7 Reasons the Amex Blue Business Plus Card Belongs in Everyone's Wallet

With a myriad of options for business credit cards—each with different fees, rewards, and redemption methods—finding the right card for your business can feel overwhelming.

This is where TPG can provide assistance.

A card often overlooked but worthy of your attention is The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. Designed specifically for small businesses and sole proprietors, it features a simple rewards structure.

You can earn rewards on both everyday and business spending with no annual fee (see rates and fees). Here are seven compelling reasons why the Blue Business Plus card should be in your wallet.

No annual fee

The Blue Business Plus comes with no annual fee, making it a smart choice to apply—unless you're carefully managing the number of cards you apply for due to Chase's 5/24 rule. If that's not a concern, this card stands out as one of the top no-annual-fee business cards available.

Membership Rewards points

Amex Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable in the market. American Express boasts the largest network of transfer partners of any major credit card loyalty program in the U.S., allowing you to transfer your points to any of Amex's 21 transfer partners—including 18 airlines and three hotel chains.

This allows you to access promotional deals from airline and hotel programs worldwide.

Straightforward reward system

You’ll earn 2 points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases with the Blue Business Plus card for the first $50,000 each year. After that, the earning rate drops to 1 point per dollar. This rate is one of the best available for everyday spending on any business card, and you won’t have to track any bonus categories.

The only drawback is that you might miss out on larger bonuses provided by other cards in specific spending categories.

For example, if your business frequently books flights, this card pairs excellently with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

Combining with other Amex cards

By combining the Blue Business Plus card with other Amex offerings like the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express, you create an Amex trifecta, allowing all cards to earn Membership Rewards points.

With this trifecta, you’ll consistently earn at least 2 Membership Rewards points on all purchases. The Gold Card provides 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants (on up to $50,000 annually, then 1 point per dollar) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1 point per dollar), while the Platinum Card earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or via American Express Travel, up to $500,000 on these purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar.

TPG's senior credit card writer Matt Moffitt relies on this card for his everyday non-bonus expenditures.

As part of the Amex Trifecta, he books flights with his Platinum card, allocates grocery and dining expenses to his Gold card, and primarily uses his Blue Business Plus card for all other purchases to accumulate 2 Membership Rewards points (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).

Employee cards

A significant benefit is that American Express permits the addition of up to 99 employee cards, enabling you to continue earning 2 points per dollar on employee per diem expenses.

Increased purchasing power

American Express allows you to go beyond your credit limit for significant purchases, based on your card usage, payment history, and overall credit profile. Any amount spent over your limit needs to be settled by a set due date; however, it's advisable to pay off your total balance whenever feasible, as recommended by TPG.

Insurance perks

Amex cards offer a variety of insurance benefits, and the Blue Business Plus is no different. Cardholders can enjoy:

• Extended warranty coverage for an additional year on purchases with original warranties of five years or less, up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per account*
• Purchase protection for any eligible items that are damaged or stolen for up to 90 days (up to $1,000 per incident, with a cap of $50,000 per Card Member account annually)*
• Car rental loss and damage coverage up to $50,000 (this is secondary insurance and does not cover liability)**
• A global assist hotline that provides information on customs, passport and visa details, travel inquiries, foreign exchange rates, vaccination data, emergency translation and interpretation, lost-item recovery, missing luggage help, card cancellation, urgent message relay, emergency medical transport assistance, and more***

*Eligibility and benefit levels differ by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. For details, visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide. Policies are provided by AMEX Assurance Company.

***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for specifics. Cardmembers are accountable for costs incurred by third-party service providers.

Conclusion

While there aren't any special bonus categories, the Amex Blue Business Plus card remains one of our top picks for small-business credit cards.

Having this card is an excellent opportunity for business owners to accumulate valuable Membership Rewards points due to its simple earning structure. It also serves as a great supplementary card when combined with other Amex credit cards, particularly if you want to enhance your earning strategy.