Business Green Rewards Card from American Express Review: No Annual Fees for Employee Cards

Business Green Rewards Card from American Express

The is a business card that offers unlimited rewards on purchases. No preset spending limit means you have flexibility when it comes to managing cash flow each month. 

This card has a low ongoing annual fee.

Plus, you can get additional employee cards at no extra cost. 

The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express may suit some business needs better than others. Learn more about what you can expect if you're planning to apply.

*See Rates & Fees. Terms apply.

Business Green Rewards from American Express Pros & Cons

"}" data-sheets-userformat="{"2":513,"3":{"1":0},"12":0}">

Simple Rewards Earnings

The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express doesn't complicate things when it comes to rewards.

As a cardmember, you earn:

• 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible purchases made through amextravel.com, including flights and hotels.
• 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases.

Rewards are unlimited, so a higher annual spend translates to more points. Since you can add employee cards with a $0 annual fee, you can easily rack up more points on those purchases.

Points can be redeemed through the Membership Rewards program for travel, shopping, gift cards and statement credit, among other things. The value of your reward points is based on how you redeem them.

If you redeem for flights, for example, then points are generally worth 1 cent each. But if you redeem for gift cards, they can be valued at 0.5 or 0.7 cents each.

Points can be transferred to partner frequent flyer programs, though American Express does charge a fee for conversions. You can also use them to upgrade flights.

Points don't expire, so you can redeem them as needed.

The minimum redemption to Pay With Points is 5,000 points.

This card offers an introductory welcome bonus when you meet the minimum spending requirement. The bonus isn't as stellar as what you might find with other cards but if you're spending anyway, it's a nice added reward.

Pay in Full or Pay Over Time

The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is a charge card, which means your bill must be paid in full each month.

The upside:

You avoid interest charges.

Paying interest on purchases for your business can make them more expensive over time.

Pay Over Time is available with this card if you need time to pay. You can use this benefit to stretch out payments for purchases of $100 or more, with interest.

The APR for Pay Over Time balances is based on your creditworthiness and account history.

Note:

You can't use Pay Over Time for purchases of less than $100.

Keep in mind that using Pay Over Time means keeping up with at least the minimum due. If you miss a payment, a penalty APR can kick in.

Other Card Perks

The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express comes with some other features you might appreciate.

You have these benefits included to make running your business easier:

• Expense management tools, including account alerts, year-end summaries and Vendor Pay by Bill.com
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Baggage insurance
• Global Assist Hotline
• Dispute resolution
• Amex Offers

Compared to other business credit cards or charge cards, this one is a little light on extras. But it's important to remember the card's primary purpose, which is helping you avoid interest charges.

Aside from that, it's also appealing if you want a basic travel rewards card for business. As long as you book through amextravel.com, you'll earn a flat two points per dollar on your purchases.

There are no rewards tiers to juggle.

And of course, you always earn one point per dollar on other purchases so you're rewarded for everything you spend.

Fees

There aren't a whole lot of fees to contend with for this card. The most important one to know is the annual fee of $95.

It's reasonably priced compared to other business charge cards or credit cards that charge several hundred dollars each year. And you could earn it back in rewards value pretty easily.

If you were to spend $5,000 per year through amextravel.com, you'd earn 10,000 points. Those 10,000 points could be turned into $100 in credit toward flights.

Compared to Other Business Credit Cards

The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is just one card you might check out for your business. If you need more options, here are three other cards to consider.

Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express

The

also takes a simplified approach to rewards. All purchases earn two points per dollar, up to the first $50,000 spent each year. 

After that, you'll continue earning one point per dollar. This card has no annual fee and you can spend above your limit if needed with Expanded Buying Power. 

*See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply.

Read the Blue Business Plus Card from American Express editor's review.

Blue Business Cash Card from American Express

The  is designed for cash back seekers. 

This card offers 2% cash back on purchases, up to the first $50,000 spent. Then 1% cash back after. 

Cash back earned is automatically applied as a statement credit, so it's like getting a discount on purchases. Like the Blue Business Plus Credit Card, this card has no annual fee. 

*See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply.

Read the Blue Business Cash Card from American Express editor's review.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The  might appeal to you if you primarily spend on travel. 

This card offers unlimited two miles per dollar on purchases, increasing to five miles per dollar for hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Miles can be redeemed at any time, in any amount, with no blackout dates or restrictions. 

This card has a $0 introductory annual fee, then $95 after. You can also get up to $100 in credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. 

Read the Capital One Spark Miles for Business editor's review.

Business Credit Cards vs. Personal Credit Cards

While you could use a personal credit card to pay business expenses, that isn't always the best idea. 

Doing so could make separating tax-deductible business expenses more difficult. Not to mention, a business credit card is more likely to offer rewards for the things you buy most for your business. 

Personal cards, on the other hand, typically reward you for personal spending. So you might get points or cash back for buying groceries or shopping online. 

Business credit cards can also offer higher limits, or in the case of a charge card, no preset spending limit. Plus, you can avoid interest with charge cards when you pay in full. 

Business credit cards are typically reported on your business credit history and not your personal credit report. So that means they have less of an impact on your personal credit score. 

How to apply for a business credit card

If you're ready to apply for a business credit card, here's what you'll need to give the credit card company:

• Your name
• Business name
• Personal and business address
• Personal income
• Business income/revenue
• Number of employees
• Years in business
• Business type

If you have zero revenue because your business is brand-new, don't panic. You can still get a business credit card.

The credit card company will just check your personal credit score and income if you don't have business credit or financial history.

Final Verdict

The offers a streamlined way to earn rewards when you book travel through amextravel.com.

You can easily accrue more points by adding employee cards and the annual fee isn't overwhelming.

On the other hand, you may want to explore other card options if your business spending can generate more rewards with other business rewards credit cards.

And of course, if you're considering this card be sure that your spending and cash flow match up so you can realistically afford to pay your balance in full each month.

See the rates & fees for the mentioned American Express cards:  Business Green Rewards Card from American Express (Rates & Fees; terms apply), Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees; terms apply), and Blue Business Cash Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees; terms apply).