Compare the Features and Benefits of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card and
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

The American Express Blue Business Cash business credit card is a great card for those who are both not interested in points (prefer cash back) and do not want to keep track of bonus categories.

With a simple 2% cash back on all eligible purchases until you reach $50,000 in spend in a calendar year, it’s a perfectly suitable cash back card for those that spend under $50,000 in a calendar year for their business. Though the rate will drop to 1% on eligible purchases after you spend $50,000 in a calendar year, there is no limit to the amount of cash back that you can earn.

If you prefer American Express Membership Rewards points instead of cash, there is a nearly identical version of this credit card, called the American Express Blue Business Plus™ Card, which earns Membership Rewards points instead of cash at the same rate.

Keep in mind that this no-annual fee card does charge a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, so please make sure you have a separate credit card with no foreign transaction fees for your trips abroad.

If you spend more than $50,000 a year, however, and want straight cash back and expanded buying power, you should consider these two alternative business credit cards:

• The Chase Ink Business Premier, which is a charge card with no preset limit and earns 2% cash back on everything and even earns 2.5% cash back on purchases over $5,000.
• The Capital One Spark Cash Plus, which is a charge card with no preset limit that earns 2% on all purchases.

If you would like to have separate Blue Business Cash cards for your employees, you can do so with no fee.

Rates and Fees for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

If you’re a business owner with a Marriott Bonvoy member account, there’s only one Marriott credit card that can deliver all the benefits you’re looking for. For Marriott perks galore, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is a stellar option. Better yet, its annual fee that pays itself for many small business owners who can take full advantage of the benefits offered by the card – especially that annual free night.

Let’s talk about how cardholders can earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points with the card. You’ll earn 6x points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, and fortunately, there are more than 8,500 (and growing!) properties worldwide. The Bonvoy Business is one of our favorite business credit cards for small business owners that lean into Marriott for hotel stays.

You’ll also earn 4x bonus points per dollar of eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping, and 2x points on all non-bonus purchases. To tie it all together, there are no caps to the number of points you can earn from the card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are still incredibly versatile, as no other hotel chain can boast the sheer number of properties that participate in this loyalty program. Besides redeeming your Marriott Bonvoy points at hotels, you also have the flexibility to transfer them to participating airline loyalty programs and directly for eligible airfare and car rentals through Marriott’s unique Air+Car Transfer program.

Even if you decide to pay for your stay on your own accord, this business credit card unlocks a 7% room discount at participating properties. This can amount to significant savings depending on how often you’re staying at Marriott hotels.

What really makes this Marriott credit card stand out from the rest is the free nights you can earn with the card (though certain hotels have resort fees). With your card membership, you’ll pay the annual fee on every account anniversary, and in the following month you’ll receive a Marriott free night award. This has a redemption value of 35,000 points, or roughly $210 in value at hotels participating in this loyalty program. Plus, you can add on up to 15,000 of your own points if you’d like to use the certificate at a hotel costing between 25,000 and 50,000 points for the night.

You’ll get the chance to earn an additional free night award if you’re a high-roller and can meet the $60,000+ spend threshold per calendar year, and this is certainly doable for businesses with many expenses.

On site at Marriott hotels and resorts, you’ll be rewarded even further with automatic Gold elite status. You’ll earn 25% more Marriott points as a Gold member (on top of the card’s 6X earning rate!), as well as access to 2 p.m. late checkout (based on availability) and room upgrades. Finally, you’ll get premium room internet access, making sure you stay connected no matter where you’re traveling.

In sum, this long-list of perks makes it one of our favorite hotel business credit cards, as earning Marriott Bonvoy points can be easier than ever from your routine business expenses.

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Eligibility Rules

Note: There are some confusing eligibility rules around this card. If you have the Bonvoy American Express card, Ritz Carlton Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you are free to apply for this card.

If you have a Chase Marriott Boundless, Chase Bonvoy Bold, or Chase Bonvoy Bountiful, you will only be  eligible to apply for this card if it’s been more than 24 months since you received the bonus on that card.

Rates and Fees for the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card