Key takeaways

  • Despite the generous welcome offer and earning rate on the American Express® Business Gold Card, the $295 annual fee ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24) may give some consumers pause.
  • Looking over your past business spending can help you figure out how much in rewards you can earn and whether your rewards haul will justify the annual fee.
  • Also look at other benefits this card offers, including its travel insurance perks and consumer protections.
  • Ultimately, the Amex Business Gold can be worth it if you value the rewards and benefits you’re getting enough to pay its annual fee.

The American Express® Business Gold Card lets business owners earn 4X points on up to $150,000 per year in the two categories they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1X points), 2X points on rental car bookings through AmexTravel.com and 1X points on all other purchases. New cardholders can also earn a generous welcome offer of 70,000 points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first three months of card membership.

Still, a $295 annual fee applies to this card ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24), which should leave you with an important question: Is the American Express Business Gold Card worth it?

While the right business credit card is different for everyone, we believe the Amex Business Gold is ironically “worth its weight in gold” for the right type of business owner. We’ll explain why in more detail below.

When is the Amex Business Gold worth it?

Before you sign up for the Amex Business Gold, it’s smart to think over how your business actually spends, as well as the way you prefer to redeem your rewards later on. You’ll also want to consider any perks you get just for being a cardholder.

Here are some scenarios where the Amex Business Gold can be well worth the $295 annual fee ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24).

You want to earn Amex Membership Rewards points

First off, you should note that points earned with this card fall within the dynamic American Express Membership Rewards program and are worth 2.0 cents each toward premium transfer partner travel redemptions, according to Bankrate valuations, meaning the welcome offer alone can be worth $1,400.

Membership Rewards points come with a variety of redemption options in general. Points can be used for merchandise, gift cards, statement credits and travel through AmexTravel.com. You can also transfer points to American Express transfer partners, like Delta SkyMiles, Air France / Flying Blue and the Hilton Honors program.

Your business spends a lot in the card’s eligible bonus categories

Also remember that the Amex Business Gold gets you 4X points on up to $150,000 per year in the two business categories you spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1X points). Business spending categories that qualify for heightened rewards include airfare purchased directly from an airline; advertising (purchased in the U.S. to promote your business online, on TV or on the radio); U.S. gas stations; U.S. restaurants; U.S. shipping costs; and U.S. computer software, hardware and cloud data made directly from select providers.

If your business spends a ton in these categories, you could score quite the haul in points over the course of a year. After all, maximizing your spending in categories like airfare, purchases at U.S. gas stations and U.S. shipping purchases could net you 600,000 Amex Membership Rewards points per year, worth up to $12,000 over the course of 12 months.

Several included perks are attractive to you

Other Amex Business Gold benefits include no foreign transaction fees, a baggage insurance plan, trip delay insurance, access to the Global Assist Hotline and secondary auto rental coverage. Separately, this card also comes with extended warranties on eligible items and purchase protection against damage or theft.

When is the Amex Business Gold not worth it?

While the scenarios above are ones where this card’s annual fee can pay for itself with ease, the Amex Business Gold won’t work for everyone. If any of the situations below apply to you, the Amex Business Gold probably isn’t the best option for you.

Your business spending doesn’t align with this card’s bonus categories

Earning 4X points in a range of popular categories (on up to $150,000 per year in two select categories your business spends the most in each billing cycle, then 1X points) sounds like a good idea in theory, yet this exceptional rate will only benefit you if you spend in the included categories. If your business spending tends to fall elsewhere or you make a lot of miscellaneous purchases with a business credit card, the regular earning rate on the Amex Business Gold is just 1X points.

You actually want to earn cash back

Also keep in mind that Amex Membership Rewards points are best for travel and far from ideal if you want to rack up cash back or points you can redeem for merchandise or gift cards. The fact is, you’ll only get 0.7 cents per point in value when you redeem rewards for purchases with the Amex Pay with Points feature, 0.6 cents per point if you redeem points for statement credits and anywhere from 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point for gift cards.

If you want a way to redeem rewards for non-travel redemptions and still get at least 1 cent per point, the Amex Business Gold is not the business credit card for you.

You’re trying to keep costs down for your business

As we mentioned already, the $295 annual fee on this card ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24) can be hard to justify if your business doesn’t spend enough to rack up a considerable amount in rewards.

The card’s lack of an introductory APR offer also means carrying a balance will become costly in a hurry. If you need to carry a balance on your business card from time to time, you may want to look into cards that offer a zero-interest period on purchases. Some of the best American Express business credit cards even let you earn Membership Rewards points with no annual fee while enjoying a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months after account opening.

Should you get the Amex Business Gold?

The Amex Business Gold Card can be worth it if your business spending aligns with its bonus categories, you believe you can comfortably earn the welcome offer and you want some purchase and travel protections. That said, it can help to do some math to figure out what the rewards you earn will be worth.

As an example, a business owner who spends $60,000 per year in eligible bonus categories would earn 240,000 Membership Rewards points that can be worth up to $5,040 in travel if transferred to high-value Amex transfer partners. However, a business that only spends $5,000 in eligible categories per year would earn 20,000 points with an approximate value of $420.

At that level of spending, you may want to compare all the best business credit cards available today — including options with no annual fee — to find a better fit.

The bottom line

Before you sign up for the Amex Business Gold, make sure to read our American Express Business Gold Card review. Doing so can help you understand all this business credit card has to offer as well as how it stacks up to other business cards with comparable annual fees.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.