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American Express® Business Line of Credit Review 2024: Is It Right For You?

Becky Hanson

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American Express Business BlueprintTM offers access to a business line of credit between $2,000 to $250,000. Borrowers with a minimum credit score of 640¹ can take out a business loan with flexible repayment terms, depending on eligibility.

Overall rating

4.8

Summary: American Express® Business Line of Credit are a great option for business owners with fair credit¹, no-prepayment penalties, and no origination fees. 

American Express® Business Line of Credit

kabbage logo

$2,000 - $250,0001

Max. Loan Amount

12 months1

Time In Business

at least $3,0001

Avg. Monthly Revenue

6601

Min. Credit Score


Reviews

5

Loan Application

5

Loan Purpose

4

Loan Terms, Fees, & Rates

5

Repayment Options

4.5

Industry Restrictions

5

Customer Service

5

Safe & Secure

Pros

  • No prepayment penalties
  • Streamlined application journey
  • No origination fees
  • Pre-approval available

Cons

  • Late payment fees are applicable
  • Short repayment terms
  • Business assets required

Best For

  • Borrowers with fair credit can apply¹
  • Small businesses

Features

HQAtlanta, Georgia
Monthly Fee – 3-9% for 6-month loans
 – 6-18% for 12-month loans
 – 9-27% for 18-month loans
Loan Amount$2,000 – $250,000
Loan Terms6, 12, or 18 months 
Interest Rate TypeMonthly fee
Loan SecuritySecured
Collateral RequirementsBusiness assets
Min. Credit Score640¹
Avg. Monthly Revenueat least $3,000
Time In Business12+ months
Turnaround TimeFunds are deposited into your account within 1 – 3 business days
State RestrictionsAvailable in all States

In depth review on American Express Business BlueprintTM

American Express® Business Line of Credit offers a line of credit where the amount available for you to borrow is dependent on several factors including:

  • Creditworthiness
  • Account utilization
  • Business performance
  • History with American Express

Borrowers that require cash due to a cash flow shortfall or have a less than perfect credit score¹ could benefit from a loan with American Express Business BlueprintTM, provided eligibility requirements are met. Plus, there are no prepayment fees or origination fees for the loan. 

American Express Business BlueprintTM is best for

  • Borrowers with fair credit can apply: With a minimum credit score of 640¹, borrowers with fair credit can access a line of credit for their business. 
  • Small businesses: Business owners with average monthly revenue of at least $3,000 can apply for a loan. 

American Express Business BlueprintTM benefits

  • No prepayment penalties: If you pay off your business loan early, there are no fees or penalties. 
  • Streamlined application journey: You can apply online using your desktop or smartphone in just a few minutes. 
  • No origination fees: There are no origination fees applied to your loan.
  • Pre-approval available: When applying for pre-approval, there is no hard pull on your credit profile, causing no impact on your credit score. 

American Express Business BlueprintTM drawbacks

  • Late payment fees applicable: If your payment is not received by the payment due date, a late payment fee may be applicable subject to terms and conditions. 
  • Short repayment terms: Repayment terms and fees are 3-9% for 6-month loans, 6-18% for 12-month loans, and 9-27% for 18-month loans, which can be short for businesses looking to access financing over a longer period. 
  • Business assets required: Business assets are required to secure funding. 

Loan application

5

American Express® Business Line of Credit adopts a seamless business credit line application process. You can apply for funding and receive funds into your account. It’s a good idea to have the following information on hand during the application: 

  • Name
  • Residential address
  • Business address
  • Phone number (home and business)
  • Business industry
  • Business tax ID

In order for an application to be approved, a prospect must meet minimum criteria, including but not limited to:

  • Minimum of 18 years old
  • A minimum credit score of 640¹
  • Minimum time in business is 12 months or more
  • Average monthly revenue of at least $3,000

Assuming you meet the eligibility requirements and provide all necessary information. If additional information is required, such as verification of identity, then it may take longer to receive approval. 

All businesses are unique and are subject to approval and review.

Loan purpose 

5

While American Express® Business Line of Credit does not disclose a list of what you can use the loan for your business, a business line of credit can be used for some of the following activities:

  • Increasing cash flow
  • Meeting payroll
  • Purchasing stock
  • Upgrading equipment
  • Cover unexpected business expenses
  • Hire staff or employees
  • Repair machinery

Loan terms, fees, and rates

4

American Express® Business Line of Credit offers a commercial line of credit between $2,000 to $250,000 where a monthly fee is incurred to cover the cost of borrowing. Total monthly fees are dependent on various factors including the term of the loan, the borrower’s creditworthiness, and history with American Express. Typically the monthly fees incurred are:

  • 3-9% for 6-month loans
  • 6-18% for 12-month loans
  • 9-27% for 18-month loans

Not all borrowers will be eligible for the lowest fee and not all term lengths are available to all customers. All loans are secured by business assets. 

There are no origination fees or prepayment fees. However, a late payment fee can apply if you do not make your payment by the scheduled payment date. Late payment fees range from $10 to $100 depending on the aggregate outstanding balance of the loan listed on the monthly statement.

Borrowers can have one or more outstanding loans provided that the amounts do not exceed the approved line of credit. Fees only apply to the loan amount, not the full line of credit. 

Repayment options

5

You can make repayments via ACH. Repayments are automatically debited from your primary repayment account once a month. 

Manual repayments can be made at any time through your online account dashboard. You can also view any upcoming repayments on the activity tab.  

Each month’s repayments will include a portion of the loan principal and the monthly fee applicable to the loan.

Industry restrictions

4.5

There are several industry restrictions when applying for a business line of credit. Some industries include:

  • Merchants operating outside of the United States
  • Bankruptcy services
  • Collection agencies
  • Cruise lines
  • Credit restoration
  • Debt collection
  • Investment on futures
  • Real Estate flipping
  • Unregulated charities
  • Payday lending
  • Adult entertainment
  • Merchants selling goods or services that represent a violation of any law, statute, or regulation
  • Commercial leasing merchants
  • Credit Counseling or Credit Repair Services
  • Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc…
  • Currency Exchanges or Dealers
  • Digital Wallet or Prepaid Companies
  • Door-to-door sales
  • Mortgage payments
  • ​​Telemarketing travel-related

You can view a complete list of prohibited industries with American Express® Business Line of Credit on their website.

Customer service

5

To get in touch with American Express® Business Line of Credit, you can call 888-986-8263 from Monday to Friday, 8 am – 9 pm EST. Alternatively, you can email American Express® Business Line of Credit at support@americanexpress.com.

The mailing address is: 

American Express Business BlueprintTM
730 Peachtree Street NE
Suite 1100
Atlanta, GA 30308

According to Trustpilot, American Express Business BlueprintTM has an average rating of over 6400 reviews. Positive reviews report that the service is reliable, while less favorable reviews report difficulty communicating with customer service. It’s important to note that some reviews refer to the customer service related to other financial products such as checking accounts and therefore may not apply to business loans. 

Safe and secure 

5

American Express Business BlueprintTM uses industry-standard information security practices. It also maintains confidentiality for your information. Your data is not sold to third parties and your personal information is verified when you call them.

Is American Express® Business Line of Credit right for you?

American Express® Business Line of Credit is a great option for business owners that require a line of credit to meet cash flow shortfalls or cover unexpected business expenses. The application process is seamless and you could have funds deposited into your account within 1 – 3 business days. 

While it has a minimum credit score of 640¹, additional factors such as your business performance and history with American Express are also taken into consideration during the loan application process.

Where American Express Business BlueprintTM falls short are the shorter repayment terms. Borrowers looking to access financing over a longer period should consider alternative lenders. In addition, borrowers that are unlikely to meet scheduled payment dates should review the late payment fees applicable, as these could increase your cost of borrowing over time.  

¹All businesses are unique and are subject to approval and review.