American Express Credit Card Reviews

American Express credit cards work just like any other card – with the sole exception that American Express has its own payment network, so it is not affiliated with either Visa or Mastercard. Just like any other card, Amex cards give you a convenient way to borrow money to pay for your purchases. They offer regular credit cards, giving you the option to pay for your purchases over several months, and they also offer charge cards, which require you to pay your balance in full at the end of each month. You can use American Express cards to pay for purchases online, over the phone or in person. Hope this helps!

You don't have to pay off all American Express cards every month. Most Amex credit cards allow you to carry a balance from month to month, requiring only a monthly minimum payment to keep your account in good standing. That's the case with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, for example, as well as the The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express and others. Some even offer 0% introductory APRs.

On the other hand, you do have to pay some American Express cards in full every month. That includes The Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Green Card. But there are exceptions. If you have one of those cards and use it responsibly, American Express may offer to let you pay for certain purchases over time. Interest will apply to such purchases, though, at a rate that won't be disclosed until Amex extends an offer.

You can check out WalletHub's review of the best American Express credit cards to find a good option for carrying a balance. Just don't expect to find a low regular APR. American Express credit cards are known more for rewards than low rates.

What makes American Express different is that it is both a card issuer and a card network. Unlike card issuers such as Chase or Bank of America and card networks such as Visa or Mastercard, American Express serves both the role of servicing accounts and processing transactions. Amex also charges higher interchange fees, better known as swipe fees, than the other major card networks.

On another note, American Express credit cards are unusual in that they're geared toward individuals who have a high net worth. Similarly, while many card issuers offer credit cards to people of all credit levels, American Express only accepts applicants that have good or excellent credit scores. Also unlike most major credit card companies, Amex issues charge cards, which must be paid in full each month.

Finally, American Express credit cards used to be accepted at far fewer merchants in the United States than Visa or Mastercard cards. This is no longer the case, as Amex is now accepted by practically every U.S. merchant that takes credit cards. However, it is still far behind Visa and Mastercard when it comes to international acceptance.

There is no way to know how high American Express credit limits are. You won't know your American Express credit limit until you're approved for an account. American Express does not disclose a minimum credit limit in their cards' terms and conditions, unlike some other major issuers. All Amex says is that your credit limit depends on your credit history, debt level, income, and payment history on other American Express cards.

One way to estimate what credit limit you might get on an American Express card is to read customer reviews of the card. People will often post what limit they received, sometimes with their credit score and income. On Amex cards for good credit, people seem to report starting with limits of $1,000-$5,000 most often. But you should take any of these numbers with a grain of salt. Just because someone with a similar credit score or income got a certain limit, it doesn't mean you will, too.

An American Express card is not an ideal option for a first credit card.

There are better options out there since your goal should be to find a card that does not charge an annual fee. If you have an active college email address, we recommend comparing our editor's picks for the best student credit cards. If not, the Capital One Platinum Card and the Capital One Secured Card both are excellent options.

You can find out more about them and apply for one here.