Is the American Express® Business Platinum Worth the $895 Annual Fee?
Yes. The American Express® Business Platinum hands back up to $1,565 in annual statement credits and benefits, which more than covers the $895 fee before you earn a single point. As long as you will actually use even $895 of those credits, the card pays for itself.
Every credit, broken down
The American Express® Business Platinum offsets its fee with statement credits and benefits. Here is every one, with the most you can get from each per year. Remember that credits only count if you would have spent that money anyway, and some renew on a monthly or semi-annual schedule you have to use or lose.
| Credit or benefit | Up to |
|---|---|
| $200 airline fee credit annually | $200 |
| $200 hotel credit (Fine Hotels + Resorts) | $200 |
| $400 Dell Technologies credit | $400 |
| $360 Indeed credit | $360 |
| $150 Adobe credit | $150 |
| $120 wireless telephone credit | $120 |
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit (~$100) | $100 |
| Priority Pass Select lounge access (10 free visits/yr, then $35/visit) | $35 |
| Total stated value | $1,565 |
If you use all of it, that is $1,565 back against a $895 fee, which covers the fee on its own.
What you earn on spending
Credits are only half the story; the card also earns rewards every time you swipe. On $45,000 of annual business spending, the American Express® Business Platinum earns about $642 a year at a flat 1 cent per point. Because this is a business card, the rate below reflects a representative small-business budget. See the full category breakdown in our American Express® Business Platinum review, or run your own numbers in the rewards calculator.
The break-even
Add it up. The American Express® Business Platinum costs $895 a year. Its credits return up to $1,565, and everyday rewards add about $642. That is a net of $1,312 in your favor every year you hold it, before any welcome bonus. First-year holders also collect a welcome bonus worth about $3,000, pushing the first-year total to roughly $4,312.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the American Express® Business Platinum worth the annual fee?
- Yes. The American Express® Business Platinum hands back up to $1,565 in annual statement credits and benefits, which more than covers the $895 fee before you earn a single point. As long as you will actually use even $895 of those credits, the card pays for itself.
- How do you offset the American Express® Business Platinum annual fee?
- Use the statement credits first: the American Express® Business Platinum offers up to $1,565 a year, enough to cover the fee by itself. Everyday rewards add roughly $642 more on a typical budget.
- Is there a no-annual-fee alternative to the American Express® Business Platinum?
- Yes. If you cannot clear the $895 fee, a no-fee card keeps every dollar of rewards as profit. See our ranked no-fee picks to compare.
