Capital One Venture Card vs. Amex Gold Card [Detailed Comparison]

Updated: April 16, 2024, 2:56pm CDT

Edited by:

Capital One Venture Card vs. Amex Gold Card [Detailed Comparison]

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There’s no doubt that Capital One and American Express have become key leaders when we look at credit card issuers. Capital One focuses on simplicity but has a card for every type of consumer, from those who have no credit or poor credit to those who have excellent credit. American Express comes through with creative earning structures, redemption options perfect for the traveler, and adds to that a collection of valuable benefits.

You won’t go wrong selecting a card from either issuer, but today we want to zero in on just 2 popular cards that have similar redemption options but have earning structures suited for different types of consumers.

While both of our featured cards earn rewards that result in good-value travel redemptions, how you’ll get to that result varies for each card, based on your spending mix.

If you have even a slight interest in learning about either card, you’ll find value in our comparison of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the American Express^® Gold Card.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

For the Capital One Venture card, Capital One recommends aa good to excellent credit score, generally 740 or above, for qualification. However, Capital One defines excellent credit as “never have declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan, not been 60 days late on a credit card, loan, or medical bill, and has had a loan or credit card for $5,000 or more in the past 3 years.” If you meet these criteria, it is possible you could qualify with a credit score of 700 or above.

American Express recommends a good to excellent credit score for the Amex Gold card, meaning you may be able to qualify with a score of 670 or above.

These are just guidelines — of course, the higher your score, the better the odds are for approval.

You’ll want to be sure to check your credit report for accuracy before applying for any card and check for preapproved offers that may be already waiting for you. It’s best to utilize a risk-free option such as the CardMatch tool to find these offers as the tool does not affect your credit score with a hard inquiry and minimal information is required.

Both Capital One and Amex card offers, if available to you, can be found using the CardMatch tool.

Preapproved or prequalified offers do not guarantee card approval, only that your chances for approval are better for the selected offers shown.

Bottom Line: You should aim to have good to excellent score to qualify for the Capital One Venture card and a good to excellent score for the Amex Gold card. Check your credit report to see where you stand before applying and use the CardMatch tool to see if you have any preapproved offers waiting for you.

The Value of a Welcome Bonus Offer

Capital One Venture Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome OfferEnjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros

5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
Access to Capital One transfer partners

Cons

$95 annual fee (rates & fees)
Limited elite benefits

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Amex Gold Card

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

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)

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 OfferEarn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,320

Annual Fee

$250

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

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

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.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 several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros

4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
3x points per dollar 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
No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

$250 annual fee (see rates and fees)
No lounge access

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 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.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $250.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

There is a unique opportunity to earn a welcome bonus immediately after you’re approved for either of our featured cards. Welcome bonuses help jumpstart your earnings and in the case of these 2 popular cards, the initial rewards bonus can be very generous.

A welcome bonus is earned after meeting minimum spending requirements within a specified period of time, either within the 3 months, 6 months, or even 12 months after card approval.

The actual value you receive will depend on how you redeem your miles or points. We’ll cover more on redemption options shortly.

Bottom Line: Welcome offers, as well as the value of a welcome offer, can change periodically, so be sure to check for the most current bonus prior to applying for any card. We’ve included snapshot tables of our featured cards above that reflect current bonuses.

Earning Rewards

Restaurant meal served — Earn rewards on every purchase you make with either of our featured cards. Image Credit: Pixabay via Pexels

One of the greatest benefits of holding a rewards credit card is earning valuable rewards currencies you can redeem for something of value. Both of our featured cards offer very different reward-earning structures but in the end, accomplish that exact objective.

Here’s how you’ll earn rewards on the Capital One Venture card and the Amex Gold card:

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Capital One Venture Card	Amex Gold Card
5 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase	4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases each calendar year) and restaurants 3x points on flights purchased directly with the airlines or via AmexTravel.com 1x points on all other purchases. Terms Apply

If your spending centers on everyday purchases at grocery stores, dining out, and on flights directly purchased with the airline (or AmexTravel.com), you’ll earn well on the Amex Gold card. However, you may have ongoing expenses that do not fall into those categories. If so, you may do better with the Capital One Venture card.

Additionally, you’ll want to consider annual fees. However, when you spend enough on either card to earn the initial welcome bonus, the value received in the first year more than offsets either annual fee.

Bottom Line: While each card has its own rewards earning structure, both offer flexible (and therefore valuable) rewards currencies that can be redeemed for travel and additional redemption options. The better card for you from an earnings standpoint will be the one that closely matches your spending mix.

Redeeming Rewards

American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Business Class seat 4L rear view — You may receive the best potential value for your rewards when transferring to airline partners. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Both of our featured cards have similar redemption options, particularly when redeeming miles or points for travel. Let’s look closer at your options at redemption time in the order of the greatest potential value.

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Capital One Venture Card	Amex Gold Card
Transfer Capital One miles to airline and hotel partners to redeem for award flights and hotel nights Redeem miles for 1 cent each for travel via Capital One Travel Use miles to purchase gift cards, redeem for a statement credit against regular purchases, shop at Amazon, or redeem via PayPal (value will vary)	Transfer Membership Rewards points to airline and hotel partners to redeem for award flights and hotel nights Redeem points for qualifying travel via AmexTravel.com Use points to upgrade your flight, purchase gift cards, shop at Amazon, for Uber, and make purchases with other shopping partners (value will vary) Redeem for statement credits at the rate of 0.6 cents per point

Receiving the best value at redemption time is one of the joys of earning rewards. We’ll get you started with how to redeem your miles and points with transfer partners in our guides on Capital One Miles transfer partners and Amex transfer partners.

We’ve also put together some creative suggestions for getting the most value from your Capital One miles and for your Membership Rewards points.

Bottom Line: While it’s easy to receive 1 cent in value when redeeming rewards with either of our featured cards, the best potential value may be realized by transferring rewards to travel partners to redeem for award flights or hotel nights.

Travel Benefits and Protections

The Hotel Collection Italy — With The Hotel Collection benefits, you could receive an upgraded room and on-site property credits. Image Credit: The Hotel Collection

Travel benefits and protections can save you money, deliver peace of mind, and provide protection during your travels.

Here’s how our cards compare when we look at additional travel benefits and protections:

Capital One Venture Card

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement — Charge the applicable fee to your card and receive up to $100 as a statement credit.
Travel Assistance Services — Receive 24/7 assistance with translation service referrals, medical and legal referrals, emergency cash, and more.

Amex Gold Card

Car Rental Insurance — Pay for the entire rental with your card, decline the agency’s collision damage waiver coverage, and receive secondary coverage. The card also comes with the option to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low price that covers the entire rental period up to 42 days. Coverage prices range from $12.95 to $24.95 for the entire rental period.
Trip Delay Coverage — Receive up to $300 if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours.
Luggage Insurance — Up to $1,250 for damaged, lost, or stolen carry-ons and up to $500 for checked baggage.
Global Assist Hotline — Receive help 24/7 when traveling more than 100 miles from home.
Travel Accident Insurance — Receive up to $250,000 for accidental death or dismemberment.
The Hotel Collection Benefits — On stays of 2 nights or longer booked with your card, you’ll receive a $100 on-site property credit, an upgraded room (when available), and 2x earnings.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Shopping benefits and protections can save you money on eligible purchases and provide protection should damage or theft occur to qualifying items purchased with your card.

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Benefit or Protection	Capital One Venture Card	Amex Gold Card
Purchase Protection	Purchase Assurance* – Eligible purchases are replaced, repaired or reimbursed for the first 90 days*	Receive up to $1,000 per item, up to $50,000 per card, in a calendar year for eligible damaged or stolen items for up to 90 days from purchase date
Extended Warranty	Purchase Assurance* – Eligible purchases are replaced, repaired or reimbursed for the first 90 days*	On manufacturer’s warranties of a year or less, the warranty will be extended by an equal amount of time; for manufacturer’s warranties of 1 to 5 years, the warranty will be extended for 1 additional year, up to $10,000 per covered purchase, $50,000 per eligible card
Statement Credits	Capital One Offers offers cash-back via statement credits when clicking through to select retailers	Amex Offers provide statement credits or additional earnings on specific purchases when offers are added to your card Up to $10 monthly dining credit for participating restaurants Up to $10 monthly in Uber Cash credits (up to a total of $120 per year); Uber Cash is a credit applicable to U.S. Uber Eats orders or ride purchases after adding the Amex Gold card to your Uber app and making an eligible purchase with your card
Note that terms apply and enrollment may be required for some Amex Gold benefits, so be sure to explore your American Express account to get the most out of the card.

Bottom Line: The Capital One Venture card and Amex Gold card come with similar travel and shopping benefits and protections. However, the Amex Gold card may have the edge with monthly dining statement credits and Uber Cash credits, if you can utilize these benefits.

Capital One Venture Card vs. Amex Gold Card — Summary

We’ve gone into some detail about how our featured cards stack up in each of the key categories but it’s now time to reflect on the overall comparison and look at the attributes of both cards side by side.

Here’s how the cards compare overall.

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Feature or Benefit	Capital One Venture Card	Amex Gold Card
Earning Rewards	5 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase	4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases each calendar year) and restaurants worldwide 3x points on flights purchased directly with the airlines or via AmexTravel.com 1x points on all other purchases
Redeeming Rewards	Transfer Capital One miles to airline and hotel partners to redeem for flights/hotel nights Redeem miles with Capital One Travel Redeem for gift cards, a statement credit, shop at Amazon, or redeem via PayPal (value will vary)	Transfer Amex Membership Points points to airline and hotel partners to redeem for flights/hotel nights Redeem points via AmexTravel.com for 1 cent each in value Upgrade your flight, gift cards, Amazon, Uber, and other shopping partners
Travel Benefits and Protections	Travel assistance services Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement up to $100	Car rental insurance Trip delay Baggage insurance Travel accident insurance Global assist hotline The Hotel Collection benefits
Shopping Benefits and Protections	Purchase assurance Capital One Offers	Up to $10 per month dining credit at specific restaurants/food delivery Up to $10 per month Uber Cash Extended warranty Purchase protection Amex Offers ShopRunner membership

Alternative Cards To Consider

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Welcome OfferEarn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.
20,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$360

Annual Fee

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

Pros

No annual fee (rates & fees)
No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
Ability to use transfer partners
Fraud coverage

Cons

Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
No luxury travel or elite benefits

$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

If you’re looking to earn rewards on every purchase you make but don’t want to pay an annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card is a nice alternative (rates & fees).

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

HIGHEST CASH BACK

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

U.P. Rating

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Welcome OfferEarn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$250

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

APR

19.24%-29.99% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express is a stellar cash-back credit card for those looking to maximize every purchase they make.

With bonus categories like U.S. supermarkets, select streaming services, U.S. gas stations, and transit purchases, this card rewards you for the items you spend the most on in a big way! For those looking to earn up to 6% cash-back on their purchases, this could be the card for you!

Pros

6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year) and on select streaming services
6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
3% cash-back on U.S. gas stations and transit (including rideshares, parking, etc.)
1% cash-back on all other purchases

Cons

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee (rates and fees)

Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% - 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred^® Card. That’s $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred^® Card. Enrollment required.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.24%-29.99% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months
Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Redeem cash-back through your American Express account

If earning on everyday purchases such as those at supermarkets, streaming service subscriptions, on transit, and at gas stations is important to you, you’ll find the card will work well for earning rewards on those purchases.

You’ll also find an introductory 0% APR on purchases offered with the card (regular APR, as shown above, will apply after the introductory period).

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

U.P. Rating

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Welcome OfferEarn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Up to $300 cash back

Annual Fee

APR

0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.

Pros

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
1.5% back on all other purchases
No annual fee
Earn big on travel purchased through Chase Travel
Everyday bonus on dining and drugstores
Straightforward cash-back on all other purchases
Ability to pool points

Cons

3% foreign transaction fee

INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited^® card
Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Another option for earning on every purchase you make without having to pay an annual fee is the Freedom Unlimited card.

The card pairs nicely with Chase premium cards, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. Transfer Chase points earned on your Freedom Unlimited card and receive up to 50% more in value when redeeming points for travel purchase via the Chase travel portal.

Final Thoughts

While the Capital One Venture card and Amex Gold card offer nice redemption values when redeeming rewards for travel, the better card for you will be the 1 that matches your spending mix and your preference of how much you want to spend on an annual fee.

The Amex Gold card could be a match if you spend a lot at the grocery store, on dining, or on flights via the airline or AmexTravel.com. The Capital One Venture card with its flat-rate earnings makes it a match for earning on all of your purchases, not just those in select bonus categories.

Regardless of the card you select, you will want the value received to offset the annual fee. In the first year, earning the welcome bonus on either of our featured cards should accomplish that objective.

Any ongoing card value will be determined by how your spending mix is rewarded each year, the value you receive at redemption time, and how many of the benefits you utilize.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For rates and fees of the American Express^® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, the Capital One Venture card or the Amex Gold card?

The better card for you will be the one that matches your spending mix, redemption preferences, benefits you’ll use, and if the value you will receive overall will offset the annual fee.

If you spend a lot at grocery stores, dining out, and on flights with the airlines (or AmexTravel.com), you could fare well with the Amex Gold card.

However, if your expenses are heavy in other categories, receiving 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase you make could prove to deliver more value.

Both cards have similar redemption options that allow you to receive potentially higher value when transferring rewards to travel partners.

How much are Capital One miles worth?

Capital One miles, in our estimation, are worth 1.4 cents per mile. The actual value you receive at redemption time, however, will vary based on your redemption choice.

For example, if you choose to redeem your miles for travel via Captial One Travel, you will receive 1 cent in value per mile.

If you transfer your miles to airline or hotel frequent flyer programs, you could receive greater potential value.

How much are Membership Rewards points worth?

Membership Rewards points are generally worth around 1 cent each. However, because the greatest value may be realized by transferring points to airline (or hotel) partners, for this type of redemption you could receive a much higher value per point.

For this reason, and more, we estimate the points to be worth about 2.2. cents each.

Does the Amex Gold card come with lounge access?

No, the Amex Gold card does not offer a lounge access benefit. If this benefit is important to you, The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card would be good choices as all of these cards come with various levels of worldwide airport lounge access.

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About Christine Krzyszton

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.

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