Cavan Images/Getty Images
Key takeaways
- Both the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offer cash back on eligible purchases, no annual fee, an intro APR offer on purchases and other card benefits
- The Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards would be a better option for consumers looking for flexible cash back categories and a welcome offer
- The Amex Blue Business Cash would be a better option for consumers looking for a simple, flat-rate cash back card
Both the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card* and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card are great choices for small businesses or startups looking to earn cash back rewards.
While these two business credit cards are similar — both cards feature an intro APR offer on new purchases without charging an annual fee — they do have key differences in their rewards structures. It’s important to compare each card’s offerings before applying to determine which one of these cash back business credit cards is better suited to your business needs.
Main details
| Cards | The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card | Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months. | $300 online statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card within the first 90 days of account opening |
| Rewards rate | 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (up to $50,000 per year, then 1% back) | 3% cash back in one of the following categories: gas stations (including EV charging stations), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom and wireless services, computer services or business consulting services; 2% cash back on dining; 1% cash back on all other purchases; $50,000 annual spending cap for combined 3% and 2% category purchases, then 1% back |
| Intro APR | 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (17.74% – 25.74% Variable APR after) | 0% Intro APR for 9 billing cycles for purchases (17.99% – 27.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers APR after) |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards vs. Amex Blue Business Cash highlights
Welcome bonus winner
Rewards rate winner
Annual fee winner
Foreign transaction fee winner
Which card earns the most?
With the Amex Blue Business card, you’ll earn 2 percent cash back on all purchases (or 2 cents per dollar spent) up to $50,000 spent (then 1 percent). In other words, if you hit the $50,000 limit, you’ll have earned $1,000 cash back. However, after you hit this spending threshold, your rewards rate will drop to 1 cent per dollar on further purchases, and spending another $50,000 after this limit will net you an extra $500. That’s a total of $1,500 in cash back earnings for spending $100,000.
With the Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards card, you’ll earn 3 percent cash back on purchases made in one eligible choice category, 2 percent cash back on dining purchases and 1 percent cash back on everything else. Unfortunately, the card also has a $50,000 cap on the 3 and 2 percent categories. If you stay below that threshold, you’ll earn 3 cents per dollar on each purchase in the category of your choice, helping you maximize rewards where you spend the most.
Once you meet the $50,000 spending threshold, your rewards rate will drop to 1 percent back (or 1 cent per dollar). So if you spend $25,000 equally in both the 3 and 2 percent categories for the year, that’s a total of $1,250 in earnings. If you spend another $50,000 on top of that, that’s an additional $500 earned, for a total of $1,750 in cash back earnings.
Why should you get the Amex Blue Business Cash?
Why should you get the Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards?
The bottom line
With both the Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards and American Express Blue Business Cash, you’ll be able to earn valuable cash back rewards while avoiding an annual fee. Not only this, but both cards also come with introductory APR offers on new purchases and purchase protections.
However, since both cards have spending caps of $50,000 (terms apply), either option is better suited for businesses keeping their expenses below that amount. Should your business spend well above that amount, you may want to consider other options from our list of the best small-business credit cards.
The information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
The information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card was last updated on Oct. 16, 2023.
Read the full article here
