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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold
Besides the annual fee, there are many similarities between Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold. Here’s how they stack up.
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Chase Sapphire Preferred |
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Amex Gold |
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| FinanceBuzz value calculation1 | Year 1: $1,486
Year 2: $789 |
Year 1: $1,784
Year 2: $1,184 |
| Annual fee | $95 | $325 |
| Welcome offer | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. (Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.) |
| Earning rate | 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases | 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases |
| Annual credits and bonuses |
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| Travel perks |
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| Other benefits |
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| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Credit needed | Excellent, Good | Excellent, Good |
| Learn more | Learn more |
When to go with Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred may be best if:
- You want to take advantage of Chase Travel
- You tend to carry balances since the Amex Gold doesn’t allow that
- You have high credit card spend annually
You plan to redeem travel through Chase Travel
If you don’t mind skipping the travel agent or booking directly with an airline or hotel, you can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠compared to the 3X points American Express offers for flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com and 2X points for prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
In addition, Chase offers a $50 statement credit annually (on your card’s anniversary date), for hotel stays you book through Chase Travel. That’s incentive enough to give Chase Travel a try. Since they partner with Expedia, it’s bound to be a seamless experience.
Let’s see how this compares.
If, over the course of time, you booked flight reservations totalling to $2,000, you’d earn 10,000 points with Chase Sapphire Preferred (assuming you booked through Chase Travel) and 6,000 points with Amex Gold. Chase points are worth one cent each, and Amex points vary from 0.7 to one cent, so your points would be worth the equivalent of $100 with Chase or $42 to $60 with Amex. Clearly Chase Sapphire wins if you book directly through the travel portal.
You prefer to carry a credit card balance
If you use credit cards to make large purchases and need time to pay them off, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a better option, as it’s a traditional credit card. You have a preset limit and can carry charges, and pay interest on the balance due. I recommend paying off your balance as quickly as possible, but it’s nice to have the option.
The American Express Gold card only allows you to carry a limited balance. The remaining amount of your purchases must be paid in full, which may provide less flexibility. If you don’t have the cash to pay off a purchase immediately, Chase Sapphire Preferred is the better option.
You spend a lot on credit cards annually
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card pays cardholders a 10% bonus on all purchases made throughout the prior year on your card’s anniversary date. For example, if you spend $50,000, you get 50,000 bonus points. This is equal to $500 in rewards.
Think of it like getting a bonus on everything you spend. This isn’t a free pass to go on a shopping spree, but it’s a nice surprise on your anniversary date to get a healthy bonus.
When to go with American Express Gold
American Express Gold may be best if:
- You spend a large amount of your monthly budget on dining out
- You proactively check credit cards for the latest offers
- You spend $1,200 or more on groceries monthly
You eat out often with friends or family
If you and your family dine out often, you can earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X).
The average household spend on dining out is $3,500, so that’s 14,000 points or up to $140 in rewards. If you eat out more often than the average household, or entertain clients often, you may earn much more in rewards.
This makes those date nights or family nights out a little more affordable.
Statement credits excite you
American Express is known for their statement credits, that pays you back a little for purchases at participating restaurants and retailers. The credits change frequently, so only choose this card if you’re willing to check back to see what you could earn.
As a couple of examples, they currently offer:
- Up to $7 in monthly statement credits when you use your American Express Gold at participating Dunkin’ locations
- Up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you visit participating restaurants and pay with your American Express Gold card
- $100 statement credit toward eligible charges when you book two or more nights at The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel (eligible charges vary by property)
Remember, you must activate most of the credits before they become available to you, and you must pay with your Amex Gold card.
Grocery shopping at U.S. supermarkets is a big part of your budget
It seems like everytime I go to the grocery store, prices increase and it’s getting frightening. The estimated household spend on groceries per year is $14,000, but if you have a large family or live in an area with a higher cost of living, you may spend even more. Fortunately, with the American Express Gold card you can earn 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X).
If you spend the average amount per year, you could earn 56,000 points, which is equal to up to $560, but if you spend up to $25,000, that’s up to $1,000 back in rewards just for shopping for your family’s food.
Key differences to consider
Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and American Express Gold card offer many benefits, but there are some key differences to understand to help you determine the best cashback card for your wallet.
Annual fee
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a $95 annual fee, whereas the American Express Gold card has a $325 annual fee.
That’s a big difference, so before choosing, evaluate your average annual spending and compare it to what you’d earn with Amex Gold. If you won’t make at least the $325 back, it’s not worth it.
Here’s an easy way to determine if Amex Gold is right for you. If you use the card to buy groceries at U.S. supermarkets and spend at least $10,000 a year, you’d come out ahead. So rather than looking at all annual spending, just estimate your grocery spend.
Fortunately, neither card charges foreign transaction fees, and both cards charge the same cash advance fee.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred wins because its annual fee is less than the American Express card.
Welcome offer
The Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome offer: earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The American Express Gold welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. (Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.)
Which is better? It depends on your spending habits. I wouldn’t recommend spending thousands of dollars at an accelerated rate just to get a bonus if you don’t normally spend that much or already have large purchases planned. If you need longer to meet the minimum spending requirement, then the Amex Gold may be better.
Winner: American Express Gold because you get more time to meet the spend requirements.
Rewards for spending
Each card rewards spending differently. Here’s how they compare:
| Spend category | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Amex Gold |
| Restaurants | 3X points per $1 | 4X points per $1 on restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X) |
| Travel | 5X points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ | 3X points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com
2X points per $1 for prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com |
| U.S. supermarkets | 1X points per $1 | 4X points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X) |
However, keep in mind that both cards have more bonus categories than what's listed in this table. Overall, both cards can help you get enough value to justify their annual fees, thanks to their elevated rewards rates.
There’s no clear winner here. The winner for you is the card that pays the most for your most common expenses or spending habits.
Check out our full American Express Gold Card review.
Ongoing Bonuses
Most credit cards only offer a welcome bonus, and then you’re stuck with the standard reward tiers. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, however, pays a healthy 10% points bonus on all purchases from the prior year on your card’s anniversary date.
The only ongoing bonuses American Express offers are various statement credits they offer for specific types of spending, and the offers change often, although I’m quite excited about the monthly Dunkin’ credit as that’s my favorite coffee shop right now.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred because you get a bonus on every purchase you make within the year.
Travel perks
A large benefit of carrying cashback credit cards is often the travel benefits. Both the Chase and Amex card offer great travel perks, such as:
- Trip delay, cancellation, or interruption insurance
- Lost and delayed baggage coverage
- Rental car coverage
However, you get the most out of your credit card by taking advantage of Chase’s 25% increased value when you redeem your points for travel through the Chase Travel portal.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred because of the healthy bonus you get when using your points for travel through Chase.
Other Benefits
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | American Express Gold |
| Earn up to 75,000 points for referring friends to Chase Sapphire Reserve | 24/7 Global Assist Hotline |
| 1:1 points transfer to 14+ Chase transfer partners | 1:1 points transfer to most of the 20+ Amex transfer partners |
| Pay with points on eligible Amazon and Apple® purchases | Exclusive and early access to Amex events |
| Earn 5X total points on Lyft rides and Peloton equipment (through Mar 31, 2025; terms apply) | Extended warranty |
| Complimentary DashPass for $0 delivery fees | Purchase protection for up to 90 days |
| Roadside dispatch for emergencies | Send & Split® makes it easier to split the bill with friends |
| Purchase protection for up to 120 days | Plan It® which divides large purchases into equal monthly installments for a small fee |
| Extended warranty | Exclusive Amex offers |
Winner: Both cards offer some great additional benefits, but Chase Sapphire wins with its up to 75,000 bonus points for referring friends and complimentary DashPass.
FAQs
Which is better, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Amex Gold Card?
The better card between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Amex Gold Card is the one that best suits your needs. If you want a card with a high earning potential for dining and U.S. supermarket purchases and monthly Uber Cash and dining credits, consider the Amex Gold Card. Keep in mind that enrollment is required for select benefits. If you want a lower annual fee and 25% more value from travel redemptions through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
What credit score do you need for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred typically requires good or excellent credit to be eligible. Good credit scores start at 670, according to the FICO scoring model. Keep in mind that having a certain credit score doesn't guarantee qualifying. Credit card issuers, including Chase, typically consider various factors in addition to your credit score and credit history.
What credit score do you need for Amex Gold?
You typically need good or excellent credit to qualify for the Amex Gold. A good credit score is a score at 670 or higher, according to the FICO scoring model. Remember that your credit score is not the only thing that matters for approval. When you apply for a credit card, American Express and other issuers also look at other factors besides your credit score and credit history.
Is Amex Gold worth the annual fee?
The Amex Gold is likely worth the $325 annual fee because you can offset some of the cost with Amex Gold benefits such as the card’s annual credits. This includes up to $120 a year in Uber Cash ($10 per month), which works for both U.S. Uber rides and UberEats orders, and up to $120 a year in dining credit at participating partners. Enrollment is required for select benefits. Add in the Amex Membership Rewards points you can earn on everyday purchases and you should more than offset the annual fee.
Bottom line
Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold offer benefits catering to different types of people. If you travel often and are comfortable booking through Chase Travel, you get the best bang for your buck and a much lower annual fee.
However, if you prefer statement credits or have a large family with a large grocery budget, you may get more out of the American Express Gold card. Of course, there’s nothing saying you can’t have both; you just need to know which card to use for which purchases to maximize your rewards.
Great for Flexible Travel Rewards
Current Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards Rate
5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases
Big Rewards at Restaurants
Current Offer
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. (Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.)
Annual Fee
$325
Rewards Rate
4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases