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American Express.

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What is American Express OptBlue?

For decades, accepting American Express was expensive and had to be handled separately from all other cards. It forced many small merchants to decline Amex entirely, missing out on valuable sales.

Created specifically for businesses processing under $3 million annually in Amex sales, OptBlue removed the traditional Amex signup completely. By putting Amex access directly in the hands of your existing payment processor, Amex went from a premium-retailer-only card to one accessible by 99% of U.S. merchants.

One single statement for all card types

Attract higher-income customers by displaying the Amex logo

One point of contact for support (BAMS)

From the BAMS blog: What is OptBlue by American Express?

Traditional Amex

Separate statement

3-5 days funding

The OptBlue Way

Unified Processing

Next-Morning Funding

Wholesale Pricing

How OptBlue Actually Works

OptBlue changes the underlying economics of American Express acceptance. Here is the process happening behind the scenes.

1. Processor Enrollment

You no longer negotiate directly with American Express. BAMS will assist to configure your merchant account with the processing network and handle the entire setup, turning Amex on instantly alongside your other cards.

2. Wholesale + Markup

Amex provides processors with a flat wholesale rate. The processor then adds a markup. This fundamental shift is what makes your Amex processing rates fully negotiable.

3. Unified Flow

Your Amex transactions are authorized, settled, and reported in the exact same stream as Visa and Mastercard. One daily batch, one monthly statement, one support channel.

From the BAMS blog: OptBlue American Express Explained

The American Express OptBlue Advantage

Lowering your rates to as low as 2.30% and transaction fees to $0.10 means significant administrative expense reductions for businesses with high Amex volume. See exactly how it impacts your bottom line.

Traditional American Express

Discount Rate As high as 3.50%

Transaction Fee As high as $0.35

Statement Fee Up to $7.95 / month

Funding Speed Delayed 3–5 business days

Reporting Fragmented (Amex only)

American Express OptBlue

Winner

Discount Rate As low as 2.30% *

Transaction Fee As low as $0.10

Statement Fee $0 (Waived)

Funding Speed 12-Hour Funding

Reporting Single unified login

* To qualify for OptBlue, a merchant must process below $3M per year in Amex volume per Tax ID.

The secret to negotiating better Amex rates

Because OptBlue operates on a "wholesale plus markup" model, your processor controls the final price. To secure the best deal, always ask for interchange-plus pricing to separate the wholesale cost from the markup. You should compare providers based on your effective rate (your total monthly cost as a percentage of sales) rather than just the headline number.

Request a Free Rate Comparison

* Rates vary based on volume and industry MCC codes.

Stop waiting for your money.

Traditional Amex funding takes 3 to 5 business days. This delay creates real cash-flow problems, sometimes forcing businesses onto costly lines of credit. American Express OptBlue solves this with next-morning funding.

Batch before 7:00 PM ET FASTEST

Funds reach your bank by 7:00 AM the very next morning (approx. 12 hours).

Batch after 7:00 PM ET

Funds deposited the following business day.

Read the full article: Key Benefits of the OptBlue Program

12h

Funding

Does your business qualify?

American Express OptBlue was built specifically for small-to-medium businesses. If you are in one of these core industries and are processing $3,000,000.00 or less per year in American Express transactions per federal tax ID then you are likely eligible for the lowest rates.

Tuition & Education

Office-Based Healthcare

Restaurant & Fast Food

Mail Order & Internet

Travel Agencies

Lodging & Hotels

Retail & Wholesale

Supermarkets

Downloadable Resources

Get the facts in writing. Download these complimentary guides to understand your savings and see exactly how the OptBlue program works.

American Express OptBlue:
The Quick Guide

Learn exactly what OptBlue is, why it exists, detailed funding cutoffs, and whether your business qualifies in this comprehensive one-pager.

Download PDF

OptBlue vs. Traditional Amex:
Rate Comparison

A detailed side-by-side rate table and a statement checklist worksheet to help you uncover hidden fees your current processor isn't showing you.

Download PDF

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about switching to OptBlue.

If you are a startup or mid-sized business, OptBlue is a strong fit. The simplicity of a single statement and lower fees outweighs almost any other option. However, if you are a high-volume merchant processing $3 million or more per year in Amex transactions per Tax ID, you will likely need to evaluate a direct relationship with American Express.

Most U.S.-based businesses qualify, provided they process less than $3 million annually in American Express charge volume per Tax ID and operate in an eligible industry, such as retail, restaurant, healthcare, or services.

Yes. Because your payment processor adds a markup to the wholesale rate provided by Amex, you can and should negotiate your fees. Requesting an interchange-plus pricing structure ensures you have transparency into exactly what you're paying in markup versus true wholesale costs.

Yes. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) rules apply regardless of which processor you use. When you process OptBlue transactions through BAMS, you utilize the same secure, compliant gateways as your Visa and Mastercard transactions.

No, OptBlue does not inherently prevent chargebacks. Standard American Express dispute rules still apply. However, BAMS provides dispute management support to help you navigate and fight unwarranted chargebacks effectively.

OptBlue allows American Express transactions to be processed and reported alongside your other major card brands instead of requiring a separate Amex statement and support channel. This can make reconciliation and account management easier for merchants. For a deeper explanation of how the program works, read the BAMS guide on what OptBlue by American Express is.

With BAMS, eligible OptBlue transactions can be funded as quickly as the next morning. Transactions batched before the applicable cutoff may reach your bank account in approximately 12 hours. You can also learn more about BAMS Next Day Funding and how faster merchant deposits work.

Yes. One of the advantages of OptBlue is unified processing and reporting. American Express transactions can appear alongside Visa, Mastercard and other payment activity rather than being managed through a completely separate reporting process. BAMS merchants can also use Reporting & Analytics through IRIS CRM to review transaction and deposit activity from one centralized dashboard.

Start by reviewing your merchant statement and looking at your total processing costs rather than focusing only on one advertised rate. Because OptBlue uses a wholesale plus processor markup structure, pricing can vary between providers. BAMS can perform a merchant account price comparison to review your current rates and fees and identify potential areas for savings.

No. A key purpose of OptBlue is to let eligible merchants accept American Express through their payment processor rather than maintaining a separate direct processing arrangement with American Express. This allows Amex transactions to become part of a more unified payment setup. Read more about how this works in the BAMS article What is OptBlue by American Express?

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