For these searching for a brand new rewards bank card, the query of whether or not or not the American Express® Gold Card is value its $250 annual price comes up steadily, and it’s straightforward to see why. After all, The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card lets customers earn the identical sort of rewards—within the type of Amex Membership Rewards factors—with no annual price in any respect. Then there’s The Platinum Card® from American Express, which comes with way more perks regardless of its a lot greater annual price of $695.
All issues thought-about, the Amex Gold’s advantages can greater than make up for the annual price. Below, we’ll discover why the Amex Gold’s annual price is value paying—particularly for the primary 12 months.
Amex Gold Card highlights
- Welcome provide: 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases inside six months of account opening
- Rewards fee: 4X factors on eating places, Uber Eats and U.S. grocery store purchases (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per 12 months, then 1X factors); 3X factors on flights booked immediately with airways or by way of American Express Travel; 2X factors on rental vehicles booked by way of American Express Travel; 1X factors on all different purchases
- Annual price: $250
- Regular APR: 15.99 % to 22.99 % (variable)
American Express Gold Card advantages
While it’s straightforward to see how this card’s rewards charges alone makes it value it, the cardboard has quite a few different advantages that add much more worth and allow you to recoup that annual price.
Up to $120 in Uber Cash
The Amex Gold Card gives as much as $120 in Uber Cash every year for Uber and Uber Eats. It’s doled out in increments of $10 monthly, and any unused money expires on the finish of the month.
Up to $120 eating credit score
Cardholders can obtain a eating credit score value as much as $120 per 12 months ($10 monthly). This credit score can be utilized for purchases at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed and collaborating Shake Shack places. Enrollment is required to obtain this credit score.
Up to $100 lodge credit score
This card additionally comes with a lodge credit score value as much as $100 while you e-book an eligible stick with The Hotel Collection. This credit score is sweet for stays of no less than two consecutive nights while you e-book with American Express Travel. It can be utilized for eligible eating, spa and resort actions, plus room upgrades after arrival (if out there).
Consumer protections
The Amex Gold Card additionally comes with client protections to safeguard purchases and assist customers get monetary savings. Specifically, cardholders will obtain buy safety towards harm or theft inside 90 days of buy. Another profit is prolonged guarantee protection, which provides one extra 12 months of safety to gadgets that include a producer’s guarantee of 5 years or much less.
Travel insurance coverage perks
Additional Amex Gold Card advantages embrace automobile rental loss and harm insurance coverage, entry to a Global Assist emergency hotline, baggage insurance coverage and journey delay insurance coverage.
Is Amex Gold definitely worth the annual price?
Up to $340 in eating, rideshare and lodge credit
When you contemplate the above advantages, it’s straightforward to see how the Amex Gold Card is definitely worth the annual price. You can obtain as much as $240 in meals and rideshare credit yearly, and the $100 lodge credit score might help you get monetary savings while you journey. That stated, be sure you don’t overlook about your advantages and allow them to expire. For instance, the 2 important assertion credit score perks (as much as $120 in eating credit and as much as $120 in Uber Cash) are given out in increments of $10 monthly, and they don’t roll over from one month to the following.
Incredible welcome provide for brand spanking new cardholders
The worth proposition for this card is excellent for the primary 12 months. If you earn the welcome provide of 60,000 Membership Rewards factors, these factors might be value as much as $1,200 in journey on their very own in response to latest valuations. And this doesn’t even have in mind the beneficiant rewards you earn on U.S. grocery store purchases, restaurant purchases, flights and extra.
Other rewards bank cards to contemplate
If you possibly can’t determine whether or not the Amex Gold annual price is value it, there are different playing cards with a decrease annual price or no annual price that supply comparable rewards or perks. Consider these choices when you’re hoping to earn extra rewards on groceries or eating, or if you wish to earn Amex Membership Rewards factors, with out paying a excessive annual price.
The Amex EveryDay Credit Card: Best no-fee various for incomes Amex Membership Rewards
The Amex EveryDay Credit Card comes with no annual price and lets customers earn factors within the American Express Membership Rewards program. New cardholders can earn 10,000 factors after spending $1,000 on purchases inside three months of account opening. From there, they will earn 2X factors on as much as $6,000 in spending at U.S. supermarkets every year (then 1X factors), 2X factors on pay as you go rental vehicles booked by way of American Express Travel and 1X factors on all different purchases. Plus, cardholders can obtain a 20 % increase in rewards in the event that they use their card for 20 or extra purchases inside a billing cycle.
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best lower-fee various for grocery rewards
To maximize rewards on grocery spending, contemplate the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. It comes with a $95 annual price, however that price is waived for the primary 12 months. With the Blue Cash Preferred, new clients will obtain a welcome provide of $300 after spending $3,000 inside six months of account opening. Cardholders additionally earn 6 % again on as much as $6,000 in spending at U.S. supermarkets every year (then 1 % again), 6 % again on choose U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3 % again at U.S. fuel stations, 3 % again on transit and 1 % again on different purchases.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best lower-fee various for eating rewards
Consumers ought to contemplate the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card in the event that they need to increase their rewards on eating. This card comes with a $95 annual price and $300 in bonus money for individuals who spend $3,000 inside three months of account opening. From there, cardholders earn 8 % again on purchases from Vivid Seats (till January 2023), 4 % again on eating, leisure and in style streaming providers, 3 % again at grocery shops and 1 % again on different purchases.
The backside line
For years, the Amex Gold has been some of the in style rewards bank cards out there, and it’s seemingly value it for anybody who can maximize its perks. But when you’re not sure in regards to the Amex Gold as a result of its advantages are too particular—making it more durable to recoup the annual price—that’s completely comprehensible. There are loads of different rewards bank cards to contemplate, together with different American Express playing cards. After all, it by no means hurts to spend time evaluating all your choices earlier than you decide.