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MoneyGeek’s Take
American Express® Business Gold Card Review
Updated: November 10, 2024
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American Express® Business Gold Card
On Issuer's Site
Rewards Summary
Earn 1X – 4X Membership Rewards® pointsEarn 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.* 1X is earned for other purchases. **
APR
18.74%-27.74% VariableAnnual Fee
$375Recommended Credit
670-850 (Good to Excellent)Moneygeek.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
A standout contender in the intricate landscape of business credit cards is the American Express® Business Gold Card. Tailored for business owners who travel frequently and have dynamic spending patterns, this card is replete with features offering substantial value. Notably, it includes impressive rewards rates on select categories, a generous welcome offer, and a bonus redemption option. However, like every financial tool, it comes with costs, such as an annual fee and high variable APR. In this review, we'll delve into the specifics of this card, giving you a clear understanding of how it could fit your business needs.
American Express® Business Gold Card Overview
The American Express® Business Gold Card is loaded with a bonus rewards system and perks suited for business owners with significant expenses or frequent flyers.
- Rewards rate: Earn 4X Membership Rewards points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from six eligible categories, up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card. And 1X is earned for other purchases.
- Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
- Regular APR: 18.74%-27.74% (variable Pay Over Time APR) See rates and fees
- Annual fee: $375 See rates and fees
- Intro APR offer: 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time, then a variable APR of 18.74%-27.74% after that. See rates and fees
- Terms Apply
Important Card Details
Analyzing a credit card's features is crucial in determining its suitability for your specific needs. The American Express® Business Gold Card boasts various features that may significantly impact how your business manages its finances, impacting both rewards and costs.
Standout Business Rewards
At the forefront of the American Express® Business Gold Card’s offerings are its impressive rewards rates. You can earn a whopping 4X points on two select categories where your business spends the most each month from six eligible categories. This applies to up to $150,000 in combined spending per year. Beyond this threshold, you'll continue to earn 1X points. This system gives you the flexibility to maximize rewards in areas where your business spends the most.
For all other purchases, the card offers a flat rate of 1X points. This is fairly standard across most cards and means every dollar spent contributes to your rewards cache.
Significant Welcome Offer
You can also earn a sizable welcome offer: 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months. This is an impressive number of points that can translate into significant savings when redeemed correctly. The spending requirement is above average for a business credit card, so consider your upcoming expenses to make sure you'll meet the threshold with your business spending.
Annual Fee
This card carries an annual fee of $375. While this may initially seem steep, when leveraged correctly, the rewards and benefits offered by the card can easily offset this fee, particularly for businesses with high spending volumes in the 4X categories and those that frequently travel.
Flexible Travel Options
The American Express® Business Gold Card's value goes even further for those who often travel. You can transfer points to a wide range of hotel and airline partners via American Express’s Membership Rewards program, offering flexibility in redemption. Furthermore, redeeming points for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal gives you a 25% bonus, allowing you to stretch your points further (up to a maximum of 250,000 points per calendar year).
A crucial feature of this card is that there are no points caps and points do not expire (as long as your account remains open and in good standing). This means you can accumulate rewards at your own pace and use them when it suits your business the most. Plus, you'll never have to worry about blackout dates when planning your travel.
Access to Business Tools
As a cardholder, you'll also have access to the Working Capital Terms program, offering short-term business loans, an invaluable tool for businesses seeking flexible financing options (terms and restrictions apply). You can also add up to 99 employee cards for a one-time flat fee of $50, allowing you to streamline expenses and earn rewards faster.
How the American Express® Business Gold Card Compares
The Business Gold Card from American Express holds its own given its dynamic rewards structure. However, those looking for more travel perks may find that other cards have better payouts. When it comes down to it, how this card compares against others will depend on the financial situation and needs of each business.
How This Card Compares
American Express® Business Gold Card
- Rewards rate: Earn 4X Membership Rewards points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from six eligible categories, up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card. And 1X is earned for other purchases.
- Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
- Regular APR: 18.74%-27.74% (variable Pay Over Time APR) See rates and fees
- Annual fee: $375 See rates and fees
- Intro APR offer: 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time, then a variable APR of 18.74%-27.74% after that. See rates and fees
- Terms Apply
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
- Rewards rate: Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- Welcome offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership
- Regular APR: 17.74% - 25.74% (variable) See Rates and Fees
- Annual fee: $0 See Rates and Fees
- Intro APR offer: 0% intro APR offer on purchases for 12 months, then a variable rate of 17.74% - 25.74% after that See Rates and Fees
- Terms Apply
- Best for: varied business spending
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.