| Last updated on February 27th, 2024
Business Green Rewards Card
Business Green Rewards Card
Business Green Rewards Card
- 19.49% to 27.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate for Pay Over Time purchases Regular Purchase APR
At a Glance
The American Express Business Green Rewards Card grants users the ability to earn 1X Membership Rewards® point for each dollar spent on eligible purchases and 2 Membership Rewards® points for eligible travel purchases made at AmexTravel.com. You can also earn 2X Membership Rewards® points for every dollar you spend on eligible purchases with your card, up to a maximum of $50,000, during your first three months as a cardholder.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- 2X points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases at amextravel.com
- 1X points on all other purchases
- Unlimited earnings
- Employee cards for no additional fees
- No annual fee
- Terms apply.
- Regular Purchase APR: 19.49% to 27.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate for Pay Over Time purchases
- Penalty APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Annual Fee: $0 for the first year, then $95
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: $39 or 2.99% of any past due Pay in Full amount, whichever is greater
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: $39
- You want to earn 2 Membership Rewards® points for eligible travel purchases made at AmexTravel.com and 1 Membership Rewards® point for each eligible dollar spent elsewhere
- You do not want a limit on the points you can earn or points that expire
In-Depth Review: The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express
Anyone looking for a credit card with a straightforward rewards structure should consider the Amex Green Business Rewards Card. The card provides the ability to earn up to 2X Membership Rewards® points for eligible travel purchases, a decent bonus points welcome offer, complimentary employee cards, and no annual fee for the first year.
How to Get the Business Green Card
Eligibility
American Express business cards are not solely designed for businesses. Instead, they are robust products that provide value for “businesses” of all types, including freelancers, independent contractors, and people with a side hustle that generates income.
So, whether you are a small business owner or someone who earns money through various freelance projects, you can still enjoy the benefits and rewards offered by the Amex Business Green Rewards Card.
Credit Needed
American Express doesn’t specify a minimum credit score requirement for the Amex Business Green Rewards Card; however, generally, a good or excellent credit score is needed.
Pay Over Time
Like the Gold and Platinum Cards, the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is not a traditional credit card, but more akin to a charge card in that you must Pay in Full each month.
That doesn’t mean companies can’t enjoy the chance to carry a balance, however. American Express offers a special “Pay Over Time” feature that allows businesses to finance select purchases of $100 or more at a competitive APR.
Cardholders can activate Pay Over Time and select charges will be added to the feature automatically. Then, Cardholders have the choice of paying the balance in full or carrying that balance with interest. The Pay Over Time credit limit is found in the balance details on a user’s account.
No Annual Fee for the 1st Year
The Business Green Rewards Card comes with no annual fee for the first year then $95 every year thereafter. Additionally, adding employees to the account is free, with no charge regardless of how many cards you issue.
How to Earn Rewards
Welcome Offer
As a welcome offer, the Business Green Card earns 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending at least $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card ownership. Customers who frequently travel for work or schedule lunch meetings with clients will particularly benefit from this perk.
Earn Up to 2X Membership Rewards
The Business Green Rewards Card earns basic Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases:
- Earn 2X points on eligible travel purchases made at AmexTravel.com
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible purchase
The rewards with the Green Card are a major letdown. This is especially so when you consider how basic the other aspects of the reward program and the modest welcome bonus.
The only way to maximize rewards and amass a big total of Membership Rewards points with the Business Green Card is by issuing all your employees with cards. Fortunately, here the Green Card soars, as employee cards are free of charge.
How to Redeem Membership Rewards
Like other loyalty programs, Amex Membership Rewards points apply to various redemption options. Those redemption options include:
| Travel | Hotels | Airfare |
| Cruises | Merchandise with select partners | Gift cards |
| Statement credits | Charitable donations | Transfer to partners |
Points Transfer Partners
American Express Membership Rewards points also transfer to more than a dozen leading hotel and airline loyalty programs, including the following:
| AeroMexico (Club Premier) | Avianca (LifeMiles) | Emirates (Skywards) |
| Air Canada (Aeroplan) | British Airways (Executive Club) | Etihad (Guest) |
| Aer Lingus (AerClub) | Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles) | Air France/KLM (Flying Blue) |
| All Nippon Airways (ANA Miles) | Delta Air Lines (SkyMiles) | Hawaiian Airlines (HawaiianMiles) |
| Iberia Plus | Choice Privileges | Hilton Honors |
| Marriott Bonvoy | JetBlue (TrueBlue) | Marriott Bonvoy |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) |
Note: You may need to have a minimum amount of points to start redeeming, depending on your redemption option. For example, you need at least 5,000 points to redeem with American Express Travel. After cashing in your welcome bonus, you’ll need to spend about $1,000 to build your points back up to this level.
Travel Benefits
When it comes to travel benefits, the Business Green Rewards Card offers several valuable features. These include Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, a Baggage Insurance Plan, and Travel Accident Insurance in case of emergencies. These added security measures provide peace of mind for both employers and their employees. These security features are designed to help you and your team worry less about unforeseen events and focus more on your business.
In addition to these benefits, Business Green Rewards card members have the unique option of paying for certain purchases over time with interest through the Pay Over Time feature. This provides flexibility in carrying a balance in a more cost-effective manner.
Other Card Benefits
Other notable features and benefits of the Business Green Rewards Card include:
| Complimentary employee cards | Get more out of your Business Card with Employee Cards. Earn miles‡ and stay on top of how much employees are spending. |
| QuickBooks® integration | Save time with auto-expense categorization in QuickBooks- Once enrolled, your Business Card transactions are automatically tagged with your QuickBooks categories. |
| Account manager | Free up time. Assign a trusted team member to oversee your American Express account. Account Managers can handle tasks like making payments, reviewing transactions, and adding Employee Cards, so you’re free to focus on other priorities. |
| Account alerts | Set Account Alerts to help you avoid late payments, spot irregular spending, and monitor Employee Card use. |
| Vendor Pay by Bill.com | You can make the most out of paying your business bills. Improve your cash flow and take advantage of Card benefits when you use your Card to pay bills with Vendor Pay by Bill.com. Take advantage of Vendor Pay by Bill.com by enrolling your Card. With the basic plan, there is no monthly fee for the first user and no fee for a second user for six months. After six months, the second user will have a fee of $15 per month. Additional fees may apply based on plan type and number of users. |
| Year-end summary | After the end of the year, see a complete summary that categorizes your spending by month and purchase type, and helps you track your business expenses down to the last detail. |
| ‡ Terms apply | |
Comparison
| American Express® Business Gold Card | Business Green Rewards Card | Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards | Earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year, 1X after that and on all other purchases | Earn 2X points on eligible purchases at amextravel.com, plus 1X on all other purchases | Earn 6X points at Marriott hotels, 4X on purchases made 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 on everything else |
| Annual fee | $295 | $95 | $125 |
| Employee cards | $95 for up to five cards; $95 for each additional card after that | Free | Free |
| Perks | Up to $395 in annual credits | N/A | 7% discount rate, award night every account anniversary, Gold Elite status |
What We Like About the Green Card
Free Employee Cards
There isn’t a whole lot to love with the Green Card. That’s because the rewards are meager and the benefits minor when compared to its more expensive siblings.
One ice feature is the complimentary employee cards, however. The Green Card is the most cost-effective option for businesses that want a premium American Express business card but don’t want to pay a fee for giving employees their own card for expenses.
The Gold Card charges $95 for the first five cards and $95 per card after that. The Platinum Card, the real heavy hitter, charges a whopping $350. So while the Green Card may look basic, it does make some sense.
Things to Consider
Limited Value
The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express may not offer as much value as its consumer counterpart, the American Express® Green Card. It has a relatively low rewards rate and a small welcome offer when compared with its more expensive business siblings. Put simply, here is better value out there, including from Amex itself.
American Express Ratings
How does American Express rate as a bank and issuer? Here is a selection of ratings for the bank from consumers and experts:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
1.5/5 |
Should You Apply for the Business Green Rewards Card?
If you’re a frequent business traveler looking to maximize your rewards, the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express could be a great option for you. With this card, you can earn Membership Rewards points on every eligible purchase, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or even transferred to airline and hotel partners. Additionally, the card offers valuable travel benefits such as airport lounge access and travel insurance coverage. So, if you’re looking for a card that combines rewards and travel perks, the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is definitely worth considering.
Browse Other Card Offers:
Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards.com's reviews, articles, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author(s). These opinions do not reflect those of any card issuer or financial institution, and editorial content on our site has not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless noted otherwise. Further, BestCards.com lists credit card offers that are frequently updated with information believed to be accurate to the best of our team's knowledge. However, please review the information provided directly by the credit card issuer or related financial institution for full details.