Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold: Which mid-tier favourite is best for you?

For a lot of, the $500-plus annual charges that include ultra-premium journey playing cards such because the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) and The Platinum Card® from American Specific (see charges and costs) aren’t justifiable. When you aren’t touring usually and using the complete lineup of perks and credit, it is probably not value including these playing cards to your pockets.

Nonetheless, each Chase and Amex have glorious mid-tier playing cards: the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) and the American Specific® Gold Card.

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

Sapphire Most popular 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 by way of American Specific Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold welcome provide

The Sapphire Most popular provides 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.

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 provide now we have seen on this card.

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

Plus, you possibly can be focused for the next welcome provide on the Amex Gold by way of the CardMatch instrument (provides are topic to alter at any time and never everybody will obtain the identical provide).

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

Associated: One of the best bank card welcome bonuses

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold advantages

In trade for a $95 annual payment, the Sapphire Most popular provides some strong perks, together with a $50 annual lodge credit score for bookings by way of 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 web when you journey, however they do not do a lot to reinforce your day-to-day life when all the things goes in keeping with plan.

For greater than double the Sapphire Most popular’s annual payment ($325 vs. $95), the Amex Gold provides a number of glorious 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 have to be added as a fee technique, 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 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 will get from the Sapphire Most popular annually.

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

Incomes factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

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

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

These are strong charges on a variety of purchases.

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

• 4 factors per greenback on eating at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback)
• 4 factors per greenback at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 per calendar yr; then 1 level per greenback)
• 3 factors per greenback on airfare bought instantly from the airline or by way of amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback on pay as you go accommodations and different eligible purchases booked by way of 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 greatest playing cards for eating at eating places and U.S. grocery buying.

Winner: Amex Gold. Its larger 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 popular vs. Amex Gold

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

The Sapphire Most popular earns Final Rewards factors that you could redeem for journey by way of Chase Journey or for different gadgets akin to reward playing cards and assertion credit.

You will get a 25% bonus when redeeming factors for journey by way of Chase Journey. However you will get probably the most worth by transferring your factors to one in all Chase’s 14 priceless lodge and airline switch companions.

The Amex Gold earns equally priceless Membership Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to redeem for journey instantly by way of AmexTravel.com or for reward playing cards and assertion credit.

Once more, you will get one of the best worth out of your factors by transferring them to one in all Amex’s 21 lodge 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 popular 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 would possibly make one forex higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, for those who 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 Go can get some unimaginable worth by transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt makes use of his Sapphire Most popular typically to switch factors to British Airways Govt Membership to make the most 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 value greater than different rewards

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

When you spend most of your finances on groceries within the U.S. or eating and might make the most of its month-to-month credit, the Amex Gold is probably going your winner. Nonetheless, the Sapphire Most popular is a greater match for those who favor Final Rewards factors and need to earn bonus factors on common journey bills. Nonetheless, do not forget that it would not must be a “this or that” determination; there’s room for each of those playing cards in a well-developed factors technique.

Backside line

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

Nonetheless, they’re one in all our prime card pairings, so it is likely to be value having each in your pockets.

To study extra, learn our full evaluations of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and Amex Gold.

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Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular
Apply right here: American Specific Gold

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