Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: Which mid-tier favorite is right for you?

For a lot of, the $500-plus annual charges that include ultra-premium travel cards such because the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) aren’t justifiable. In case you aren’t touring frequently and using the total lineup of perks and credit, it might not be value including these playing cards to your pockets.

Nonetheless, each Chase and Amex have wonderful mid-tier cards: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the American Express® Gold Card.

Whereas each of those playing cards act as sister playing cards to their luxurious counterparts, there are a lot of variations between them. On this showdown, we’re strolling via a side-by-side comparability of those playing cards that can assist you decide which is best for you — or whether or not both deserve spots in your wallet.

The Sapphire Preferred gives a compelling limited-time welcome bonus. New candidates can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

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Primarily based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, Final Rewards factors are value 2.05 cents every, making this bonus value $2,050. That is the highest-ever welcome offer we now have seen on this card.

New Amex Gold cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. Primarily based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this supply is value $1,200.

Plus, you might be targeted for a higher welcome offer on the Amex Gold via the CardMatch tool (gives are topic to alter at any time and never everybody will obtain the identical supply).

Winner: Sapphire Most popular. The present welcome supply is value greater than the Amex Gold’s.

Associated: The best credit card welcome bonuses

In trade for a $95 annual payment, the Sapphire Preferred gives some strong perks, together with a $50 annual hotel credit for bookings via Chase Journey, a ten% factors bonus in your cardholder anniversary and a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

Different advantages embody protections like rental automobile insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation insurance coverage and baggage delay insurance coverage. These are a fantastic security internet when you journey, however they do not do a lot to reinforce your day-to-day life when every little thing goes in keeping with plan.

For greater than double the Sapphire Most popular’s annual payment ($325 vs. $95), the Amex Gold gives a number of wonderful perks (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply):

• 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 have to be added as a fee technique, 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 facility, Goldbelly, Wine.com and 5 Guys.
• As much as $100 in assertion credit for purchases made at Resy restaurants per calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $50 in assertion credit biannually 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.
• Enrollment is required; phrases apply.

Amex Gold cardmembers additionally obtain journey and buy protections. Phrases apply.

Winner: Amex Gold. The Amex Gold’s assertion credit are valued at $424, greater than the cardboard’s annual payment. That is much more worth than you may get from the Sapphire Most popular every year.

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

The Sapphire Preferred gives helpful bonus classes. The actual spotlight is not simply the classes themselves however how broadly they’re outlined. With this card, you may earn on the following charges:

• 5 factors per greenback on journey booked via Chase Journey (excluding lodge reservations that qualify for the $50 credit score)
  5 factors per greenback on Lyft (via Sept. 2027)
  5 factors per greenback on Peloton tools and accent purchases of $150 or extra (via Dec. 2027, with a restrict of 25,000 bonus factors)
• 3 factors per greenback on dining, choose streaming services and online grocery stores (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment)
• 2 factors per greenback on different journey, together with inns, airfare, rental vehicles, taxis and parking meters
• 1 level per greenback on every little thing else

These are strong charges on a variety of purchases.

Nonetheless, the Amex Gold could shine brighter in the case of its incomes construction:

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

Regardless of the spending cap, incomes 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets is an 8% return on each purchases, in keeping with TPG’s April 2025 valuations. That makes it one of many best cards for dining at eating places and U.S. grocery procuring.

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

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

The Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards factors that you would be able to redeem for journey via Chase Journey or for different gadgets akin to present playing cards and assertion credit.

You will get a 25% bonus when redeeming factors for journey via Chase Journey. However you may get probably the most worth by transferring your factors to one among Chase’s 14 invaluable lodge and airline transfer partners.

The Amex Gold earns equally invaluable Membership Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to redeem for journey straight via AmexTravel.com or for present playing cards and assertion credit.

Once more, you may get one of the best worth out of your factors by transferring them to one among Amex’s 21 hotel and airline partners.

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

TPG’s April 2025 valuations peg Chase Final Rewards at 2.05 cents every and Amex Membership factors at 2 cents every, however your journey habits would possibly make one foreign money higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, in case you stay in a Delta hub, you would possibly 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 unbelievable worth by transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt makes use of his Sapphire Preferred typically to switch factors to British Airways Executive Club to reap the benefits of sweet spots on American Airlines flights.

In the meantime, TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak transfers the Membership Rewards factors she earns on her Amex Gold to 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

In case you spend most of your funds on groceries within the U.S. or eating and may make the most of its month-to-month credit, the Amex Gold is probably going your winner. Nonetheless, the Sapphire Preferred is a greater match in case you choose Final Rewards factors and wish to earn bonus factors on normal journey bills. Nonetheless, keep in mind that it does not should be a “this or that” choice; there’s room for each of those playing cards in a well-developed factors technique.

The Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold are two of probably the most invaluable mid-tier playing cards available on the market. Each can present wonderful worth in the appropriate palms, and the query of 1 card versus one other largely relies on the way you derive worth out of your bank cards.

Nonetheless, they’re one of our top card pairings, so it is perhaps value having each in your pockets.

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

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Apply right here: American Express Gold

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