Amex All-New Graphite Business Cash Card — Where Does It Stack Up in the Busy Business Card Space?
With all the buzz around recent card refreshes — the American Express Platinum Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, and the Cardless Bilt Credit Card — it’s easy to forget there’s a whole world beyond consumer credit. Some of the names might even look familiar; there are business versions of the Amex Plat, CSR, and other well-known consumer cards. But every once in a while, a major card issuer launches a completely new product — some are definitely more interesting than others.
Amex’s new business pitch: American Express just launched its 13th business product in the US, the Graphite Business Cash Unlimited Card. It boasts unlimited 2% cash back on purchases and 5% cash back on American Express Travel Online. But with a $295 annual fee, the value prop that would actually sell this card is… pretty niche. While some business cards can be pretty useful, this one feels like it’s designed for people looking to get a discount on one very specific Amex software product.
- Aside from cash back, the card comes with a $2.4K credit for American Express One AP — that’ll cover the $200/mo software, which automates supplier payments.
- Really, the only thing remotely compelling is the $2K Welcome Offer for opening the card — but you’ll have to spend $50K in six months to earn it (so good luck).
Business Cards Mean Business
Although Amex’s latest launch might appeal to users of this niche software, the business credit card market is just as competitive as the consumer side. Odds are, Amex’s new card will face its share of competition.
- Perhaps the biggest competition is Amex’s own no-annual-fee business card — the Blue Business Cash — which earns 2% cash back on up to $50K/yr in spending.
- For big spenders, the $195/yr Chase Ink Premier might remain the one to beat, with 2% back on all purchases and 2.5% back on large purchases (bigger than $5K).
- Capital One’s Venture X Business (2x miles per dollar) card comes with a travel credit that can exceed the annual fee — and it usually has competitive sign-up bonuses.
Just like consumer cards: We don’t often dive into business cards here at The Average Joe, but even though they’re called “Business Cards,” you can apply for them for any reason — side hustle, small business, or other ventures. To that end, exploring business cards for bonuses or even diverting credit spending away from your personal utilization might not be the worst idea.