American Express Blue Business Cash Card vs Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express Blue Business Cash Card | Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $99 |
| Welcome offer | $250 statement credit | 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after $3,500 in 4 months |
| Advertising | 2% | 1% |
| Shipping | 2% | 1% |
| Office supplies | 2% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 2% | 1% |
| Travel | 2% | 1% |
| Everything else | 2% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $900 | $492 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage |
| Network | Amex | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card earns about $900 a year in rewards and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® about $492, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The American Express Blue Business Cash Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card delivers more total value, about $507 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the American Express Blue Business Cash Card if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.