Card basics
Card type | Business |
Star rating | |
FinanceBuzz value calculation1 | Year one earnings: $308
Year two earnings: $158 |
Annual fee | $95 |
Intro bonus | Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months |
Reward rate | 2X points on eligible purchases at AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for all other eligible purchases |
Recommended credit score | Good |
Foreign transaction fee | 2.7% |
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express® is not a traditional credit card. This means you must pay your balances in full, unless some or all of your balance qualifies for the Pay Over Time feature, which charges an APR of 18.99% to 27.99% (variable), depending on your eligibility.
This basic business credit card offers membership points you can use for rewards, including:
- Travel on AmexTravel.com or with a travel partner
- Statement credits
- Deposits into an American Express® business account
- Pay with points at checkout at many major retailers
Who should get the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express?
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express® is best for small business owners looking for a startup business credit card.
You’ll typically need good credit to qualify, and if approved, pay a $95 annual fee, which is much lower than most of the best small business credit cards. I like the low annual fee, and the lack of categories you have to manage. You can earn 2X points on eligible purchases at AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for all other eligible purchases.
If you do travel, the card includes several travel benefits to make your travel even safer and more rewarding, all for a low annual fee.
Top features
- Generous welcome offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of account opening.
- Valuable rewards: Earn points at a rate of 2X points on eligible purchases at AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for all other eligible purchases.
- Travel protection: Receive complimentary rental car insurance, baggage insurance, and access to the Global Assist Hotline for referrals to medical and legal help while traveling.
- Other protection: Receive extended warranty coverage and purchase protection for up to 90 days on purchases made with your American Express® card.
- Business tools: Receive complimentary business tools, like free employee cards, the American Express App, account alerts, online statements, and Vendor Pay by Bill.com. Enrollment required for select benefits.
- Amex Offers: Enroll your card in periodic offers for discounts on shopping, dining, traveling, and entertainment purchases. Enrollment required.
Earning and redeeming Membership Rewards points
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your earnings can add up with the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express. To calculate these values, we used estimated spending by businesses in a variety of categories.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.
Year one earnings: $308
Year two earnings: $158
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee.
Best ways to earn
Categories | Rewards rate |
Eligible purchases at AmexTravel.com | 2X |
All other eligible purchases | 1X |
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is easy to use for earning because it has simple bonus categories. You can earn 2X points on eligible purchases at AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for all other eligible purchases.
I suggest using AmexTravel for as much of your travel needs as possible to maximize your rewards, while also using the card for everyday business expenses to increase your earnings. While the card has no preset spending limit, make sure you only purchase what you can afford to repay in full, unless you qualify for Pay Over Time.
Maximizing your redemptions
It’s always a good idea to get the most out of your Membership Reward points. While the value varies depending on the reward, travel through AmexTravel.com and gift cards are usually the most valuable. I suggest keeping your redemption value as close to $0.01 per point as much as possible.
You can also transfer your points to one of the many travel partners, and potentially get even more value from your points. Popular transfer partners include Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and Delta SkyMiles.
Other options include redeeming points for gift cards, pay at checkout, and to cover previously made purchases on your American Express® card.
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express transfer partners
American Express partners with other companies, including airlines and hotel brands, to offer Amex cardholders more redemption options for their Membership Rewards points. Once you connect the applicable partner loyalty program to your Membership Rewards account, you can transfer your points. Before doing so, I suggest determining the value you’d get from the points to ensure you get at least $0.01 per point.
Amex transfer partners include these airlines:
- Air Canada
- Air France KLM
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Delta Air Lines
- Etihad Airways
These hotels are also Amex transfer partners:
- Hilton
- Marriott
FAQ
Is the Amex Business Green Rewards Card worth it?
The Amex Business Green Rewards Card is worth it if you want a beginner travel card to use on business expenses. The low $95 annual fee isn’t too steep of a cost to earn lucrative Amex Membership Rewards points. You’ll also get great benefits like car rental insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage.
What credit score do you need for the Amex Business Green Rewards Card?
You likely need a good-to-excellent credit score to qualify for the Amex Business Green Rewards Card. This typically means credit scores starting at 670, but sometimes even higher.
What is the credit limit for the Amex Business Green Rewards Card?
The Amex Business Green Rewards Card has no preset spending limit. This doesn’t mean you have unlimited purchasing power, but it does mean your spending limit will adjust with the use of your card, your credit history, and other factors.
How much are 25,000 Amex Membership Rewards worth?
The value of your Amex Membership Rewards points depends on how you redeem them. Typically one of the best redemption rates for your Amex points is getting 1 cent per point, which is what redemptions for flights through Amex Travel are worth. So with 25,000 points, you’d have $250 (25,000 x 0.01 = 250) worth of flights through Amex Travel.
However, if you used your points to shop on Amazon, they’d only be worth 0.7 cents per point. So 25,000 points would be worth $140 (25,000 x 0.007 = 140) for shopping on Amazon.
Other cards to consider
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is a good option if you’re new to business travel cards and need something low-cost and easy. For other options, consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express offers 2X Membership Rewards points on everyday eligible business purchases up to $50,000 each year, and 1X points on eligible purchases after that. And there’s a $0 annual fee. The downside is that there aren’t any bonuses for travel purchases, so this card only makes sense if you’re a business owner who doesn’t travel often, otherwise the Business Green Rewards Card makes more sense.
Learn more in our Blue Business Plus review.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
With the Chase Ink Business Preferred, you can earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases. This card has plenty of ways to earn points and also comes with an excellent bonus offer of 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Its annual fee is equal to the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express® at $95 and you earn even more rewards on certain business purchases and travel. This Chase card requires good-to-excellent credit, so if you qualify, it can be a better option with greater rewards.
Learn more in our Ink Business Preferred review.