American Express Basic Business Card vs Barclays Avios Rewards
Side-by-side comparison for UK businesses
| Feature | American Express Basic Business Card | Barclays Avios Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0 | £0 |
| Monthly fee | None | £12 |
| Welcome bonus | None | 25,000 Avios (account switchers) or 2,500 Avios (existing customers) |
| Earn rate (default) | 1x | 0x |
| Rewards currency | membership rewards | Avios |
| Card type | business | personal |
Data last verified March 2026. Check issuer websites for the latest terms.
American Express Basic Business Card
Free Amex card for businesses that want cashflow flexibility and basic rewards without paying an annual fee. Great starting point.
Annual cost
Free
Earn rate
1x
Welcome bonus
None
Best for
Low spendCashflow
Key benefits
- • No annual fee
- • 1 Membership Rewards point per £1
- • Expense management tools
- • Connect to accounting software
Barclays Avios Rewards
Not a credit card — a banking rewards programme bundled with Barclays Premier. Earns 1,500 Avios monthly for £12/month. Requires £75k income or £100k in savings. Good for passive Avios stacking alongside a spend card.
Annual cost
£144
Earn rate
0x
Welcome bonus
25,000 Avios (account switchers) or 2,500 Avios (existing customers)
Best for
Avios collectingBA loyalty
Key benefits
- • 1,500 Avios per month just for holding the account
- • 7,000 bonus Avios or BA cabin upgrade voucher annually
- • Discounted airport lounge access worldwide
- • Extra Avios for Barclays mortgage, loan, and insurance products