To see my favorite business cards, click here.
The Amex Blue Business Plus is the secret weapon of the Membership Rewards ecosystem. There’s no glossy marketing campaign, no premium perks, no lounge access. But with a $0 annual fee, 2x points on everything, and a 0% intro APR on purchases, it’s easy to see why it’s a great addition to almost any wallet. For a certain kind of business owner, it’s the most valuable card in the Amex portfolio.
This is the card I recommend over and over to freelancers, consultants, Etsy sellers, and small business owners who want to dip a toe into points and miles without committing to a $325 or $895 annual fee. It’s also the card I recommend keeping forever, even after you outgrow it, because it does one job no other Amex card does for free.
Let’s break down why.
What Is the Amex Blue Business Plus?
The Amex Blue Business Plus is a small business credit card from American Express that earns 2x Membership Rewards points on all eligible business purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x thereafter. It has no annual fee, offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, and comes with standard Amex perks like free employee cards, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage.
What makes it special isn’t any single benefit. It’s the combination of three things almost never found together on one card: flexible transferable points, no annual fee, and a long intro APR window. That combo is rare, and it’s why this card has a permanent spot in most serious points strategies.
One honest caveat up front: this card charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee. It earns travel points, but it’s not a travel spending card. Pair it with a no-foreign-fee card for international purchases.
Amex Blue Business Plus Benefits at a Glance
Amex Blue Business Plus at a Glance
$0
15,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months
2x on everything up to $50k/year
1x on all purchases
0% on purchases for 12 months
16.74% to 26.74% variable
2.7%
Free
Good to excellent (670+)
Amex Membership Rewards
Amex Blue Business Plus Welcome Bonus
The welcome bonus is currently 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.
At a conservative 2 cents per point valuation through airline transfer partners, that’s $300 in value. Not the biggest welcome bonus out there, but not this is a card that brings significant on-going points earning increases.
Earning Rates: The 2x-on-Everything Magic
The Amex Blue Business Plus earns 2x Membership Rewards points on all eligible business purchases, with no bonus categories to track, no rotating quarters, no activation required. Every legitimate business purchase earns 2x up to $50,000 per calendar year, then drops to 1x.
Simplicity is the superpower here. Most rewards cards make you optimize: which card for gas, which for dining, which for travel booked through a specific portal. The Blue Business Plus says: use it for everything, get 2x on everything, done. For business owners whose spending doesn’t fit cleanly into standard bonus categories (think contractor payments, random supplier invoices, platform fees), this flat 2x rate often beats category cards in practice.
The card also earns 2x on travel booked through AmexTravel.com with no cap, though that’s not a particularly strong redemption since AmexTravel rates usually aren’t competitive.
The $50,000 Cap and How to Work Around It
The Amex Blue Business Plus is built for catch-all spending. The purchases that don’t neatly fit into anyone’s bonus categories (the random supplier invoice, the one-off subscription, the weird business expense you can’t quite classify) all earn a flat 2x here. At $50,000 in annual spend, that’s 100,000 Membership Rewards points before earning drops to 1x, which is already a strong outcome for most small businesses.
Where this card really shines is as the utility player in a two-card setup. Pair it with a category-specific card that handles your heaviest spending, and let the Blue Business Plus mop up everything else. If your business spends heavily on client dinners, advertising, or gas, the Amex Business Gold earns 4x in your top two categories. If flights and hotels dominate your budget, the Amex Business Platinum earns 5x on those through Amex Travel. Either way, the Blue Business Plus handles the miscellaneous 2x on purchases that don’t trigger either card’s bonus categories.
One timing note worth knowing: the $50,000 cap resets on January 1, not on your cardmember anniversary. A December purchase and a January purchase effectively fall into two separate $50k buckets, which matters if you’re running close to the cap on a large year-end order.
What Is the Intro APR on the Amex Blue Business Plus?
The Blue Business Plus offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then a variable rate of 16.74% to 26.74% based on creditworthiness.
For a new business buying inventory, equipment, or software upfront, a full year of interest-free financing on up to the card’s credit limit is a meaningful cash flow tool. Combined with 2x points earning, you’re effectively getting paid to float your startup costs for a year.
The important note: the 0% applies to purchases, not balance transfers. And the moment the intro period ends, that balance starts accruing interest at the regular rate, so this is a tool for managed cash flow, not long-term debt.
Why Amex Membership Rewards Matter
The reason the Amex Blue Business Plus is worth holding even if you use it sparingly comes down to one word: transfers.
Membership Rewards points can be transferred to 20+ airline and hotel partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, ANA Mileage Club, British Airways Avios, Delta SkyMiles, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy. The same 100,000 points that might get you $1,000 in statement credits can book a business class flight to Europe worth $3,000 or more through the right transfer partner.
There’s another reason to keep this card forever: Membership Rewards points only stay alive as long as you have at least one Amex card that earns them. Downgrade or cancel your Amex Platinum or Gold, and your entire points balance could disappear with it, unless you have a Blue Business Plus (or another Membership Rewards card) keeping the account open. For a $0 annual fee, it’s the cheapest points insurance in the industry.
Who Should Get the Amex Blue Business Plus
The Amex Blue Business Plus makes sense if:
You’re a freelancer, consultant, contractor, or small business owner with under $50k in annual card-able spending. Your business expenses don’t fit cleanly into bonus categories. You want flexible travel points without a high annual fee. You’re new to points and miles and want an easy entry into the Amex ecosystem. You need short-term financing for startup or inventory purchases and want 0% APR for 12 months. You already have Amex premium cards and need a no-fee card to protect your Membership Rewards balance and increase earnings on miscellaneous spending.
Even hitting just one of those makes this card a no-brainer at $0 per year.
Who Should Skip the Amex Blue Business Plus
Skip this card if your business does significant international spending, since the 2.7% foreign transaction fee kills the 2x earning rate on every overseas purchase. Skip it if you’re focused purely on cash back.
Also skip it if your spending sits entirely in categories where other cards earn 3x or more.
To see my favorite business cards, click here.
Amex Blue Business Plus FAQ
Is the Amex Blue Business Plus worth it?
The Amex Blue Business Plus is worth it for almost any small business owner who wants flexible travel points at zero cost. With no annual fee, 2x earning, 0% intro APR, and transferable Membership Rewards, the downside risk is essentially zero.
What credit score do you need for the Amex Blue Business Plus?
Amex typically approves applicants with good to excellent personal credit, generally a FICO score of 670 or higher. Business revenue and history factor in but aren’t strict requirements for small businesses.
Does the Amex Blue Business Plus have an annual fee?
No, the Amex Blue Business Plus has a $0 annual fee.
Can startups or new businesses qualify for the Amex Blue Business Plus?
Yes, sole proprietors, freelancers, and brand-new businesses can qualify based primarily on personal credit. A formal business entity, revenue, or employees aren’t required.
Does the Amex Blue Business Plus earn on foreign purchases?
It earns 2x on eligible foreign purchases, but the 2.7% foreign transaction fee more than offsets the points earned. Use a no-foreign-fee card for international spending.
Does the Amex Blue Business Plus report to personal credit?
No, as long as the account stays in good standing, Blue Business Plus reports only to business credit bureaus, which keeps business activity separate from personal credit.
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