The Plum Card® from American Express OPEN is a unique business charge card that offers flexibility and options for the small business owner that isn’t offered by other cards on the market. You can earn a 1.5% discount on your purchases when you pay early, or get up to 60 days to pay off your balance with no interest.
How This Card Works
This card is a charge card which means there’s no preset spending limit and your balance usually must be paid in full each month. However, unlike other charge cards, this card includes the option to pay at least the minimum payment (10% of the balance from new activity plus any previously deferred balance) by the payment due date, to defer payment of the remainder of the balance until the new payment due date. This gives you up to 60 days from your statement date to pay your balance, which isn’t an option you get with most other business credit cards. (See also: Should You Get a Business Card or a Consumer Card?)
You also earn a 1.5% discount on the portion of your balance that you pay within 10 days of receiving your bill. You do have to pay at least your minimum payment by your payment due date. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses)
Terms apply.
Other Benefits
ReceiptMatch. This card includes ReceiptMatch which allows you to keep track of your expenses and receipts. You can use your mobile device to take a photo of any receipt and then upload it and match it to the transaction on your online statement.
OPEN Savings. The Open Savings benefit gives you a 5% discount or two additional Membership Rewards points for each dollar you spend with OPEN Savings merchants.
Costs
- $250 Annual Fee ($0 introductory annual fee your first year)
- No APR (balance is paid in full each month)
- No Foreign Transaction Fee
Considerations
No rewards program. Although you can earn a 1.5% discount on the portion of the balance you pay within 10 days of receiving your bill, there is no rewards program or additional bonuses for purchases. Other business credit cards may offer bonus rewards for office supply, telecommunications, travel, or even advertisement purchases. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Office Supplies)
Charge card limitations. For some business owners, it can be difficult having to pay the entire balance in full each month, even with the special feature this card offers extending it to 60 days. If you rather have the option to carry your balance from month to month for a longer term, you should choose a standard business credit card instead.
Annual fee. After the first year, the annual fee to carry this card is $250, which can get expensive, especially considering how light it is on the rewards and business benefits. If you aren’t able to earn enough through the OPEN Savings network or by paying your balance early each month for the 1.5% discount, you could find this card costly.
Who This Card Is Best For
Although it doesn’t come with some of the features you get with other business cards, this card could still be worth carrying if you can pay your balance in full and pay at least your minimum monthly payment within 10 days of your statement closing date. Further, if you frequently shop abroad or through merchants that are part of the OPEN Savings network, you could find yourself saving and earning more with this card than others. However, if you need to have the option carry a balance from month to month or prefer a more significant rewards program and lower annual fee, you should consider one of the many other business credit cards that are available.
Terms apply.
Click here to learn more and apply for the Plum Card® from American Express OPEN today!
