American Express Business Cards
Amex business charge and credit cards, $0 to $895 annual fee, up to 2% cash back; 16.99% to 28.74% APR if you carry a balance. Good to excellent credit. Best for pay-in-full spenders.
Rates & Cost
What the financing costs, normalized so lenders can be compared.
Repayment Terms
How and how fast you pay it back, and how flexible it is.
Eligibility & Access
Who qualifies and what you have to put on the line.
Speed & Service
How fast you get funded and how the lender treats you.
Company Verification
Who actually stands behind the lender: legal entity, registration, and how long the business and its website have existed. Checked against public registries.
Best for: Owners with good to excellent personal credit who pay in full each month and want rewards, from a $0 card paying 2% on the first $50,000 a year to premium travel cards.
Not for: Anyone who will carry a balance (16.99% to 28.74%), startups that want no personal guarantee or personal credit check, or owners who need a cash loan.
Lender List verdict: Amex's 11 business cards run from $0 to $895 a year, and its charge cards flex with your spending instead of a fixed limit. It is a payment tool, not cheap financing: one month carrying $20,000 at the top rate costs about $479, more than a month of 2% rewards on that spend.
American Express Business Cards at a glance
American Express offers 11 U.S. business cards, with annual fees from $0 to $895.
| American Express Business Cards | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | Card issuer (American Express National Bank) |
| Founded | 1850 |
| HQ | New York, NY |
| Parent/owner | American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) |
| Products | Charge, credit and co-branded travel cards |
| Amounts | No preset spending limit on charge cards; set limits on credit cards |
| Cost (headline) | $0 to $895 annual fee; 16.99% to 28.74% variable APR on carried balances |
| Term | Revolving; charge-card balances due in full unless moved to Pay Over Time |
| Funding speed | Card use after approval; no cash draw |
| Status | Active (2026-10-26) |
What is American Express Business Cards?
American Express Business Cards are the 11 U.S. small-business charge and credit cards issued by American Express National Bank, from the $0 Blue Business Cash to the $895 Business Platinum. Amex, founded in 1850 and based in New York, has been a bank holding company since 2008.
How American Express business cards work: charge vs. credit
Amex charge cards are due in full monthly, with an optional Pay Over Time balance at 17.99% to 28.74% variable; its credit cards revolve normally.
- Charge cards: Business Platinum, Business Gold and Graphite have no preset spending limit; buying power adjusts to your spending, payments and credit history.
- Credit cards: the Blue cards carry a set limit plus Expanded Buying Power, which allows some spending above it; co-brands revolve at 19.74% to 28.74%.
- No cash loan: for working capital, use a business line of credit.
American Express business card rates and fees: what it really costs
Amex business cards cost $0 to $895 a year in fees, and any balance you carry costs 16.99% to 28.74% variable APR.
| Card | Type | Annual fee | Headline rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Business Cash | Credit | $0 | 2% back on first $50,000 a year, then 1% |
| Blue Business Plus | Credit | $0 | 2X points on first $50,000 a year, then 1X |
| Business Green | Charge | $95 | 2X on Amex Travel bookings |
| Graphite Business Cash Unlimited | Charge | $295 | 2% on everything; 5% on Amex Travel flights and hotels |
| Business Gold | Charge | $375 | 4X in your top 2 of 6 categories (first $150,000 a year) |
| Business Platinum | Charge | $895 | 5X on Amex Travel flights and prepaid hotels |
| Co-brands (Marriott, Hilton, Delta) | Credit | $125 to $650 (cards we checked) | Hotel points or airline miles |
- Blue cards: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then 16.99% to 28.74%; 2.7% foreign transaction fee (Blue Business Plus late fee: up to $39).
Worked example: $20,000 a month in spend ($240,000 a year). Blue Business Cash hits its $50,000 cap in about 2.5 months and returns $2,900 for the year with no fee. Graphite returns $4,800, or $4,505 after its $295 fee; it beats Blue Business Cash above about $79,500 a year. Business Gold, with $8,000 a month in its top two categories, earns 528,000 points; if you value a point at 1 cent (our assumption, not an Amex rate), that is $5,280, or $4,905 after the fee. Carry that $20,000 for a month instead and interest runs about $283 to $479.
American Express business card requirements
Amex business cards require good to excellent personal credit, a personal credit check and personal liability, and Amex publishes no minimum revenue or time in business.
| Requirement | American Express minimum |
|---|---|
| Personal credit score | No published minimum; reviewers recommend good to excellent (NerdWallet's good band: 690+) |
| Time in business | No minimum stated |
| Annual revenue | No minimum; sole proprietors may apply with an SSN |
| Bank account / integrations | Lender does not publish a requirement |
| Credit check | Hard pull on personal and business credit; a pre-check may run with no score impact |
| Collateral / guarantee | Unsecured; owner and business are jointly and severally liable |
Amex weighs personal credit and payment history, not bank balances.
Pros and cons
Amex's best feature is flexible charge-card spending power; its worst is the cost of carrying a balance.
Pros
- $0 Blue cards with 12 months at 0% on purchases
- No preset spending limit on the main charge cards
- Graphite's flat 2% has no annual cap
Cons
- Carried balances cost up to 28.74%
- Premium fees reach $895 a year
- Personal credit check and personal liability on every card
- Settled DOJ charges in 2025 over small-business card sales practices
American Express Business Cards vs. Brex vs. Ramp
American Express underwrites on personal credit with personal liability; Brex and Ramp use company finances and need no personal guarantee.
| American Express Business Cards | Brex | Ramp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card type | Charge and credit cards | Credit card (Mastercard) | Corporate charge card |
| Annual fee | $0 to $895 | Essentials plan $0 per user/month | No annual fee |
| Personal credit check | Yes | No | No |
| Personal guarantee | Joint and several liability | None | None |
| Underwriting | Personal credit plus business history | Revenue, amount raised or cash balance | Revenue or dollars raised; $25,000 cash in a linked account |
| Repayment | Pay in full or Pay Over Time / revolve | Daily or monthly, depending on eligibility | 1-day or 30-day terms (pay in full) |
Brex and Ramp figures are from their own sites, checked 2026-10-26. Capital One has owned Brex since April 2026.
Choose Amex for rewards on strong personal credit; Brex as a funded startup; Ramp with $25,000 in the bank.
American Express Business Cards alternatives on Lender List
When you need cash rather than card spending, the closest American Express alternatives on Lender List are lines of credit from Fundbox or Bluevine.
- Fundbox — revolving line for short cash gaps
- Bluevine — line of credit for established businesses
- Browse all business credit and charge cards on Lender List
Frequently asked questions about American Express Business Cards
American Express business cards are legitimate, bank-issued cards with fees from $0 to $895 and personal liability.
Which Amex Business Card Is Best? Blue Business Cash under about $79,500 a year in spend; Graphite above that, since its unlimited 2% outearns the Blue card's capped 2% even after the $295 fee. Business Gold suits spend concentrated in two categories, and Business Platinum pays off only for frequent travelers.
Is the American Express Business Gold Card Worth It? Yes, if you put heavy spend in two categories. At $8,000 a month in its top two categories, Gold earns 528,000 points a year; at an assumed 1 cent per point that is about $4,905 after the $375 fee. Light or scattered spenders do better with a $0 Blue card.
What Is the Limit on the Amex Business Gold Card? There is no fixed limit. Business Gold is a charge card with no preset spending limit, so how much you can spend adjusts with your purchases, payment history and credit record. Eligible charges can also move to a Pay Over Time balance, which has its own limit.
Is the Amex Business Platinum Card Hard to Get? It is harder than the Blue cards. Amex publishes no minimum score, but reviewers recommend good to excellent credit (NerdWallet's good band starts at 690). Expect a hard pull on personal and business credit, personal liability for the balance, and an $895 annual fee.
Is Amex Blue Business Cash a Charge Card? No. Blue Business Cash and Blue Business Plus are credit cards with a set limit, a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months and a 16.99% to 28.74% variable APR afterward. Amex's charge cards are Business Platinum, Business Gold, Graphite and Business Green.
Can I Get an Amex Business Card Without a Business? Yes, if you have genuine self-employment income. Sole proprietors, including freelancers and side businesses, can apply using a Social Security number in place of an EIN, and a low revenue figure is acceptable. You still need good personal credit and you remain personally liable for the balance.
Does an American Express Business Card Report to Personal Credit? Usually not. According to The Points Guy, Amex reports business card activity to business credit bureaus and to your personal credit reports only if the account defaults. The application itself is a hard pull that does show on your personal report.
Is American Express Legit? Yes. Amex has operated since 1850 and issues these cards through American Express National Bank. It is not BBB accredited and rates 1.3/5 on Trustpilot (5,476 reviews, company-wide). In January 2025 it agreed to a $230 million federal resolution over 2014–2021 small-business card sales practices.
Last verified 2026-10-26. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Best for: Owners with good to excellent personal credit who pay in full each month and want rewards, from a $0 card paying 2% on the first $50,000 a year to premium travel cards.
Not for: Anyone who will carry a balance (16.99% to 28.74%), startups that want no personal guarantee or personal credit check, or owners who need a cash loan.
Lender List verdict: Amex's 11 business cards run from $0 to $895 a year, and its charge cards flex with your spending instead of a fixed limit. It is a payment tool, not cheap financing: one month carrying $20,000 at the top rate costs about $479, more than a month of 2% rewards on that spend.
American Express Business Cards at a glance
American Express offers 11 U.S. business cards, with annual fees from $0 to $895.
| American Express Business Cards | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | Card issuer (American Express National Bank) |
| Founded | 1850 |
| HQ | New York, NY |
| Parent/owner | American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) |
| Products | Charge, credit and co-branded travel cards |
| Amounts | No preset spending limit on charge cards; set limits on credit cards |
| Cost (headline) | $0 to $895 annual fee; 16.99% to 28.74% variable APR on carried balances |
| Term | Revolving; charge-card balances due in full unless moved to Pay Over Time |
| Funding speed | Card use after approval; no cash draw |
| Status | Active (2026-10-26) |
What is American Express Business Cards?
American Express Business Cards are the 11 U.S. small-business charge and credit cards issued by American Express National Bank, from the $0 Blue Business Cash to the $895 Business Platinum. Amex, founded in 1850 and based in New York, has been a bank holding company since 2008.
How American Express business cards work: charge vs. credit
Amex charge cards are due in full monthly, with an optional Pay Over Time balance at 17.99% to 28.74% variable; its credit cards revolve normally.
- Charge cards: Business Platinum, Business Gold and Graphite have no preset spending limit; buying power adjusts to your spending, payments and credit history.
- Credit cards: the Blue cards carry a set limit plus Expanded Buying Power, which allows some spending above it; co-brands revolve at 19.74% to 28.74%.
- No cash loan: for working capital, use a business line of credit.
American Express business card rates and fees: what it really costs
Amex business cards cost $0 to $895 a year in fees, and any balance you carry costs 16.99% to 28.74% variable APR.
| Card | Type | Annual fee | Headline rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Business Cash | Credit | $0 | 2% back on first $50,000 a year, then 1% |
| Blue Business Plus | Credit | $0 | 2X points on first $50,000 a year, then 1X |
| Business Green | Charge | $95 | 2X on Amex Travel bookings |
| Graphite Business Cash Unlimited | Charge | $295 | 2% on everything; 5% on Amex Travel flights and hotels |
| Business Gold | Charge | $375 | 4X in your top 2 of 6 categories (first $150,000 a year) |
| Business Platinum | Charge | $895 | 5X on Amex Travel flights and prepaid hotels |
| Co-brands (Marriott, Hilton, Delta) | Credit | $125 to $650 (cards we checked) | Hotel points or airline miles |
- Blue cards: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then 16.99% to 28.74%; 2.7% foreign transaction fee (Blue Business Plus late fee: up to $39).
Worked example: $20,000 a month in spend ($240,000 a year). Blue Business Cash hits its $50,000 cap in about 2.5 months and returns $2,900 for the year with no fee. Graphite returns $4,800, or $4,505 after its $295 fee; it beats Blue Business Cash above about $79,500 a year. Business Gold, with $8,000 a month in its top two categories, earns 528,000 points; if you value a point at 1 cent (our assumption, not an Amex rate), that is $5,280, or $4,905 after the fee. Carry that $20,000 for a month instead and interest runs about $283 to $479.
American Express business card requirements
Amex business cards require good to excellent personal credit, a personal credit check and personal liability, and Amex publishes no minimum revenue or time in business.
| Requirement | American Express minimum |
|---|---|
| Personal credit score | No published minimum; reviewers recommend good to excellent (NerdWallet's good band: 690+) |
| Time in business | No minimum stated |
| Annual revenue | No minimum; sole proprietors may apply with an SSN |
| Bank account / integrations | Lender does not publish a requirement |
| Credit check | Hard pull on personal and business credit; a pre-check may run with no score impact |
| Collateral / guarantee | Unsecured; owner and business are jointly and severally liable |
Amex weighs personal credit and payment history, not bank balances.
Pros and cons
Amex's best feature is flexible charge-card spending power; its worst is the cost of carrying a balance.
Pros
- $0 Blue cards with 12 months at 0% on purchases
- No preset spending limit on the main charge cards
- Graphite's flat 2% has no annual cap
Cons
- Carried balances cost up to 28.74%
- Premium fees reach $895 a year
- Personal credit check and personal liability on every card
- Settled DOJ charges in 2025 over small-business card sales practices
American Express Business Cards vs. Brex vs. Ramp
American Express underwrites on personal credit with personal liability; Brex and Ramp use company finances and need no personal guarantee.
| American Express Business Cards | Brex | Ramp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card type | Charge and credit cards | Credit card (Mastercard) | Corporate charge card |
| Annual fee | $0 to $895 | Essentials plan $0 per user/month | No annual fee |
| Personal credit check | Yes | No | No |
| Personal guarantee | Joint and several liability | None | None |
| Underwriting | Personal credit plus business history | Revenue, amount raised or cash balance | Revenue or dollars raised; $25,000 cash in a linked account |
| Repayment | Pay in full or Pay Over Time / revolve | Daily or monthly, depending on eligibility | 1-day or 30-day terms (pay in full) |
Brex and Ramp figures are from their own sites, checked 2026-10-26. Capital One has owned Brex since April 2026.
Choose Amex for rewards on strong personal credit; Brex as a funded startup; Ramp with $25,000 in the bank.
American Express Business Cards alternatives on Lender List
When you need cash rather than card spending, the closest American Express alternatives on Lender List are lines of credit from Fundbox or Bluevine.
- Fundbox — revolving line for short cash gaps
- Bluevine — line of credit for established businesses
- Browse all business credit and charge cards on Lender List
Frequently asked questions about American Express Business Cards
American Express business cards are legitimate, bank-issued cards with fees from $0 to $895 and personal liability.
Which Amex Business Card Is Best? Blue Business Cash under about $79,500 a year in spend; Graphite above that, since its unlimited 2% outearns the Blue card's capped 2% even after the $295 fee. Business Gold suits spend concentrated in two categories, and Business Platinum pays off only for frequent travelers.
Is the American Express Business Gold Card Worth It? Yes, if you put heavy spend in two categories. At $8,000 a month in its top two categories, Gold earns 528,000 points a year; at an assumed 1 cent per point that is about $4,905 after the $375 fee. Light or scattered spenders do better with a $0 Blue card.
What Is the Limit on the Amex Business Gold Card? There is no fixed limit. Business Gold is a charge card with no preset spending limit, so how much you can spend adjusts with your purchases, payment history and credit record. Eligible charges can also move to a Pay Over Time balance, which has its own limit.
Is the Amex Business Platinum Card Hard to Get? It is harder than the Blue cards. Amex publishes no minimum score, but reviewers recommend good to excellent credit (NerdWallet's good band starts at 690). Expect a hard pull on personal and business credit, personal liability for the balance, and an $895 annual fee.
Is Amex Blue Business Cash a Charge Card? No. Blue Business Cash and Blue Business Plus are credit cards with a set limit, a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months and a 16.99% to 28.74% variable APR afterward. Amex's charge cards are Business Platinum, Business Gold, Graphite and Business Green.
Can I Get an Amex Business Card Without a Business? Yes, if you have genuine self-employment income. Sole proprietors, including freelancers and side businesses, can apply using a Social Security number in place of an EIN, and a low revenue figure is acceptable. You still need good personal credit and you remain personally liable for the balance.
Does an American Express Business Card Report to Personal Credit? Usually not. According to The Points Guy, Amex reports business card activity to business credit bureaus and to your personal credit reports only if the account defaults. The application itself is a hard pull that does show on your personal report.
Is American Express Legit? Yes. Amex has operated since 1850 and issues these cards through American Express National Bank. It is not BBB accredited and rates 1.3/5 on Trustpilot (5,476 reviews, company-wide). In January 2025 it agreed to a $230 million federal resolution over 2014–2021 small-business card sales practices.
Last verified 2026-10-26. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Related listings
Saratoga Springs, NY private credit advisory arranging $50K–$20M working capital: lines of credit, term loans, ABL, equi...
Walmart's invite-only seller cash advance plus partner offers. One unpublished flat fee (~29% APR in our example), repai...
Corporate charge card with no personal guarantee or personal credit check; limits from business cash and revenue, $0 Ess...
Short-term business loans up to $10M over 3 to 24 months. Pricing not published. 625 credit, $750K revenue, 6 months in ...
Recurring-revenue financing, $25,000 to $10M. Revenue financing from a 7% discount (~13.6% to 16.0% APR), no warrants or...
Free loan marketplace, not a lender: 25+ partners, $5,000 to $5,000,000, 11.25% to ~41% APR. Soft pull to view offers. B...