Compare the Features and Benefits of American Express® Business Gold Card and
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Is the Amex Business Gold Card worth it?

It is if you spend big. The card offers 4X Membership Rewards points in some of the most popular categories that businesses use so, if you spend a lot in the qualifying categories listed above, the card is extremely valuable.

Courtesy: American Express

Membership Rewards points are particularly useful. You’ll have 18 airline partners to transfer to, with representatives from each of the 3 major global airline alliances.

The card now also comes with up to $395 in potential statement credits, which if you maxed out would offset the annual fee. As a reminder, those statement credit offers are:

• $240 Flexible Business Credit: earn up to $20 in statement credits each month after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment required.
• Walmart+ Membership Credit: use the Business Gold Card to pay for a monthly Walmart + membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month, valued at $155 annually.

Even if you don’t shop at Walmart, I could see easily using the Flexible Business Credit every month, even if just for a meal via GrubHub (pickup or delivery). Plus, the card also comes with Cell Phone Protection (See the Cell Phone Protection feature above for all of the details).

If you can spend a full $150,000 in purchases on your 2 bonus categories over a calendar year, that earns you 600,000 Membership Rewards points which Your Best Credit Cards values at around $10,000!

The card also has no foreign transaction fee and is especially good if you already have a nice collection of points in another credit card program, like Chase Ultimate Rewards, so you can be diversified since each program has unique transfer partners.

Rates and Fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card

We consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® the best starter travel rewards credit card available today. For a modest $95 annual fee, you’ll earn bonus points in several categories, get up to a $50 statement credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠, plus get a slew of travel protections.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® credit card earns bonus points on travel purchases, dining, online grocery shopping, and select streaming services. Plus you’ll earn an annual Ultimate Rewards bonus of 10% of the prior year’s spending. Although the credit card doesn’t earn bonus points on other purchases, you can pair the card with other Chase credit cards to boost your Chase Ultimate Rewards earning rate.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points have a cash value of 1 cent each. But, you can get more value when you redeem points for travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (1.25 cents), through Chase Pay Yourself Back, or when you transfer points to airline and hotel partners.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card justifies its annual fee year after year by providing the best set of travel protections on a card with under a $100 annual fee. Your car rentals will be automatically covered against theft and damage when you use your card and primary coverage means your own insurance won’t have to get involved. You’ll be protected against weather delays, lost luggage, and trip interruptions or outright cancellations.

Additionally, you’ll get benefits from several partners. For example, earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025. Plus, you can get lower service fees when you use DoorDash by enrolling to get one complimentary year of DashPass through December 2024.