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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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What credit score do you need for the Amex Business Gold Card?
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
also contributed to this story
November 18, 2024 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
A business rewards card offers elevated points at select merchant categories, with a cap on bonus earning each calendar year.
Eligibility for the welcome offer is limited to first-time applicants and those who have not previously held the card, with additional factors potentially impacting offer availability.
Applicants generally need a good to excellent consumer credit score, though business credit details may also be considered.
A qualification tool allows applicants to check welcome offer eligibility before a hard credit inquiry is performed.
What to consider
Bonus earning is limited to the first $150,000 in combined eligible purchases per calendar year, then a lower rate applies.
Welcome offer eligibility is restricted by a one-bonus-per-lifetime policy and may be affected by your history of opening and closing similar cards.
Applicants denied approval will receive a letter outlining reasons, and may request reconsideration or reapply after at least 30 days.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed walkthrough of how credit scores are assessed for business card applications and guidance on improving approval odds.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
American Express offers several of the best business cards on the market. One of these cards is the American Express® Business Gold Card, which offers a diverse business-focused 4 points per dollar on select bonus categories.
However, you may doubt whether you can get approved for the Amex Business Gold Card. Specifically, you may wonder whether you are eligible for the card. So, I'll take a closer look at these topics so you can decide whether to apply.
Amex Business Gold overview
The Amex Business Gold Card caters to small businesses with select types of business expenses. The Amex Business Gold offers 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar (up to $150,000 per calendar year; 1 point thereafter) on the two categories where your business spent the most each billing cycle from the following list:
Monthly wireless telephone service charges directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
You’ll only earn 4 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in purchases in the combined categories each calendar year (1 point per dollar thereafter). If you maximize your earnings here, you’ll receive 600,000 points for these purchases.
Based on TPG’s November 2024 valuations, 600,000 Membership Rewards points are worth $12,000.
Even if you earn 4 points per dollar on significantly less spending each year, the Amex Business Gold could still make sense. For example, a road warrior who uses the Amex Business Gold for all their domestic gas and restaurant purchases could quickly earn enough rewards to justify the card’s $375 annual fee (see rates and fees).
In short, the value you’ll get from the Amex Business Gold Card depends on the business expenses you incur and what other cards you carry in your wallet.
What credit score do you need for the Amex Business Gold?
There is no set credit score requirement for the Amex Business Gold. However, successful applicants generally have a good to excellent consumer credit score.
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The Amex Business Gold Card is a business card. As such, Amex will check your consumer credit score as well as your business credit score. Not all businesses have a business credit score, though. In this case, Amex will base its decision on your consumer credit score and the details you provide about your business.
Who is eligible for the Amex Business Gold welcome offer?
New Amex Business Gold cardmembers can find out their offer and see if they are eligible for as high as 200,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Since Amex Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each according to TPG's November 2024 valuations, this bonus is valued at up to $4,000.
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However, not all applicants are eligible for this bonus. Specifically, under Amex’s one-bonus-per-lifetime policy, the welcome offer isn’t available to current or previous Amex Business Gold cardmembers.
Amex also notes in the welcome offer terms that it may “consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.”
Luckily, Amex has a welcome bonus qualification tool that will tell you after you apply if you aren’t eligible to earn the welcome bonus. You can opt to withdraw your application at this point, in which case Amex wouldn't perform a hard pull on your credit.
So, if you don’t want the Amex Business Gold Card without its welcome offer, carefully read any messages that appear after submitting your application.
For example, you can pull your Experian FICO Score 8 for free by logging in to Experian’s FreeCreditScore website every 30 days. Likewise, you can check your TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 for free each week using Amex’s MyCredit Guide.
Your credit score isn’t just one number. Instead, your credit score at any given time may vary based on the calculation method (such as FICO Score 8 and VantageScore 3.0) and credit reporting agency (such as TransUnion and Experian). The exact calculation methods aren’t publicly available. But FICO says that a FICO Score consists of the following:
Payment history (35%)
Amounts owed (30%)
Length of credit history (15%)
New credit (10%)
Credit mix (10%)
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If you want to improve your credit score, it’s essential to understand what factors affect your credit score. Your credit score will usually improve as you pay off debt and learn how to pay your credit card bills the right way.
If you apply for the Amex Business Gold, Amex may reject your application. Even with excellent credit, other factors may lead Amex to deny your card application.
If Amex rejects your application, you’ll receive a letter stating Amex’s reasons for the rejection. TPG contributor Ethan Steinberg uses each of his rejected credit card applications as a learning experience. After all, it’s possible to improve your credit portfolio and then apply for another card (or the same card).
However, Amex recommends waiting at least 30 days before applying for another Amex card.
ROB LEWINE/GETTY IMAGES
Alternatively, if you have information that might cause Amex to change its decision regarding your application, you can call Amex customer service at 1-800-567-1083 and ask Amex to review its decision.
Best case, Amex may reverse its decision and approve you for the card. But even if Amex isn’t willing to change its decision, you may better understand why Amex denied your card application.
The Amex Business Gold Card offers 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar on purchases in select categories (on up to $150,000 of eligible purchases each calendar year, then 1 point). As such, this card can be an excellent choice for small businesses that incur substantial expenses each billing cycle in one or two of the card’s categories.
A good (to excellent) credit score may be enough for approval, especially if other business details indicate your application is relatively low-risk.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold Card, click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
