I’ve been accumulating factors and miles on traveling bank card for virtually twenty years, and I listen to a typical refrain when chatting with loved ones participants concerning the subject. “Why would I ever pay an annual fee on a credit card?”

Longtime visitors understand the solution to this inquiry, however I still discover that many simply can not surpass the concept of spending for a charge card.

Thankfully, there are a lot of wonderful no-annual-fee cards around — and for small-business proprietors, there’s one that stands over the remainder: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (see prices and charges).

Here’s why this card remains firmly in my wallet.

Flexible Membership Rewards factors

Many card companies permit you to merge your factors when you have numerous cards in their particular communities. However, this typically suggests that your no-annual-fee choices call for higher-end cards to optimize their worth. Case in factor:

You’re restricted to cash-back redemption choices if you do not have a higher-tier card.

That is not real for the Blue Business Plus.

Even if it’s the just American Express card you have in your wallet, you’re making 2 Membership Rewards factors per buck invested (on approximately $50,000 in investing yearly, after that 1 factor per buck). And these are totally adaptable Membership Rewards factors. You can utilize them for trips, resorts and rental cars and trucks using American Express Travel, however my favored redemption choice is moving them to Amex’s 21 airline company and resort companions.

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily e-newsletter

Join over 700,000 visitors for damaging information, in-deepness overviews and special offers from TPG’s professionals

The leading choices for me consist of:

I’ve also covered up my Delta Air Lines SkyMiles account when I was simply a little bit reluctant of a certain redemption, though this did sustain Amex’s irritating charge to counter government import tax tax obligations on the transfer (0.06 cents per factor, approximately an optimum of $99).

For extra recommendations, have a look at our overview to making the most of Amex Membership Rewards factors.

Related: 7 reasons that the Amex Blue Business Plus Card ought to be in every person’s wallet

No yearly charge

As pointed out previously, the Blue Business Plus sustains no yearly charge (see prices and charges). This suggests there’s no charge to your small company each year. With 2 factors per buck invested, you’re obtaining the matching of 4% back on all acquisitions (based upon TPG’s newest appraisals) — that’s a superb price of return.

Note that the card does enforce international purchase charges (see prices and charges) when utilized outside the U.S. As an outcome, this isn’t a great choice when taking a trip abroad.

Read extra: 7 factors you ought to obtain (and maintain) a no-annual-fee bank card

And the truth that this card does not have a yearly charge makes this following perk much more notable.

Valuable Amex Offers

I am a significant advocate of frequently examining your bank card make up discount rates and perk provides that have to be triggered prior to buying. And the Amex Offers system is amongst the most useful on the market.

In 2023, below’s simply a tasting of the provides I utilized on my Blue Business Plus:

• $60 back on a month-to-month YouTube television registration ($20 back, approximately 3 times)
• $75 back on a $300 acquisition at a Hyatt Centric in New York City
• $10 back on a $75 acquisition at Office Depot
• $44 back on a $221 remain at a Residence Inn
• $75 off a $300 acquisition at a Kimpton resort
• $100 off $536 in acquisitions at Lowe’s
• $14 off $137 in acquisitions at FedEx Office
• $60 off my $120 yearly revival of Dropbox
• 2,500 perk Amex factors for acquisitions at amazon.com

In all, I got over $645 in declaration credit reports plus an added 2,500 Amex factors (valued at $50). That’s virtually $700 of included worth, all on acquisitions I was currently making.

How well it has fun with others

If you’re just seeking a small-business card without yearly charge, the Blue Business Plus is a superb choice. However, there’s something to be stated concerning combining it with various other Amex cards to intensify your making possibilities.

For instance, I likewise have the individual American Express® Gold Card, which grants 4 factors per buck at U.S. grocery stores (on approximately $25,000 in acquisitions yearly, after that 1 factor per buck) and 4 factors per buck at dining establishments worldwide. I’ll usage the Gold card for those acquisitions, however after that the Blue Business Plus can cover a selection of various other acquisitions that do not fall under conventional perk groups.

And considering that the Amex Gold forgoes international purchase charges (see prices and charges), it’s a fantastic choice for journeys outside the U.S.

I likewise hold The Platinum Card® from American Express, and while I do not utilize it regularly for investing, I do worth the selection of advantages on the card — consisting of comprehensive lounge accessibility and deluxe resort advantages.

The various other wonderful point is that your Membership Rewards factors from numerous Amex cards (consisting of customer and calling card) obtain merged when you include them to a solitary online account. As an outcome, there’s no demand to stress over handling numerous logins and different equilibriums.

Read extra: American Express Membership Rewards: The utmost overview

Current welcome deal

If you do not presently have the Blue Business Plus, it deserves keeping in mind that you can presently gain a welcome perk of 15,000 Membership Rewards factors after investing $3,000 on acquisitions on your card in your very first 3 months. This isn’t a hugely financially rewarding deal, however the card has actually experienced lengthy stretches in the past without welcome perk. As an outcome, if you have actually been waiting to use, currently is a good time to do so.

Just recognize Amex’s once-per-lifetime plan on welcome bonus offers, and make sure you have actually checked out our overview to application constraints so you know prospective barricades. And note that you might not require an official business to obtain authorized — I was authorized years ago utilizing simply my Social Security number as a single owner.

Related: How to obtain a business bank card

Bottom line

I am a substantial follower of the Amex Blue Business Plus card. With 2 factors per buck invested in all acquisitions (approximately $50,000 each year) in addition to a selection of financially rewarding Amex Offers and very easy pairability with various other Amex cards, the Blue Business Plus has a long-lasting area in my wallet.

With the existing welcome deal, currently can be a superb time to include the card to your collection — and begin making useful Membership Rewards factors for your small company.

To discover more concerning the card, review our complete testimonial of the Blue Business Plus.

Apply below: Blue Business Plus card with a 15,000-point welcome perk

For prices and charges of the Amex Blue Business Plus, go here.
For prices and charges of the Amex Gold, go here.