American Express® Blue Business Plus Review
Overview
The Amex Blue Business Plus is a card I think almost anyone in the Amex ecosystem should hold onto, for one specific reason: it is the only Amex card with no annual fee that still earns Membership Rewards points. That makes it the perfect home base for your Amex points.
On top of that, it is genuinely useful: 2x on everything, an easy welcome bonus, and no fee to ever worry about. It is a simple card with basically no drawbacks, and it plays a role no other Amex card can.
Think twice if: there is honestly not much to think twice about, since it is free. The only note is that it is a business card, so you need a business, even a small side hustle, to get it.
Our 4.5 out of 5 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Rewards: how it earns
The earning is dead simple: 2x Membership Rewards points on everything, up to a high annual cap, then 1x after. Two points per dollar on all spending, with no categories to track, is genuinely strong for a no-fee card, and because it is Membership Rewards, those points are transferable, not locked cash back. It is the kind of flat, no-thinking earn rate that is easy to love.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dining and restaurants | 2% back | Base rate |
| Groceries | 2% back | Base rate |
| Gas | 2% back | Base rate |
| Travel | 2% back | Base rate |
| Streaming | 2% back | Base rate |
| Phone and internet bills | 2% back | Base rate |
| Advertising | 2% back | Base rate |
| Office supplies | 2% back | Base rate |
| Shipping | 2% back | Base rate |
| Everything else | 2% back | Everything else |
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Pros and cons
- No annual fee, ever
- The only no-fee Amex card that earns transferable Membership Rewards points
- 2x on everything up to a high annual cap
- The perfect place to keep your Amex points alive if you cancel other Amex cards
- Simple, flexible, and basically no drawbacks
- It is a business card, so you need a business to qualify
- The welcome bonus is small at 15,000 points
- 2x is capped at a high annual spend, then drops to 1x
The welcome bonus
The welcome bonus is small but the threshold is low: 15,000 Membership Rewards points after $3,000 in three months, worth about $150. It is a nice little kicker on a free card, and $3,000 in three months is easy for most businesses to hit.
Is it worth the annual fee?
There is no annual fee, and that is the entire point of this card. It costs you nothing to hold, forever, which is exactly why it is the ideal card to park your Amex points in. If you ever want to cancel a fee-charging Amex card like the Gold or Platinum, you move your points to the Blue Business Plus first, and they stay alive at zero cost. No fee to justify, no downside.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | 15,000 Membership Rewards® Points |
| To earn it | $3,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,050 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $900 |
The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $1,050 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the no fee. After that, the honest figure is about $900 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- Expanded buying power, spend beyond your limit when your business needs it
- Transfer points to 20+ airline and hotel partners
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase protection and extended warranty
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
Statement credits
This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.
Ecosystem and transfer partners
The American Express® Blue Business Plus earns Membership Rewards, one of the more valuable currencies in rewards because of where the points can go. You can move points 1 to 1 to 10 airline and hotel partners: Delta SkyMiles, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and The Leading Hotels of the World. As a hub card, this is the one you route points through before transferring out. The sweet spots are usually premium-cabin flights and high-end hotel nights, where a single point can be worth well more than the 1 cent we value it at here.
Airline partners: Delta SkyMiles, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, The Leading Hotels of the World.
Stop guessing at point values. Look up the real mileage price and live seat availability for a specific flight.
Search award flights on seats.aero →Hotel partners: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors.
Look up the live points price and availability for a specific hotel stay before you book.
Search award stays on rooms.aero →Who should get it, and who should skip it
Everyone in the Amex ecosystem should consider holding this card, because it is the free insurance policy for your Membership Rewards points. Cancel your Gold or Platinum after the first year, keep the Blue Business Plus, and your points never disappear. That alone makes it worth having.
Beyond that, it is a genuinely solid everyday card, 2x on everything with no fee. One thing to note: there is a cash-back version, the Blue Business Cash, but I would skip that unless you specifically want cash back, because this one earns transferable points, which are more flexible and valuable. This is the one to get.
How it compares
If the American Express® Blue Business Plus is not quite the right fit, these related cards are worth weighing against it:
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Offer details verified against issuer sources as of July 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
