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American Express, also known as Amex, is a multinational financial services corporation that specializes in payment cards. It is the fourth-largest card network globally based on purchase volume. While American Express is accepted at 99% of US merchants, it is rare for utility companies to accept it as a form of payment. However, some energy suppliers do allow customers to use an American Express card to top up their accounts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Energy suppliers that accept American Express | Octopus, Igloo, Bulb, EDF |
| Energy suppliers that do not accept American Express | OVO |
| Workarounds | Using PayPal's bill pay service, Curve (if in the UK) |
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What You'll Learn
- Some energy suppliers accept American Express for one-off payments
- Some suppliers only accept Visa or Mastercard
- PayPal's bill pay service can be used to pay with American Express
- You can use Curve to pay with American Express via a Visa card
- American Express can be used to top up your account with some suppliers
Some energy suppliers accept American Express for one-off payments
While it is uncommon for energy suppliers to accept American Express for bill payments, some do allow you to use an American Express card to top up your account. This is a good way to earn reward points.
For example, Octopus Energy accepts American Express top-ups. To do this, simply click on 'Make a one-off payment' in your account, and you will be taken to a payment page where you can pay with Amex.
If you are an ex-Bulb Energy customer, you can still top up your balance with an American Express card via the Bulb website.
Additionally, EDF Energy customers have reported being able to pay with Amex. To do this, you must first ask EDF to change your direct debit to 'Whole Amount Monthly'. This means that at the end of each month, you will be billed the full amount, and after you pay, you will owe nothing. After making this change, go to payments and use your Amex to make a manual credit card payment.
If you are unable to pay your energy bill with American Express directly, there may be some workarounds. For example, you could use PayPal's Bill Pay service or Curve (if you are in the UK) to make the payment.
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Some suppliers only accept Visa or Mastercard
While some electricity suppliers accept American Express (Amex) cards for payments, others only take Visa or Mastercard. This is unfortunate for Amex cardholders, as using their card to pay for utilities would help them earn reward points and trigger sign-up bonuses.
It is rare for legacy utility companies to accept Amex cards, but some newer energy suppliers do allow customers to pay with Amex. For example, Bulb Energy and Octopus Energy, the fifth-largest energy supplier in the UK, accept Amex for topping up accounts. However, it is unclear whether Octopus accepts Amex for new customers.
EDF Energy is known to be "a bit weird" regarding payment methods, as they require customers on certain tariffs to pay by direct debit. However, some customers have found a workaround by overpaying with an Amex card and then reducing their direct debit.
For those suppliers that only accept Visa or Mastercard, there may be some workarounds. For instance, PayPal's Bill Pay service can be used to pay with an Amex card, or you can add an Amex card to PayPal and use that for payments. Another option is to use Curve if you're in the UK, as you can add an Amex card to Curve and get a Visa card to use.
While Amex is the fourth-largest card network globally, it seems that many utility companies still do not accept it as a payment method. This could be due to the interchange fees that merchants have to pay when accepting Amex cards, which are typically higher than those for Visa or Mastercard.
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PayPal's bill pay service can be used to pay with American Express
While some electricity companies do accept American Express cards for bill payments, others do not. However, PayPal's bill pay service can be used as a workaround to pay with your American Express card in places that don't accept it directly.
PayPal Payments Pro/Virtual Terminal allows businesses to start accepting American Express cards directly. However, this service is only available in the US.
If you're looking to use your American Express card for personal payments in places that don't accept it, you can add your American Express card as a payment method on PayPal and use PayPal to make the payment. This is possible because PayPal accepts American Express cards, even though the merchant may not.
It's worth noting that this workaround may be easier said than done due to the tight security and verification measures in place with PayPal accounts. Additionally, PayPal Canada accounts don't have card withdrawal capabilities, so you would need a US PayPal account to pay your American Express card bill using PayPal.
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You can use Curve to pay with American Express via a Visa card
Although it is rare for electric companies to accept American Express cards, there is a way to pay your bills using your Amex card. You can use Curve to pay with your American Express card via a Visa card. Curve is a third-party company that lets you add all your bank and credit cards to one debit card. This means that you can use Curve to make payments to companies that do not accept American Express directly.
To use Curve, you will first need to download the Curve app onto your smartphone and register. Once registered, you can add your American Express card and your Visa card to the app. After adding your cards, you can attach your Visa card to your Curve debit card. When you use your Curve card, the company will take payment from your chosen bank account or credit card and pay the retailer. This means that you can use your American Express card to pay for your electricity bill with a Visa card through Curve.
It is important to note that Curve is not a bank and does not hold your money. Your money will still be held by your bank and protected by FSCS protection. Additionally, using Curve may have some drawbacks. For example, you may not get the same protection as using your credit card directly, as your purchases are made through a third party.
Curve offers two options: a free regular card called Curve Blue and a premium account called Curve Black. Both are Mastercard debit cards that can be used for shopping or paying online. With Curve Blue, you can spend up to £500 per month fee-free abroad and £200 for ATM withdrawals. Beyond these limits, you will pay a 2% fee. Curve Black, on the other hand, offers additional features and benefits, such as no foreign transaction fees and travel insurance.
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American Express can be used to top up your account with some suppliers
Although it is rare for legacy utility companies to accept American Express as a payment method, some energy suppliers do allow you to use an American Express card to top up your account. This is a good way to earn reward points.
For example, Octopus, the UK's fifth-largest energy supplier, accepts American Express. You can top up your balance with an American Express card via the Bulb website. Similarly, EDF customers have reported being able to pay using American Express.
If your electricity company does not accept American Express, there are some workarounds. For instance, you can use PayPal's Bill Pay service to pay your utility bill with an American Express card. Another option is to add your American Express card to Curve and then use the Curve Visa card to make your payment.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a number of gas and electricity suppliers let you use an American Express card to top up your account. These include Igloo, Octopus, and Bulb Energy.
If your electricity supplier accepts American Express, you can add your card to PayPal and use the PayPal Bill Pay service.
Yes, many newer suppliers let you pay via credit card. You can also use a money order, which was introduced by American Express in the late 19th century.
Yes, Visa is accepted by most electricity suppliers.
