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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in...
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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 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).
Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).
Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership
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.
No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status
Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
MORE REWARDS: Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. 1X is earned for other purchases.**
**4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.*
PAY OVER TIME OPTION: Decide whether you want to pay eligible purchases in full each month—or pay over time with interest.*
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 go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points atU.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.
There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are a number of other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.
Pros
4x points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
$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.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and 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, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
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.
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.
Amex Business Gold Card
Amex Gold Card
4x points on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
Airfare purchased directly from the airline
Online advertising via select U.S. media
Computer software and hardware, and cloud solutions via U.S. merchants
U.S. restaurants
U.S. gas stations
U.S. shipping
2x points on qualifying travel purchases via Amex Travel
1x points on all other purchases
4x points at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year; 1x thereafter)
3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or via Amex Travel
2x points on other qualifying travel purchases via Amex Travel
1x points on all other purchases
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
Redeem Membership Rewards points for premium travel experiences including first-class flights and luxury hotel nights. C. Baldwin, Curio Collection by Hilton. Image Credit: Chris Hassan
Redeem for statement credits to offset qualifying purchases at the rate of 0.6 cents per point
Additional Redemption Options
Upgrade your flight, gift cards, Amazon, Uber, and other shopping partners
The best value for redeeming Membership Rewards earned on either card is to redeem the points for travel via Amex Travel 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.
The Amex Business Gold card does not offer any statement credits.
Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card comes with statement credits, while the Amex Business Gold card does not offer statement credits.
Travel Benefits and Protections
Both of our featured cards offer the option to purchase premium car rental protection. Image Credit: American Express
You’ll find several useful travel benefits and protections that come with both the Amex Business Gold card and the Amex Gold card:
Benefit
Amex Business Gold Card
Amex Gold Card
Rental Car Insurance
Secondary car rental insurance with the option to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low fee that covers the entire rental period; prices range from $12.95 to $24.95
Trip Delay Insurance
Up to $300 when your trip is delayed more than 12 hours
Baggage Insurance
Receive up to $1,250 for damaged, lost, or stolen carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage
Travel Accident Insurance
Up to $100,000 per person for accidental death or dismemberment
Up to $250,000 per person for accidental death or dismemberment
Global Assist Hotline
24/7 assistance when traveling more than 100 miles from home
The Hotel Collection Benefits
On each qualifying 2-night stay through The Hotel Collection, receive $100 hotel credit, an upgraded room when available, and 2x earnings on prepaid bookings
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 — Both cards are charge cards, which means there are no preset spending limits associated with these cards.
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 Statement Credits — With over $200 in potential statement credits every year, the Amex Gold card is the clear winner.
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, allows up to 99 additional users for a low $50 fee each year and the personal Amex Gold card allows up to 5 additional users for free, which could be sufficient for the average consumer.
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.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For businesses that have expenses that fall into the 4x bonus earning categories of the Amex Business Gold card, the card could generate enough earnings to more than offset any annual fee.
The card also provides a valuable tool for managing expenses with the option to add up to 99 additional users for just $50 per year.
In addition, if your business involves travel, the 25% rebate when redeeming points for flights provides discounts that can add direct value to your travel budget. With this card, you’ll also get access to The Hotel Collection.
Both cards provide elevated earnings, valuable redemption options, and travel and shopping benefits. The better card will depend on your preferences and whether your expenditures are business or personal purchases.
American Express issues several business cards that can fit nearly every type of business, from startups to large established operations.
Membership Rewards points are earned when you make qualifying purchases with your card. These points are added to your Membership Rewards account when your statement closes each month and you pay the associated balance.
You can redeem your points by logging in to your associated online American Express card account and selecting Rewards at the top of the home page. You will then see all of the options for redeeming your rewards.
Neither the Amex Business Gold card nor the Amex Gold card has a preset spending limit.
Both cards have the option to pay for purchases of $100 or more with the Pay Over Time benefit.
This option allows you to pay back a purchase over time with interest.
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
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