Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: Which card is best?

Whether or not you are a rewards card beginner or a longtime points and miles expert, there could possibly be room in your setup for 2 fantastic cards: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the American Express® Gold Card.

However, when you can solely choose only one, it may be onerous to determine.

The Sapphire Most popular is well-positioned as a good way to gather invaluable Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a modest annual charge, whereas the Amex Gold is a favourite for foodies, incomes bonus rewards on food-related purchases and offering invaluable assertion credit alongside the way in which.

Which is greatest in your pockets? There are a number of variations between these two fashionable choices, so let’s examine them to see which is best for you — or whether or not both deserve your attention.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold comparability

*Enrollment is required for these advantages.

**Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

***Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.

^Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Not all car sorts or leases are coated, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable by way of American Specific Journey Associated Companies Firm, Inc.

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Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold welcome provide

The Sapphire Preferred provides a compelling welcome bonus. New candidates can earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Primarily based on TPG’s valuations, Final Rewards factors are price 2.05 cents every, making this bonus price $1,538.

With the Amex Gold, you will discover out if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome provides differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.

This provide is price as much as $2,000, primarily based on TPG’s valuations.

Winner: Amex Gold. There’s extra potential worth in its provide.

Associated: The best credit card welcome bonuses

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold advantages

The Sapphire Preferred provides stable perks for its $95 annual charge. These embody a $50 annual hotel credit for bookings by way of Chase Journey, 10% factors bonus in your cardholder anniversary and a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

Different advantages embody protections like rental car insurance, trip delay and cancellation insurance and baggage delay insurance coverage. These are an incredible security web whilst you journey, however they don’t do a lot to reinforce your day-to-day life when all the things goes based on plan.

For greater than triple the Sapphire Most popular’s annual charge ($325 vs. $95), the Amex Gold provides a number of wonderful perks (enrollment is required for choose advantages):

• Up to $120 in Uber Cash per calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $10 in Uber Money every month, legitimate on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. Your Amex Gold should be added as a cost methodology, and you’ll redeem with any Amex card.
• As much as $120 in dining credits every calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $10 a month in assertion credit for purchases along with your Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing unit, Goldbelly, Wine.com and 5 Guys.
• As much as $100 in assertion credit for purchases made at Resy eating places per calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $50 in assertion credit semiannually for eligible Resy purchases and eating at U.S. Resy eating places; simply pay along with your card to obtain the credit score. No reservation is required.
• As much as $84 in assertion credit for Dunkin’ Donuts purchases: Obtain as much as $7 per 30 days in assertion credit for purchases made at U.S. Dunkin’ Donuts.

Amex Gold cardmembers additionally obtain varied journey and buy protections.

Winner: Amex Gold. It is simpler to get constructive worth out of the Amex Gold’s annual charge with its assertion credit.

Associated: Why you’ll want to pay the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s $95 annual fee

Incomes factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

The Sapphire Preferred provides helpful bonus classes which are broadly defined. These embody:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked by way of Chase Journey (excluding lodge reservations that qualify for the $50 credit score)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft (by way of Sept. 2027)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Peloton tools and accent purchases of $150 or extra (by way of Dec. 2027, with a restrict of 25,000 bonus factors)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on dining, choose streaming services and online grocery stores (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on different journey
• 1 level per greenback spent on all the things else

In case you’re into maximizing bonus classes, these offer you loads to work with.

Nevertheless, the Amex Gold might shine brighter in terms of its incomes construction. It earns:

• 4 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback spent)
• 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 per calendar 12 months; then 1 level per greenback spent)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on airfare bought immediately from the airline or by way of amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go lodges and different eligible purchases booked by way of amextravel.com
• 1 level per greenback spent on different eligible purchases

Previous to hitting the spending caps, incomes 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets is an 8% return on each purchases, based on TPG’s valuations. That makes it probably the greatest playing cards for eating at eating places worldwide and grocery purchasing inside the U.S.

Winner: Amex Gold. Its greater incomes charges on eating worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets, in addition to on flights booked immediately with an airline, give it the higher hand.

Associated: Why the Amex Gold is the perfect ‘in-between’ credit card

Redeeming factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

Each of those playing cards are comparable in that they earn among the most respected transferable factors currencies round.

The Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards factors which you can redeem for journey by way of Chase Journey or for different gadgets comparable to present playing cards and assertion credit.

You’ll stand up to 1.75 cents per level for some journey booked by way of Chase Travel (relying on the precise redemption) with the Points Boost feature. However you’ll get essentially the most worth by transferring your factors to one in every of Chase’s lodge and airline transfer partners.

The Amex Gold earns equally invaluable Membership Rewards factors, which you’ll redeem for journey immediately by way of AmexTravel.com or for present playing cards and assertion credit. Nevertheless, all at lackluster charges, with some even being lower than 1 cent per level.

Once more, you’ll get one of the best worth out of your factors by transferring them to one in every of Amex’s 20 hotel and airline partners.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards earn transferable rewards and offer you a variety of invaluable redemption choices.

Transferring factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

TPG’s valuations peg Chase Final Rewards at 2.05 cents every and Amex Membership factors at 2 cents every, however your journey habits may make one forex higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, when you reside in a Delta hub, you may get extra worth out of transferring your Membership Rewards factors to Delta SkyMiles, whereas those that have a coveted Southwest Companion Pass can get some unimaginable worth by transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards.

TPG bank cards author Augusta Stone usually transfers the factors she earns on the Sapphire Preferred to World of Hyatt, one of many most valuable lodge rewards applications on the market.

In the meantime, TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak has transferred the Membership Rewards factors she earns on her Amex Gold to companions like Air Canada Aeroplan and Delta SkyMiles.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards switch to varied companions, all with their respective redemption choices and candy spots.

Associated: Why transferable points are worth more than other rewards

Ought to I get the Sapphire Most popular or Amex Gold?

In case you’re inquisitive about a dining-focused card with assertion credit that earns bonus factors on groceries within the U.S. and eating places, the Amex Gold is probably going a greater match for you.

Nevertheless, when you’re looking for out a stable entry-level journey rewards card that earns on common journey bills, the Sapphire Preferred is a greater match.

Each playing cards match right into a balanced technique, so the choice comes all the way down to what you need proper now.

Associated: How to choose the best credit card for you

Backside line

There are a number of methods to benefit from holding both the Sapphire Preferred or the Amex Gold. Each earn invaluable rewards factors in fashionable classes and supply stable advantages to maximise.

Whereas these two differ in some ways, they do work properly collectively in some card methods. In spite of everything, that is one of our top card pairings, so it is perhaps price carrying each.

To study extra, learn our full critiques of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Apply right here: American Express Gold Card

For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on here.