Chase Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold: Which card is greatest?

For a lot of, the $600-plus annual charges that include ultra-premium journey playing cards such because the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) and The Platinum Card® from American Categorical (see charges and charges) aren’t justifiable. In the event you aren’t touring repeatedly and using the complete lineup of perks and credit, it might not be price including these playing cards to your pockets.

Nonetheless, each Chase and Amex have wonderful mid-tier playing cards: the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and charges) and the American Categorical® Gold Card.

Whereas each of those merchandise 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 each deserve spots in your pockets.

Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold comparability

This is a fast overview that compares the important thing perks on these two playing cards:

*Enrollment is required for these advantages.

**Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, situations 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, situations 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, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable via American Categorical Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.

Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold welcome supply

The Sapphire Most well-liked affords 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 July 2025 valuations, Final Rewards factors are price 2.05 cents every, making this bonus price $1,538.

THE POINTS GUY

With the Amex Gold, you could find out in case you are eligible for as excessive as 100,000 factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome affords range and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion. This supply is price as much as $2,000, based mostly on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

Winner: Amex Gold. It is welcome supply might doubtlessly be greater.

Associated: The very best bank card welcome bonuses

Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold advantages

In trade for a $95 annual payment, the Sapphire Most well-liked affords some stable perks, together with a $50 annual resort credit score 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 automotive insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation insurance coverage and baggage delay insurance coverage. These are an awesome security internet when you journey, however they do not do a lot to reinforce your day-to-day life when all the pieces goes in keeping with plan.

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

• As much as $120 in Uber Money per calendar yr: 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 eating credit every calendar yr: Obtain as much as $10 a month in assertion credit for purchases together 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 eating places per calendar yr: Obtain as much as $50 in assertion credit biannually for eligible Resy purchases and eating at U.S. Resy eating places; simply pay together 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 thirty 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.

Winner: Amex Gold. The Amex Gold’s assertion credit are valued greater than the cardboard’s annual payment. That is much more worth than you will get from the Sapphire Most well-liked every year.

Associated: Why you will need to pay the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s $95 annual payment

Incomes factors on the Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold

The Sapphire Most well-liked affords helpful bonus classes. The true spotlight is not simply the classes themselves however how broadly they’re outlined. With this card, you will earn:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked via Chase Journey (excluding resort reservations that qualify for the $50 credit score)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft (via Sept. 2027)
• 5 factors per greenback spent 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 spent on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery shops (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on different journey, together with motels, airfare, rental automobiles, taxis and parking meters
• 1 level per greenback spent on all the pieces else

These are stable charges on a variety of purchases.

Nonetheless, the Amex Gold could shine brighter in relation to its incomes construction:

• 4 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback)
• 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 per calendar yr; then 1 level per greenback)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on airfare bought instantly from the airline or via amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go motels and different eligible purchases booked via amextravel.com
• 1 level per greenback spent 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 July 2025 valuations. That makes it one of many greatest playing cards for eating at eating places worldwide and grocery procuring throughout the U.S.

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

Associated: Why the Amex Gold is the right ‘in-between’ bank card

Redeeming factors on the Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold

Each of those playing cards are comparable in that they earn a number of the most dear transferable factors currencies round.

The Sapphire Most well-liked earns Final Rewards factors which you could redeem for journey via Chase Journey or for different gadgets similar to reward playing cards and assertion credit.

You may stand up to 1.75 cents per level for some journey booked via Chase Journey (relying on the precise redemption) with the Factors Increase characteristic. However you will get essentially the most worth by transferring your factors to one among Chase’s resort and airline switch companions.

The Amex Gold earns equally priceless Membership Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to redeem for journey instantly via AmexTravel.com or for reward playing cards and assertion credit; nevertheless, all at lackluster charges, with some even being lower than 1 cent per level.

Once more, you will get one of the best worth out of your factors by transferring them to one among Amex’s 20 resort and airline companions.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards earn transferable rewards and provide you with a variety of priceless redemption choices.

Transferring factors on the Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Amex Gold

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 may make one forex higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, in case you dwell 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 Go 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 Most well-liked typically to switch factors to British Airways Membership to reap the benefits of candy spots on American Airways 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 factors are price greater than different rewards

Ought to I get the Sapphire Most well-liked or Amex Gold?

In the event 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 a greater match for you.

Nonetheless, the Sapphire Most well-liked is a greater match in case you want Final Rewards factors and need to earn bonus factors on common journey bills. Nonetheless, do not forget that it does not need to be a “this or that” resolution; there’s room for each of those playing cards in a well-developed factors technique.

Backside line

The Sapphire Most well-liked and Amex Gold are two of essentially the most priceless mid-tier playing cards in the marketplace. Each can present wonderful worth in the appropriate palms, and the query of 1 card versus one other largely is dependent upon the way you derive worth out of your bank cards.

Nonetheless, they’re one among our high card pairings, so it is likely to be price having each in your pockets.

To study extra, learn our full critiques of the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked and Amex Gold.

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Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked
Apply right here: Amex Gold

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