For some businesses, cash back is about keeping rewards simple. For others, higher annual spending or frequent business travel can make a different rewards structure worth considering.
The Blue Business Cash® Card and Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card both offer cash back, but they approach it differently. Understanding how much your business spends, where that spending goes, and which Card benefits matter to you can help you evaluate which may be the better fit.
Start with how your business spends
A growing business rarely spends the same way year after year. Maybe you're putting more toward inventory and software as you add customers. Maybe business travel is becoming a bigger part of your budget. Or perhaps you simply want everyday purchases to earn cash back without adding another rewards program to manage.
That's where understanding the structure behind a cash back Card matters.
The Blue Business Cash® Card and Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card both reward eligible business purchases with cash back, but differences in their earning structures, annual fees, travel rewards, and other benefits mean they may suit different spending patterns.
Rather than asking which Card is universally "best," it can be more useful to ask: Which structure better matches the way my business spends?
Here's what to consider.
Blue Business Cash® Card Benefits
If your business wants cash back on eligible everyday purchases without an annual fee¤, the Blue Business Cash® Card offers a straightforward structure.
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on the first $50,000 each calendar year, then 1% thereafter. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.†
- For a business evaluating this Card, the key question is how much eligible spending you expect to put on the Card over the course of a year. Because the cash back structure changes after the first $50,000 in eligible annual purchases, understanding your expected business spending can help put the rewards structure in context.
Graphite™ Card Benefits
As business spending increases, the way a Card rewards that spending may become a bigger consideration.
The Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card offers a different structure, including cash back on eligible purchases and additional cash back on eligible travel booked online through American Express Travel online.
The Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card helps you earn more cash back in specific categories, with benefits for businesses like:
- Unlimited 2% cash back on eligible purchases1‡
- 5% on flights and prepaid hotels booked online through AmexTravel.com1‡
1. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout. Purchases eligible for multiple cash back rates will only receive the highest eligible cash back rate.
That makes both overall spending and travel habits useful considerations when evaluating the Card. A business that regularly books eligible flights or prepaid hotels through American Express Travel online may evaluate the Graphite Card rewards structure differently from one that rarely travels.
The Card also includes an opportunity to unlock an additional benefit after reaching a defined annual spend threshold.
You can unlock up to $2,400 in statement credits for use in the next calendar year on American Express One AP® monthly fees2‡ after you spend $250,000 on eligible purchases on the Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card in this calendar year.3 Statement credits will be applied to your monthly bill charged to the Card for our accounts payable solution, One AP.
Learn more and get started here: https://www.americanexpress.com/oneap-getstarted
2. Monthly fees include an auto-renewing platform access fee, transaction fees based on One AP usage, and applicable taxes.
3. Statement credits valid from January 1 through December 31 of the calendar year after the calendar year in which you spend $250,000 on eligible purchases on the Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card.
Compare the cash back structures side by side
As you compare the two products, consider not only the Reward Dollars, but also the annual fee, your expected eligible annual spending, your travel activity, and which additional benefits you might want to use.
Category |
Blue Business Cash® Card | Graphite™ Card |
| Annual Fee | $0¤ | $295†† |
| Cash Back | 2% on all eligible purchases on the first $50,000 each calendar year† 1% on all purchases thereafter† |
Unlimited 2% on eligible purchases1‡ 5% on flights and prepaid hotels booked online through AmexTravel.com1‡ |
| Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement. | 1. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout. Purchases eligible for multiple cash back rates will only receive the highest eligible cash back rate. |
Which cash back Card may be the best fit for your business?
Start with your spending pattern
There isn't one cash back structure that's right for every business. The better fit may depend on how much your business spends and where that spending occurs.
When comparing the Cards, consider questions such as:
- How much eligible spending do you expect to put on the Card annually?
- How much of that spending is likely to be on flights or prepaid hotels?
- How important is having no annual fee?
- Which additional Card benefits are relevant to how your business operates?
Those considerations can provide useful context for the approved features and benefits outlined above.
You might consider the Blue Business Cash® Card if:
- Your business is newer, or preparing for growth
- You want predictable cash back without an annual fee¤ commitment
- Your business spending is at or under $50K per year
- You prefer simplified cash back without tracking points or categories
You might consider the Graphite™ Card if:
- Your business spending exceeds $50K in eligible purchases
- You or your team book flights and prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com
- You want unlimited 2% cash back with no annual cap on earnings
- The annual fee is offset by your yearly business spending
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do both Cards earn cash back instead of Membership Rewards® points**? Yes. Both the Blue Business Cash® Card and the Graphite™ Card earn cash back on eligible purchases -not Membership Rewards® points - making them straightforward options for business owners who prefer direct cash returns.
- Can you hold both Cards at the same time? Yes. American Express allows eligible businesses to hold more than one business Card. Approval is subject to business and credit qualifications.
**Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice. The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo. |
Make the most of your business Card
When finding the best cash back Card for your business needs from American Express, consider not only how you can earn cash back, but how each Card’s overall rewards structure aligns with the way your business spends.
Your expected annual spending, where you make purchases, whether you book business travel, the annual fee, and the benefits you're likely to use can all be relevant when evaluating the two Cards.
Looking at those factors alongside the approved features and benefits of Blue Business Cash® Card and Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card can help you better understand which Card may align with the way your business spends today.
Explore and compare Amex business cash back cards:
¤Blue Business Cash® Card Rates & Fees
†Blue Business Cash® Card Terms & Conditions
Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card
††Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card Rates & Fees
‡Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card Terms & Conditions
