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American Express® Business Line of Credit: 2025 Review

Name: Fundbox
Item: American Express® Business Blueprint™
Rating: 4.2
Author: Allison Martin

Written by

Allison Martin

Edited by

Rob Watts

Updated Jun 10, 2025

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4.2

Bankrate Score

Accessibility

Affordability

Customer experience

Transparency

Flexibility

How Bankrate Scores work

Overview

American Express® Business Line of Credit* offers business lines of credit in all 50 U.S. states and territories. They’re available to small business owners with fair credit but feature a pricing structure that could get expensive.

Lender Details

Loan amount

$2,000-$250,000
Interest rate

N/A
Term lengths

6, 12, 18 or 24 months
Avg. monthly revenue

$3,000
Min. time in business

Must have started your business at least a year ago

*Note: Bankrate is not affiliated with American Express.

Who American Express® Business Line of Credit is best for

Business owners with fair credit looking for a flexible lending solution may find this business line of credit attractive. You’ll need a minimum FICO credit score of at least 660* at the time of application to qualify. It also offers accessible revenue requirements, requiring just $3,000 in monthly revenue. Plus, the draw fee only applies when you borrow funds, and you’ll have six, 12, 18 or 24 months to make payments.

* All businesses are unique and are subject to approval and review. The required FICO score may be higher based on your relationship with American Express, credit history, and other factors.

Who American Express® Business Line of Credit may not be best for

This isn't a good fit if you’re a new business owner or anyone with a poor credit score. American Express requires fair credit, and you'll need to have started your business at least a year ago before you can qualify for a loan.

American Express® Business Line of Credit: in the details

Loan amount

$2,000-$250,000

Interest rate

N/A

Term lengths

6, 12, 18 or 24 months

Avg. monthly revenue

$3,000

Min. time in business

Must have started your business at least a year ago

Fees

3.00% to 9.00% for 6-month loans | 6.00% to 18.00% for 12-month loans | 9.00% to 27.00% for 18-month loans | 12.00% to 18.00% for 24-month loans

Personal credit score

Minimum FICO score of at least 660* at the time of application

American Express® Business Line of Credit pros and cons

Pros

Accessible
Automated online process
Minimal fees

Cons

Requires a personal guarantee and business assets
Not available to new business owners
Monthly fees could get expensive

Business loan types offered

American Express offers a line of credit with multiple term options and a tiered fee structure based on the term you choose. All businesses are unique and are subject to approval and review.

American Express® Business Line of Credit

Loan quick facts

Amounts: $2,000 to $250,000
Terms: 6, 12, 18 or 24 months
Total monthly fees: 3.00% to 9.00% (6-month loans), 6.00% to 18.00% (12-month loans), 9.00% to 27.00% (18-month loans), 12.00% to 18.00% (24-month loans)

American Express® Business Line of Credit overview

With an American Express business line of credit, loan eligibility requirements are fairly relaxed. It’s open to people with fair credit who have started their business at least a year ago and only requires an average monthly revenue of at least $3,000.

Loan eligibility requirements are fairly relaxed. It’s open to people with fair credit who have started their business at least a year ago and only requires an average monthly revenue of at least $3,000.

Credit limits range from $2,000 to $250,000, and each time you access funds, it counts as a separate loan with its own loan agreement, need for a personal guarantee and loan fees. You’ll pay a monthly fee on the amount you borrow, with fees rising the longer the term you need. Loan fees start low but only if you can pay off your loan within six months.

And since this is Amex’s proprietary fee structure, it’s not easy to compare to business lines of credit with interest rates. But you can bypass paying fees if you repay the loan early, and there are no early prepayment penalties for doing so.

Do you qualify?

Here's what it takes to meet Amex's relaxed eligibility requirements:

Age: At least 18 years of age
Minimum FICO score: At least 660* at the time of application
Time in business: Have started your business at least a year ago
Revenue: Average monthly revenue of at least $3,000
Industry limitations: Not specified

What we like and what we don’t like

Applying for an American Express® Business Line of Credit is simple, and you’ll know what to expect regarding borrowing costs right away.

What we like

Accessible. Amex’s eligibility requirements are more relaxed than other lenders, especially its minimum revenue requirements.
Automated online process. You won’t fill out a lengthy application or have to apply by phone or in person at a bank.
Minimal fees. Borrowers do not pay loan origination fees, prepayment penalties or maintenance fees.

What we don't like

Requires a personal guarantee and business assets. On top of a personal guarantee, Amex requires you to secure your loan with business assets. Not all lenders require both for a line of credit.
Not available to new business owners. Access to funding is limited to small business owners who’ve been operating for a year or more.
Monthly fees could get expensive. Amex’s proprietary fee structure charges higher rates the longer it takes you to pay off your loan. These rates could be expensive when compared with loans that charge a fixed APR, so you’ll need to calculate total loan costs when comparing with other business loans.

How American Express® Business Line of Credit compares to other lenders

American Express is known for its business line of credit with lenient lending requirements. But it doesn’t offer as many business loan options as other online lenders. Here’s how Amex compares to other lenders:

4.2

Bankrate Score

Loan amount

$2,000-$250,000
Interest rate

N/A
Term lengths

6, 12, 18 or 24 months
Min. time in business

Must have started your business at least a year ago
Avg. monthly revenue

$3,000

4.7

Bankrate Score

Loan amount

$5,000-$10 million
Interest rate

0.75% Monthly rate | 5.00% to 18% Simple interest
Term lengths

1-10 years
Min. time in business

6 months
Min. business annual revenue

$100,000

Read our review

on Bankrate

4.2

Bankrate Score

Loan amount

$5,000-$15 million
Interest rate

8.00%-17.25% APR
Term lengths

Up to 25 years
Min. time in business

Less than two years
Min. business annual revenue

Not stated

Read our review

on Bankrate

American Express vs. Fundible

Fundible offers a variety of business loans, including business term loans, lines of credit, SBA loans, equipment financing and invoice financing. With Fundible, you’re most likely to get approved with a personal credit score of 600 or higher and at least $200,000 in annual revenue.

But the lender offers options for startups and businesses with bad credit, accepting scores as low as 450. That minimum credit requirement is far lower than American Express, though you might only qualify for certain loans like invoice financing.

Across all of its loans, Fundible offers high loan sizes. For example, its equipment loan goes up to $10 million, while most online lenders max out these loans around $500,000 or $1 million. Its business line of credit also raises the bar to $500,000, higher than most lenders’ $250,000 credit limit.

Fundible works best for fair or bad credit borrowers comparing a variety of loan options. American Express works well for fair credit borrowers with less revenue who need repeated access to funds.

American Express vs. Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo focuses on business lines of credit, SBA loans and financing for healthcare practices. It offers three line of credit options tailored to serve businesses at specific levels, including two unsecured lines. All of its lines require a minimum personal credit score of 680, but other features include:

Type of credit line	Loan amounts	Annual revenue required	Time in business
Unsecured line	$10,000 to $150,000	Not stated	At least 2 years
Unsecured, SBA-backed line	$5,000 to $50,000	Not stated	Under 2 years
Secured line	$100,000 to $1 million	At least $2 million	Not stated

Wells Fargo is more transparent about costs. Its line of credit interest rates range from 8.00 percent to 12.00 percent APRs. Annual percentage rates offer a complete view of your annual borrowing costs including fees. American Express charges a monthly fee on the amount borrowed, and each withdrawal acts as a separate loan. Its fee structure also goes up with longer repayment terms. It charges these fees based on repayment terms, though not all customers are offered all term lengths.

How to apply for a loan with American Express® Business Line of Credit

When you’re ready to apply for an Amex line of credit, visit the website and select the “Apply now” button to get started. You'll need to provide:

Your name and business name
Your personal address and phone number
Your business address and phone number
Your business tax ID
Your industry
Estimated gross annual revenue

If you have an American Express account, you can sign in, and your profile will be prefilled with information.

American Express® Business Line of Credit frequently asked questions

Once your application is approved, money is typically deposited into your account within three business days.
American Express Blueprint requires a minimum FICO score of at least 660* at the time of the application but looks at more than just your personal credit to determine eligibility. Amex also requires you to have started your business at least a year ago and have an average monthly revenue of at least $3,000.
To qualify for an American Express Business Blueprint loan, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old, have a minimum FICO score of at least 660* at the time of the application, a business checking account, and you must have started your business at least a year ago.

How Bankrate rates American Express® Business Line of Credit

Overall Score	4.2
Accessibility	4.2	Amex’s eligibility requirements help make this line of credit more accessible than other lines of credit.
Affordability	4.1	Amex doesn’t charge a number of fees found with other business lines of credit.
Transparency	4.3	Amex provides a decent amount of costs and eligibility requirements on its website.
Customer experience	5.0	Amex’s streamlined application process, customer service options and app give it an edge over other lenders.
Flexibility	3.0	Amex only offers one loan product.

*The required FICO score may be higher based on your relationship with American Express, credit history, and other factors.

Methodology

years in business

30+

lenders reviewed

loan features weighed

770+

data points collected

To select the top small business lenders, Bankrate considers more than 20 factors. These factors include loan amounts, approval and funding times, credit requirements, APR or factor rate ranges, fees, and easy-to-find rate and fee disclosures. Bankrate reviewed more than 30 lenders and gave each a rating, which consists of five categories:

Accessibility: Factors considered in this category include minimum loan amounts, approval and funding speed, minimum annual revenue and minimum credit score.
Affordability: This section measures interest or factor rates and fees.
Transparency: How easy it is to find important rates, fees and eligibility requirements are considered in this category.
Customer experience: Customer service hours, online applications and app availability are considered in this category.
Flexibility: This category considers factors like the number of loan products and ability to change payment due date.

Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.

What small business owners think

American Express® Business Line of Credit has 16 reviews

Dive into community reviews below and see what others think about American Express® Business Line of Credit.

4.6

16 ratings

Score breakdown

5 stars

63%

4 stars

31%

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Score by category

Customer experience 4.5 / 5

Accessibility rating 4.4 / 5

Affordability rating 4.3 / 5

Transparency rating 4.5 / 5

Flexibility rating 4.3 / 5

Community Reviews

See what users like you are saying about American Express® Business Line of Credit.

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Overall

Were you able to contact the lender for customer support? What was the process like?

I was and the process was extremely easy with zero percent stress

Score by category

Flexibility rating 5 / 5

Transparency rating 5 / 5

Accessibility rating 5 / 5

Affordability rating 5 / 5

Customer experience 5 / 5

Overall

Was the lender receptive to your business unique needs? If so how? If not, why not?

The lender was receptive to my businesses unique needs and they did this by getting me the funding I need for my specific industry and did it fast.

Score by category

Flexibility rating 5 / 5

Transparency rating 5 / 5

Accessibility rating 5 / 5

Affordability rating 5 / 5

Customer experience 5 / 5

Overall

What was your biggest pain point during the application process?

Honestly just filling out the paperwork was the worst part.Other than that the process went smoothly

Score by category

Flexibility rating 4 / 5

Transparency rating 5 / 5

Accessibility rating 5 / 5

Affordability rating 4 / 5

Customer experience 5 / 5

Overall

What was your biggest pain point during the application process?

The amount of paperwork that was required.

Score by category

Flexibility rating 4 / 5

Transparency rating 4 / 5

Accessibility rating 5 / 5

Affordability rating 4 / 5

Customer experience 5 / 5

Overall

What was your biggest pain point during the application process?

All the paper work there is just so much to fill out and it seems like half of it just says the same thing there is just no need for all of that paperwork when half of it says the same thing

Score by category

Flexibility rating 3 / 5

Transparency rating 4 / 5

Accessibility rating 3 / 5

Affordability rating 4 / 5

Customer experience 2 / 5

Overall

Was the lender receptive to your business unique needs? If so how? If not, why not?

They were until they weren't. I know that's vague, but they became unresponsive when I reached out for assistance, which I thought odd for an AmEx product.

Score by category

Flexibility rating 3 / 5

Transparency rating 4 / 5

Accessibility rating 3 / 5

Affordability rating 3 / 5

Customer experience 2 / 5

Overall

Did you feel that the lender was knowledgeable about their product and loan terms? Why or why not?

Yes I feel like they were knowledgeable about the loan terms and the offer itself. They are very experienced and the walked me through step by step everything that I need to know. The terms and conditions. The limits. The amount. The payments. Fees involved. All in all they were really pretty good.

Score by category

Flexibility rating 5 / 5

Transparency rating 4 / 5

Accessibility rating 4 / 5

Affordability rating 5 / 5

Customer experience 5 / 5

Overall

Did you feel that the lender was knowledgeable about their product and loan terms? Why or why not?

Yes they were very helpful and knowledgeable about the rates and accurate on the timing I would receive the funds

Score by category

Flexibility rating 4 / 5

Transparency rating 3 / 5

Accessibility rating 5 / 5

Affordability rating 3 / 5

Customer experience 4 / 5

Overall

Were you able to contact the lender for customer support? What was the process like?

Yes they had great customer service

Score by category

Flexibility rating 5 / 5

Transparency rating 5 / 5

Accessibility rating 5 / 5

Affordability rating 5 / 5

Customer experience 4 / 5

Overall

What was your biggest pain point during the application process?

Addressing old credit barriers

Score by category

Flexibility rating 4 / 5

Transparency rating 5 / 5

Accessibility rating 4 / 5

Affordability rating 4 / 5

Customer experience 5 / 5

American Express® Business Line of Credit: 2025 Review

The Bankrate promise

At a glance

Overview

Lender Details

Who American Express® Business Line of Credit is best for

Who American Express® Business Line of Credit may not be best for

American Express® Business Line of Credit: in the details

American Express® Business Line of Credit pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Business loan types offered