How to pay with Amex where Amex is not accepted

Can I pay suppliers who don't take Amex with my Amex card?

Short answer: Yes. Pay the supplier's invoice through B2Bpay with your American Express card and they receive an ordinary bank transfer or BPAY payment. They never need to accept Amex, and you earn your full Membership Rewards points plus B2B Points on the Earn Plus and Earn Max plans.

Amex acceptance among Australian suppliers, landlords and billers is patchy, and businesses with high-earning Amex cards often find the card sits unused for their major outgoings. B2Bpay fixes that: the card pays B2Bpay, and B2Bpay pays the biller the way the biller wants.

The Shower Man Melbourne moved around 80% of its business payments to B2Bpay and now earns roughly 2 million Membership Rewards points a year while paying suppliers that do not accept Amex directly; read the customer story. The existing pay with Amex page has the overview, and you can start at the B2Bpay sign-up page.

Does the ATO accept American Express?

Directly, yes, until the ATO stops accepting credit cards after 30 June 2027; the ATO's payment options page lists Visa, Mastercard and American Express, and the ATO currently charges no card fee. Amex cards, however, commonly earn a reduced rate on direct ATO payments.

Through B2Bpay you pay the ATO with your Amex and the ATO receives a bank transfer with your payment reference number. Your card earns its full Membership Rewards rate because the charge is a purchase from B2Bpay, and you add B2B Points on Earn Plus or Earn Max. The service continues after 30 June 2027, when the direct route closes.

See paying the ATO by credit card for the step-by-step, and ATO credit card changes 2027 for the dates.

How much is the Amex fee on B2Bpay?

American Express fees ex GST are 2.10% on Essential (no B2B Points), 3.40% on Earn Plus (1 B2B Point per $2) and 3.85% on Earn Max (1 B2B Point per $1). Visa and Mastercard are 1.10%, 2.10% and 2.50% respectively.

On the Essential plan, Amex has tiered pricing for high volumes, falling to 1.90% above $1,000,000 a year. The team confirms enterprise pricing for larger businesses. The exact fee is displayed before you confirm each payment, and B2Bpay issues a tax statement for its fees; the fee is generally a business expense, which your accountant can confirm.

Full detail on fees and GST is in platform fees, GST and tax deductions.

Is paying a 2% to 4% Amex fee worth it for the points?

It depends on your card's earn rate, how you redeem, and whether you value the interest-free cash flow. Here is how to think it through.

The fee is generally deductible, which lowers the effective cost; your accountant can give you the after-tax figure. Then compare the total points (card plus B2B) against what you would redeem them for. A business redeeming for premium cabin flights will value the points far above one redeeming for gift cards. Use the points calculator for your own card and payment size.

Is a B2Bpay payment a purchase or a cash advance on Amex?

A purchase. Your Amex is charged by B2Bpay for a bill payment service, so the transaction is treated like any other purchase: it earns Membership Rewards points at your card's rate and your interest-free period applies.

This is what distinguishes B2Bpay from drawing on a card to pay a bill the biller would otherwise receive by BPAY, which issuers commonly treat as a cash advance with fees and no points. B2Bpay pays the biller from its own side by bank transfer or BPAY.

Your card's terms still govern earn rates, caps and exclusions, and American Express sets those, not B2Bpay. If your Amex has a points cap or a bonus category structure, check how a large payment to a bill payment service fits. See choosing a card for business bills.

Can I pay rent and other large bills with Amex?

Yes. Rent is where Amex acceptance is weakest and where B2Bpay is most used. Add your landlord or agent as a biller with the bank or BPAY details from your lease, pay with your Amex, and they receive a bank transfer. Strata levies, insurance premiums, council rates and large supplier invoices work the same way.

A $10,000 monthly rent on Earn Max by Amex costs $385 ex GST a month and earns 10,000 B2B Points plus the card's Membership Rewards points, with the cash staying in your account until the statement is due. On Essential the fee is $210 and you earn the card's points only.

You can hold several cards in your B2Bpay wallet and assign one per biller, so the Amex can take the large payments while a Visa or Mastercard handles smaller bills at a lower fee. See paying rent, strata and property costs by card.

Can I use a personal Amex to pay business bills?

B2Bpay accounts are for ABN-holding businesses paying business bills. Whether the card funding those payments is a business or personal Amex is governed by American Express's card terms and is worth checking with your accountant for record-keeping.

Many sole traders hold a card in their own name and use it for business expenses; some card terms restrict business use on personal products. Read the terms, and consider a card issued to the business for cleaner accounts.

Whatever card you use, B2Bpay's rules apply: you cannot use a credit card through the platform to pay for finance or credit, to pay yourself or a related business entity, or for illegal activities.