Amex Business Gold Card vs. Amex Gold Card [Detailed Comparison]

When you’re ready to select a new rewards card, an American Express card should be at the top of your list for consideration. The company issues a variety of business cards and personal consumer cards designed to match up with nearly every spending profile, redemption priority, and desire for useable benefits.

Aside from its flagship premium travel rewards cards, The Platinum Card^® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, there are 2 additional cards that cardholders consistently seek out.

The American Express^® Business Gold Card and the American Express^® Gold Card are workhorses when it comes to rewarding everyday business and personal spending. The cards also shine at redemption time and offer travel and shopping benefits that deliver additional value.

But if you’re trying to decide between the 2 for your next rewards card, you’ll find the cards can be totally different animals. That’s where we come in.

We’ve chosen these 2 popular cards today to dig deep and cover all the differences so you can choose which works best for you.

Amex Business Gold Card vs. Amex Gold Card — Overview

The Value of a Welcome Bonus

Amex Business Gold Card

ELEVATED OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Business Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

American Express^® Business Gold Card

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Welcome Offer

Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*

100,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$2,200

Annual Fee

$375

APR

18.74% - 27.74% Variable,0% on purchases for 6 months from date of account opening

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.

The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar spent on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
  • Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
  • U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
  • Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
  • Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, plus TV and radio)
• 3x points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
• Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection

Cons

• $375 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
• 0% Intro APR ¤ for 6 months from the date of account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time, then a 18.74% to 27.74% variable APR.*
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
• The Business Gold Card now comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
• *Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.74% - 27.74% Variable,0% on purchases for 6 months from date of account opening
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Amex Gold Card

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

While the Amex Gold card may currently offer a bonus that exceeds the Amex Business Gold card, offers can change. Additionally, the actual value of a welcome bonus is dependent on how you choose to redeem your Membership Rewards points.

It’s always prudent to review the current welcome bonus, annual fee, any other associated fees and rates, and the applicable terms and conditions of a card prior to applying for any card.

The snapshots above can assist you in finding this information and help you estimate the value of a welcome bonus.

Business vs. Personal Card

The Amex Business Gold card is obviously a business card and the Amex Gold card is a personal consumer card.

If you have a business, it’s appropriate to keep business and personal purchases separated by selecting a business card to use for those purchases. Additionally, business cards may provide greater protection and offer business-related benefits such as employee cards that help you manage purchases and organizational tools that can make tax time easier.

If you’re looking specifically for a business card, you’ll want to review our article on some of the best business card choices available.

Personal consumer rewards cards, the Amex Gold card included, tend to focus on rewarding typical everyday expenses and providing additional useful travel and shopping-related benefits.

If you’re looking to apply for just 1 card and are not sure whether your next card will be a business or personal card, our 2 featured cards could both potentially qualify as great choices. Read on to find everything you need here to make your decision.

Comparing Earning Options

Each of our featured cards has a very different earning profile. While the Amex Business Gold card rewards common business purchases, the Amex Gold card focuses more on everyday spending categories.

Both cards are winners when you select the card that aligns with your business or personal spending profile.

If you’re a busy business owner, you’ll like that you don’t need to decide which bonus categories to select, as the Amex Business Gold card applies the bonus rewards automatically to your 2 highest qualifying expenses each statement period.

As a consumer, you’ll find the Amex Gold card will deliver elevated earnings on qualifying supermarket, restaurant, and flight purchases.

Hot Tip: If your business involves advertising on Facebook or other qualifying media, you’ll want to consider the Amex Business Gold card. The card earns 4x points per dollar spent (up to $150,000 in purchases each calendar year) on select online advertising when that expense is one of your highest expenses in a specific statement period. 

Comparing Redemption Options

While earning options on our featured cards are quite different, redemption options for Membership Rewards points are similar.

Let’s look at the choices you’ll have for redeeming Membership Rewards points earned on either card.

The best value for redeeming Membership Rewards earned on either card is to redeem the points for travel via AmexTravel.com or transfer the points to airline and hotel partners for the potential to receive even greater value.

Watch for bonus transfer offers that can be found in your online card account. Recent offers have included a 40% bonus when transferring Membership Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy and an offer to redeem 1,000 Membership Rewards points for 2,800 Hilton Honors points. Additional bonuses are offered periodically when transferring to airline frequent flyer programs.

Bottom Line: The process and options for redeeming Membership Rewards are the same for either of our featured cards. 

Statement Credits

Statement credits directly offset any qualifying purchases made with your card. Here are the statement credit offers you can expect on our featured cards.

Amex Gold Card

• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card as your payment method within your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with your card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: $100 annual statement credit ($50 semi-annually), redeemable at any U.S. Resy restaurant and other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required through your Amex account.
• $84 Dunkin’ Credit: Up to $84 in annual statement credits ($7 per month), redeemable at U.S. Dunkin’ restaurants. Enrollment required.

Amex Business Gold Card

• Up to $240 back annually ($20 back per month) for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores upon enrollment
• Up to $155 back annually for a monthly Walmart+ membership

Travel Benefits and Protections

You’ll find several useful travel benefits and protections that come with both the Amex Business Gold card and the Amex Gold card:

Bottom Line: For a complete overview of American Express card travel insurance, our article provides an in-depth look at the travel insurance coverages offered on each card. 

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Both of our featured cards come with several shopping benefits and protections that can save you money on your purchases or reimburse you in the case of a covered event.

• No Preset Spending Limit — Your spending limit is flexible on either card. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.
• Purchase Protection — Receive up to $1,000 per item, $50,000 per card per calendar year, for damaged or stolen items for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.
• Extended Warranty — For manufacturers’ warranties of 5 years or less, the card benefit extends the warranty by 1 additional year. The maximum benefit is $10,000 per item, $50,000 per card, per calendar year.
• Amex Offers — Log into your online Amex card account, scroll down the page, and find up to 100 Amex Offers that can save you money or provide bonus earnings. Add the offer to your card by clicking on the Add to card button, then make the associated purchase with your card.
• American Express Auto Purchasing Program — Receive guaranteed savings on your new car purchase and be able to use your Amex card to charge at least $2,000 of the purchase price.

Amex Business Gold Card vs. Amex Gold Card — Summary

We’re dealing with 2 worthy cards here, but 1 may be a better fit for your current situation.

Let’s recap what we’ve covered and summarize how the cards fare in each category:

• Best for Earning Rewards — Both cards offer bonus-earning spending categories, with the Amex Business Gold card focusing on rewarding common business purchases, and the Amex Gold card’s earning strength centering around supermarket and dining purchases. The better card will be the one that matches your specific spending profile.
• Best for Redeeming Rewards — Both of our featured cards offer the same redemption options.
• Best for Travel Benefits and Protections — The core travel insurance coverages that come with our featured cards are identical with the exception of the travel accident insurance, which is a rarely used benefit.
• Best for Shopping Benefits and Protections — You wouldn’t select a card based solely on shopping benefits, but fortunately, both cards fare equally in this category.
• Best for Adding Authorized Users — Both cards are winners when it comes to adding authorized users, as both offer appropriate options for the cards’ designed purposes. The Amex Business Gold card, created for the business owner, has an annual fee for employee cards of just $95 for the first five cards and then $95 for each card thereafter, up to 99 cards (rates & fees).

Final Thoughts

We like that the Amex Gold card functions well as an everyday spending card, but still offers plenty of travel and shopping benefits. We also like the Amex Business Gold card for its focus on rewarding common purchases a business might make on a regular basis.

Both cards are worthy choices, but the best card for you will reward your greatest spending and offer redemption options that make sense for you personally. And bottom line, your chosen card should provide enough overall value to exceed any annual fee you’ll need to pay.

If you’re still undecided and like both of our featured cards, you might select the one with the greater welcome bonus to jump-start your earnings. But you may not qualify for a welcome bonus if you’ve previously had the selected card.

Before applying for any card, be sure to check for the current welcome bonus, fees, and terms and conditions.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card and American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance and trip delay insurance benefits of the American Express^® Business Gold Card and American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card and American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty and purchase protection benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card and American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the Global Assist Hotline benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card and American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

No Preset Spending Limit on an American Express card means your spending limit is flexible. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.