Our Verdict
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express* is a surprisingly lackluster card from American Express. It earns Membership Rewards points, which can be valuable to small businesses with travel expenses. But at a rate of only 2 points per dollar on eligible purchases at American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on eligible purchases, there are plenty of other business cards with better earning potential. Some business owners may find this card useful, however, because it has no preset spending limit.
Pros
- The card earns Membership Rewards points, which are highly flexible
- Spending limit adapts based on factors such as purchase and payment history
- Some travel benefits
Cons
- Lackluster earning potential, especially compared to other business cards
- $95 annual fee
Highlights
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn 2x points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases at American Express Travel and 1x points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases
- No preset spending limit
Introduction
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express* earns Membership Rewards points, which can be a valuable currency for people with significant travel expenses. With a little work, these points can be redeemed for excellent value with partner airlines and hotels. But this card earns only 2 points per dollar on eligible purchases at American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on eligible purchases, a rate that just can’t compete with other rewards cards.
You can get an initial infusion of points by spending enough to earn the welcome offer of 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership. But the good news stops there. For everyday spending, 1 point per dollar is only half of what you could earn with The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees), which earns 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners up to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, then 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. The Blue Business Plus also charges no annual fee unlike the $95 fee charged by the Business Green card.
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Quick Facts
- Earn 2 points per dollar on eligible purchases at American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on eligible purchases
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership
- Redeem points with travel partners, through the Amex travel portal or cash out with select merchants
- $95 annual fee
- Excellent Credit recommended
Amex Business Green Rewards Card Rewards
Earning Rewards
All spending on this card earns Membership Rewards points at a rate of 2 points per dollar on eligible purchases at American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on eligible purchases.
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express* comes with a welcome bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.
Redeeming Rewards
American Express Membership Rewards points offer the flexibility of multiple redemption methods. But the value you get for your points can vary widely across the options. There are two ways to redeem points for travel:
- For maximum value, transfer points to travel partners to book flights and hotels. Amex partners with multiple airlines and hotels and most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, with frequent bonus offers.
- An alternate, simpler redemption can be made by booking through the Amex travel portal at a flat 1 cent per point rate for flights.
If you’re looking to cash out points, there are a few less valuable options for redemption:
- Paying with points at merchants like Amazon and Best Buy for 0.7 cents per point.
- Covering eligible charges on your bill for 0.6 cents per point.
- Redeeming points for gift cards at hotels, restaurants, retail stores or American Express gift cards. The value of these redemptions ranges from 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point.
Rewards Potential
To determine the rewards potential, we calculate the annual expenses for a small business. For this example, we assume a sole proprietorship and base the spending on a small business with revenues of $118,438—of which $39,337 can reasonably be spent on a credit card.
Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to estimate typical spending amounts in a variety of categories.
Other Amex Business Green Rewards Card Benefits
- Car rental loss and damage insurance. Decline the add-on insurance from rental car companies at the counter and use this secondary coverage instead.
- Baggage insurance. Baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for eligible lost, damaged or stolen baggage during travel when the entire fare is charged to an eligible account.
- Extended warranty coverage. Get up to one additional year of coverage when you use your card to make a covered purchase. This applies to warranties of five years or less in the U.S.
- Purchase protection. Protect your eligible purchases from damage or theft for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.
- Access to Amex Offers. Save money with targeted Amex Offers available to cardholders using an enrolled Amex card.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 19.49% - 28.49% variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $95
- Balance transfer fee: N/A
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
How the Amex Business Green Rewards Card Stacks Up
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express* vs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Like the Business Green Card, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers several benefits that could be useful to business owners, including secondary car rental insurance coverage¹ and other purchase protections². However, the Blue Business Plus earns a more generous rewards rate (at least until you hit the annual spending cap).
Blue Business Plus cardholders earn 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners up to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, then 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. For a small business with varied spending, the Blue Business Plus is likely going to be a more rewarding choice than the Business Green Card.
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express* vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points at the following rate: 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Rewards are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through the Ultimate Rewards site with this card.
Like the Amex Business Green Card, the Chase Ink Business comes with a $95 annual fee. If your business has significant expenses in the bonus point areas, the Ink Business Preferred is likely a more lucrative choice than the Amex Business Green card.
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express* vs. Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card offers a uniquely flexible rewards program: 3% cash back in the category of choice, 2% cash back on dining purchases and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year and 1% thereafter.
It’s possible to get even higher cash-back rates if you qualify for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program.
While Amex’s Membership Rewards can provide more value than 1 cent per point if you’re vigilant about transferring to travel partners for the best possible deal, Bank of America’s cash-back redemption is simpler and does not rely on travel bookings to maximize the value you’re getting.
The Bank of America card also comes with no annual fee and a welcome bonus: $300 online statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.
Related: Best Business Credit Cards
Is the Amex Business Green Rewards Card for You?
Small businesses can find better value in other cards. Even if you’re specifically looking to earn Amex Membership Rewards points on your business spending, American Express offers more rewarding options than this card.
Find the Best Business Credit Cards of 2024
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors came together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards
To view rates and fees for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express please visit this page.
¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Business Green Rewards Card from American Express. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
