Brothers91/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate
Key takeaways
- Both The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express are top-tier credit card options with premium benefits (and high annual fees to match).
- The Amex Platinum Card may be a better choice for users who appreciate travel-related perks but also want to take advantage of the card’s consumer spending credits.
- Business owners will want to check out the Business Platinum Card’s higher bonus rate for business-related purchases and its business-oriented spending credits.
- Before choosing either card, analyze your spending habits to ensure the value you’ll get from the card surpasses its annual fee.
If you’re a fan of American Express credit cards and in the market for a new one, there’s no doubt you’ve considered some of the issuer’s top, premium-level cards: The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
Even though the business version of the Amex Platinum has some of the same card benefits as the consumer version, there are still major differences between the two. These differences could mean that one card is better than the other, depending on your specific needs and spending habits.
Here’s what we found in the battle of the Amex Platinum versus the Amex Business Platinum.
Main details
| Card | The Platinum Card from American Express | The Business Platinum Card from American Express |
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| Welcome bonus |
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| Rewards rate |
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| Annual fee |
The Platinum Card from American Express vs. The Business Platinum Card from American Express highlights
Because both cards are from the same issuer, they have much in common regarding card perks and benefits. However, there are some differences to note when deciding which card you should get.
Welcome bonus winner
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Although the welcome bonus is smaller on the Amex Platinum card (80,000 points vs. 150,000 points), we still give it the nod here based on each card’s minimum spending requirements. To earn the bonus, the American Express Platinum card requires you to spend only $8,000 within the first 6 months of opening your account, while the Amex Business Platinum card requires cardholders to spend $20,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. That said, it’s worth noting that these spending requirements are relative since a business owner would likely find it easier to meet them than an individual.
According to our points and miles valuations, Amex points can be worth up to 2.0 cents each when redeemed with high-value Amex travel partners. That means your welcome bonus could be worth up to $1,600 for the Amex Platinum or $3,000 for the Amex Business Platinum.
Rewards rate winner
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This is also somewhat of a relative comparison that boils down to the type of spending you plan to do on your Amex card. Both cards earn 5X points on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel, but the Amex Platinum caps spending to $500,000 per year. Prepaid car rentals through American Express Travel net 2X rewards on both cards, too.
However, if you’re a business owner who makes purchases in key business categories, you’ll earn 1.5X points on those purchases. You’ll also earn 1.5X points on purchases of $5,000 or more at a time (on up to $2 million in purchases per year). These types of purchases with the consumer Amex Platinum will earn you only 1X points, giving a slight edge to the Amex Business Platinum in this category.
Annual fee winner
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Both the Amex Platinum and the Amex Business Platinum have an annual fee of $695, so they tie in this category.
Foreign transaction fee winner
Card benefits winner
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There are many overlapping benefits with both cards — such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, extended warranty coverage, purchase protection, return protection, cell phone protection, concierge services and many more. Because many of the cards’ benefits overlap, the next best way to compare the cards is to look at the credits offered. If you can take advantage of enough credits, you can easily justify either card’s annual fee.
While both cards offer some overlapping credits, too — such as up to $200 in credits for airline incidental fees with a pre-selected airline, up to a $199 credit for CLEAR Plus membership and up to a $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry — the consumer version of the Platinum card also offers credits for Equinox, digital entertainment, Uber and other retailers that are not available with the business card (enrollment required for some benefits).
On the other hand, with the Amex Business Platinum, you’ll get credits like up to a $400 statement credit on Dell purchases (up to $200 semi-annually), up to a $360 statement credit on Indeed hiring and recruiting products and services (up to $90 per quarter), up to a $150 statement credit per year on select Adobe purchases and up to $120 in statement credits for direct purchases from any U.S. wireless telephone provider (up to $10 per month).
Which card earns the most?
If you’re an entrepreneur who puts large business purchases on your credit card, you could stand to earn slightly more in rewards with the Amex Business Platinum. Although it might be challenging to reach the $500,000 annual cap on flights with the Amex Platinum, there’s no cap on flights or prepaid hotels with the Business Platinum.
Spending example
For example, if you’re a business owner and hold the Amex Business Platinum, you could earn 1.5X points instead of 1X points on key business purchases and purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million spent per year). So, if you spend $100,000 per year in eligible 1.5X categories, you’ll earn 150,000 points (a value of up to $3,000). If you were to spend that same amount on the Amex Platinum, you’d earn only 100,000 points (a value of up to $2,000).
Why should you get the Amex Platinum?
Why should you get the Amex Business Platinum?
Business perks of Amex Business Platinum
Although it is possible to use a personal card for business expenses, the Business Platinum card gives business owners several advantages over the consumer version. Here are a few business-specific perks that business owners will find on the Amex Business Platinum vs. the Amex Platinum:
The bottom line
Both The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express offer a generous welcome bonus and similar benefits for travel-related spending. The main difference comes down to the cards’ rewards structures and credits.
The card you should get will primarily depend on whether you’ll be using this card for personal or business spending. To find the best rewards card for you, first analyze your spending patterns. Then, choose the card that helps you earn the most rewards based on your normal spending categories. And don’t neglect looking into other top business cards and travel rewards cards to determine whether there’s an option outside the Amex Platinum universe that best suits you.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
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