Key takeaways

  • The Capital One Spark Cash Plus and American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card are among the top choices for business credit cards.
  • The Spark Cash Plus is a charge card with a $250 annual fee, but the extra costs could pay off given the card’s high earning potential.
  • The Amex Blue Business Cash doesn’t have an annual fee, but offers an introductory APR and the opportunity to earn an equally high rate of 2 percent cash back on eligible purchases of up to $50,000 per year.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus and American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card are among the top choices when it comes to business credit cards. The Spark Cash Plus is a charge card, meaning you pay the balance off in full each month, while the Blue Business Cash is a traditional business credit card.

Both offer a neat slate of perks that can be helpful for business owners. However, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus comes with some attractive features that give it a slight edge in this particular match-up.

Take a deep dive into the features of each card and how they stack up against each other.

Main details

  Capital One Spark Cash Plus The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Welcome bonus One-time cash bonus of $2,000 cash back once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
Additional $2,000 for every $500,000 spent after during the first year
$250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months
Annual bonus Annual fee refund every year you spend at least $150,000 None
Rewards rate
  • Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
  • 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

  • 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (up to $50,000 per year, then 1%)

Intro APR offer N/A 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
Variable APR N/A (it’s a charge card) 17.99% – 25.99% Variable
Annual fee $150 No annual fee

Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. American Express Blue Business Cash highlights

Here’s a head-to-head breakdown of which card offers the best value across important credit card categories.

Which card earns the most?

Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. American Express Blue Business Cash spending example

If you don’t expect to spend more than $50,000 per year, both cards offer the same amount of cash back assuming identical spending. But the Spark Cash Plus has the potential to offer more value thanks to the elevated welcome bonus and annual bonus.

If you check out the different spending levels in the first year of owning the card, you’ll find that even at $50,000 in annual spending, the Spark Cash Plus wins out. Although you’ll need to factor in the annual fee, the card still has the potential to earn $600 more in rewards compared to the Amex Business Blue Cash.

  Capital One Spark Cash Plus Amex Blue Business Cash
Annual spending $50,000 $150,000 $200,000 $50,000 $150,000 $200,000
Rewards amount $1,000 $3,000 $4,000 $1,000 $2,000 $2,500
Welcome bonus $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $250 $250 $250
Annual bonus Annual fee reimbursement Annual fee reimbursement
Annual fee -$150 -$0 -$0
Total $2,850 $5,150 $6,150 $1,250 $2,250 $2,750

The difference in rewards becomes more obvious as your spending increases, with the Capital One Spark earning a whopping $2,300 more than the Blue Business Cash once you get to $200,000 in annual spending. That $50,000 cap on 2 percent cash back with the Blue Business Cash really limits how much business owners can earn in comparison to the Spark Cash Plus.

But what happens after the first year, when there are no welcome bonuses? At the $50,000 level, the annual fee puts the Capital One Spark Plus Cash just a tad behind the Blue Business Cash in net rewards. But as the spending increases, the Spark Cash Plus wins out again.

  Capital One Spark Cash Plus Amex Blue Business Cash
Annual spending $50,000 $150,000 $200,000 $50,000 $150,000 $200,000
Rewards amount $1,000 $3,000 $4,000 $1,000 $2,000 $2,500
Welcome bonus
Annual bonus Annual fee reimbursement Annual fee reimbursement
Annual fee -$150 -$0 -$0
Total $850 $3,150 $4,150 $1,000 $2,000 $2,500

Why should you get the Capital One Spark Cash Plus?

In addition to its generous welcome bonus, potential annual bonus, unlimited cash back and lack of foreign transaction fees, there are more features and benefits that make this card popular with business owners.

  • Capital One Spark Cash Plus benefits include account and business management features that can come in handy for businesses, including:

    • Payment flexibility, where you choose a payment due date that works for you.
    • A flexible credit limit that adapts to your needs.
    • Record keeping like year-end summary reports and purchase records to help with your business accounting.
    • Free employee cards, plus customized access and spending limits.
    • Fraud and security alerts for unusual account activity.
    • Virtual card numbers that allow you to pay online without exposing your card number.
  • Another plus of this card is its flexible redemption options. Capital One cards allow for access to the Capital One Travel portal, where you can redeem your rewards through the portal at a 1:1 ratio — or 1 cent per point.

    Also, after your Capital One Spark rewards balance reaches a specific threshold — $25, $50, $200, $500 or $1,500 — or a selected yearly date, you can receive your rewards as:

    • Statement credit
    • Check
    • Credit on prior purchases
    • Gift cards
    • Checkout payments through Amazon.com and PayPal
  • A good to excellent credit, or a FICO credit score between 670 and 850, will increase your approval odds for this card.

Why should you get the American Express Blue Business Cash?

Whether this card is right for your business depends on whether you’re likely to spend less than $50,000 per year and your redemption option preferences. But for a no-annual-fee card, there’s still enough here for business owners who want a lower-risk entry into an Amex business credit card account.

  • In addition to its zero-interest offer on purchases, Amex Blue Business Cash Card benefits include:

    • Standard Amex perks, like car rental coverage, extended warranty and purchase protection.
    • Access to special deals and additional rewards through Amex Offers.
  • With the Blue Business Cash, you can only receive cash back as an automatic statement credit up to two billing cycles after the fact.

  • Similar to the Spark Cash Plus, good to excellent credit will increase your approval odds for this card.

The bottom line

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus and American Express Blue Business Cash are formidable contenders in the business credit card space, both offering rewards and flexible credit limits. But the similarities stop there: If you plan to spend more than $50,000 each year, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus could give you the chance to earn even more rewards. Even with the $150 annual fee, the bells and whistles offered with the Spark Cash Plus can make it well worth it.

Still, if you’re just starting out and plan to spend under $50,000 annually, the no-annual-fee Amex Blue Business Cash is a respectable option. Just don’t be surprised if you end up outgrowing this card.

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