American Express Blue Business® Plus vs. Blue Business Cash™: Choosing Membership Rewards® points* or cash back for your business

The following post has been sponsored by our partner American Express. The analysis and opinions in the story are our own and may not reflect the views of American Express. Learn more about our editorial policy

For those who haven’t heard, American Express has a great small business card loaded with competitive perks – the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card.

The Blue Business Cash Card debuted last year with a generous rewards rate, offering 2 percent cash back in the form of a statement credit on up to $50,000 on eligible purchases per calendar year and 1 percent back thereafter. (Terms apply.) A flat 2 percent rate is hard to find on a card with no annual fee,^¤ ensuring the Blue Business Cash Card’s immediate appeal for business owners.

But the Blue Business Cash is not the first card from American Express to offer this simple and streamlined rewards structure. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar thereafter. (Terms apply.)

So how do you decide which of these two American Express cards is right for your business? Should you go for points or cash back? Read on to learn more about what differentiates these two options and how to decide which is best for your business.

Blue Business Plus vs. Blue Business Cash: At a glance

	Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express	American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Rewards rate	2 points per dollar on eligible purchases, up to $50,000 per calendar year (1 point per dollar thereafter). ‡	2 percent cash back in the form of a statement credit on eligible purchases, up to $50,000 per calendar year (1 percent cash back thereafter). ‡
Annual fee	$0 ¤	$0 ¤
More things to know	0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months from the date of account opening (13.24-19.24% variable thereafter)¤ Option to spend over your credit limit ‡** Earn rewards on employee cards ‡ ¤Rates & Fees ‡Benefit Terms	0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months from the date of account opening (13.24-19.24% variable thereafter) ¤ Option to spend over your credit limit ‡** Earn rewards on employee cards ‡ ¤Rates & Fees ‡Benefit Terms

** The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors

Which features are the same?

The Blue Business Plus Card and the Blue Business Cash Card both offer the same earn rate and introductory APR,^¤ in addition to perks for small businesses – such as a suite of spend tracking tools and Expanded Buying Power ‡. Neither of the two cards charges an annual fee.^¤ (Terms apply.)

Which features are different?

The main distinction between the Blue Business Plus Card and the Blue Business Cash Card is that one earns Membership Rewards points, while the other earns simple and streamlined cash back in the form of a statement credit.

While the Blue Business Cash Card awards cash back on your card statement each billing period, the Blue Business Plus gives card members Membership Rewards points, which are most useful for frequent business travelers and have a different value depending on how you redeem them. Blue Business Plus Card Members can also transfer points to one of a variety of American Express hotel and airline partners.

Choosing between points and cash back

With similar rewards rates and benefits, how do you decide between points or cash back? Each of these rewards programs comes with its own pros and cons, so it depends on what kind of card member you are and which you find most valuable for your business.

In the case of points, Membership Rewards points are one of the most lucrative rewards options on the market, thanks to an extensive list of travel partners. If you put in a bit of research, you can get great value out of points.

On the flip side, cash back provides incredible flexibility and is applied to your card statement. Cash back can be a useful tool to manage your business’s cash flow, as you can use cash back to cover the cost of charges that help grow your business.

While frequent travelers might enjoy the high potential value and extensive list of travel partners available with Membership Rewards points, business owners eager to use rewards to reinvest in their business might prefer the flexibility of cash back. Deciding which card is best for your business comes down to pinpointing the kind of spending you’ll do with the card.

Final thoughts

The Blue Business Cash Card is sure to be a great addition to the business card space, as it offers a simple, streamlined and competitive rate of cash back for a card with no annual fee^¤ on top of a suite of business tools. Its introductory APR^¤ and other benefits make it a top choice for business card members looking for a tool to manage their cash flow, and rewards are easy to redeem.

When compared to its points-earning counterpart – the Blue Business Plus Card – the Blue Business Cash Card seems to have an equal rewards structure. However, since one card earns cash back and the other earns Membership Rewards points, each is best suited to a specific kind of business card member. Consider your plans for the rewards and the amount of time you’d like to spend hunting down good redemption options before deciding which of these options is best for you.

¤Rates & Fees ‡Benefit Terms

* Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

 The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them.  To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.