Best No Fee American Express for General Spend

[Anonymous]

Looking for best no fee American Express for general spend issued by American Express not another bank with low ratings.

Cards I have found so far are American Express Blue with 1 membership rewards point per purchase, the Magnet card with 1.5% cashback and Charles Schwab investor card with 1.5% cashback.  There is also another Amex card with no fee and a tiered 3/2/1 rewards program.  Amex takes care of the account for Schwab and only difference between Magnet is promotions and Schwab branding and funds being deposited into Schwab account and no minimum balance required to redeem.  Features appears to be the same otherwise.  The 1.5% seems to be highest available I see on general spend unless one can get membership rewards points to be worth more.  

I realize there are other cashback cards but I want the Amex set of features including benefits and customer service quality.  

[Anonymous]

You have to do your own math, depending on how much you spend in each category.

Do note with cash magnet and blue cash every day, you earn cash back, with every day card, you earn membership reward.

The membership reward's value is flexible, it can be really good if you plan a vacation with flexible time and destination, otherwise it can be poor.

[wasCB14]

If you have a business or some sort of business expenses, you might look at the Blue Business Plus. That said, they don't really care about what share of the spend is business vs. personal (mine is 80%-90% personal).

2x MRs on up to $50k spend per year.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for information on Blue Business Plus.  I didn’t think of a business credit card.  Offering looks very competitive.  Will this help establish business credit?  I gather this card likely requires a personal guarantee which I can use for regular personal spend so I won’t have any additional risk involved.  I don’t know how applying for this will affect my personal credit with American Express.  

[Anonymous]

I am also curious. Does BBP affect AAOA, 5/24, usage/avail credit?

[wasCB14]

I can say my BBP requires a personal guarantee, and that it does not report on my personal credit reports (so it is 5/24-friendly).

Beyond that, you should browse the business credit forum.

[Loquat]

Make sure you have redemption thoughts in mind before you apply for the BBP.  2x on MR points may seem great but they're useless if you can't find a decent way to redeem them.  I've read a many of times on this here forum of folks loading up on MR points can find out that they can't find a worthwhile way to redeem them.  

If you're wanting to stay with Amex and their reward points system or transfer partners don't work for you, I'd suggest looking at their Cash Magnet card.  

[wasCB14]

True. MRs are (with few and often specialized exceptions) best for people who will redeem them for airline miles.

Adam, what is your particular reason for wanting an Amex? That might help us advise you. CL growth? Purchase pretection? Some APR promo?

[Anonymous]

American Express’s level of customer service combined with the included benefits which are top notch overall, all of them as a whole and no special income requirements or annual fees for such.  Other banks and issuers do not have the same overall quality combined with cardholder benefits with possible exceptions on cards with high annual fees and/or high networth/income requirements.

American Express is the best overall quality issuer for charge/credit cards just like Fedex is the best overall quality for shipping and logistics.  

The value of cashback when dealing with a poor credit issuer is diminished based on the time = money equation plus added valuation of American Express benefits.  

[mongstradamus]

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@Anonymous wrote:

American Express’s level of customer service combined with the included benefits which are top notch overall, all of them as a whole and no special income requirements or annual fees for such.  Other banks and issuers do not have the same overall quality combined with cardholder benefits with possible exceptions on cards with high annual fees and/or high networth/income requirements.

American Express is the best overall quality issuer for charge/credit cards just like Fedex is the best overall quality for shipping and logistics.  

The value of cashback when dealing with a poor credit issuer is diminished based on the time = money equation plus added valuation of American Express benefits.  

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Maybe a few years ago their customer service was top notch, but unless you have a high end platinum. I don’t think their customer service is that great since they are normally out sourced outside US. YMMV with what kind of service you get. I have had a BCP, EDP , and PRG/Gold. Just temper your expectations of customer service you are going to get.