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

American Express has several top-notch Membership Rewards cards and is most famous for being a leader in the realm of points and rewards.

Where American Express shines is its premium card offerings. With the fantastic perks you get from holding its cards and its Membership Rewards program, it’s no secret that Amex is a must-consider in this growing world of credit card rewards.

Here’s a look at comparing 2 of the most popular Amex business cards out there: The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express and the American Express^® Business Gold Card. We’ll be laying out all of the information you need to compare the 2 offerings and choose the best fit for you.

Reasons You Need a Business Card

The most obvious reason why you’d want to apply for a business card is to help you run your business. A business credit card is tremendously useful for separating key expenses and tracking business activity.

Owning and operating a business is no small feat, and it requires tremendous attention to detail to accurately document your legal paperwork, track your transactions, and manage your spending. As a result, you’ll want to think about opening business cards that help you run your business and earn rewards.

In recent years, banks have been intensifying their marketing towards small businesses, which has resulted in ultra-attractive card offerings for business owners looking for credit cards.

Here are some of the other reasons you’d want to consider a business card:

1. Accruing Points: Some of the most attractive cards in the world are business cards. This isn’t a coincidence, as big banks tend to view businesses as significantly more profitable than consumers.
2. Streamlining Business Accounting and Spending: When you run a business, one of the biggest headaches can be inadequate accounting. Having a business card will help streamline your finances and manage your spending easily by separating expenses.
3. Building Your Business Credit: We talk a lot about consumer credit, but there’s actually a credit report for every business out there. The most popular bureau for tracking business credit is Dun & Bradstreet. Opening a business card will build your business credit.
4. Higher Credit Limits: Most banks want to help you build your business. They understand that business expenses often exceed personal expenses, so they’ll usually grant higher credit limits.
5. Other Benefits: As you’ll find out later in this article, there is a huge laundry list of perks you’ll get for having the right business card.

Who Qualifies for a Business Card?

The qualification criteria for business cards is not as complicated as many people think. You don’t need a complicated legal structure, thousands of employees, or millions of dollars in annual revenue to qualify for a business card.

In fact, banks love small business owners, and they want to help you succeed in your business with the hope that you’ll be their financial partner by having their business cards.

If you have a tutoring side hustle or dropshipping business, you’ll qualify for a business credit card. Just remember that the U.S. Small Business Administration may require special licensing or permits for certain professions/industries.

Most of the business credit card underwriting process uses your personal income as their main consideration from a risk management perspective, so you don’t even need to have business revenue to qualify! Undoubtedly, having business revenue will usually help, but the absence of it isn’t a deal-breaker in the slightest.

Bottom Line: Most businesses, whether it’s a small sole proprietorship or a large corporation, will qualify for business cards. Don’t disqualify yourself unnecessarily and miss out on the lucrative world of business credit card rewards. 

Card Overview

Card Snapshots

ELEVATED OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

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 card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

150,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$3,300

Annual Fee

$695

APR

18.74% - 27.74% Variable

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 Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
• Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)

Cons

• High annual fee of $695 (rates & fees)
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card^®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card^®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.74% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 250k points with the Amex Business Platinum card. The current public offer is 150,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

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

Welcome Bonus Comparison

Historically, welcome bonuses have played an important role in whether or not you open a new card with any sense of urgency. Welcome bonuses are one of the best ways to kick-start your rewards accrual and they’re a big factor in deciding which card you get.

See the Card Snapshots tables at the top of this article for any welcome bonuses and fees for each card.

Remember that the welcome bonus of a card is just 1 variable in the overall equation. You’ll want to take into account all the perks of holding a specific card, as opposed to just the welcome bonus.

The value of a welcome bonus is somewhat subjective, though you’ll find that American Express Membership Rewards points are incredibly valuable, according to our travel points and miles valuations.

The value of Membership Rewards points can change over time, but you’ll see that a welcome bonus could be worth a ton, depending on the exact magnitude of the welcome bonus.

Access to American Express Membership Rewards

The first thing that the Amex Business Gold and Amex Business Platinum cards have in common is access to American Express Membership Rewards, Amex’s proprietary points and rewards program.

The points you earn are redeemable for flights, cruises, hotels, and more. Also, you can transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to airline partners to get maximum value on business and first class flights.

Bonus Spending Categories

The Amex Business Platinum card earns:

• 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
• 1.5x points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year)

The Amex Business Gold card earns:

• This card earns 4x Membership Rewards points on the top 2 categories in which your business spends the most every month (up to $150,000 in combined purchases every calendar year):

  • 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, TV, radio)

Redeeming Points

Once you’ve earned your points, you’ll eventually want to redeem them. The best way to redeem points is via the Amex transfer partners so you can redeem Membership Rewards for outsized value on international business and first class flights, which are otherwise priced at an utterly inaccessible rate upwards of $10,000+ per ticket.

You can also redeem your points for statement credits, gift cards, shopping partners, Uber, Amazon, and Ticketmaster. These redemptions, while available, are generally not recommended due to the lack of value you’ll receive (usually less than 1 cent per point) in return.

Hot Tip: Savvy travelers transfer Amex points to airline partners and search for award space to book the top international business and first class flights. 

Pay With Points Rebate

When booking a ticket with your selected qualifying airline through AmexTravel.com, you can choose the Pay With Points option which would enable you to get a 35% rebate on your points on the Amex Business Platinum card, up to 1 million points back per calendar year.

As an example, to get the full 1,000,000 points back per year on the Amex Business Platinum card, you’d have to redeem 2,857,143 points towards eligible first and/or business class flights.

Statement and Fee Credits

There’s a lot to love about both of these cards. As you can probably imagine, the Amex Business Platinum card offers more benefits than the Amex Business Gold card, which helps offset the difference in annual fees.

Perhaps the most straightforward way to get outsized value from a card is to take advantage of the statement and fee credits offered.

Amex Business Gold Card

Up to $240 Statement Credit

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.

Up to $155 Walmart+ Credit

Use your Business Gold Card to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers up to $12.95 plus taxes.

Amex Business Platinum Card

The Amex Business Platinum card offers great statement credit benefits:

Up to $200 Yearly Airline Fee Credit

The first statement credit offered by the Amex Business Platinum card is up to $200 in airline fee/incidentals credits. The best use of these fee credits is towards things like inflight purchases and checked bags.

You can’t use this fee credit for award tickets, duty-free purchases, gift cards, mileage points transfer fees, mileage points purchases, upgrades, and airline tickets.

This is a benefit that requires enrollment, and you’ll need to pick the airline of your choice before using it. Also, you can only change your airline choice once a year in January. Currently, you can pick between these airlines:

Up to $400 Yearly Dell Credit

A unique perk of the Amex Business Platinum card is getting up to $400 in statement credits annually by getting up to $200 semi-annually for U.S. purchases with Dell. This enrollment-required perk is for purchases made directly with Dell or at dell.com in the U.S. and U.S. territories. Also, all items must be shipped to the U.S. to qualify.

To break it down further, you’ll get up to $200 in statement credits for purchases made from January to June and another $200 in statement credits for purchases made from July to December for total savings up to $400 per year.

Per the terms and conditions, statement credits take 2 to 4 weeks to post but often are much quicker than that.

Up to $360 Indeed Credit

One of the newest benefits available to Amex Business Platinum cardholders is the Indeed credit, which amounts to a maximum of $360 every year (up to $90 per quarter).

You’ll get a statement credit on all hiring and recruiting products and services on Indeed’s website to post job openings.

Up to $150 Adobe Credit

Another new benefit available to those with the Amex Business Platinum card is the Adobe credit, which amounts to a maximum of $150 per calendar year when you subscribe to an annual prepaid plan for an eligible Creative Cloud for teams or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams using your card.

Up to $120 Wireless Credit

Another great benefit you can count on is the $120 in wireless telephone services credit (split up into monthly statement credits of up to $10). When you make purchases directly with any U.S. wireless telephone provider, you can qualify for this credit. This includes providers like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and more.

$199 CLEAR Plus Credit

CLEAR’s flagship annual membership program costs $199. With the Amex Business Platinum card, you can get a statement credit for that entire amount every year just by holding this card! This is another excellent way to get even more value from your card.

Up to $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Application Fee Credit, as of October 1, 2024

The last fee credit you get for holding the Amex Business Platinum card goes towards the application fee of either:

• Global Entry (up to $120 as of October 1, 2024) every 4 years
• TSA PreCheck ($85) every 4.5 years

Global Entry actually includes TSA PreCheck, so it’s always advisable to go for Global Entry. Global Entry will enable you to clear immigration upon arrival in the U.S. However, just keep in mind that Global Entry takes much longer to get than TSA PreCheck.

Hot Tip: Looking for other cards that offer these benefits? Here are the best cards for complimentary TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.

Airport Lounge Access 

We always say that The Platinum Card^® from American Express, Amex Business Platinum card, and Centurion^® Card from American Express card have undoubtedly the best access to airport lounges in the world.

Well, in addition to a Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment, you’ll have access to the rest of the Global Lounge Collection, which includes Amex Centurion Lounges, International Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner, Plaza Premium Lounges, select Virgin Clubhouses, select Lufthansa Lounges when flying with Lufthansa Group the same day, and Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta the same day.

Within the Centurion Lounges, you’ll enjoy a hot food buffet and premium alcohol with handcrafted cocktails. Also, you can revel in comfort in the shower suites, which is a great way to freshen up before a flight. 

Hotel Program Benefits 

The Hotel Collection

The Hotel Collection is 1 of 2 Amex groups of hotels, the other being Fine Hotels & Resorts. You get access to both The Hotel Collection from both the Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card.

On stays of at least 2 nights with any of the 600 hotels worldwide, you’ll get a $100 hotel credit along with a room upgrade, subject to availability. This hotel credit can be used on dining, spa, and resort activities, which is great!

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you’ll get access to both the Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts, whereas the Amex Business Gold card gives you access to only the Hotel Collection.

Amex Platinum Card

Fine Hotels & Resorts Program

One of the best perks of the Amex Business Platinum card is access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts, which is a collection of luxury hotels that offer the following perks for every booking:

• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
• Daily breakfast for 2 people
• Noon check-in, when available
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Unique property valued at a minimum of $100 (food and beverage credit, one-way private sedan transfer, dinner for 2, spa credit, among others)

This could be a huge perk if used effectively at any of the 1,000 participating properties worldwide. With this fabulous benefit, you’ll be traveling with the equivalent perks of top-tier elite status without having to stick to a particular brand!

Fine Hotels & Resorts rates are often just as competitive as the cheapest publicly available rate, which is a massive perk that makes the Amex Business Platinum card even more valuable.

Hilton Honors Gold Status

Hilton Honors has potentially the best mid-tier hotel elite status. You can enroll and get the mid-level Hilton Honors Gold status just by holding the Amex Business Platinum card.

Here are the perks you’ll get:

• Complimentary continental breakfast at all hotels
• Space available room upgrades (excludes suites)
• 80% bonus points towards free nights
• Unlimited milestone bonuses
• All Hilton Honors Silver benefits
  • Guaranteed member discounts
  • No resort fees on reward stays
  • Digital key/check-in and choose your room
  • Standard in-room and lobby Wi-Fi
  • Second guest stays free
  • Late checkout
  • Free transfer of points and points pooling
  • Fifth standard reward night free
  • 2 bottles of water
  • Elite tier rollover nights

In particular, the free breakfast benefit is a game-changer for those seeking hotel elite status.

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you can also enroll and get Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which isn’t as valuable as Hilton Honors Gold status. You’ll get these perks:

• Complimentary enhanced in-room internet access
• Priority 2 p.m. late checkout
• Enhanced room upgrades (excludes suites)
• 25% bonus points on stays
• All Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite benefits
  • Dedicated elite reservation line
  • Ultimate reservation guarantee
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Exclusive member rates

As you can see, the perks aren’t as plentiful as Hilton Honors Gold status, but it’s still an option for those staying in Marriott hotels.

Hot Tip: Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program to see what perks you get with higher or lower status. 

Car Rental Benefits

Secondary Rental Car Coverage

Secondary rental car coverage is essentially the insurance that “kicks in” to cover charges and fees that the primary rental car coverage doesn’t. Essentially, you’ll need to file a claim with your personal car insurance first before anything from the secondary coverage takes effect.

As long as you pay for the entire rental with your Amex card and decline the collision damage waiver, you’ll get coverage.

Different cards offer different amounts/types of coverage; Amex’s website shows all of the policies for each card.

Ability To Purchase Primary Rental Car Coverage

We’ve written extensively on the best cards for car rental insurance, but this is an area where American Express has historically lagged behind competitors like Chase.

Although you only get secondary rental car coverage, you can purchase primary rental car coverage at a relatively reasonable rate. Keep in mind that the policy doesn’t include liability coverage.

Car Rental Elite Status (Amex Platinum only)

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you’ll get the following benefits at 3 car rental agencies:

1. Avis Preferred
   • 15% off published car rental rates
   • Special upgrade/discount codes
   • Bypass the line so you can go straight to your car
2. Hertz Gold Plus President’s Circle Status
   • Skip the counter and go straight to your car
   • 4-hour grace period before an extra day is charged (a 1-day rental is valid for 28 hours)
   • 50% bonus on rewards
   • Guaranteed car class upgrade
   • Add an additional driver for free
3. National Emerald Club Executive Status
   • Bypass the line so you can go straight to your car
   • Guaranteed upgrades
   • No fee for adding a second driver
   • Reward choices and get 1 free rental day after 7 rental credits
   • E-receipts
   • Pick full-size cars from the Executive area at the mid-sized reserved rate. 

Cruise Privileges

If you hold the Amex Business Platinum card, you’ll similarly receive some top-tier perks for cruises as part of the Cruise Privileges Program. Specifically, if you book cruises of at least 5 nights on AmexTravel.com or an eligible provider, you can receive the following credits:

• $100 credit for inside/outside staterooms, $200 credit for balcony, verandah, and mini-suite staterooms, and $300 credit for suites on Celebrity Cruises, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International
• $300 for all staterooms on Ama Waterways, Azamara, Crystal, Oceania, Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Uniworld, and Windstar
• $300 credit for all Queen Elizabeth/Queen Victoria ocean view staterooms category FA or higher and all Queen Mary oceanview staterooms category EF or higher on Cunard

Double occupancy is required, so keep that in mind.

Travel Insurance and Protection 

Baggage Insurance

Baggage insurance is a quintessentially important perk primarily for compensation but also for peace of mind. While baggage insurance is offered by both cards, the Amex Business Platinum card offers superior baggage insurance.

Keep in mind that you need to pay for the entire plane ticket with the card, so paying for taxes and fees on an award booking won’t count.

For Amex Business Platinum cardholders, you’ll receive up to $2,000 in insurance for checked bags that are damaged, stolen, or lost. The amount for carry-on bags increases up to $3,000. Lastly, you can receive up to $1,000 for high-risk items.

High-risk items are defined to include, but are not limited to:

• Furs or articles made mostly with fur or trimmed or lined with fur
• Items consisting in whole or in part of gold, silver, or platinum
• Jewelry
• Photographic or electric equipment, computers and audio/visual equipment, wearable technology
• Sporting equipment

For Amex Business Gold cardholders, you’ll receive up to $500 in insurance for damaged, lost, or stolen checked bags. Similarly, you’ll also receive $1,250 in insurance for carry-on bags and up to $250 for high-risk items.

Hot Tip: Looking for even more details about travel insurance offered by American Express? Explore our in-depth guide on Amex travel insurance benefits. 

Premium Global Assist

Cardholders of the Amex Business Platinum card, along with the Amex Platinum card and Centurion card, have access to the Premium Global Assist hotline.

The Premium Global Assist Hotline includes all of the features of the Global Assist Hotline plus benefits like emergency medical transportation assistance and repatriation of mortal remains.

The Global Assist Hotline includes assistance and coordination services for unexpected hiccups in your trip, such as lost passports and missing luggage.

Obviously, this isn’t going to apply for most travelers, but it’s still definitely a perk that can be useful in a bind or even a life-or-death situation.

Hot Tip: Don’t miss our separate detailed review on the Amex Business Platinum card vs. the Amex Platinum card.

Shopping Benefits and Protection

Access to Amex Offers

Amex Offers is one of the best aspects of holding an American Express card. Some of these offers have historically included “Marriott: Spend $300+ & Receive $60 Back” and “Amazon: Get 2,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $50+.”

Needless to say, Amex Offers are an amazing way to stack discounts and/or bonus points onto your purchase that you were going to make anyway.

Holding any Amex card grants you access to Amex Offers upon enrollment, so this is a benefit shared by both the Amex Business Platinum card and the Amex Business Gold card.

Extended Warranty

When you buy something, you sometimes receive a warranty on the item. When you buy something using either the Amex Business Platinum card or the Amex Business Gold card, you’ll receive an extended warranty of up to 2 additional years.

Here’s the warranty structure:

• If your purchase includes a warranty of less than 2 years, the warranty is matched, effectively doubling the total warranty period
  • If your product has a warranty of 1 year, your Amex card will add another 1 year
• If your purchase includes a warranty of 2 to 5 years, your warranty is extended by another 1 year
  • If your product has a warranty of 4 years, your total warranty becomes 5 years.

Purchase Protection

The Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card both have purchase protection plans, though the Amex Business Platinum card is the superior choice here.

Your eligible purchases are covered against theft or accidental damage for 90 days for up to $1,000 per instance with the Amex Business Gold card and up to $10,000 per instance with the Amex Business Platinum card.

Natural disaster coverage is limited to $500 per instance.

Business Management Tools 

Expense Management and QuickBooks

One of the most underrated benefits of the Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card is the tools provided to manage your expenses. Amex offers integrations with QuickBooks, an Intuit accounting software package.

Amex has a tool called the American Express Business app, formerly called the Spend Manager, that allows you to input receipts, tag purchases, and notate your statements. After this is done, you can sync your data with QuickBooks, reducing the overall administrative burden of your business.

Account and Employee Card Management

American Express has created tools and services that continue to make the lives of business owners easier. One of these examples is the account manager function.

Normally, the primary cardholder is the only person capable of making changes to the account. However, Amex’s account manager allows for delegation to perform tasks like adding authorized users, disputing transactions, and making payments. Thus, it reduces the administrative burden of the primary cardholder in running the business.

Also, you can manage employee cards easily. You can set up real-time alerts and purchase limits for employee/authorized cardholders.

Additional Card Benefits Not To Overlook

American Express Platinum Concierge

The American Express Platinum Concierge is yet another benefit of the Amex Business Platinum card. Simply put, the concierge can help you make hard-to-get reservations, plan trips, and even help you plan your business events.

The professionals located at every corner of the globe are, most importantly, all very familiar with travel, food, and business.

It is extremely useful to have them in your corner searching for Michelin-starred restaurants, planning tours, snagging sold-out concert tickets, or even hosting your next corporate event.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

There are no foreign transaction fees for either the Amex Business Platinum card (rates & fees) or the Amex Business Gold card (rates & fees).

Metal Cards

The Amex Business Platinum card and the Amex Business Gold card are both status symbols in many circles. Although they’re quintessentially known as symbols of wealth, you’ll also find that the cards themselves feel very hefty.

This is intentional, as it carries more weight (no pun intended) in conversation and when people actually hold the card. The Amex Business Platinum card weighs around 18 grams, and the Amex Business Gold card is slightly lighter at 15 grams.

FX International Payments Fee Waiver

Wire transfers can get very costly very quickly, especially if you have a high volume of them. Certain businesses, upon approval, are eligible to receive fee waivers for transactions using foreign currency wire transfers.

This is a perk exclusively for Amex Business Platinum cardholders, subject to a minimum transaction size depending on the currency.

Adding Additional Users

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you can pay anywhere from $0 to $350 per year for employee cards. Currently, you can add up to 5 employee cards at the following structure depending on which type of card you add:

• Employee Amex Business Platinum card: $350 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Employee Amex Business Gold card: $45 annual fee (rates & fees)

On the other hand, adding additional employee cards to the Amex Business Gold card is much more economical:

• Employee Amex Business Gold card: $95 for the first five cards and then $95 for each card thereafter, up to 99 cards (rates & fees)

While the annual fees for additional users can vary hugely, you’ll also need to keep in mind that additional Amex Business Platinum cards get lots of great benefits.

Final Thoughts

With so many different benefits offered by each card, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of the Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card.

The Amex Business Platinum card would be a great choice for travelers who are looking to elevate their overall experience, whether it’s in airports with top-notch lounge access or in hotels with fabulous Fine Hotels & Resorts perks.

The bonus categories on the Amex Business Platinum card are a bit light, but the 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com can be extraordinarily useful for the right business owner.

The Amex Business Gold card is a great choice for spending-oriented businesses that may have various types of spending, whether it’s on gas or advertising. However, the perks on the Amex Business Gold card are somewhat light, but you’ll save about 50% on annual fees compared to the Amex Business Platinum card.

This guide is undoubtedly the most comprehensive resource comparing the 2 cards, so be sure to leverage it to optimize your business spending!

*No Preset Spending Limit 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.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the American Express^® Business 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 baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express^® Business 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 benefits of the American Express^® Business 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 car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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 Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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 Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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 benefits of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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 Cell Phone Protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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 Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express and Centurion^® Card from American Express 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 Premium 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 the cell phone protection benefit of the Amex Business Gold card, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.