How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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Advertising Disclosure
LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).

Advertising Disclosure

LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).
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American Express Disclosure
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express Disclosure

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express® Business Gold Card Review

American Express<sup>®</sup> Business Gold Card

American Express® Business Gold Card Review

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.*
Rewards Rate
Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month*
Extra Perks
No foreign transaction fees & many helpful business tools*
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.

Who is the American Express® Business Gold Card best for?

The American Express® Business Gold Card is a standout card for small business owners whose spending categories fluctuate from month to month. The card has a unique rewards structure that automatically identifies your top two spending categories each month.

It does come with a $295 annual fee, however, so the American Express® Business Gold Card is only worth it for businesses that spend east least $7,375 each year in categories that earn 4X points. When valuing each point at 1 cent, that’s enough spending to recoup the amount of the annual fee in rewards.

To see rates & fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card please click here.

American Express® Business Gold Card overview

    • 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.*
    • 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.*
    • 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.*
    • PAY OVER TIME OPTION: Decide whether you want to pay eligible purchases in full each month—or pay over time with interest.*
    • *Terms Apply
    660 720 850
    Excellent/Good
  • Extended warranty
  • Purchase protection
  • Amex Offers (enrollment required)
  • American Express Experiences
  • American Express Preferred Seating
  • Free employee cards
  • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Intro Purchase APR

N/A

Regular Purchase APR

18.99% - 26.99% Variable

Intro BT APR

N/A

Regular BT APR

N/A

Annual Fee

$295

Cash Advance Fee

N/A

Foreign Transaction Fee

None

Balance Transfer Fee

N/A

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Flexible rewards program
  • Generous welcome offer
  • Foreign transaction fee: None
  • Travel benefits
  • Flexible spending limit

Cons

  • $295 annual fee
  • Heavy spend to earn the welcome offer
  • Categories might not work for all businesses

What we like about the American Express® Business Gold Card

  • Earn 4X points on your top spending categories

    When you use the American Express® Business Gold Card, you’ll get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month*. If your spending fluctuates among different categories from month to month, this rewards program could be ideal for your business. Categories the card selects from include:

    • Airfare (when purchased directly from airlines)
    • Advertising on TV, radio, and online
    • Computer hardware, software, and cloud systems (from select technology providers)
    • Gas station purchases
    • Restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
    • Shipping

    Note that except for airfare, all categories are limited to U.S. purchases for the 4X rate. Also be aware that the 4X rate applies to the first $150,000 spent in boosted categories per calendar year, after which your earnings will drop to 1 point per $1 spent for the rest of the year.

  • Generous 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.* If you get a redemption value of 1 cent per point, that’s a $700 value.

  • No foreign transaction fee

    Doing business outside the United States? Take this card abroad with you and don’t worry about paying a foreign transaction fee each time you use it, because there is none.

    To see rates & fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card please click here.

  • Benefits to help you while traveling

    When you have a American Express® Business Gold Card and you book a flight through American Express Travel using Membership Rewards® Pay with Points, American Express offers 25% of your points back — up to a maximum of 250,000 points per calendar year.

    Plus, enjoy the following travel benefits:

    • Global Assist® Hotline when traveling more than 100 miles from home.
    • Baggage insurance plan.
    • Trip delay insurance.
    • Car rental loss and damage insurance.
    • Statement credit of up to $100 for qualifying dining, spa and resort activities when you book a participating property in The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel and stay at least two consecutive nights.

    Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

  • No preset spending limit

    Unlike most credit cards, which have a set credit limit you have to keep your spending within, the American Express® Business Gold Card has no preset spending limit. Now, that doesn’t mean you can spend an unlimited amount with this card. Rather, the limit is flexible, and adapts based on factors such as your credit history and your purchase and payment history.

What to watch out for with the American Express® Business Gold Card

  • This card charges an expensive annual fee

    With an annual fee of $295, the American Express® Business Gold Card is not cheap to carry. If you value each point that you earn as worth 1 cent, you’d have to spend at least $7,375 each year in 4X categories to recoup the amount of the annual fee.

    By contrast, there are business credit cards available that charge annual fees in the vicinity of $95 a year, as well as ones with no annual fee at all. If your business doesn’t spend enough to recoup the American Express® Business Gold Card‘s annual fee — for example, if you just occasionally sell handcrafts online and need a business card to buy small amounts of crafting materials — consider a different card instead.

    To see rates & fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card please click here.

  • You have to spend a lot to earn the 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.* For some businesses, meeting that $10,000 spend requirement might not be feasible.

    To get there, you’d need to spend just over $3,334 a month for three months. If you’re purchasing materials in large quantity each month, or you need to finance a big one-time purchase, that might not be a problem. But if your business operates on a smaller scale, you might wish to consider a card offering a welcome offer or sign-up bonus you don’t have to spend so much to earn.

  • Rewards categories might not work well for everyone

    If your spending fits well within the six categories the American Express® Business Gold Card selects from each billing cycle, this card might be a great choice for your wallet. But if you spend more in other categories — for example, if you buy a lot of groceries, or handcrafting supplies, or lumber — a card that earns a flat rate on every purchase might serve you better.

Alternate business card

Compare it to the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

| Disclosures
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
17.99% - 25.99% Variable
No annual fee
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000
  • Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
  • Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
  • From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
  • Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us and other factors.
  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.99% - 25.99%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Terms Apply
660 720 850
Excellent/Good

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

 

If the 4X categories the American Express® Business Gold Card rewards you for don’t match well with your spending, a flat-rate card such as the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card might fit better. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.

Plus, if you need to finance a big purchase, this card’s introductory APR on purchases of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening will help. After, a 17.99% - 25.99% variable APR will apply.

Finally, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card charges no annual fee, in contrast to the $295 annual fee charged by the American Express® Business Gold Card.

To see rates & fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card please click here.
To see rates & fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please click here.

Compare the American Express® Business Gold Card other cards

Comparison of four different credit cards
American Express<sup>®</sup> Business Gold Card American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Ink Business Cash<sup>®</sup> Credit Card Capital One Spark Miles for Business
American Express® Business Gold Card American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site
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.* Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards Rate
Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month* Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere
Annual Fee
$295 No annual fee $0 $0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Intro Purchase APR
N/A 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months N/A
Regular APR
18.99% - 26.99% Variable 17.99% - 25.99% Variable 17.74% - 23.74% Variable 25.24% (Variable)
Regular Balance Transfer Rate
N/A N/A 17.74% - 23.74% Variable 25.24% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A - Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. $0 at this Transfer APR
Recommended Credit
Excellent/Good Excellent/Good Excellent Excellent/Good
Card Details
American Express® Business Gold Card American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Capital One Spark Miles for Business

Is the American Express® Business Gold Card right for you?

Business owners who spend thousands of dollars each year and like the categories the American Express® Business Gold Card can earn 4X in (remember that the card selects your top two categories each billing cycle for the boosted rewards rate) are likely to benefit from this card, even with its $295 annual fee.

However, business owners who spend less than that, or whose spending doesn’t fit the American Express® Business Gold Card‘s categories very well should consider a different card — such as the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, which charges no annual fee.

The information related to the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

To see rates & fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card please click here.
To see rates & fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card please click here.

Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply