Business owners have many options when deciding on a card for their expenses. American Express offers many choices, including cash-back cards for those who prefer earning that type of reward, either by racking up statement credits or Reward Dollars.

The The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a classic, simple option best oriented for side hustlers or those with smaller businesses. Meanwhile, the Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card is ideal for high-spending businesses seeking elevated cash-back rewards.

Let’s compare and contrast the Blue Business Cash and Graphite cards to help you determine which Amex business cash-back card suits you best.

Blue Business Cash vs. Graphite comparison

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

**Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

^Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Related: How to apply for an Amex business card

Blue Business Cash vs. Graphite welcome bonus

New applicants for the Blue Business Cash can earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.

Meanwhile, new Graphite card applicants earn $1,500 cash back in the form of Reward Dollars after spending $50,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Reward Dollars can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon checkout.

The bonus on the Blue Business Cash is much easier to earn, as it requires a significantly lower spending threshold than the Graphite card. However, the Graphite card’s offer is much more lucrative.

Before you apply, remember that Amex allows you to earn only one bonus per card in your lifetime. So, time your application carefully.

Winner: Graphite. Though its spending requirement is substantially higher than the Blue Business Cash, if you run a high-spending business, the higher bonus is better for you. However, if you can’t comfortably meet the Graphite card’s spending requirement, the Blue Business Cash card is still a decent option.

Related: What is a credit card welcome offer? How they work and how to maximize value

Blue Business Cash vs. Graphite benefits

While neither card has a long list of benefits, there are a few perks worth noting on each.

The Blue Business Cash‘s Expanded Buying Power feature is a highlight. It allows cardmembers to exceed their spending limit without incurring over-limit fees or penalties, and to earn cash-back rewards on these purchases as well. Just remember that your spending power with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.

Note that you must make your minimum payment each month, including any over-limit purchases. Either way, we always recommend paying your balance in full to avoid interest.

The Blue Business Cash also provides secondary car rental coverage, extended warranty and purchase protection. These benefits are solid and make sense for a no-annual-fee card.

Meanwhile, the lackluster benefits on the Graphite card make it hard for most business owners to justify its $295 annual fee.

The only perk that has the ability to offset the annual fee directly is the card’s up to $2,400 in annual statement credits to use in the next calendar year on Amex One AP monthly fees (subject to auto-renewal), but you won’t unlock this unless you spend a whopping $250,000 eligible on purchases in a calendar year.

This likely won’t come into play for most cardmembers, making the Graphite a less-than-ideal choice for most business owners given its annual fee.

Still, you won’t have a preset spending limit with the Graphite card, as your spending limit will adjust based on your purchase, payment and credit history. You’re also eligible for Pay Over Time# and multiple travel and purchase protections with this card.

#On eligible purchases; subject to the Pay Over Time limit; variable APR 17.74% — 28.49%.

Winner: Blue Business Cash. While neither card provides exceptional benefits, the Blue Business Cash provides a decent suite for no annual fee. With the Graphite card, its underwhelming perks make it quite difficult to justify its $295 annual fee.

Related: Your complete guide to shopping protections on American Express cards

Earning cash back with the Blue Business Cash vs. Graphite

Simplicity is paramount with the Blue Business Cash, as cardmembers earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year, then 1% cash back thereafter.

There are no bonus categories. So, if you’re looking for a solid catch-all card and you don’t expect to spend more than $50,000 on the card in a calendar year, this is a simple way to earn a flat 2% back on everything.

The Amex Graphite card provides one bonus category, offering 5% cash back on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel Online. On all other purchases, you’ll earn 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases with no purchase limit. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.

The Graphite is better for businesses that plan to exceed the $50,000 spending limit in a calendar year, since there’s no cap on the 2% rate.

Finally, it’s important to note that the Blue Business Cash places a 2.7% fee on foreign transactions, while the Graphite card charges no foreign transaction fees. If you need a card for purchases abroad, the Graphite is a much better choice.

Winner: Graphite. The Blue Business Cash doesn’t offer any bonus categories, and its 2% category is capped at $50,000 in spending in a calendar year. This isn’t the case on the Graphite.

Related: The best 2% cash-back credit cards

Redeeming cash back with the Blue Business Cash vs. Graphite

The cash back earned on the Blue Business Cash is automatically applied as a monthly statement credit, which means you’ll be effectively reducing your business expenses every time cash-back rewards post to your account.

Meanwhile, the Graphite card earns cash back in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.

Both options are quite limited, though the Blue Business Cash’s earnings are significantly less flexible. With the Graphite, you’ll at least get the option to use your cash-back rewards at Amazon. Either way, most cardmembers are likely to redeem for a statement credit anyway.

Winner: Graphite. While its two redemption options are still quite rigid, they are less restrictive than the Blue Business Cash.

Related: Are cash-back credit cards worth it?

Should I get the Blue Business Cash or the Graphite?

Whether you should apply for the Blue Business Cash or Graphite card comes down to how much your business spends and whether you want to pay an annual fee.

If you’ll put at least $50,000 on the card (ideally in the first six months to earn the welcome bonus), the Graphite card is likely the better fit.

You’ll earn at least 2% cash back in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout on all of these purchases, and you’ll collect the bonus.

Keep in mind that the Graphite card charges an annual fee of $295, which may be hard for your business to justify year after year, given its limited benefits.

On the other hand, if you’ll be spending below $50,000 on your Amex business card in a calendar year, the Blue Business Cash is likely the best choice. For no annual fee, you’ll earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year, then 1% cash back after you reach that threshold.

So, as long as you stay below this limit, you’ll earn the same base return on up to $50,000 in purchases each calendar year on the Blue Business Cash as you would on the Graphite (though you won’t receive as high a welcome bonus).

Related: How to choose the best credit card for you

Bottom line

Whether you keep it simple with the Blue Business Cash or spend enough to make the Graphite card a workhorse, it’s likely your business will be better off with either one of these Amex card options.

While these two cards are quite different, they do share the purpose of helping business owners keep their personal and business transactions separate, which is a solid financial strategy for many.

So, when you’re weighing between the Blue Business Cash and the Graphite, it mostly comes down to how much you spend, the features you want and whether you want to tack on an annual fee.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Blue Business Cash and Graphite Business Cash.

---

Apply here: The American Express Blue Business Cash Card

Apply here: Graphite Business Cash Unlimited Card

---

For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Cash, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Graphite card, click here.