AmEx Business Gold: Bonus Categories or Bust With This Pricey Business Card
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Our Take
4.8
The American Express® Business Gold Card's hefty annual fee is worth it if you spend a lot on advertising, gas or restaurants. But if you're looking for an everyday card for general spending, there are better options that are less expensive.
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Quick Facts
Pros & Cons
Pros
Bonus categories
Transfer partners
Luxury perks
Cons
Has annual fee
Complicated rewards
Spending caps on bonus rewards
Requires good/excellent credit
With an annual fee of $695, this card isn't for budget travelers. It's for those who prefer VIP treatment and are willing to pay for it. You get terrific airport lounge access, hotel benefits, valuable credits and more.
Compare to Other Cards
Annual fee$375 | Annual fee$95 |
Regular APR21.24%-26.24% Variable APR | |
Intro APRN/A | Intro APRN/A |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Full Review
If you’re looking for a business card to maximize rewards on specific business expenses, the American Express® Business Gold Card is a worthy contender.
The card delivers 4X points in your top two bonus categories each month (up to $150,000 in combined spending annually) and 1X points on all other purchases. Eligible bonus categories include: advertising, software, gas stations, restaurants, transit and wireless service (only purchases made in the U.S. qualify). Terms apply.
The smartest approach with the American Express® Business Gold Card is a deliberate one. Use it for only two of the previously mentioned categories each month to max out the highest-value rewards. Then, default to another business credit card that beats that 1X rate for all other business purchases.
Do that and you could earn at least $6,000 worth of AmEx Membership Rewards points in a year. That would more than offset the card’s massive annual fee, which increased to $375 on February 1, 2024. Terms apply.
The American Express® Business Gold Card is best for small-business owners who:
Want to maximize rewards earned on business expenses.
Spend at least $150,000 annually on advertising, gas, restaurants, software, transit or wireless service (in the U.S.).
Can pay the annual fee.
Want bonus points without the massive annual fee? The U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard® earns 4X points on travel expenses, including transit and gas/EV charging, up to the first $150,000 in combined annual spend. And the annual fee is far more reasonable: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is another great option with a $95 annual fee. You’ll get 3X points on the first $150,000 in combined spending on travel, shipping, select advertising and internet, cable and telephone services.
Looking for an everyday business credit card? The Wells Fargo Signify Business Card is hard to beat with 2% cash back on all purchases, no annual fee and a lengthy intro APR period.
» MORE: Best business gas credit cards
Key features of the American Express® Business Gold Card
Card type: Small business.
Annual fee: $375.
Welcome offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Rewards: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle 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. Terms Apply.
The categories include:
Advertising purchases for select media (online, TV and radio) at U.S. media providers.
U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers, as well as software and cloud system providers.
U.S. purchases at gas stations.
U.S. purchases at restaurants (including takeout and delivery).
Transit purchases, including rideshare, trains, taxis, ferries, parking, buses, tolls and subways.
Monthly wireless phone charges made directly from a U.S. wireless phone service provider.
American Express Membership Rewards points are generally worth 0.5 cent to 1 cent apiece, depending on how you redeem them. Travel and gift card redemptions are generally the most valuable. Points are also transferable and can be worth even more if redeemed strategically after being transferred to other loyalty programs.
Interest rate: Purchases made with the American Express® Business Gold Card are classified as either "Pay Over Time" or "Pay In Full":
Pay Over Time: This is an optional feature that allows you to carry a balance from one month to the next. If you have this option activated, purchases are automatically classified as Pay Over Time. The ongoing APR is 19.49%-28.49% Variable APR. Although the American Express® Business Gold Card does not have a preset spending limit, it does impose a limit on your Pay Over Time balance; any purchases above that limit become Pay In Full. Terms apply.
Pay In Full: These purchases must be paid off completely each month, so they do not incur interest. All purchases over your Pay Over Time balance limit are Pay In Full. If you choose not to use Pay Over Time, then all purchases are Pay In Full. Terms apply.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
Other perks:
Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month 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.
Monthly credit of up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes) for Walmart+ membership when paid for with your Business Gold Card.
Secondary rental car coverage in the U.S. and abroad if you pay for the vehicle with your American Express® Business Gold Card and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter.
Cell phone protection that covers repair or replacement of a damaged or stolen phone. Coverage limits and deductibles apply. You must have paid your previous months wireless bill with your AmEx Business Gold Card to qualify.
Terms and exclusions apply.
Why you might want the American Express® Business Gold Card
Your spending matches bonus categories
The main selling point of the American Express® Business Gold Card is its bonus categories: advertising, gas, restaurants, software, transit or wireless service (U.S. purchases only). You’ll earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined spending in your top two categories, which change automatically depending on where you spend the most each month.
If you spend a lot in any of those categories, this card can offer fantastic rewards. The operative term, however, is "a lot," as you'll have to spend $9,375 in 4X categories each year before you break even on the $375 annual fee.
But if you max out spending in the bonus categories, you could earn $6,000 worth of Membership Rewards points. Those points offer the most value when redeemed via AmEx Travel. Each point is worth 1 cent, but your AmEx points could be worth even more if you leverage transfer partners. Terms apply.
» MORE: What are AmEx Points Worth?
Credit limit flexibility
Unlike other business cards, the American Express® Business Gold Card card lets you carry a balance for some purchases — but not all of them. Cardholders have a set limit for such Pay Over Time charges; however, you are also able to spend above that limit, provided you pay any additional charges off in full that billing cycle. (Terms apply.) This gives business owners much needed flexibility to pay for expenses as they arise, without worrying about maxing out their business card.
Potential air-travel points bonus
Use Membership Rewards Pay with Points to book a flight with American Express Travel, and you'll get 25% of those points back, up to 250,000 points per calendar year. Terms apply.
Why you might want a different card
High annual fee
If you like personalized rewards categories but aren’t keen on annual fees, consider the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®. It has some overlap in bonus categories with the American Express® Business Gold Card, but no annual fee. Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants. Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases .The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards card also has a long intro APR period that applies to both purchases and balance transfers.
Spending doesn’t match bonus categories
It doesn't matter how generous a card's bonus categories are if they aren't in areas where you spend. If you want an all-around, easy-to-use travel credit card that rewards you on every purchase for a comparatively low annual fee, consider the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. It earns an unlimited 2 miles per $1 on every purchase. Miles can be redeemed for statement credit against any travel purchase.
Want an option that pays cash back? The Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash Card is as good as it gets. You’ll get 2% cash back on all purchases, with no cap, plus a long intro APR period and decent welcome offer.
Middling bonus offer for the price
The bonus offer on the American Express® Business Gold Card isn't bad — but it's not as big as one might hope for a card with such a high annual fee.
Chase's Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a business travel card with bonus categories, a lower annual fee ($95) and one of the biggest potential bonus offers on any credit card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
A lack of premium travel perks
When the fee on a card tops $100, you start looking for premium perks like airport lounge access, automatic travel credits or reimbursements. Here, the American Express® Business Gold Card falls short.
For a similar annual fee ($395), the Capital One Venture X Business delivers lounge access, a $300 annual statement credit and a massive welcome offer: Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. The rewards aren’t bad, either: Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get the best prices on thousands of options. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions. (See rates and fees.)
Is the American Express® Business Gold Card right for you?
The American Express® Business Gold Card could be a points-earning bonanza for the right high-spending entrepreneur, with rewards categories automatically tailored to company expenses. But there are other business cards that offer bonus rewards categories or even customization for lower annual fees.
Terms, fees and disclaimers
To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
The information related to Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 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. • Please visit Travel and Retail American Express Card Benefits | Amex for more details. • Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
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