American Express Business Checking

Guidance checked October 23, 2026. Full account terms last verified October 23, 2026; location-specific rates and eligibility still require confirmation with the bank.

Account Terms History

A dated record of APY, fees and opening requirements. New changes append to this table; prior terms remain visible.

Features

• ▸No monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement
• ▸1.00% variable APY on balances up to $500,000; interest compounds daily and is credited monthly
• ▸One Membership Rewards point per $2 in eligible debit purchases
• ▸Standard deposit redemption is $8 per 1,000 points; qualifying linked Business Platinum accounts have a higher capped rate
• ▸Domestic standard ACH and incoming domestic wires have no Amex fee; outgoing domestic wires cost $25 and outgoing same-day ACH costs $10
• ▸Zelle is available with enrollment and transaction limits
• ▸Approved team members can receive admin or account-viewer access
• ▸QuickBooks Online and Xero integrations; separate software subscriptions may apply
• ▸Published standard welcome terms list 35,000 points after deposit, balance and transaction requirements; confirm the offer shown when applying

Business Checking or personal Rewards Checking?

This review covers the account for business operating funds. American Express Rewards Checking is a separate personal product with different eligibility, funding and promotion rules. The business agreement limits use to lawful business purposes, so do not open it as a substitute for a household account. The official personal-account page is linked below for readers comparing the two.

Current APY and the balance cap

The current Business Checking rate is 1.00% APY on balances up to $500,000, with no interest on the portion above that limit. The rate is variable; interest compounds daily and is credited monthly. A constant $10,000 balance would earn about $100 over a year if the APY stayed unchanged, before any fees. The account has no monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement.

No monthly fee does not mean every payment is free

Standard domestic ACH and incoming domestic wires have no Amex fee. An outgoing domestic wire costs $25; outgoing same-day ACH costs $10. Same-day ACH submitted before the 2:45 p.m. Eastern cutoff on a business day is scheduled to arrive that day, subject to the receiving bank, and is unavailable for recurring or international transactions. Four outgoing wires a month would cost $1,200 a year. Checkbooks have separate vendor pricing. The schedule lists no insufficient-funds fee, but that does not guarantee overdraft payment or erase a negative balance.

What debit rewards are worth as cash

Eligible purchases earn one Membership Rewards point per $2 spent. At the standard $8 deposit per 1,000 points, $2,000 in eligible spending earns $8, equivalent to 0.4% back. A Business Platinum Card linked to the same Rewards Account raises deposit redemption to $10 per 1,000 points for the first one million points redeemed each calendar year, then the standard rate applies. That makes the same spending worth $10 while eligible. Cash withdrawals, cash equivalents, P2P payments, prepaid-card transactions and fees do not earn purchase points. Travel redemption values vary.

How the published 35,000-point offer works

The current standard terms require your business’s first Amex Business Checking account, at least $5,000 in eligible deposits posted within 30 days, a $5,000 average daily balance for 60 days starting when eligible deposits reach that amount, and five qualifying transactions within 60 days of opening. Eligible transaction types include qualifying check deposits, ACH, wires and bill payments. Debit purchases, Zelle, points deposits and transfers involving your own Amex deposit accounts do not count toward the transaction requirement. Keep the account open for fulfillment, normally within 8–12 weeks after qualification. Confirm the offer attached to your application; other campaigns can differ. At standard deposit redemption, 35,000 points equal $280.

Cash access, wires and Zelle

The account supports electronic funding and eligible check deposits, but has no branches and does not accept ATM cash deposits. Use participating Allpoint or MoneyPass ATMs for fee-free U.S. withdrawals; other operators can charge. The debit card’s 2.7% foreign transaction fee is separate from ATM fees. Outgoing wires are U.S.-dollar transfers to eligible U.S. and specified territory deposit-taking offices, rather than a general overseas-wire service. Zelle requires enrollment at both parties’ U.S. financial institutions; some payments take up to three business days. Eligible admin users can send and receive payments.

Owners, team access and opening requirements

The agreement supports eligible corporations, LLCs, partnerships, unincorporated associations and sole proprietors, subject to approval and industry restrictions. Having multiple business owners is not a blanket exclusion. Amex collects information about owners with at least 25% ownership and the primary admin. Have tax IDs, formation documents, owner identification and a qualifying physical business address ready. Approved admin users and account viewers have different permissions; business ownership and login access are separate questions. The business remains responsible for authorized users’ actions. No opening deposit is required, but the account must be funded within 120 days.

Interest eligibility is not deposit insurance

The $500,000 interest cap is not a $500,000 insurance promise. For an eligible corporation or partnership, deposits at the same insured bank generally share a $250,000 FDIC limit even across multiple accounts or signers. A sole proprietor’s business deposits combine with that owner’s other single-owner deposits at the bank. Review the ownership category and all American Express National Bank balances when evaluating coverage.

Frequently asked questions