American Express® Business Gold Card Review [2024]: Why I Love Its Adaptable Rewards and Flexible Business Credit

Card basics

Who should get the American Express® Business Gold Card?

The American Express^® Business Gold Card is ideal for businesses of various sizes with diverse spending patterns. It’s a highly flexible card that makes it easy for business owners to maximize their rewards.

The Amex Business Gold is particularly beneficial for those who spend heavily in any of several categories, including advertising, U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, wireless services, software and cloud systems, and more.

For instance, if you run a digital marketing agency that frequently spends on software and invests heavily in online advertising, this card could significantly boost your rewards earnings.

Additionally, businesses that can take advantage of the flexible $240 annual business credit at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores will find extra value. This is one of the areas where I benefit the most from the Amex Business Gold, as I typically buy supplies at office supply stores like Staples, so I maximize this benefit every month.

Who should skip?

Businesses with low overall spending or those that don't align with the card's bonus categories and flexible business credits should consider a card with a lower annual fee. Depending on your spending, you might struggle to use enough benefits to offset the $375 annual fee.

That’s when you might find the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card more suitable. It offers a lower $95 annual fee and earns 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases.

What you should know about the American Express® Business Gold Card's rewards structure

Before I applied for the American Express^® Business Gold Card, I made sure to understand its unique rewards structure.

This card earns 4X Membership Rewards Points on purchases in the two eligible categories with the most spend each month from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, after that 1X), 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases. This means the card automatically adjusts to reward me for my highest spending categories each month.

However, the important caveat is that each month you earn this rate on two out of six eligible 4X spending categories. These six categories are:

• U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers
• Transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
• U.S. purchases at gas stations
• U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
• Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
• Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.

This means that if I spent $2,000 on dining at U.S. restaurants, $1,750 on advertising, and $1,500 at U.S. gas stations within the same month, I would earn 4X points per dollar on the first two categories and only 1 point per dollar at U.S. gas stations.

Example of how the spending categories could work:

Here's a closer look at this card's top benefits

Generous welcome offer

The American Express^® Business Gold Card starts you off with a bang. You can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

This welcome offer is quite competitive in the business card market and has a relatively achievable spending requirement compared to some other premium business cards. When I first got this card, I used the welcome offer points to book a round-trip flight, which saved me a significant amount on travel expenses.

Rewards that adapt to your spending

What I love most about this card is its flexible earning structure. You can earn 4X on the two categories with the most spend each month from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 annually, after that 1X).

This adaptability can be a game-changer. For instance, if you have to ramp up your advertising spend, you can earn 4X points on those expenses. If transactions at U.S. restaurants make up for your second top categories, you could still earn 4X points on them, including takeout and delivery purchases.

Up to $240 in annual flexible business credit

The Amex Business Gold offers up to $20 in statement credits each month on eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores.

I've found this particularly useful for my regular office supply runs. Just last month, I saved $20 on large print frames that I purchased at Staples. Overall, I find this credit pretty easy to use, so I make sure not to miss it on any given month.

Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits

If you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership with your Business Gold Card, you can receive up to $12.95 back in statement credits each month, plus applicable taxes.

While I initially didn't think I'd use this benefit much, I've found Walmart+ to be surprisingly useful. It offers free local store deliveries and free shipping with no order minimum, making it easy to get supplies on days when I’m too busy to go to the store.

No preset spending limit

Unlike traditional credit cards, the Business Gold Card doesn't come with a preset spending limit. Instead, it offers a flexible spending limit that adjusts based on your card use, payment history, and credit record. This flexibility can be invaluable for businesses with varying expenses.

To manage this, Amex provides tools like the "Check Spending Power" feature on their website and app. Before making large purchases, you can use this to see if a specific amount would be approved. For instance, before I charged a $5,000 transaction to my card, I checked my spending power and knew it would go through without issues. This system offers flexibility while still allowing you to plan your expenses confidently.

Elevated travel rewards and protections

The card earns 3X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com. On top of that, it comes with comprehensive travel protections, including trip delay insurance¹, car rental loss and damage coverage², and baggage insurance³.

These perks could be a lifesaver in many travel scenarios. Imagine your flight gets delayed due to severe weather, causing you to miss your connection and stay overnight. With the trip delay insurance, you could book a comfortable hotel near the airport, knowing that expenses up to $300 might be covered.

Purchase and extended warranty protections

The American Express^® Business Gold Card offers valuable purchase and extended warranty protections that could potentially save your business money. For instance, imagine you've just equipped your office with new laptops for your team. If an employee accidentally spills coffee on their device within 90 days of purchase, the card's purchase protection could cover the repair or replacement costs, up to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year.

Additionally, the extended warranty feature could prove invaluable in scenarios where office equipment fails just after the manufacturer's warranty expires. For example, you could still be covered if your main office printer breaks down 13 months after purchase, just outside its 1-year warranty. This would enable you to avoid the costly expense of an out-of-warranty repair or replacement.

Drawbacks: Why you may want a different card

High annual fee

The $375 annual fee requires some consideration, especially for smaller businesses or those just starting out. While the card's benefits can potentially offset this cost, you'll need to spend enough and utilize the card's features regularly to make it worthwhile.

If your business expenses are modest or you don't frequently use services like FedEx or Grubhub, you might struggle to recoup the annual fee's value. In this case, consider other Amex business cards like the The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express with its $0 annual fee, or the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, which also has a $0 annual fee.

Bonus categories may not align with all businesses

The 4X points categories are broad and diverse, but they might not suit every business. If your primary expenses fall outside of these categories, you'll be earning 1X point per dollar on these expenses. In such cases, a card with a flat-rate elevated rewards card like the Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card might be more beneficial.

Cap on 4X points earning

While earning 4X points on top spending categories is attractive, this rate is capped at $150,000 in combined purchases each year.

For larger businesses with high expenses, it’s smart to pair this card with another card that earns on similar categories so you can use the second card after reaching this threshold. One card to consider is the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card.

Earning & redeeming Membership Rewards points

Best ways to earn

The American Express^® Business Gold Card offers 4X Membership Rewards Points on purchases in the two eligible categories with the most spend each month from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, after that 1X), 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases.

You can earn the 4X Membership Rewards points on:

4X points can be earned up to $150,000 in combined purchases each year. In addition, you’ll earn 1X point per dollar on all other eligible purchases, including spending in other categories as well as spending above $150,000 on your two bonus categories.

You can earn the most points by concentrating spending on specific categories. For example, you could book your travel, purchase all your advertising during one month, and then pay for your technology purchases in the next month.

Maximizing your redemptions

Cardholders can redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, or a statement credit on their bill. American Express also allows you to transfer points to partners and sometimes provides limited-time transfer bonuses of 10% to 40% more miles when transferring to qualifying airline partners. This could supercharge your point value, so be on the lookout for these opportunities. Here is a list of current partners.

FAQ

Alternatives that might be better for you

If the Amex Business Gold doesn’t feel like the right card for your business due to its annual fee or business-related perks, you can consider the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card for its lower annual fee or The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express for its more extensive benefits.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

If you're looking for a business card with a lower annual fee but still want to earn valuable rewards, the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card could be a great alternative. With a $95 annual fee, it's significantly less expensive than the American Express^® Business Gold Card. Actually, the lower annual fee was one of the main reasons I chose the Ink Preferred when I first started my business.

The Ink Business Preferred offers 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases. While this structure isn't as flexible as the Amex Business Gold's adaptive categories, it still covers a wide range of common business expenses.

Additionally, the Ink Preferred offers a 25% bonus when you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, potentially making your points even more valuable. However, it lacks some of the statement credits offered by the Amex Business Gold, so you'll need to weigh these factors based on your business needs.

Learn more in our Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card review.

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

For businesses that can justify a higher annual fee in exchange for premium travel benefits, the The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express could be a better fit. With a $695 annual fee, it's more expensive than the American Express^® Business Gold Card, but it offers a host of additional perks that could make it worthwhile for frequent business travelers.

The Business Platinum earns 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases. While this isn't as flexible as the Business Gold's structure, it can be very rewarding for businesses with high travel expenses.

Where the Business Platinum really shines is in its additional benefits. These include:

• Airport lounge access, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta)
• Up to $400 in annual statement credits for U.S. Dell purchases
• Up to $189 in annual statement credits for CLEAR+ membership
• Up to $120 in annual wireless credits
• Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits with a qualifying airline
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status

Personally, I found these broad travel and business shopping benefits were attractive enough to justify the annual fee. That’s why I added the Amex Business Platinum to my wallet two months ago.

Learn more in our The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express review.

High Rewards on Your Biggest Spending

American Express^® Business Gold Card

4.8

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

American Express^® Business Gold Card

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See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$375

Rewards Rate

4X Membership Rewards Points on purchases in the two eligible categories with the most spend each month from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, after that 1X), 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Generous welcome offer
• Up to $240 in annual flexible business credit
• Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits
• Flexible rewards structure that adjusts to your top eligible categories
• No preset spending limit
• Elevated travel rewards and extensive travel protections

Drawbacks

• 375 annual fee
• Bonus categories may not suit all businesses
• The 4X rewards rate is capped at $150,000

Card Details

• Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
• 0% Intro APR ¤ for 6 months from the date of account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time, then a 19.49% to 28.49% variable APR.*
• Earn 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.*
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
• The Business Gold Card now comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
• *Terms Apply