shipping, and dining so it has some decent bonus categories as well.

You’ll get some great value from this card if you fly Delta because it also offers a first checked bag free along with priority boarding. The annual fee is $99 but it is waived the first year and there are no foreign transaction fees.

If you’re ever in need of Delta SkyMiles but don’t want to invest in an expensive annual fee the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card is perfect.

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card is another Delta business card that can come with a high welcome bonus.

You can find offers up to 70,000 but the standard offer is 45,000 miles + 5,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 within the first three months of account opening.

The bonus earnings on this card make a pretty dramatic step up from the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card as you can earn 3 miles on every dollar spent on Delta. You can also earn 3X on purchases made directly with hotels.

Also, you can earn 1.5 miles per dollar on single purchases of $5,000 or more (up to 50,000 miles per year).

You’ll get many of the same benefits as the Delta Gold card such as free checked baggage and priority boarding but the big difference with the Platinum Delta Sky Miles card is that you can get help earning elite status.

If you regularly fly Delta and could use a little boost with hitting elite status, this card also comes with the ability to earn up to 20,000 additional Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) by spending $50,000 in a calendar year.

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card does have a higher annual fee of $250 but comes with a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new card within your first 3 months so that gets knocked down pretty quickly to $150.

Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card

The Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card is a premium Amex business card for Delta.

You can earn 45,000 miles + 10,000 MQMs from its welcome bonus, earn up to 60,000 additional MQMs via spend, receive priority boarding and first checked bag free on Delta flights, and get to enjoy Delta Sky Club lounge access at select airports.

You can also get 3X on Delta and after you spend $150,000 in a calendar year, you can earn 1.5 miles per dollar on all purchases.

Again, this would be a great option for anybody who is a frequent Delta traveler and wants to capitalize on earning MQMs through spend.

This card is also great if you really want great airport lounge access. Not only do you get access to the Sky Clubs, but you also get access to Centurion Lounges when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve Card. If you can swallow the high annual fee of $550, this card can be well worth it.

Delta Sky Club.

Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

Amazon Business Prime Card

The Amazon Business Prime American Express Card is great for someone who spends a lot on Amazon or whose business is forced to pay those lovely AWS charges.

The welcome offer may take different forms but you could be looking at something like a $100 amazon.com gift card after getting approved.

With this card, you can choose to earn 5% back on US purchases at Amazonbusiness, AWS, amazon.com, and Whole Foods Market. Or or you can choose to get 90 day terms so that you can pay later.

The 5% back method is definitely the way to go if you want to maximize savings and you can get 5% back on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year.

The catch is you have to have an Amazon Prime membership for the 5% back/90 day perk. Otherwise you will just earn 3% back or have 60 days for payment.

You’ll also be able to earn 2% back at US restaurants, US gas stations, and wireless telephone services purchase direct from US providers.

The Amazon Business Prime American Express Card is attractive because it has no annual fee and also no foreign transaction fees.

Business Green Rewards Card

There’s not a lot to say about the Business Green Rewards Card. That’s because it’s a very basic card but it could offer you some value depending on what you’re looking for.

The Business Green Rewards Card has a zero dollar intro annual fee but then a $95 annual fee after that so it is definitely one of the cheaper cards offered by American Express.

If you spend money through Amex Travel (which is where you can book flights and hotels), you’ll be able to earn 2X on every dollar you spend which isn’t bad.

You might be able to find a welcome bonus on this card for something like 15,000 points after you spent $3,000 in the first three months which at least is a little something.

But overall if you are interested in large amounts of ongoing value then I would consider cards like the Platinum and the Gold Card despite them having higher annual fees.

Amex business credit card FAQ

Which American Express business card is best?

The best American Express business card is the one that suits your business needs best.

But generally, the Business Platinum Card and American Express Business Gold are two of the best Amex business cards.

The Gold Card is great for those who can earn bonus points in categories like advertising and the Platinum Card is great for business travelers and other high spenders.

Which Amex business card offers 0% APR?

A great choice for getting 0% APR with an American Express business card is the Blue Business Plus Credit Card.

Which American Express card is best for advertising?

The best Amex business card for advertising is the American Express Business Gold which allows you to earn 4X on advertising on up to $150,000 spent per year.

Which American Express card is best for airlines?

The Business Platinum Card is a great card for airline travel because you can earn 5X on airfare and also redeem your points at over 1.5 cents per point for air travel.

If you like to fly Delta Airlines, there are several Delta cards you can choose from including the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card.

Which American Express card is best for hotels?

The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card from American Express is great for someone interested in staying at Marriott properties and it comes with a free night every year that can easily offset your annual fee.

If you are interested in Hilton then you might look into the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card which comes with automatic Gold status. If you spend $15,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, you can also earn a free weekend night.

In addition to that card, the Business Platinum Card also offers automatic Hilton gold status.

Which American Express card is best for cash back?

A great card for cash back is the Amex Blue Business Cash Card which earns a very straightforward 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in purchases every year.

Is the Amazon business card worth it?

The Amazon Prime business card can save you a lot of money if you are a high spender at Amazon or AWS because 5% back on up to $120,000 in spend comes out to $6,000!

What points do American Express business cards earn?

American Express business cards come in many different forms and so you can earn many different types of rewards.

The most valuable type of rewards are Membership Rewards and you can earn those with cards like the Business Platinum Card and American Express Business Gold.

How much does it cost to add an authorized user to an American Express business card?

The amount that it will cost you to add an authorized user (aka employee card) to an American Express business card depends on the type of card.

In some cases, you can add authorized users for free such as adding a Green Card authorized user, but in other cases it will cost you $50 or more.

The Platinum Card has the most expensive authorized user fee at $300.

Can American Express expedite a business card?

American Express can expedite a business card for you upon approval.

Many times they will ask you if you need the card expedited but you can always be proactive and make the request.

In my experience, an expedited business card from American Express will arrive within a couple of business days.

Final word

These are a lot of solid options for those applying for Amex small business credit cards. All of these cards can serve very different goals, though.

Some will serve to earn you valuable Membership Rewards that you can then use to travel with the Amex transfer partners. Others provide you with benefits like access to nice Centurion Lounges or credits toward elite status.

So in the end the best American Express business card depends a lot on your goals, though you can’t really go wrong with most of these.

The 9 Best Credit Cards for Entrepreneurs and Startups [2020]

Entrepreneurs are in prime position to take advantage of credit card rewards. Many entrepreneurs spend lots of money on categories like travel, advertising, and telecommunications, which means they can quickly rack up a ton of bonus points. In addition, entrepreneurs often have to travel and points can be used to scale down the cost of airfare, hotels, and other small business expenses.

Here are some of the top options if you’re in search of the best credit card for entrepreneurs and startups.

Best Credit Cards for Entrepreneurs and Startups

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

1. The Chase Ink Business Preferred

One of the best business credit cards for advertising and travel. 

Best Credit Card for Entrepreneurs

The Chase Ink Business Preferred is one of the best business credit cards for travel and advertising and thus it’s absolutely perfect for entrepreneurs.

The Ink Preferred comes with one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses at 100,000 Ultimate Rewards after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months!

The Ink Preferred earns 3X on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on:

  • Travel
  • Shipping purchases
  • Internet, cable and phone services
  • Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines

These categories are important to many startups, especially travel and advertising purchases. If you’ve been pouring funds into social media advertising campaigns with no bonus rewards, then you should seriously consider this card. 3X on all of those categories will have you earning rewards in a hurry.

You can then transfer those points (called Ultimate Rewards) to several Chase transfer partners. If your startup company requires you to travel around the US you are set because you can transfer points to United Airlines and Southwest at a 1:1 ratio. You can also transfer your points to British Airways, which you can then use to book flights on oneworld partner American Airlines (often for much cheaper award prices).

And then you’re probably going to need to cover hotel stays. The Chase Ink Preferred can transfer points to the best hotel loyalty programs including Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG. I personally recommend transferring points to Hyatt for the most value.

The Chase Ink Preferred also comes with two additional perks that are very noteworthy. You’ll get primary rental car insurance when traveling on business so you won’t have to worry about paying extra for coverage (and this can save your monthly premium from rising).

The second perk is that when you use your Chase Ink Preferred to pay your cell phone bill, you’ll get cell phone insurance. You’ll be covered up to $600 per claim in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees listed on your monthly cell phone bill.

This card is subject to the 5/24 rule.

Get around in United first class.

2. The Chase Ink Business Cash

One of the best small business credit cards with no annual fee. 

The Chase Ink Business Cash is the little brother of the Ink Preferred. This card comes with no annual fee but still packs a heavy punch with a sign-up bonus worth $750 after you spend $7,500 in the first three months.

It also comes with benefits like primary rental car coverage and fantastic bonus categories which include:

5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year on:

  • Office supply stores
  • Internet, cable and phone services

2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year on:

  • At gas stations
  • At restaurants

Which version of the Ink is better for you depends on the spending habits of your startup. If you’re heavy into online marketing, it’s really hard to turn down the 3X of the Ink Preferred. However, the 5% back from office supply stores can come in handy, especially if you utilize gift cards. And if you’re going to be paying for internet, cable, and phone services you might as well get 5% back on those bills.

The major drawback to the Ink Cash is that you can’t transfer your points earned to travel partners, unless you have a premium Chase card like the Ink Preferred or non-business credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

But if you have no desire to utilize the travel perks, then just getting cash back on these categories will probably be good enough for you.

You’ll need a premium card to unlock hotel redemptions.

3. Amex Blue Business Plus

Great for everyday spend and a 0% APR intro period.

The Amex Blue Business Plus is a great card many new start ups. The card earns 2X Membership Rewards back on all purchases up to $50,000 per year and comes with no annual fee.

What I think makes it the best for small businesses is that it also comes with a 0% intro APR period for 12 months. Many new start ups need to make large purchases or at least a lot of purchases to get their business off the ground. With this card you can make one of those large purchases and just pay off that balance while not getting burned on interest.

Since the Amex Blue Business Plus is a credit card and the Business Gold Card is a charge card you can actually apply for both of these at the same time. Together, the two would make a lucrative duo that would provide you with all-around great bonus earning potential since you would pick up 2X on all purchases and up to 4X on select bonus categories. You can read more about the Amex application rules here.

There have been welcome offers for this card at 25,000 before but those offers have been pretty rare and usually disappear really quickly. Because of the 2X Membership Rewards on every single purchase, the Business Blue Plus is worth it even when it doesn’t have a welcome bonus.

Amex has some very valuable business credit cards.

4. American Express Business Gold

The American Express Business Gold is the newly revamped Gold card from American Express. It stands out with its bonus earning potential, which covers a lot of categories that businesses will need to make purchases in.

With this card, you earn 4X Membership Rewards points on the 2 categories where your business spent the most each billing cycle from the list below:

  • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
  • U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
  • U.S. purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants
  • U.S. purchases for shipping

4X points applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year then earn 1 point per dollar.

Here are a couple of the additional features of the card:

  • Get 25% points back, after you book a flight using Pay with Points (there is a limitation on your rebate as you will only be able to receive up to 250,000 bonus points per calendar year).
  • $295 Annual Fee

The big thing to note about this card is that earns Membership Rewards and not just straight cash back. This means that your points will be better used on some of the Amex travel partners like Delta, ANA, Aeroplan, or others.

Another feature to note about this card is that it is a charge card and not a traditional credit card. This means that the balance must be paid off each month and that you don’t have a set credit limit (although that doesn’t mean that it’s unlimited). This is why it’s a great business card for those who need high credit limits.

You can use Amex Membership Rewards to fly Emirates first class.

5. The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Great for frequent flyers and high spenders.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express comes with various welcome offers and sometimes offers as much as 75,000 plus points, depending on the offer. 

But in addition to the welcome bonus, this card comes with some solid perks.

  • 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and eligible hotels on amextravel.com
  • 1.5 points per dollar on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more (that’s an extra half point per dollar). Up to 1 million additional points per year
  • $200 airline credit
  • Centurion Lounge access
  • Priority Pass airport lounge access
  • Book any First or Business Class flight and get 35% of those Membership Rewards® points back later, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year.
  • You can receive one Global Entry ($100) statement credit or one TSA Pre✓® ($85) statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA Pre-Check and every four years for Global Entry

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is another one of the great high limit business credit cards. It’s a charge card like the Business Gold card but it comes with additional bonus spending categories. It earns a very strong 5X on airfare via Amextravel.com so if you’re going to be doing a fair amount of flying, this can be very lucrative.

The card also comes with a $200 airline credit that you receive each calendar year. By using those credits twice, you can knock down the effective annual fee to only $150. The 35% rebate on points is great since it allows you to book certain flights at 1.54 cents per point which is very good.

The Business Platinum Card will give you hotel elite status including: Marriott Gold Status and Hilton Honors Gold status. Hilton Gold is still a very solid mid-tier hotel elite status, which will get you free breakfasts, upgrades, late check-out and sometimes even executive lounge access.

And finally, this card provides you and two guests with Amex Centurion Lounge access, which are some very nice lounges popping up around the country. (This card also gets you Priority Pass which will get you give you access to lounges all around the world.)

6. The Chase Ink Unlimited

Great credit card for everyday spend.  

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited is the newest Chase card that just came out. It’s a hot credit card given all of the perks it comes with, which include the following:

  • $750 sign-up bonus after you spend $7,500 in the first three months
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases.
  • No annual fee!
  • Subject to 5/24
  • Primary rental car coverage

It’s rare to see a card with no annual fee and a high $500 sign-up bonus. And it’s really rare to see a card with no annual fee and primary rental car coverage (when traveling on business). If those two features weren’t enough, the card earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase and comes with a 0% APR period of 12 months. So again, if you need to do some upfront spending to get your start-up in motion, you’ve got yet another option to go with.

And if you have a premium Chase card like a Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred, you can transfer the Ultimate Rewards earned on this card out to Chase travel partners which makes that 1.5% back equate to a return that could be much higher with the right redemption.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

7. Capital One Spark Cash for Business Credit Card

A great 2% cash back business card. 

The Capital One Spark Cash for Business Credit Card is a very simple cash back credit card that earns 2% back on all purchases. This is ideal for an entrepreneur who just needs a simplified rewards system. With this card you don’t have to worry about special bonus categories and all of those complicated award systems.

8. Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Card

A fantastic option to cut down your travel expenses.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Card is probably one of the most-prized credit cards right now. That’s because Chase recently prevented applicants from picking up two personal Southwest credit cards which made obtaining the Southwest Companion Pass more difficult. But with this business card’s all-time high 60,000 point sign-up bonus after you spend $3,000 in the first three months you can earn the Companion Pass quick.

What is the Companion Pass?

It allows a companion to fly for free with you for up to two years. So if you are a duo starting up a business this can be an extremely cost-efficient way to get about the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean (and soon Hawaii).

Since Southwest has such an expansive point-to-point network, I’d check the Southwest route map to see if they fly to cities where you would be flying in and out of. If that’s the case then the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Card could make a lot of sense for your business.

9. United Explorer Business Card

Nice benefits for those who will be flying United.

  • 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores
  • 2 miles per $1 spent on tickets purchased from United
  • Free Checked Bag
  • Two United Club one-time passes
  • Priority boarding
  • Miles Don’t Expire
  • MileagePlus Premier members and traveling on an award ticket can receive Premier Upgrades
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $99 annual fee (waived)

The United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card is a solid option because it comes with a solid sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus miles and the annual fee is waived for the first year. The extra points on restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores a nice plus, too.

If you think you’ll be flying out of United hubs like I do then you’ll probably appreciate having the perks from this card which also offer United Lounge Club access. These United lounges are improving at a lot of airports and they are (slowly) becoming some of the nicest lounges in the US.

It’s also nice getting priority boarding and a free checked bag. The free checked bag could provide your start up with some decent savings if you’re going to be flying United.

United Club at IAH.

Credit Cards for Entrepreneurs and Startups FAQ

What is the best credit card for a start-up?

The best credit card for your start up is the one that suits your needs the best. For example, if you spend a lot of money on advertising then you want to consider the Chase Ink Business Preferred. If you need a 0% APR financing then you would want to look at a card like the Amex Blue Business Plus.

What is a good no annual fee credit card for start-up?

A good no annual fee credit card could be the Chase Ink Business Cash. You can get 0% APR and also earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year on: Office supply stores, Internet, cable and phone services.

How can I get a high credit limit as a start up?

A great way to extend your credit limit is to apply for a charge card such as the Business Platinum Card from American Express. You can pre-pay your credit card bill and effectively increase your spending power which will allow you to put large purchases on your card and are valuable rewards.

What is a good airline card for a start-up?

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great airline card for a start up because you earn valuable points that can be transferred to different airline programs and you can also redeem your points for flights at a nice bonus rate.

What is a good 0% APR credit card for start ups?

It’s quite easy to get 0% APR for 12 months and a great card to do that with is the Chase Ink Business Cash. If you want to earn 1.5% cash back on all of your purchases then consider going with the Ink Business Unlimited.

What is the best business card for Facebook and Instagram ads?

A great business credit card for Facebook and Instagram ads is the Chase Ink Business Preferred. You can earn 3X on up to $150,000 spent on ads each year.

Do I need a credit card for my start up?

Yes, you should get a credit card for your start up as soon as possible. As soon as you have obtained an in for your entity, you should be able to apply for a credit card. This will help you avoid commingling funds which is not a good idea when you are starting a business, especially a start up that likely has investors.

Final word

The best credit card for your entrepreneurial journey is going to be a card that suits your spending needs. If you are heavy on spending with social media advertising and even do a moderate amount of travel the Chase Ink Preferred is a terrific option. However, if you constantly spend money on specific business categories or need a high limit business credit card then the Amex charge cards could be best.

My advice is to breakdown or project what your spending and travel needs will be over the course of a year, and you’ll quickly start to see which small business credit card is best for you.

You might also want to see my tips for getting approved for business credit cards.

Chase Business Reconsideration Line (Tips if Denied, Phone Number) [2020]

If you’re denied or not instantly approved for a Chase business credit card, theres a good chance you’ll need to call the Chase business reconsideration line.

Chase recon calls for business credit cards can be much tougher than calls for personal cards. 

But don’t sweat it, this article will show you tips on exactly how to get through a Chase Business reconsideration line phone call and give you the phone number to call.

Update: Some offers are no longer available — click here for the latest deals!

What is the Chase business reconsideration line?

The Chase Business reconsideration line is your chance to get your business credit card application approved by showing Chase why you need or want the card and verifying facts about your business.

Chase business reconsideration line phone number

The Chase business reconsideration line phone number is: 1-800-453-9719.

The business hours are 8am to 5pm EST, M-F. EST. (Note: this is accurate as of March 22, 2016.)

You should be able to call this number for the following cards:

  • Chase Ink Preferred
  • Chase Ink Cash
  • Chase Ink Unlimited
  • United MileagePlus Club Business Card
  • United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card
  • Marriott Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
  • Southwest business credit card 

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Should you call?

The general consensus is to not call for the business reconsideration line until you have been denied. There are a few reasons for not calling in….

The thinking is that you’re removing your application from a pool of applications that could be auto approved and potentially allowing the discretion of a banker to determine your credit card fate.

Bank discretion can become a big problem if you have a lot of accounts recently opened, hard inquiries, or any other potentially damaging factors on your credit report, so many like to avoid recon until they’re forced to face it.

Another reason is that a lot of people just aren’t good with answering questions on the fly and might screw up their chances by saying something stupid or something that the bank rep (whether rightly or wrongly) finds suspect.

And finally, the numbers just seem to be against you. I’ve done a fair amount of research (although not exactly scientific in nature) and from what I’ve gathered, calling in appears to not do you any favors in getting approved.

All of the above are legitimate reasons to avoid calling and that’s why my recommendation is to not call reconsideration until you have been denied. At that point, you have nothing to lose and there’s no harm in calling.

What to expect when you call

Every time I’ve called business recon I’ve been greeted almost instantly by a live representative. I give them my social security number and then they look up my file and ask what they can do for me.

I always remain as friendly as possible and just tell them that I want to “inquire into the status of my recent credit card application.”

After some verification questions, they’ll usually put you on hold for a while and then come back, ready to look over your app.

At this point, they may only ask you a few quick questions about your business or they might go into extreme specifics — I’ve encountered both ends of the spectrum with my prior dealings with Chase. Because you don’t know how they are going to come out for you, it’s important to make sure that you’re ready for them.

So here are some things you really need to know.

Know your business

This should be easy for you assuming you’re not trying to game the system with a “business.”

In my first recon call, I was only asked about the name and age of my business but in the second recon call they went in depth about the nature of my business and what in particular I do, sell, etc. It was much more difficult than the first recon call but still not entirely daunting.

They asked such questions as:

  • What is your business? (name, legal name, type of organization, etc.)
  • Can you describe your industry?
  • What products do you sale, how much, etc.?
  • How old is your business?
  • How long have you been in the trade?
  • What is your job title?
  • Number of employees?
  • Why does your business need this credit card?

I had a memorized one sentence description of my business that I spit out and then just starting to go into detail about what it is I do. All of the business reps I’ve dealt with have been nice but I’ve heard reports of some reps being a bit aggressive and approaching the call like an interrogation.

Know your business figures

This is the portion of the call that most people stumble on because if you’re not prepared for it, then it’s easy to say something contradictory or something that doesn’t sound right.

Remember, these bankers deal with applications all day long and it wouldn’t surprise me if some of them have developed an intuition for identifying applicants who are trying to game the system with their “eMerchandise business” (aka “I sold a watch on eBay two years ago”).

Have figures/charts ready to answer the following questions:

  • What is your annual revenue, expenses, and profits?
  • Did you pay taxes on that revenue?
  • What were your annual revenue, expenses, and profits for the previous year? Year before that?
  • Are you currently operating at a profit or loss?
  • What is your expected revenue, expenses, profits for the next year? The year after?
  • Why do you suspect they will increase or decrease?

Sound like you know what you’re talking about

I think one key to the reconsideration calls is that you need to sound confident.

A true business owner should know his or her business like the back of his or her hand and shouldn’t be stumbling around with basic questions. It really helps to have a cheat sheet on hand when you make the call so you can just spit out the answers needed.

In my experience, the above questions were all that were covered. However, don’t be surprised if they start getting into your recent account history. Chase seems to be doing this more and more with both personal and business cards. So be prepared for some potentially intrusive questioning about why you have so many new accounts.

Verifying identity

Verifying your ID for a business card typically involves standard procedures like faxing in a copy of your license or submitting some form of notarized document from a financial institution.

However, in some (I believe rare cases), you might have to submit tax forms and/or business filing documents relating to your business. Hopefully that won’t happen to you but if you’ve done nothing but told the truth you should have nothing to worry about.

If you’re denied

It’s always a good idea to call back and try at least once or twice with a different representative.

Keep in mind that they notate your account when you call back so the reps will likely know that you’ve called once, twice, or more than that, which may affect their attitude towards you. If calling back doesn’t work then you may just have to try again 3 to 6 months down the road.

That’s it for Chase business recon. Just be prepared with a cheat sheet for the above questions and you should be just fine. Oh, and if you’re interested in the Chase Ink+ check out my tips on how to get approved

Amex Blue Business Plus Credit Card Review [2020]

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of the top Amex credit cards and one of the best no-annual fee credit cards on the market.

While it’s not the most robust card, it does offer some perks that are unique and industry leading which make it worth getting for many people. Keep reading below for more details on the Blue Business Plus Credit Card!

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card intro

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card is a fantastic no annual fee credit card that has one of the highest bonus earning categories out of any card on the market for everyday spend. It is perfect if you are trying to maximize rewards on expenses that don’t fall into major bonus categories like dining, groceries, and travel.

Since this is an American Express business credit card, it will not report to your personal credit report. This means that it will not count towards your 5/24 status and that makes it a great card to get early on before you have maxed out your Chase cards.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Welcome Bonus

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card does not always come with a welcome bonus. That is one of the drawbacks to this card — you do not always get upfront value.

However, you can find targeted offers for this card or offers that you can pull up in Google Incognito/referrals. Typically, those bonuses will be ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 Membership Rewards after spending $2,000 in three months. 

So unlike cards like the Gold Card or the Platinum Card (which both offer high welcome bonuses), the value in this card is more with the bonus spend.

If you are interested in a business card with a high welcome bonus that also has no annual fee, then I would suggest you to look at getting the Chase Ink Business Cash which comes with a 50,000 point bonus after hitting the minimum spend requirement ($3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months).

Eligibility

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card is an American Express credit card which means that it is subject to certain rules like the 1/5 rule, 2/90 rule, and also the max four/five card rule.

If you are not familiar with these rules or find them confusing you are not alone and it is one of the reasons why I am creating WalletFlo, so you don’t have to worry about these rules anymore.

Bonus categories

  • 2X on all purchases up to $50,000 per year
  • 1X on all purchases after that

There are not many cards that offer you the ability to earn two times the points on all purchases and earn transferable points.

That is what truly makes the Blue Business Plus Credit Card so special. 

If you value American Express Membership Rewards at close to two cents per point, then this card is like earning 4% back on every single type of purchase up to $50,000 per year. That is a tremendous earning opportunity and a free ~$200.

What is more, most payment services like PayPal charge you at most a 3% transaction fee so with the Blue Business Plus Credit Card, you can easily offset those transaction fees.

This makes this card perfect for paying contractors, rent, etc. and coming out on top with your rewards.

For example, if you are earning 3.8% back in rewards and paying a 3% transaction fee, you are still at a net positive with points earned — not many cards allow you to do that.

If you are wondering how you get to a high valuation of $.02 per point, it is because this card earns Membership Rewards which can be transferred out to various travel partners.

When you transfer those points out to solid travel partners, you can then fly in amazing business-class and first-class products, which is why this is one of the best travel credit cards.

With some of those redemptions, you could be earning way higher than two cents per point but to keep valuations reasonable it is a good idea to limit your valuations to at maximum $.02 per point in many cases.

0% APR 12 months promo

You get a 0% APR promo period with this card so you can avoid interest for 12 months.

Since it doesn’t report to your personal credit report, this means that you can put a large purchase on it and pay it down with no interest and it won’t hurt your credit score while you pay it down which is pretty amazing.

So this would be ideal for holiday shopping if you need to carry a balance for a little while. 

Foreign transaction fees

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card comes with foreign transaction fees (2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars) which is quite the bummer.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Additional benefits

This card is not going to offer you all of the amazing travel/purchase benefits that you can get with the Chase Ink Business Preferred. However, it still has some respectable benefits for a no-fee card.

Baggage Insurance Plan

Baggage Insurance Plan provides benefits for damaged, stolen or lost baggage, whether checked or carry-on.

  • Replacement Cost of Baggage while in direct transit to a Common Carrier’s terminal for the purpose of Boarding a Common Carrier or when leaving from a Common Carrier’s terminal directly after Exiting from a Common Carrier, up to $1,250 for each Covered Person on a Covered Trip.
  • Replacement Cost of carry-on Baggage up to $1,250 for each Covered Person on a Covered Trip.
  • Replacement Cost of checked Baggage up to $500 for each Covered Person on a Covered Trip.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Get covered for damage or theft of a rental vehicle but note that coverage is always secondary to any other insurance. This is the huge difference between this card and other like the Chase Ink Business Cash, which offers primary rental car insurance — a huge perk for a no annual fee credit card.

Extended Warranty

Extended warranty can extend the terms of the original manufacturer’s warranty on warranties of five years or less. Amex will provide an additional year beginning in 2020 versus the two additional years they offered before.

Purchase Protection

Coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. $1,000 is better than the $500 offered by many cards and for a no-annual fee it’s quite high. But other cards like the Ink Preferred will offer protection up to $10,000 per claim!

Travel Accident Insurance

To be removed soon.

Final word

Overall, I love the bonus earning potential for the Blue Business Plus Credit Card. Earning 2X Membership Rewards on all purchases is simply industry leading and allows you to justify earning points on pretty much any transaction. But other business cards out there have much more value to offer all-around like the Chase Ink cards.