What is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card's credit limit?
- How hard is it to get an American Express Blue Business Cash Card?
- Frequently asked questions
- Access higher credit limits with Ramp
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card typically offers credit limits ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 for new cardholders. For businesses with exceptional credit histories and strong financial profiles, limits can potentially reach $50,000 or higher, though these higher limits are less common for new applicants.
Many versions of this card operate on Amex's "No Pre-Set Spending Limit" system, which means the credit line may adjust based on usage patterns, payment history, and financial profile rather than maintaining a rigid cap. This creates a somewhat flexible spending capacity that varies from one business to another based on their individual circumstances.
The specific limit assigned depends on several factors:
- Your personal and business credit scores
- Annual business revenue and profitability
- Length of credit history and relationship with American Express
- Payment behavior on existing credit accounts
- Overall debt-to-income ratio
American Express typically reviews accounts periodically and may adjust credit limits based on spending and payment patterns over time.
Discover Ramp's corporate card for modern finance
How hard is it to get an American Express Blue Business Cash Card?
Getting approved for the American Express Blue Business Cash Card typically requires good to excellent credit, making it fairly challenging for some businesses.
Here are some key factors to consider:
Credit score requirements
American Express generally looks for credit scores of 690 or higher for their Blue Business Cash Card. While applicants with scores in the 670-689 range might still be approved, those with scores above 740 have significantly better approval odds and may qualify for higher initial credit limits.
Business financials
Your business's financial health plays an important role in the approval process. American Express will evaluate your business revenue, cash flow patterns, and overall stability. While there's no official minimum revenue requirement, businesses with at least 12 months of operating history and consistent revenue typically have better chances of approval.
Personal financial history
As with most business credit cards, American Express considers your personal credit history when evaluating applications. Recent negative marks such as late payments, high credit utilization, bankruptcies, or collections can significantly reduce approval chances, even if your business finances are strong.
Application process
The application requires both business information (legal business name, tax ID, annual revenue, years in business) and personal details from the business owner. American Express may request additional documentation to verify your business information, especially for newer businesses or higher credit limit requests.
Overall, while the American Express Blue Business Cash Card isn't the most difficult business card to obtain, it does require a solid credit profile and reasonably established business. Applicants with good personal credit, steady business revenue, and minimal recent credit issues should have a fair chance at approval.
Frequently asked questions
Is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card worth it?
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card offers a straightforward 2% cash back structure, but its $50,000 annual cap on 2% rewards (dropping to 1% after) proves limiting for businesses with substantial expenses. Additionally, the card lacks advanced expense management tools, detailed spending analytics, or automated savings opportunities that modern businesses increasingly rely on to optimize their financial operations and identify cost-saving opportunities.
Is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card metal?
The American Express Blue Business Cash Card is not made of metal. It features a standard plastic construction with a distinctive blue design that reflects its name. Unlike premium American Express cards such as the Business Platinum Card or the personal American Express Gold and Platinum cards which are made of metal, the Blue Business Cash Card maintains a conventional plastic composition to align with its position as an entry-level business card with no annual fee.
Does the Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card have a limit?
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card has a predetermined credit limit typically ranging from $1,000 to $15,000, unlike premium American Express cards that feature "No Pre-Set Spending Limit" structures. As a personal card (not a business card), your specific limit depends on your credit profile and income. This differs from the business-focused Blue Business Cash Card, though both cards operate with fixed spending limits rather than the flexible spending capacity found in higher-tier Amex offerings.
What does Amex mean by "eligible purchases" on the Blue Business Cash Card?
The term "eligible purchases" for the American Express Blue Business Cash Card includes standard business transactions such as office supplies, business services, utilities, travel bookings, dining, and retail purchases.
However, American Express explicitly excludes cash advances, balance transfers, traveler's checks, other cash equivalents, fees, interest charges, and person-to-person payments from earning rewards. Additionally, gift card purchases, prepaid cards, gambling transactions, and cryptocurrency purchases don't qualify for the card's 2% cash back.
Access higher credit limits with Ramp
At Ramp, we’re dedicated to helping small businesses access the funds they need to accelerate their growth. As a new business, you may not be eligible for a loan from traditional lenders due to insufficient revenue or a short business history. But if you have ecommerce sales revenue coming in, then Ramp’s sales-based underwriting can help you out.
Ramp can offer credit limits up to 30 times higher than our competitors. That’s because we use our connections to some of the largest commerce platforms, and marketplaces in the industry, including Shopify, Stripe, and Amazon, to underwrite credit limits for businesses using their commerce sales data. To qualify, all you need is one year of sales data.
Learn more about Ramp’s commerce sales-based underwriting.
Content on Ramp's blog may change, and opinions are those of the authors and not necessarily Ramp's. The information in this article is provided in good faith for general informational purposes, but does not constitute accounting, legal, or financial advice. Please contact an accountant, attorney, or financial advisor to obtain advice with respect to your business. Ramp is not liable for any losses or damages. The information provided in this article has not been officially confirmed by American Express and is subject to change.
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