AmEx Blue Business Cash Review: Straightforward Rewards, No Annual Fee

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is one of the few small-business credit cards that offers 2% cash back without charging an annual fee. Terms apply.

That makes it a great deal for entrepreneurs looking to earn a high flat rate on everyday spending without having to keep track of bonus categories. The card’s 0% intro APR offer on purchases is also useful for those looking to finance upfront expenses.

But if you're a bigger-spending business owner or you have predictable monthly expenses that fall neatly into specific categories, you can find more lucrative cards. And if it's travel rewards you want, you'll need to look elsewhere.

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Key features

Card type: Small business.

Annual fee: $0.

Welcome offer: Earn up to $300 back to boost your business. You can earn up to $100 in the form of statement credits at each of the following merchants: Dell Technologies, DocuSign or FedEx after you make an eligible purchase on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Terms apply. Cash back is automatically credited to your statement.

APR: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 13.24% - 19.24% Variable APR.

Foreign transaction fee: 2.7%.

Other benefits:

• Get more flexibility with the ability to spend a limited amount above your credit limit.

• Give a trusted individual access to manage your card account when you're unavailable by designating an account manager.

• Get car rental loss and damage insurance if your eligible rental is damaged or stolen and you use the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card to reserve and pay for the vehicle and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter.

• Terms apply.

» MORE: American Express credit cards mobile app review

Benefits of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

solid, Straightforward rewards

There's no need to track categories or juggle multiple cards. Everything you buy with the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card will net you 2% cash back until you hit that $50,000 annual spending cap. Then, you'll earn an unlimited 1% cash back on spending. Terms apply. If you max out the spending cap, you'll net a whopping $1,000 back. This is impressive, especially since the annual fee is $0.

business-friendly bonus

Earn up to $300 back to boost your business. You can earn up to $100 in the form of statement credits at each of the following merchants: Dell Technologies, DocuSign or FedEx after you make an eligible purchase on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Credit limit flexibility

If your spending level varies significantly from month to month or you have a period of purchasing in which you need some wiggle room, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card might be able to help. According to the card's terms, your spending capacity can adjust based on factors including your payment history, credit history and other financial factors.

0% intro APR offer

Few small-business cards offer a lengthy 0% introductory APR period. The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is an exception. You'll get an intro 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 13.24% - 19.24% Variable APR. This can buy you time to pay down a big purchase.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best 0% credit cards for business

Automatic redemptions

This may count as a drawback for those who want to save up their rewards for specific redemptions. But for time-strapped business owners, there's no need to wait until you've accumulated a certain amount, no remembering to log in to get your rewards. This card takes care of that for you. As long as your account is in good standing, you'll get an automatic statement credit for your rewards without any effort on your end.

No annual fee

For budget-conscious small business owners, avoiding an annual fee is a plus, especially if your spending doesn't justify the rewards that can come from cards that charge annual fees.

Why you might want another card

Annual spending cap

If your annual expenses don't even come close to that $50,000 limit before the rewards rate drops to 1%, no matter. But businesses that spend much more than that each year would be better off with a card that offers unlimited bonus rewards. One pick? The Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business. It earns 2% cash back on every purchase without any limit. There's an annual fee, though.

» MORE: NerdWallet's full review of the Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business

Foreign transaction fee and no travel rewards

If you are a frequent overseas traveler, then you will want to use a card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee, as this one does. Similarly, the card offers no travel-specific rewards or bonus categories, which can also be a downside for frequent travelers.

» MORE: NerdWallet's full review of the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card

no traditional welcome offer

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card doesn't provide the type of welcome offer you may be accustomed to from other rewards cards. If you want big upfront rewards for your business spending, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card delivers the goods with one of the richest potential bonuses around. It also earns 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year and an unlimited 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase.

» MORE: NerdWallet's full review of the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card 

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card  vs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

These two cards are identical in every way except for one crucial detail: the kind of rewards they earn.

If you're looking for straight-cash back and you're OK with it as a statement credit, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is the clear winner for its simple rewards structure and automatic redemptions. Earning 2% cash back on the card on up to $50,000 annually means you'll earn 2 cents for every dollar spent. Even when you hit that spending cap and the earning rate drops to 1% cash back, that's still worth 1 cent for every dollar.

With The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, depending on how you redeem your Membership Rewards points, you can typically get a value between half a cent to one cent per point (and potentially higher for some travel-related redemptions). Redeeming Membership Rewards points for a statement credit is an option, but points are worth only 0.6 cents each when redeemed this way.

Gift cards and merchandise are also options for using your points stash, but their value also tends to be less than a penny per point.

Why you might want the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

If your business expenses are varied and less than $50,000 a year, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a straightforward way to earn solid cash back. The card earns an easy-to-understand flat rate on all purchases, and it does the redemption work for you.

Someone who spends heavily in specific categories, like gas or office supplies, may find more benefit from a card that offers elevated earnings in those areas. Or someone who wants greater flexibility with their rewards might find that a card with multiple redemption options is a better fit.

To view rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please visit this page.