American Express Credit Cards Mobile App Review
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The American Express mobile app has a user-friendly interface to click through different options or scroll through old account statements with a few taps. It’s also easy to make payments and redeem rewards. The relatively simple layout of the app makes for a more intuitive user experience than American Express’ website, which has so many options it can feel overwhelming.
Features
The American Express app makes it easy to get an overview of your account, including seeing your total balance, available credit, rewards earned and savings offers. You can also interact with customer service, freeze or unfreeze a card, or request a replacement card from the app, and more.
Login
Once you log in, either by manually entering your username and password or using Face ID, you’ll see an overview of your account. From there, click different options on the bottom of the screen to visit statements, membership (where you can find details about your rewards), offers and account information.
Security
Like the website, the app automatically logs you out after a period of inactivity.
If you misplace a card or suspect it might be stolen, you can freeze it with one tap on the app and ask to replace it. You can also check your FICO score from within the app and pull up a credit report by entering more information, including the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Payment options
From the app, you can pay your bill with your connected bank accounts. You also have the option of setting up AutoPay.
Within the app, you can opt to “Plan It®,” or divide a transaction into monthly payments for a fixed monthly fee by clicking "Create a Plan" next to the transaction. You'll be able to choose from up to 3 different plan options and see exactly how much you'll pay each month. You can also select "Amex Send & Split," which lets you split Amex purchases with other Venmo or PayPal users. You can receive payments as statement credits or send money with your card without incurring the typical transaction fees.
You can add cards to several digital wallet options — including the usual choices like Apple Pay and Google Pay, but also more unique options like FitBit Pay.
Monitoring transactions
Under the "statements" tab, you can scroll through recent purchases and look up older statements as well. You can also see available credit and use the "check spending power" tool, which allows you to confirm if a purchase will be approved in advance. To do this, enter the amount you plan to spend and the immediate answer can save you the embarrassment and hassle of having a transaction declined.
Protecting your money
If you misplace a card or suspect it might be stolen, you can freeze it with one tap on the app and request to replace it. You can also check your FICO score from within the app and even pull up a credit report by entering more information, including the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Rewards
Tap the Membership tab at the bottom of the screen and you’ll see a summary of your rewards earned on the card. If you have a card that earns Membership Rewards points, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can redeem your points for travel, shopping or gift cards in the app.
AmEx offers
The offers tab allows you to view your available American Express offers and add them to your card with one tap. Then, they will be applied to your eligible purchases. The app automatically pulls up nearby offers based on your location, if you allow your phone to share it with the app.
Customer support
Click the "chat" bubble at the top right of the screen to reach customer service. From there, you can enter a live chat, look up answers to frequently asked questions, call customer service, or leave feedback. The desktop experience offers a similar interface, but chat is easier to find on the app.
Drawbacks
Some of the options, such as looking up your credit report or clicking an offer for a high-yield savings account, prompt you to leave the app and enter Amex’s website from within the app, which can lead to loading delays.
It can also be frustrating to get kicked out of the app for idleness when you get distracted in the middle of trying to complete a task. Some users comment online that they get kicked out of the app even when in the midst of using it. Some users also say they have had trouble adding multiple accounts to the app.
Desktop vs. mobile
While the AmEx website offers more options and also remembers your password for quicker login, it can also be a clunkier experience: Pop-ups asking you to confirm your income or making other product offers can be distracting when you’re just trying to check your balance.
Like the app, the website offers an interactive customer service chat feature, but it’s easier to find on the app.
Overall, many users agree that the app is cleaner and less distracting than the website.
Ratings
Ranked No. 1 out of 11 major credit card issuers — American Express earns the highest rank for U.S. credit card app satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Credit Card App Satisfaction Study
4.9/5 — Apple's App Store (rating as of March 2021)
4.2/5 — Google Play Store (rating as of March 2021)
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