Our verdict

This no-frills charge card has little in the way of benefits, but could be a good introduction to card use.

Finder Awards 2024 highly commended

Customer Satisfaction Award

This super-simple charge card does exactly what it says on the tin. Because it’s a charge card, there's no set spending limit, you won’t incur interest, but you do have to clear your balance in full each month. Plus, there are no regular fees, so you can have peace of mind that you’re not in for any nasty surprises.

On the flip-side, by Amex standards the perks are pretty limited. There's no welcome bonus and no ongoing rewards scheme. As with all Amex cards, however, you'll be able to enjoy exclusive discounts and pre-sale gig tickets through the American Express Experiences (formerly Invites) programme – so although you can't earn rewards points, you could earn brownie points with your family and friends.

Pros

Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with American Express
No annual fee

Cons

Minimum annual income requirement of £20,000
Applicants with low credit scores are unlikely to be eligible

Don't expect wonderful rewards, but you can take advantage of entertainment discounts and perks with the American Express Experiences programme.

Details

Product overview

Issuer	American Express
Network	Amex
Representative APR	N/A (this product is a charge card).
Annual/monthly fees	£0
Additional Rewards Info	Access to tickets for must-see music, theatre and film events, often before they go on sale to the general public with American Express Experiences. Eligible for American Express Connect where cardmembers can choose offers from selected retailers to obtain discounts or cashback.
Potential costs	9.3Excellent
Doing its job	5.3Standard
Extras	6.3Standard
Overall Finder Score	7.2Great

Fees and charges

Minimum monthly payment	Full outstanding balance
Annual/monthly fees	£0
Foreign usage charge (EU)	2.99%
Foreign usage charge (rest of world)	2.99%
Cash advance fee	0%
Late payment fee	£12
Replacement card fee	£0
Duplicate statement fee	£2
Exceeding limit fee	£0
Additional card fee	£0
Dormancy fee	£0

Application requirements

Minimum Age	18
Minimum income	£20,000
Residency	UK resident and has a UK bank or building society account.
Availability	Available to new customers

The American Express range

Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first

Whether you’re looking for a card that lets you earn rewards or one that offers payment flexibility on forthcoming purchases, American Express has a wide range to match a variety of financial requirements.

1 - 9 of 11

Product UKCCF	Finder Score	Rewards earn rate	Max. intro bonus	Annual/monthly fees	Representative APR	Link	Incentive	Representative example
American Express® Rewards Credit Card Finder Award	Finder score 8.2Great	1 point per £1 spent	10,000 points	£0	30.7% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every £1 spent thereafter. Earn up to 90,000 bonus points per year through refer a friend, 4,000 points awarded for every friend approved. 1 point = 0.45p (min 1,000 points) to shop, other rewards have differing conversions.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.7% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
British Airways American Express® Credit Card Finder Award	Finder score 8.1Great	1 point per £1 spent	5,000 points	£0	30.7% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	New Cardmembers collect 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £2,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.7% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
Amex® Cashback Everyday Credit Card Finder Award	Finder score 7.2Great	1% cashback	£125	£0	30.7% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	Welcome offer: Get 5% cashback on your purchases (up to £125) for the first 5 months of Cardmembership. Terms and minimum spend apply. 18+, subject to status.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.7% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
Amex® Cashback Credit Card Finder Award	Finder score 6.8Standard	1.25% cashback	£125	£25 per annum	36.3% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	New Cardmembers get 5% cashback on your purchases (up to £125) for the first 3 months of Cardmembership. T&Cs apply, 18+, subject to status.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £25 per annum, your representative rate is 36.3% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
Nectar Credit Card Finder Award	Finder score 7.5Great	2 points per £1 spent elsewhere	20,000 points	Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £30 per annum	37.5% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	New welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in your first 3 months. Earn a minimum of 3 Nectar points for virtually every £1 spent at Nectar partners, and 2 Nectar points for virtually every £1 spent elsewhere.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £30 per annum, your representative rate is 37.5% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card Finder Award	Finder score 7.4Great	2 points per £1 spent elsewhere	20,000 points	£95 per annum	54.5% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	Earn 20,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy ® points when you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £95 per annum, your representative rate is 54.5% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card Finder Award	Finder score 7.9Great	1 point per £1 spent elsewhere	30,000 points	Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum	88.3% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	New Cardmembers earn 30,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend £3,000 in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. Offer ends 14 January 2025. Terms Apply. 18+, subject to status.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum, your representative rate is 88.3% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card Finder Award	Finder score 8.1Great	1.5 points per £1 spent elsewhere	30,000 points	£300 per annum	139.2% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	New Cardmembers collect 30,000 bonus Avios when you spend £6,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 139.2% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...
The Platinum Card® by American Express Finder Award	Finder score 8.6Great	1 point per £1 spent elsewhere	80,000 points	£650 per annum	701.4% APR (variable)	Check eligibility Read review Compare	New Cardmembers earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend £10,000 in your first 6 months of Cardmembership. Offer ends 14 January 2025. Terms Apply. 18+, subject to status.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £650 per annum, your representative rate is 701.4% APR (variable).	loading Fetching your data...

Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.

How to apply

If you've compared cards and settled on the American Express Basic Charge Card, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the information and documents you'll need to make the process as straightforward as possible.

The bottom line

As the name suggests, the American Express Basic credit card is a straightforward charge card with limited perks. There’s no ongoing reward scheme and no introductory bonus, which really just leaves you with the American Express Experiences as a potential draw.

Unsurprisingly, this means you won’t need to pay an annual fee, and given it’s a charge card, there’s also no interest to pay. But you’ll still need to clear your balance in full to avoid late payment fees.

Frequently asked questions

How does an Amex Basic Charge Card work?

A charge card is similar to a credit card, but has no credit limit and does not charge interest on your unpaid balance. However, you will be charged late fees if you fail to pay off your balance each month.

Why can't I earn reward points with the American Express Basic Charge Card?

As this is a basic charge card, you will not be signed up to any rewards scheme. If you want an American Express card that offers rewards, you can compare them here.

What happens if I don't pay off my American Express Basic Charge Card balance?

If you fail to pay off your balance by the agreed date, you'll be charged a late fee.

How does American Express Experiences work?

Formerly called ‘American Express Invites, Amex Experiences is an entertainment service that’s only available to American Express cardholders. You can get exclusive discounts, access to pre-sale tickets and entry into Amex competitions.

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full profile

American Express Basic Charge Card review