Amex Business Gold Card: Requirements, Ideal Credit Score, and Approval Tips

The American Express^® Business Gold Card is an excellent option for business owners looking to earn as many points as possible for their business expenses. In fact, its combination of bonus categories, perks, and redemption options is why we regularly rank it as one of the best business cards.

If you’re considering adding the Amex Business Gold card to your wallet, you might be wondering how difficult it is to get approved for the card. This guide will break down everything you need to know and offer some tips on how you can boost your approval odds.

Snapshot

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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).

Apply Now(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

18.49% - 27.49% 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

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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 18.49% to 27.49% 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: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 6 months from date of account opening
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

One of the best perks of the Amex Business Gold card is its ability to earn 4x points per dollar spent on the top 2 categories in which your business spends the most every month (up to $150,000 in combined purchases every calendar year) from categories including:

• Transit purchases
• U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software cloud system providers
• Monthly wireless telephone service charges
• U.S. purchases at gas stations
• U.S. purchases at restaurants
• Purchases with U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)

Cardholders also receive up to $20 in monthly credits for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores, and up to $155 annually in Walmart+ credits. Some credits require enrollment, so make sure to explore your American Express account first. Plus, you’ll also get access to the Amex transfer partners, Amex offers, Amex’s The Hotel Collection, cell phone insurance, and more.

How To Check Your Credit Score

When you apply for a new card, issuers will look at your credit score.

You likely already have a rough idea of what your credit score is, but if you don’t, you can check your credit score very easily. You might already be able to view a free credit report via your current credit issuer or bank. Additionally, you can check your credit score for free with TransUnion, Equifax, Experian, or even through a service such as Credit Karma.

Do You Need a Business Credit Score To Apply?

If you’ve been in business long enough, you might already have a business card and/or a business loan, and therefore, have a business credit score separate from your personal credit score.

While these 2 scores are different, you do not need a business credit score to apply for the Amex Business Gold card. In fact, you don’t need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to apply for the Amex Business Gold card. If you operate your business as a sole proprietorship, you can use your Social Security number.

What Credit Score Do You Need?

If you’re considering applying for the Amex Business Gold card, we recommend that you have a personal credit score of at least 670 or higher — or a business credit score of at least 75 — to maximize your approval odds.

That said, no matter how high your credit score is, there is no guarantee that you will be approved for the card. Your credit score is just a factor of the application, and American Express will consider other factors such as your business income, your history with American Express, and more.

How Hard Is It To Get the Amex Business Gold Card?

Generally speaking, it’s not very hard to get approved for the Amex Business Gold card if you have a good credit score and a couple of years of clean credit history. Even those who are just starting their business and are unable to show much business income just yet can be approved for the Amex Business Gold card with a history of managing personal credit responsibly.

Other Approval Considerations

Personal Income and Business Income

The higher your income, either via your business or personal income outside of your business, the better your approval odds for the Amex Business Gold card. Higher income signals a greater likelihood of being able to pay back your charges.

However, even if your business is new and you don’t have much income to show for it yet, you are still eligible to be approved for the card.

Length of Credit

If your credit history is relatively new, it can adversely impact your approval odds for the Amex Business Gold card, as most credit issuers want to see that you have a long history of paying your bill on time.

Given that, we recommend that you have at least 2 years or more of a clean credit history before applying for the Amex Business Gold card.

Tips To Boost Your Credit Score

If your credit score isn’t high enough to be approved for the Amex Business Gold card, here are some ways to improve your credit score. 

Get a Starter Card

If you’ve never had a credit card before, a business card like the Amex Business Gold card isn’t the best place to start.

Instead, you should consider getting a starter card. Starter cards are often either secured credit cards, student credit cards, or cards with a relatively small credit limit.

These cards allow you to start building your credit history and show card issuers that you pay your balance on time each month.

Get Added as an Authorized User

If you have a trusted friend or family member who manages their credit responsibly, you could ask if they would consider adding you as an authorized user on one of their cards.

For those unfamiliar, being an authorized user allows you to benefit from someone else’s credit history, as this person is essentially vouching for you that they trust you with their credit.

That said, it’s essential that you ask someone who has a high credit score and always pays their bills on time, because if that person misses a payment and their credit score drops, it’s likely that your score will drop as well.

Get Errors Removed

While this is relatively uncommon, if you notice that there are errors on your credit report, calling the credit bureaus to get these removed can quickly improve your credit score.

Final Thoughts

In our view, the Amex Business Gold card is one of the best business cards available, especially for those with large business expenses who are looking to earn as many points as possible on those purchases.

While it can be nerve-wracking wondering if you will be approved for a new card, the Amex Business Gold card isn’t very tough to be approved for so long as you have a good credit score and a couple of years of clean credit history.

For the cell phone protection benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, 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.