Quick overview of the the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card
The American Express® Business EdgeTM Card is a rewards credit card for business owners. It has a $99 annual fee, but like most Amex cards it offers a luxurious suite of perks and bonuses that, from my perspective as a small business owner, are more than worth it.
Sign up for the card now and you’ll earn up to 67,000 points* American Express Membership Rewards® points in your first six of Cardmembership.
Who's it for?
The American Express® Business EdgeTM is for business owners who are looking to earn rewards to maximize the value of their business spending. If you’re a business owner, now is a great time to earn rewards on your regular bills and expenses.
How to earn rewards with the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card
The card earns 1 reward point for every $1 you charge to it. You can earn 3X the points charged for purchases when your Welcome Offer ends (caps and other conditions may apply) in the following categories:
- Eats & drinks—includes restaurants, fast food, coffee shops, drinking establishments, and food delivery
- Rides & gas—includes public transportation like buses and subway, as well as taxi, limousines, rideshare, and gas stations
- Office supplies and electronics. Note that only “retailers whose primary business is the sale of electronics in Canada/ the sale of office supplies in Canada” qualify under this category. That means Staples is a good bet for earning 3X points; Walmart is not.
You’ll earn points on those eligible purchases at a rate of 3X until you reach the maximum of 75,000 points per year. After that, any additional purchases in these categories will accrue points at the regular rate of 1 point per dollar spent.
How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards®
There are a number of ways you can use your Amex points to advance your business and treat yourself, including:
- Book flights within Canada or anywhere in the world using a fixed number of points
- Redeem points for statement credits to offset eligible purchases charged to your chard
- Use points to pay for your Amazon.ca purchases at checkout
- Use points for a wide range of gift cards and merchandise
Redeeming your reward points with American Express is relatively easy. The points you earn should appear in your account after your monthly statement closes, at which time you can elect how to use them. Use points to offset business expenses. Membership Rewards® allows you to offset business expenses by covering the cost of purchases made on your Card, in full or in part. Redeem points for statement credits and to book flights, hotels, and car rentals. Redeem points for flight purchases on AirCanada.com and even transfer to frequent flier and hotel programs, including one-to-one to Aeroplan®* and Avios. Merchandise or gift cards can be purchased by logging into membershiprewards.ca or by calling the number on the back of your card.
American Express® Business EdgeTM Card insurance coverage
In addition to earning rewards points, the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card comes with some business-friendly features to give you peace of mind and help your business grow.
Employee card misuse protection: Created specifically for business owners, you’re protected with coverage of up to $100,000 employee misuse protection per Basic Cardmember in the event an employee misuses their supplementary card for unauthorized charges. You’ll be covered for any unauthorized spending the employee put on the card as long as you terminate the employee and request to cancel the employee’s card within two days of termination.
Purchase Protection plan: Protect your eligible purchases against accidental physical damage and theft with Purchase Protection® Plan.
Buyer’s Assurance protection plan: You’ll enjoy up to one year of additional warranty on top of the manufacturer’s original warranty period for purchases charged to your American Express® Business EdgeTM Card. This can be a big benefit to business owners for critical purchases like electronics, which typically only have a one-year warranty.
Car rental theft and damage insurance: You’re covered for the theft, loss, or damage of a rental car with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) up to $85,000 for car rentals that are 48 days or less. This protection lets you decline insurance offered by the car rental company, saving you money.
Extra card perks
- Generous bonus structure. Earn up to 67,000 points* in your first year. Terms and conditions apply.
- Extra rewards points on high spending categories. Most businesses invest substantially in electronics, office supplies, dining out (meetings), and transport. These categories earn 3x the rewards points after the Welcome Offer ends, tailoring the card to businesses. Caps and conditions may apply.
- Option to carry a balance. Unlike most American Express cards, the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card is a credit card, not a charge This means cardholders can elect to carry a balance from month to month without a big interest rate hike.
- Low annual fee. At only $99/year (and $0 for supplemental cards), the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card is an affordable charge card for your business relative to its high-value features and rewards structure.
How the American Express® Business Edge card compares
If the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card isn’t quite hitting the right notes for you, there are two competitors with comparable annual fees to consider: the BMO Rewards Business Mastercard and the Scotia Momentum for Business Visa Card. Here’s how they compare:
| Features | American Express® Business EdgeTM Card | Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $99 | $150 |
| Single Point Value | $0.01 when redeemed for travel/0.007 for statement credit | Varies |
| Sign-Up Bonus Points | Earn up to 67,000 points* in your first year of Cardmembership. Terms and conditions apply. | Earn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points*. Terms and conditions apply. |
| Accelerated Rewards Rate | 3 points/$1 on eats & drinks, transportation, office supplies and electronics | 5 points/$1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 3 p/$1 on eligible gas, dining and travel |
| Regular Rewards Rate | 1 point/$1 on all other purchases | 2 points/$1 on all other purchases charged to the card |
| Regular Purchase Interest Rate | 21.99% | 21.99% |
Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card
3.5
60k pts
Welcome offerGood
Suggested credit scoreEarn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points*
Pros
-
Earn up to 5x Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent for business spending.
-
Free annual night award up to 35,000 points.
-
Business expense management tools.
Cons
-
Annual fee required.
-
Limited rewards to Marriott Bonvoy program.
Eligibility
Good
Recommended Credit Score
$0
Required Annual Personal Income
$0
Required Annual Household Income
Recommended Credit Score
Good
Required Annual Personal Income
$0
Required Annual Household Income
$0
5
points for every $1 in Card purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
3
points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel
2
points for every $1 spent on everything else
1
Annual Free Night Award automatically each year after your anniversary
15
Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
points for every $1 in Card purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
5
points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel
3
points for every $1 spent on everything else
2
Annual Free Night Award automatically each year after your anniversary
1
Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
15
21.99%
Purchase APR
21.99%
Cash Advance APR
$150
Annual Fee Supplementary Cards have an annual fee of $50 each*
2.5%
Foreign Transaction Fee
Purchase APR
21.99%
Cash Advance APR
21.99%
Annual Fee
$150
Foreign Transaction Fee
2.5%
Pros
-
Earn up to 5x Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent for business spending.
-
Free annual night award up to 35,000 points.
-
Business expense management tools.
Cons
-
Annual fee required.
-
Limited rewards to Marriott Bonvoy program.
Eligibility
Good
Recommended Credit Score
$0
Required Annual Personal Income
$0
Required Annual Household Income
Recommended Credit Score
Good
Required Annual Personal Income
$0
Required Annual Household Income
$0
5
points for every $1 in Card purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
3
points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel
2
points for every $1 spent on everything else
1
Annual Free Night Award automatically each year after your anniversary
15
Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
points for every $1 in Card purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
5
points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel
3
points for every $1 spent on everything else
2
Annual Free Night Award automatically each year after your anniversary
1
Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
15
21.99%
Purchase APR
21.99%
Cash Advance APR
$150
Annual Fee Supplementary Cards have an annual fee of $50 each*
2.5%
Foreign Transaction Fee
Purchase APR
21.99%
Cash Advance APR
21.99%
Annual Fee
$150
Foreign Transaction Fee
2.5%
Earn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points*
Small business owners that spend significantly on travel accommodation should consider the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card, because its sign-up bonus is enough for multiple free nights at a Marriott network hotel, and its regular earn rate is very high as well.
Is it worth it?
The American Express® Business EdgeTM Card is a great choice for a new business owner trying to get their company started, or an established entrepreneur that wants to get rewarded for everyday business purchases. The flexibility of rewards redemptions, purchase assurances and extended warranties, as well as ease of earning bonus points make this one of the best business cards in Canada.
American Express is accepted at many, but not all Canadian retailers. That’s why we always recommend that Amex cardholders have at least one Visa or Mastercard as a backup.
American Express® Business EdgeTM Card eligibility requirements
To get the American Express® Business EdgeTM Card you’ll need to meet the following criteria:
- You are a Canadian resident
- You have a Canadian credit history
- You are the age of majority in the province in which you live
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.
Bridget Casey is the award-winning entrepreneur behind Money After Graduation, a Canadian financial literacy website aimed at 20 and 30-somethings. She holds a BSc. from the University of Alberta, and an MBA in Finance from the University of Calgary. She has been featured as a millennial financial expert by Yahoo! Finance, TIME Magazine, Business Insider, CBC and BNN. Bridget was recognized as one of Alberta's Top Young Innovators in 2016.
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