Amazon Business Prime American Express Card Review

Business owners have many options to choose from when considering business credit cards. The Amazon Business Prime Card may be a good choice for those who spend a lot of money at Amazon-owned properties for their business expenses. Read on for a detailed review so you can determine if it’s the best option for you.

TIME's Take

The card_name is a solid contender for business owners who make purchases on Amazon. You can earn 5% back on purchases at any Amazon-owned property and redeem those points on additional Amazon purchases. You can choose 90 Day Terms on U.S. purchases at Amazon.com interest instead of earning points. Also, if you don’t want to use your points on Amazon purchases, you can redeem them for statement credit instead.

Who is the card for?

The card_name is a solid choice for small business owners who primarily purchase the items necessary to run their business from Amazon.com, Amazon Web Services, and Whole Foods. You’ll enjoy the highest cash-back rewards (5%) when purchasing goods or services from these stores. Earn 5% back on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year with eligible Prime Membership, and 1% Back thereafter.(Terms & cap apply). If you tend to shop for your business needs elsewhere, you’ll only get 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases —and there are better deals elsewhere.

Rewards structure

This card’s rewards are ideally structured for business owners who spend a lot of money at Amazon-owned properties, such as Amazon.com, Amazon Business, or Amazon Web Services. Learn more about earning and redeeming rewards with the card_name.

Earning rewards

With an card_name, you’ll earn an impressive 5% cash back on purchases from any store or site that falls under the Amazon umbrella. This includes purchases from Amazon Business, Amazon.com, Amazon Web Services, and Whole Foods stores. However, there’s a catch—the 5% cash back is only valid on the first $120,000 worth of purchases per calendar year. After that the cash-back amount drops to 1%.

You’ll also earn 2% cash back on purchases at U.S. restaurants, gas stations, and wireless phone services purchases directly from service providers. All other purchases will earn 1% cash back year-round, with no cap. This is relatively low compared with many other cards, which is why business owners who don’t spend a lot of money on Amazon-related purchases may prefer to choose a different card for their business needs.

Redeeming rewards

There are two ways to redeem rewards with the card_name. The first is to redeem points for purchases on Amazon.com and its subsidiaries; the second is to use the points as a statement credit.

• Redeeming rewards on Amazon. To redeem rewards this way, you’ll add your purchase to your cart and choose “Shop with Points” at checkout. You can choose to redeem some or all of your points, and you can split them up to pay partially with points and partially with cash.
• Redeeming rewards as statement credit. You can also redeem rewards as a statement credit, which decreases your credit card bill. This is valid on all purchases using this card, not just Amazon.com purchases.

Additional hidden perks

In addition to the Amazon-centric rewards, this card offers several special perks for business owners, including simple expense management, travel protection, purchase and return protection, and no foreign transaction fees.

90-day terms

While the main perk of this card is the 5% cash back on Amazon purchases, you can choose to opt for the Payment Terms option instead. This feature allows you to finance a purchase for 90 days without accruing additional interest.

Expense management

Being an card_name cardholder, gives you access to a number of tools to help manage your business expenses. These include:

• Account Manager. This tool allows you to assign a specific employee to manage certain aspects of your American Express account, including monitoring transactions, reviewing payments, and adding Employee Cards.
• Employee Cards. Adding Employee Cards allows your staff to earn cash back or choose payment terms on eligible purchases.
• Link to QuickBooks. You can connect your card to have your expenses be automatically tagged with your QuickBooks expense categories for easier bookkeeping.
• Year-end summary. At the end of the year, you’ll receive a summary of all purchases by month and purchase type.
• Online statements. Allows you to view your purchase history, create reports, and create budgets for your business expenses.
• Vendor Bill Pay from Bill.com. Your card_name allows you to pay vendors through Bill.com for no monthly fee.

Travel protection

If you or your employees travel frequently for business, the card_name can help. The card offers rental car insurance up to $50,000 for the first 30 consecutive days, and baggage insurance coverage from $500 to $1,250. The card also has foreign_transaction_fee foreign transaction fees.

Purchase and return protection

This benefit gives you purchase protection of up to $1,000 per item, or up to $50,000 per calendar year. This coverage will kick in if a purchase is stolen, lost, or damaged within 90 days from the date of purchase. It also provides return protection of up to $300 per item, or up to $1,000 per year, on items that can’t be returned within 90 days of purchase.

What could be improved?

The card_name is a good option for business owners who make a lot of Amazon purchases. It’s likely not worth it for businesses that spend the majority of their money outside of Amazon, as rewards can be redeemed only on Amazon or as a statement credit. If this card were to allow additional ways to redeem rewards—such as exchanging points for gift cards or cash back— it would be a more worthwhile choice for a wider range of business owners. If card_name isn’t the best fit, it’s worth considering some of the cards below.

How it compares

Unbeatable rewards

Ultimately, the card_name may be one of the best credit cards for Amazon Business Prime members. The ability to redeem rewards points for Amazon purchases means business owners who buy most of their supplies and business needs from an Amazon-owned store or website can save on their expenses.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What kinds of rewards does the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card have?

The main reward that the Amazon Business Prime AmEx offers is the ability to redeem points on Amazon.com, Amazon Web Services, Amazon Business, and Whole Foods purchases. Alternatively, you can choose to finance a purchase interest free for up to 90 days.

What credit score do I need to get an Amazon Business Prime American Express Card?

In general, you’ll need a credit score that falls in the “credit_score_needed” range in order to be approved for an card_name. That means a credit score of 690 or more.

Do you need to be an Amazon Prime member to get an card_name?

Yes. If you aren’t a Business Prime member, you’ll need either to purchase a membership (starting at $69 per year) or stick with the regular card_name.

Is it mandatory to use my Amazon Prime Business Amex rewards on Amazon purchases?

Not exactly. While points can’t be redeemed for gift cards or at any other retail stores, you can use them as statement credit on your credit card if you prefer.