American Express Business Gold Card Credit Limit
The American Express Business Gold card advertises a ‘no preset spending limit’. But for many small business owners, this term may not be well understood especially if this is their first business credit card. If you need high credit limits, understanding the meaning of ‘no preset spending limit’ and how it applies to your business is crucial.
Amex Business Gold Card Credit Limit Overview
Typically when you get a business credit card your card will be assigned a credit limit. After all, a credit card is essentially a way to access a line of credit that your business will have to pay back, whether on a monthly or more frequent basis.
The credit card issuer will determine your credit limit based on a number of factors including income (personal and/or business) and credit. Credit may include your personal credit scores, which will be influenced by things like your payment history, credit utilization ratio, current debts, etc. It may also include your business credit.
Having a clear credit limit allows you to understand how much of an outstanding balance you can have on your card. When you have a credit card with ‘no preset spending limit’ the waters start to become muddy.
It is first most important to understand that ‘no preset spending limit’ doesn’t mean you do not have a credit limit. You still have a credit limit, but that credit limit may be more fluid and can change based on your spending habits. And you may not know what that amount is.
That means you, the card member, will have to contact the credit card company to check whether a large purchase or series of purchases will go through. The other option is to potentially have charges declined because the card issuer considers them high risk.
In the case of the American Express Business Gold card, you can use the Amex Check Spending Power tool, which you’ll find in your online account or the mobile app, to see if a large purchase will be approved based on your account status at that time. This doesn’t impact your credit score.
One side effect of having no preset spending limit is that it may affect your personal credit scores if the card appears on personal credit reports. That’s because a key factor in personal credit scores is your credit utilization ratio. This compares your balance to your credit limit. Without a credit limit, a credit scoring model may substitute the highest balance reported instead. Fortunately, American Express Business credit cards generally don’t appear on personal credit reports unless the Cardmember doesn’t pay and defaults.
Some business credit scoring models evaluate debt utilization as well, though it’s typical for business credit cards not to report to personal credit.
Amex notes that a key way to increase your spending limit is to use it regularly, and if you pay over time, increase your monthly payment. It also recommends you pay all your other credit cards and credit accounts on time and maintain a good credit profile.
Pros and Cons of the Amex Business Gold Card Credit Limit
The pros and cons of the American Express Business Gold card credit limit boils down to a couple of major factors:
Pros:
Spending limit can change with spending habits and creditworthiness
Cons:
Need to check to make sure large purchases will not be declined.
Separate Pay Over Time limit for balances.
Keep in mind that with this charge card, you need to pay the balance in full each month or utilize the Pay Over Time feature that allows you to pay some charges over time with interest.
Alternatives to the Amex Business Gold Card
Before comparing this card to others, it’s important to understand the benefits of this rewards card.
The American Express Business Gold card currently has a welcome offer of 70,000 bonus American Express Membership Rewards points when you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership. (This limited time offer may not be available in the future.)
It also offers a 25% airline bonus. If you book your flight with American Express Travel using Membership Rewards® Pay with Points, you’ll get 25% of those points back up to 250,000 points.
You can also earn bonus points of 4x membership rewards points on your top two spending categories up to $150,000 of combined eligible spend per year. Bonus categories to earn these 4x points include:
Airfare
U.S. purchases for advertising
U.S. purchases at gas stations
U.S. restaurants
U.S. purchases for shipping
U.S. purchases from technology providers of computer hardware,
Otherwise cardholders earn a standard 1x points on eligible purchases.
Membership Rewards points may be used for travel rewards, gift cards and merchandise. You may transfer points to transfer partners if you are enrolled in their frequent flier or loyalty program.
While this is not a cash back card, you may be able to use points to cover eligible recent purchases.
Other perks include expenses management, purchase protection, baggage insurance and extended warranty.
This card does carry a relatively high annual fee of $295. There are no foreign transaction fees. If you take advantage of Pay Over Time, interest will be charged at a variable APR that will be disclosed when you are approved.
Generally a good credit history and good or excellent credit scores will be required to qualify.
If you’re considering this Amex card, there are several other cards that often appear on lists of best credit cards for small business worth checking out:
Dash.fi
If you need a high credit limit, dash.fi should be high on your list. It offers credit limits 10-20x industry average, and credit limit increases can be considered in minutes. In addition to high credit limits, you can also earn unlimited cash back rewards of 3% for the first sixty days, and 1.5% unlimited rewards after that.
For those who don’t want to deal with the hassle or business interruptions caused by card failure, dash.fi can be an excellent option.
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
This business credit card offers a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months. On an ongoing basis, you can earn 3x points on spend in certain categories– travel, social media/search engine advertising, internet, cable, shipping, and phone services for the first $150,000 spent annually. The ongoing rewards rate is 1x points on eligible purchases.
Additional perks include trip cancellation and car rental coverage, purchase protection, cell phone protection and free employee cards. The annual fee is $95.
The Business Platinum Card From American Express
If you’re willing to consider a card with a higher annual fee, another American Express card worth considering is the Business Platinum card from American Express. It offers a sign up bonus of 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible business expenses in the first three months of account opening.
While you generally earn 1x Membership Rewards Points on eligible purchases, you can earn bonus points of 5x points on flights and hotels booked through AmexTravel and 1.5x points on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million a calendar year).
Additional perks on this card include statement credits for specific purchases, travel benefits such as elite status with Marriott and Hilton, airport lounge access, and a 35% airline bonus on certain tickets.
If you need to carry a balance, you can get a 0% intro apr for the first year (12 months) then it offers a variable apr between 14.99%-22.99%.
This card carries an annual fee of $695, making it the card with the highest annual fee on this list.
Capital One Spark 2X Miles For Business
This card offers a rewards program of 2x miles on business purchases, and 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. There is a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles when you spend $4,500 on purchases in the first three months. Miles may be used for flights, hotels, vacation packages and other travel opportunities. You can also choose to transfer miles to 15+ travel partners.
Additional perks include a $100 travel credit for TSA Pre/Global Entry. The annual fee is $0 the first year, then $95.
Brex
If your company has received investor funding through an angel, VC or accelerator, you may want to consider a Brex card. It offers 1x points on most qualifying purchases, and bonus points within specific categories may reach 8x points.
With a Brex card that is paid daily, your limit will be capped at up to 100% of your available balance on your Brex Cash account. If your business qualifies for a Brex card you pay monthly, your credit limit can be significantly higher.
This card is not available to sole proprietors. Your business must be registered in the US as a corporation, LLC or LLP. You won’t pay an annual fee.
