Review of the Blue for Business® Credit Card from American Express

The Blue for Business® Credit Card gives business owners the best of all worlds. They get the customer service and high-value rewards that American Express is known for, but with no annual fee. Plus they get an introductory 0% APR on purchases. A sign-on bonus of 10,000 points is granted with the first purchase. Cardholders get bonus points every year on their anniversary date. Businesses will save on necessities with the American Express OPEN Savings program.

Credit level recommended:	Excellent
APR on purchases:	11.74% - 19.74% (V)7, depending on creditworthiness
Annual fee:	$07
Special offers:	After your first purchase you’ll get a sign-on bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points, and each year you’ll earn an anniversary bonus. You will get 30% of your earned Membership Rewards points as a bonus. You’ll also get an introductory 0% APR for 9 months on purchases.

Earning rewards:

Cardmembers get one point for every dollar spent and two points on purchases made through the American Express Travel website. Membership Rewards Points never expire and there is no limit to how many you can earn. The more your business spends, the more points you earn.

Redeeming rewards:

Membership Rewards can be redeemed for airfare, hotel stays, gift cards or merchandise. Redemption is flexible and easy through the Membership Rewards website, whether you want to redeem points for travel, shopping, dining, or entertainment. Book flights using Pay with Points and fly any airline you choose without worrying about blackout dates or other restrictions. Pay with Points also works for cruises, hotel stays, vacation packages and entertainment, or to pay down your balance.

Benefits:

The relationship with American Express will bring you relationship bonus in every anniversary year. The bonus will equal 30% of purchases charged to your credit card during anniversary year and will be posted to your Membership Rewards account. The American Express OPEN Savings program helps businesses save on car rental, shipping, office supplies and more at places like OfficeMax.com, hpdirect.com, Hertz , Hyatt, Barnes&Noble.com, Marriot, and FedEx. As part of OPEN Savings, businesses get extended warranty protection on purchases, dispute resolution, fraud and identity theft protection, and dedicated Signature Cardmember Business Service for assistance from small business experts. Business owners can also get employee cards at no additional charge, and set different limits for each employee’s card to keep costs under control.

Considerations:

American Express is a premium credit card and traditionally that has come at a premium – namely, a high annual fee. Business owners can now enjoy the value of the Membership Rewards program without the annual price tag. This business credit card even offers an introductory 0% rate on purchases for up to nine months – something that’s pretty hard to find in a business rewards credit card. True, the Business Platinum Card® card offers a few more perks, like concierge service and exclusive VIP event invitations, but it also comes with a $450⁷ annual fee. The Cardmember Business Service is offered as a stand-in for concierge service. Employees who carry extra cards may find that it comes in handy when they’re away from the office and have questions about using the card. This business credit card is the only premium rewards card we can think of that has no annual fee and a no-interest introductory period. The only thing missing is a balance transfer option – but very few business cards offer that anyway. The big catch here is that you need flawless credit to be approved. If you have it, you’re in luck. This is one of the best business credit cards on the market.