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Updated: Jan 11, 2023
If you’re a small business owner or operator, a business credit card can be a helpful tool for managing cash flow and expenses. American Express offers a range of business credit cards with varying benefits — including travel insurance, Membership Rewards® points, and cashback.
There are six American Express credit and charge cards available for small businesses. We’ve compiled a round-up of what we believe are the best to suit a variety of purposes. You will find more details in our methodology section, below.
Bear in mind that you will need to meet some stringent criteria and have an excellent credit score to be accepted.
N/A (charge card)
£0
No pre-set spending limit
N/A (charge card)
£0
No pre-set spending limit
This no-frills card comes with no annual fee, and no pre-set spending limit. You’ll also get a payment period of up to 42 days, which could be helpful when it comes to managing cash flow.
If you need additional cards for your employees, you can apply for up to 99 free of charge.
Since it’s a charge card, you’ll need to pay off your balance in full every month or be hit with late payment fees. If you’re likely to head overseas for business, bear in mind that the card charges a 2.99% non-sterling transaction fee.
103.2%
£250
1.5 Avios for every £1 spent
30,000 Avios welcome bonus
103.2%
£250
1.5 Avios for every £1 spent
30,000 Avios welcome bonus
If you regularly travel for business, this card could help you recoup some of the costs. Every time you spend on the card, you’ll receive Avios — reward points offered by British Airways — that can be spent on flights, hotels, car hire, and other travel expenses.
For every £1 spent, you earn 1.5 Avios and when you spend with British Airways, this rises to two Avios per £1.
The card also comes with a welcome bonus of 30,000 Avios if you spend £5,000 within three months of opening the account. Bear in mind the bonus is only available to new American Express customers, which means you have not held an American Express business credit card in the last 12 months.
Cardholders also have access to the American Express Global Assist® helpline when they travel, which offers 24-hour support including tracking down lost luggage or securing an interpreter.
Although travel perks abound, you’ll be charged the standard American Express fee of 2.99% when you make non-sterling transactions.
This card offers a payment period of up to 56 days, so long as you pay your balance in full every month. If you don’t pay off the full balance, the card charges 25.7% (variable) on purchases and an overall APR (including the annual fee) of 103.2%.
You can apply for up to 99 additional cards for your employees at no extra cost.
36.60%
£50 (waived if you spend £8,000 or more per year)
Up to 2% Amazon Rewards points for every £1 spent
Welcome bonus of £100 Amazon voucher
36.60%
£50 (waived if you spend £8,000 or more per year)
Up to 2% Amazon Rewards points for every £1 spent
Welcome bonus of £100 Amazon voucher
If you’re a Business Prime customer who regularly makes purchases through Amazon, this card could help you get the most out of your membership.
Although it comes with a £50 annual fee, this is waived so long as you spend at least £8,000 a year. You’ll also get a welcome bonus of a £125 Amazon voucher if your application is accepted.
The card offers 0.5% cashback on all spending — and 2% for spending with Amazon — in the form of Amazon Rewards points. Whenever you spend, you’ll receive points worth 0.5% (or 2%) the value of your transaction.
Each point is worth 1p, and can either be credited to your account, or redeemed as a shopping voucher.
With each Amazon purchase, you’ll also have the option to forfeit the points you’d earn in exchange for a 90 day payment period.
You can set up 99 additional cards at no extra cost. If you plan to travel with this card, bear in mind you’ll be charged the standard American Express fee of 2.99% when you make non-sterling transactions.
36.60%
£50 (waived in first year)
Up to 1.5% Amazon Rewards points for every £1 spent
£100 Amazon voucher welcome bonus
36.60%
£50 (waived in first year)
Up to 1.5% Amazon Rewards points for every £1 spent
£100 Amazon voucher welcome bonus
If you regularly use Amazon for business purchases but are not interested in Business Prime membership, this card could help you get more value out of your Amazon spending.
Use your card to shop at Amazon and you’ll be rewarded with 1.5% cashback in the form of Amazon Rewards points, or 0.5% when you shop elsewhere.
Worth 1p each, these points can be either credited to your account, or swapped for Amazon shopping vouchers. Alternatively, you can forfeit your points in exchange for a 60 day payment period whenever you make a purchase at Amazon.
If you need additional cards for your employees, you can request up to 99 supplementary cardholders at no additional cost. If you plan to use the card overseas, bear in mind that it comes with a 2.99% non-sterling transaction fee.
This account has an annual fee of £50, but it’s waived in your first year.
N/A (charge card)
£175
Earn 2 Membership Rewards® points per £1 spent on business travel expenses
Welcome bonus of 20,000 points (new cardholders)
N/A (charge card)
£175
Earn 2 Membership Rewards® points per £1 spent on business travel expenses
Welcome bonus of 20,000 points (new cardholders)
If you want to claim rewards for your business spending, The American Express® Business Gold Card is more than worthy of consideration.
For every £1 spent on the card, you’ll earn at least one Membership Rewards® point. When you use the card for flights, hotel, and car hire, you’ll also get an additional one point per £1 spent.
If you spend at least £3,000 in your first three months, a welcome bonus of 20,000 extra points kicks in. Only new cardholders (who have not held an Amex card in the last 24 months) are eligible for this bonus.
And if you spend £20,000 per quarter, you will rack up a further 10,000 Membership Rewards® points.
Once earned, points can be traded for rewards such as shopping gift cards, flights and upgrades, or dining out.
You can request up to 99 additional cards at no extra cost, and manage spending through the AmexExpense App.
As a charge card, there’s no set spending limit or interest rate, but you’ll need to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid being hit with fees.
The card comes with an annual fee of £175, but it’s waived for the first 12 months.
N/A (charge card)
£650
Earn 2 American Express Membership Rewards® points per £1 spent on business travel expenses
Welcome bonus of 40,000 Membership Rewards® points
N/A (charge card)
£650
Earn 2 American Express Membership Rewards® points per £1 spent on business travel expenses
Welcome bonus of 40,000 Membership Rewards® points
The Business Platinum card comes with worldwide travel insurance, access to over 1,000 airport lounges and the 24-hour Global Assist® emergency helpline, making it a good option if you regularly travel for business.
You’ll also collect Membership Reward® points, which can be traded for perks such as shopping gift cards, flights and upgrades, or dining out. For every £1 spent, you’ll collect one point, which doubles to two points per £1 when you spend with American Express® Travel.
New customers — who have not held an American Express card within the past 13 months — also get 40,000 Membership Rewards® points as a welcome bonus, so long as they spend £6,000 in their first three months.
You can request up to 99 additional cards at no extra cost, and manage spending through the AmexExpense App.
This card comes with a hefty £650 annual fee, so consider carefully whether the perks outweigh what you’ll pay to maintain your account.
Bear in mind that, as a charge card, you’ll need to pay off the balance in full every month or face late payment fees. Although it’s a good option for frequent travellers, there’s a 2.99% fee for non-sterling transactions.
We’ve considered all six business cards that American Express offers in the UK, noting their perks, fees and interest rates (APRs), where applicable.
While the card information was correct on the date of publication, deals and rates can change, while some welcome bonuses are time limited offers.
American Express offers both credit cards and charge cards. Although they appear similar, there are some key differences.
Charge cards do not technically offer credit. They don’t charge interest on your spending, but come with the expectation that you pay off your balance in full and on time every month.
If you do not pay off the full balance you’ll be charged late fees, which are likely to far outweigh any perks offered by the card.
Unlike credit cards, charge cards do not have a pre-set spending limit. This doesn’t mean you can spend on a charge card indefinitely however — just that your spending limit is updated regularly in line with your card use and personal circumstances.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
Whatever size of your business, a business credit card can be a useful resource. Using a business credit card keeps your professional and personal expenses separate, helps manage cash flow, and can make it easier to keep track of employee spending.
Some business credit cards also come with loyalty points and cashback systems, helping you earn back a portion of your business expenses.
Eligibility criteria varies from card to card, but all cards require you to be over 18 with a permanent UK address.
Your business must have its own UK bank or building society, and neither you nor the business can have any Country Court Judgements for non-payment of debt.
To be accepted for an American Express credit or charge card, you will need a good credit score. Although the provider does not publish explicit credit score criteria, you are unlikely to be offered a card if you or your company has a history of poor credit.
American Express processes its own transactions as well as issuing cards.
Visa and Mastercard process transactions but do not offer cards, instead partnering with banks and building societies to provide them.
In the past, the higher retailer fees charged by American Express deterred many businesses from accepting these cards.
But an EU fee cap introduced in 2014 encouraged more companies to accept Amex payments – and they are now widely accepted in the UK.
Nevertheless, while a growing number of UK businesses accept American Express payments, it’s worth keeping a Visa or Mastercard option around as a backup.
Personal credit cards from American Express cards are renowned for their perks – and the same can be said of its business credit cards.
Depending on the card you choose, you may be able to collect British Airways Avios, American Express Membership Rewards® points, or other types of points and cashback.
Membership Rewards® points can be redeemed against retailers and companies including Amazon, National Rail, Homebase, IKEA, British Airways and Boots.
Some cards also come with additional perks including travel insurance and admission to premium airport lounges.
However, most American Express business credit cards charge an annual fee – although sometimes this is waived for the first year.
The Amex Business Basic Card charges no annual fee, but comes with few perks beyond its 42 day interest-free period on spending.
The amount you’ll pay for an American Express business credit card depends on which one you choose.
Some, such as the American Express® Business Basic Card, don’t charge an annual fee. Since it’s a charge card, there’s no interest to pay either — but you will be charged a late fee if you don’t pay off your balance in full and on time every month.
Other cards come with an annual fee, ranging from £50 to £595. American Express will sometimes waive the fee in your first year, or if you surpass a certain level of spending.
If you use the card frequently, you may also be able to earn back what you spend in annual fees through points and cashback.
Every business has different needs, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing the best credit card.
As you weigh up your options however, you could consider the following factors:
If you rarely travel for business, a card that lets you collect Membership Rewards® points could make more sense.
When you opt for a card with perks, it’s important to carefully consider whether the perks outweigh the costs.
Applying for an American Express credit or charge card takes about 10 minutes, and the application can be completed online.
You will be prompted to enter personal details including your name, address history, contact information, and financial circumstances.
If preferred, you can apply over the phone.
Once the application has been processed, you should find out immediately whether or not you’ve been accepted.
If your application is successful, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Your physical card and welcome pack should follow in the post within 10 working days.
The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive payment from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This comes from two main sources.
First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The payments we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market.
Second, we also include links to our advertisers’ offers in some of our articles. These “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the listings or commentary our editorial team provides in our articles or other impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor.
While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof.