Business Gold Card Review: Is It Worth It?

Is American Express® Business Gold Card worth it? It depends. Read this in-depth analysis BEFORE you apply.

In this review, we'll explain the pros and cons of this $295 annual fee card.

Business rewards cards are convenient for managing your expenses and getting something in return for using them, but you usually have no say in how the rewards work.

Business Gold Card is different. You earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. The 4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.

The card does come with a steep annual fee, however, so it's important to get the cold hard facts to make sure it's a wise investment. We lay it out for you below, in plain English.

Who AMEX Business Gold is Good For

Based on the Business Gold card's features, we think it's right for three specific types of business owners:

• Reward seekers: The card gives you 4x points on 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month.

• Established businesses: It takes excellent credit to qualify for the card, so it's ideal for seasoned business owners. If you haven't been in business long, you'll likely need to look elsewhere for a rewards card.

Rewards Program

© Michael Duxbury (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

Before we dive into the reasons to get this card, here are the basics of how the rewards program works:

When you make an eligible purchase with your Gold card, you earn reward points. You earn 1 point for each $1 spent on eligible purchases.

You have the potential to earn more: This card also offers bonus points in various categories. You earn 3 additional points per $1 spent (for a total of 4 points) in 2 categories (of 6) where you spend the most each month, up to the first $150,000 in combined eligible purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year. The 6 categories available are:

• airfare on a scheduled flight charged directly with passenger airlines (charter flights and private jet flights are excluded)
  
• advertising purchased in the U.S. to promote your business online, on television, or on the radio
  
• computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases in the U.S. made directly from select technology providers (the current list of select technology providers is available at: americanexpress.com/rewards-info)
  
• gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)
  
• restaurants located in the U.S.
  
• shipping services purchased in the U.S. for courier, postal, and freight.

Note: Eligible purchases in excess of $150,000 in a calendar year will receive only one point per dollar spent.

American Express Business Gold Card Promotion

REASONS TO Get Business Gold Card

When you're comparing business credit cards and charge cards, it's important to take a look at the bigger picture. We've highlighted things that make the Business Gold card a standout in our opinion.

1. Multiple redemption options: The Membership Rewards points you earn with the card can be used in a number of ways, including redeeming them for airfare or hotel stays, swapping them out for gift cards to select retailers, or paying at the checkout when you shop online. You can also apply them as statement credit for previous purchases.

2. Expense tracking tools: Keeping up with your deductible expenses is a lot easier with access to American Express® Business App, which allows you to organize receipts on the go. You can also sync your account with Connect to QuickBooks for easy tagging of business transactions.

3. Travel benefits: If you're going to be taking this card with you on a business trip, you have the peace of mind of knowing that you're covered by complimentary travel accident insurance, baggage insurance, and roadside assistance.

4. Easy points transfer: Another advantage of the card is that you can transfer Membership Rewards points to selected frequent traveler programs, including Delta SkyMiles.

5. No preset spending limit: The card doesn't come with a preset spending limit, and your purchasing power is based on credit record, payment history, and card use.

3 REASONS TO CONSIDER A DIFFERENT CARD

Every business card is different and finding one that meets all of your needs can be challenging. While we think the Business Gold card is great for some business owners, there are a few potential downsides that might make another card the better choice.

• You don't plan on spending a lot: If you're going to pay an annual fee to have a business credit card, then you need to be earning enough rewards each year to at least justify it. With the Gold, you'd have to spend at least $615 per month in the 4x categories to earn back the equivalent of the $295 annual fee. If you're more of an occasional spender, this probably isn't the card for you.

• You'd rather get cash back than points: Earning Membership Reward points can certainly pay off if you plan to swap them out for travel, merchandise, or gift cards, but some business owners prefer to have cold hard cash in their pockets. If that's the case, something like the Ink Business Cash Credit Card from Chase may offer the kind of rewards you're looking for.

How AMEX Gold Business Compares

It's always a smart move to look at least 3 different cards before choosing your next one. Here are other business rewards credit cards that pack a punch.

If you prefer no annual fee:
Blue Business Cash offers cash back rewards and no annual fee .

If you want to take advantage of travel extras:
The Business Platinum Card from American Express: The Gold card is useful for earning points, but it's got some competition as far as travel cards go. If you spend a lot of time flying back and forth for business, you want to be able to do it in comfort and the Business Platinum card from Amex fits the bill with premium travel perks.

Members enjoy complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, along with other travel incentives like up to a $200 airline fee credit each year, 24/7 concierge service, and a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre every 4 years.

As far as the rewards go, you earn 1 point per $1 you spend (which is less than what you get with the Gold card), but the welcome bonus offer helps makes up for it. There's a potential downside to the card in the form of the annual fee , but depending on your business' usage, the benefits maybe outweighed by the combined value of the different travel perks.

	Business Gold Card	American Express Business Platinum
Annual Fee	$295 annual fee	$695 annual fee
Bonus Deal	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.	Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Travel
Airline		Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights on amextravel.com.
Bonus Airline Rewards	Airline Bonus: Get 25% points back after you use points for all or part of an eligible flight booked with Amex Travel, up to 250,000 points back per calendar year.*	35% Airline Bonus: Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of a flight with your selected qualifying airline, and you can get 35% of the points back, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year when you book on amextravel.com.
Hotel		Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
Points	More Rewards: Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. 1X is earned for other purchases. ** **4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.*	Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
Airline Status		$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card or any of the Additional Cards on your Platinum Card account. Access to 5 airport lounge networks including The Centurion® lounge network, The International American Express lounges, Delta Sky Club® lounges, Priority Pass(TM) Select, and Airspace Lounge. Enrollment required for Priority Pass Select.
Hotel Status		Enroll for complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Status. Enroll for complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status. Fine Hotels & Resorts - book your stay through American Express FHR at one of 600 luxury hotels and you may get a room upgrade upon arrival, daily continental breakfast for 2, guaranteed 4pm late checkout and a special amenity unique to each property.
Business Gold Card: Pricing information including interest rates, benefits and fees was obtained on February 2, 2023 from published websites and is believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. American Express Business Platinum: Pricing information including interest rates, benefits and fees was obtained on February 2, 2023 from published websites and is believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. Disclaimer: The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you want a straightforward way to earn rewards:
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express: Running a business is time-consuming and trying to keep up with multiple rewards categories on your credit card may not fit into your schedule. If you like to keep things simple, the Business Green Rewards card is worth considering.

BOTTOM LINE: Apply Business Gold?

At first glance, the Business Gold card looks appealing based on the amount of rewards you stand to earn. There are some potential snags, however, in the form of the annual fee and excellent credit requirement. Overall, we think it's a good fit for established business owners. New business owners may find the $295 annual fee too high. But if you spend more than $615 per month in the 4x categories, consider the American Express Business Gold Card.

Terms and limitations apply.