Amex Gold Vs. Amex Business Gold: Which Wins The Race?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

If you’re looking for cards that offer generous points-earning bonuses for a wide range of categories, the Gold lineup within the American Express portfolio is worth a closer look.

The personal American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Business Gold Card straddle the line between mid-tier and ultra-premium cards. However, with annual fees of $325 (see rates and fees) for the Amex Gold and $375 (see rates and fees) for the Amex Business Gold, these cards don’t come cheap.

Both the Amex Gold and Amex Business Gold have recently undergone refreshes, which involved changes in their earning structures and benefits as well as increased annual fees.

Let’s dive in and compare these two Gold cards to see which one may be right for you.

Amex Gold vs. Amex Business Gold comparison

Amex Gold vs. Amex Business Gold welcome bonus

The Amex Gold has a generous welcome offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card opening and 20% back as a statement credit on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) in the first six months. Meanwhile, the Amex Business Gold has an even more lucrative 100,000 Membership Rewards points offer, but with $15,000 in spending required within the first three months.

You may be able to get an even higher welcome offer for the Amex Gold by using the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time) or by receiving a referral offer from someone who carries either card.

Based on TPG’s July valuation of 2 cents each for Membership Rewards points, the welcome offer for the Amex Gold is worth $1,300. Meanwhile, the welcome offer for the Amex Business Gold is worth $2,000 — albeit with a higher spending requirement.

Keep in mind that Amex has strict rules when it comes to earning a welcome bonus. Amex limits customers to one bonus per card per lifetime, regardless of how much time has passed since you last applied for that card. So, if you’ve held either of these cards in the past, you might be ineligible to earn its welcome offer again.

Winner: Amex Business Gold, unless you can’t hit the spending requirement

Amex Gold vs. Amex Business Gold benefits

Both the personal Amex Gold and the Amex Business Gold have several overlapping shopping and travel protections. These are virtually identical across both cards. With the refreshed Amex Business Gold, business owners will appreciate the addition of cellphone protection,* which provides up to $800 in reimbursement for repairing or replacing damaged or stolen phones when you charge your monthly phone bill to the card. This benefit is applicable for up to two claims in a 12-month calendar year, each of which is subject to a $50 deductible.

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Neither card charges a foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees for Amex Gold; see rates and fees for Amex Business Gold), and both cards also offer access to making bookings through Amex’s Hotel Collection, which includes perks on stays of two nights or more — including on-property credits and space-available room upgrades.

The personal Amex Gold has some exclusive statement credit benefits to help offset its annual fee:

• Up to $120 annual dining credit: Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Amex Gold at participating dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required. You have to enroll through the Amex website to get this benefit.
• Up to $120 annually in Uber Cash. You’ll receive $10 in monthly Uber Cash when you download the app and add your Gold Card to your Uber account. This can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. and stacked with the monthly Uber Cash offered on The Platinum Card® from American Express.
• Up to $100 annual Resy credits: Cardmembers can utilize the biannual up to $50 statement credit by paying for a meal at U.S. Resy restaurants or on other eligible Resy purchases
• Up to $84 in annual Dunkin’ credits:  Cardmembers have a up to $7 monthly statement credit to use at all Dunkin’ locations within the U.S.

The Amex Business Gold has a few benefits, which include:

• Up to $240 select business merchants: Receive up to $240 annually (up to $20 each month in statement credits) on eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores.
• Up to $155 Walmart+: Earn up to $155 annually (up to $12.95 each month plus applicable taxes) in statement credits for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal). Plus-Ups are excluded.
• Cellphone protection: Get reimbursed for the cost to repair or replace a damaged cellphone up to $800 for 2 approved claims in a 12-month period when the monthly service bill is paid using the Amex Business Gold (subject to a $50 deductible per claim).

Winner: Amex Gold. The various statement credits and their ease of use give this card the upper hand.

Earning points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Business Gold

Both the Amex Gold and Amex Business Gold offer up to 4 points per dollar on select categories. That rate equates to an 8% return on spending, based on TPG’s July 2024 valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each.

THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES

For the personal Amex Gold, you’ll earn points for the following categories:

• 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants (capped at $50,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) and at U.S. supermarkets (capped at $25,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
• 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly from the airline or through amextravel.com
• 2 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked through amextravel.com
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

The 4 points per dollar at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets are particularly strong rates compared to other cards and help the Amex Gold make our list of best cards for groceries and best cards for dining out.

Meanwhile, the Amex Business Gold card has powerful, business-friendly bonus categories. What is unique is that you’ll automatically earn 4 points per dollar in your top two spending categories each billing cycle (on the first $150,000 each calendar year in combined purchases, then 1 point per dollar), meaning you’re not locked into a category, and you don’t have to pick them on your own. The eligible categories are:

• U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
• U.S. purchases at gas stations
• U.S. purchases at restaurants
• Transit including trains, taxi cabs, rideshare, tolls, ferries, buses, parking and subways
• U.S. purchases made with electronic goods retailers, software and cloud service providers
• Monthly wireless telephone charges are made directly with U.S. service providers.

Additionally, the refreshed Amex Business Gold earns 3 points per dollar on flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid flight and hotel packages booked directly with Amex Travel or amextravel.com.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The structure of these categories means this card will likely appeal to someone who wants to rack up travel rewards without putting in too much work. Namely, you’ll automatically earn 4 points per dollar in your top two spending categories from the list of eligible bonus categories on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point thereafter.

This card is meant to be a one-stop shop that you can swipe for everything, giving you more bandwidth to focus on your business.

Winner: Tie. Both cards offer compelling earnings structures, and which is better will depend on your spending habits.

Related: Best business credit cards

Redeeming points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Business Gold

Both the Amex Gold and Amex Business Gold earn Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed in a variety of ways.

Points can also be redeemed for gift cards, travel through AmexTravel and merchant partners through the Membership Rewards portal. Additionally, you can use the Pay with Points option to redeem your Membership Reward points with 15 different online retailers.

Winner: Tie. Both cards offer the same redemption options.

Transferring points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Business Gold

Still, the most valuable redemption option for the Membership Rewards points you’ll earn on either card is to transfer them to Amex’s 21 airline and hotel partners. With many options to choose from, you’ll be able to find a transfer partner in any of the three major airline alliances and several nonalliance carriers.

QATAR AIRWAYS/FACEBOOK

TPG senior writer Ben Smithson often transfers his Membership Rewards to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program to take advantage of its region and distance-based award chart and their sweet spots.

Winner: Tie. Both cards earn Membership Rewards points and have the same transfer options.

Should I get the Amex Gold or Amex Business Gold?

The Amex Gold is a strong pick for dining and  U.S. grocery purchases, and its statement credits more than offset the annual fee. It has a more widespread appeal and is better for cardholders who don’t have major business expenses. The Amex Business Gold, on the other hand, is targeted at larger, more established businesses with high operating costs. The best fit for you will depend entirely on your spending habits and which benefits will offer more value to you.

Bottom line

The Amex Gold will be the right choice for most consumers who spend a lot on eating out and groceries. Conversely, the Business Gold only makes sense if your business spends a high amount in certain categories like advertising and technology. If you already have the Amex Gold and want a business card to complement it, then The Business Platinum Card® from American Express may be the better choice.

Apply here: Amex Gold
Apply here: Amex Business Gold

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.