Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum: Battle of the premium small-business cards from American Express
Editor's Note
In the American Express lineup of small-business cards, the American Express® Business Gold Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express are two popular offerings.
But just like their consumer counterparts, these two cards are each geared toward cardholders with different goals and needs. The Amex Business Gold card underwent a refresh of benefits, including an increase in the annual fee (see rates and fees). Meanwhile, the Business Platinum Card got its own overhaul in 2021.
Let's review these cards to see how the refreshed Amex Business Gold competes with the Amex Business Platinum.
Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum comparison
| Amex Business Gold | Amex Business Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. | Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in your first three months of card membership. |
| Annual fee | $375 (see rates and fees) | $695 (see rates and fees) |
| Earning rates | 4 points per dollar in two categories (U.S. gas stations, U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), advertising in select media, transit, purchases, U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, & wireless) with the most spending each billing cycle (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year; then 1 point per dollar)
3 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotel bookings made through AmexTravel.com 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases | 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more and in select business categories at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, software and & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else) up to $2 million of purchases in a calendar year, then 1 point per dollar 1 point per dollar on other purchases (terms apply) |
| Benefits (enrollment required for select benefits) | Up to $240 annually (up to $20 a month in statement credits) for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores
Up to $155 back annually in statement credits allotted in up to $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal, excluding Plus Ups) Travel protections Cellphone protection* No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) | Up to $400 in statement credits (up to $200 bi-annually) with Dell Technologies. Benefit ends June 30, 2025.
Up to $360 in statement credits (up to $90 quarterly) for purchases with Indeed. Up to $150 in statement credits with Adobe on Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro. Benefit ends June 30, 2025. Up to $120 in statement credits (up to $10 monthly) on purchases with U.S. wireless telephone service providers Up to $200 airline fee credit Up to $199 Clear Plus credit $120 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years Access to The Global Lounge Collection Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status Hilton Honors Gold Status Travel protections Purchase protections Cellphone protection* No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) |
| Redemption bonus | None | 35% back on Pay with Points flight redemptions (up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year) on first/business class with any airline and all classes with your selected airline from a list of qualifying airlines booked through American Express travel |
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum welcome offer
New applicants of the Amex Business Gold Card can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership. TPG's November 2024 valuations peg Amex points at 2 cents a piece, so the current offer is worth an impressive $2,000.
The welcome offer on the Amex Business Platinum Card is even better. New applicants earn 150,000 points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership. According to TPG's November 2024 valuations, the welcome offer for the Business Platinum is worth a staggering $3,000. However, there is a significantly higher spending threshold to earn the bonus.
Winner: Amex Business Platinum — as long as you can meet the card's hefty minimum spending requirement
Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum benefits
As premium business travel rewards cards, both come with many of the same features:
- Travel protections — Trip delay insurance**, baggage insurance plan*, and car rental loss and damage insurance*. Business Gold cardholders receive up to $500 worth of insurance for damaged, stolen or lost checked bags ($1,250 for carry-ons). Meanwhile, Business Platinum cardholders receive up to $2,000 for checked bags ($3,000 for carry-ons) when traveling on any common carrier such as aircraft, trains, ships or buses.
- Purchase protection* — Your eligible purchases are covered against accidental damage or theft for 90 days for up to $1,000 per incident with the Business Gold and up to $10,000 per incident with the Business Platinum for up to $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year. However, coverage related to natural disasters is limited to $500 per incident.
- Extended warranty* — Your purchases receive up to one additional year of warranty service on purchases with warranties of five years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000, not to exceed $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year.
- Cellphone Protection** — Receive reimbursements for the repair or replacement costs for damage or theft with a maximum limit of $800 per claim up to two claims in a 12-month period. In order to be eligible, the wireless bill for the cellphone line must be paid using either the Business Gold or Business Platinum. A $50 deductible is applied to approved claims.
The Amex Business Gold has statement credits, putting it more on par with its counterpart, the Business Platinum. Cardmembers will receive up to $240 annually (up to $20 a month in statement credits) for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores. In addition, cardmembers will also receive up to $155 back annually in statement credits for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal, excluding Plus Ups).
Still, the Amex Business Platinum has many benefits beyond what the Amex Business Gold offers. These benefits are enough to offset the card's high annual fee but are also tailored to help businesses with costs. Statement credits include up to $400 with Dell Technologies (up to $200 bi-annually), up to $360 with Indeed (up to $90 quarterly), up to $150 with Adobe Creative Cloud or Pro DC, and up to $120 with U.S. wireless service providers (up to $10 monthly). The Dell and Adobe statement credits will end on June 30, 2025, so if you are a new cardmember, be sure to utilize them fully before these benefits end. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
But where the Amex Business Platinum shines is with its travel benefits, such as the up to $200 airline fee credit on your choice of airline toward incidental purchases, up to $199 Clear Plus credit and up to $120 statement credit for the Global Entry (every 4 years) or up to $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck application fee (every 4.5 years). Cardholders also enjoy access to an extensive collection of airport lounges, including Amex's own Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Priority Pass Select, Lufthansa Lounges (with a same-day Lufthansa flight, regardless of ticketed cabin) and Escape Lounges. This also includes Delta Sky Club access — though effective Feb. 1, 2025, eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight unless you spend $75,000 in your card in a calendar year. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Additional Amex Business Platinum travel benefits include complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors Gold status. Enrollment is required.
Finally, the Amex Business Platinum offers Pay with Points rebates on select flights booked through American Express Travel. When you use Membership Rewards points to book first- or business-class flights on any airline or economy tickets on your designated airline, you'll enjoy 35% of them back as a Business Platinum cardmember.
Winner: Amex Business Platinum for its outstanding range of statement credits and travel perks.
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Earning points with the Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum
As American Express issued cards, both the Business Gold and Business Platinum earn points in the Membership Rewards ecosystem, but at different rates and in different categories.
The Amex Business Gold has useful, business-friendly 4 points per dollar bonus categories. A unique aspect of earning on this card is that you'll automatically earn 4 points per dollar in your top two spending categories each billing cycle, so there's no need to select a category and commit to it. The eligible categories are:
- U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- U.S. purchases at restaurants
- Transit including trains, taxi cabs, ride-hailing, tolls, ferries, buses, parking and subways subways
- U.S. purchases made with electronic goods retailers, software, and cloud service providers
- Monthly wireless telephone charges are made directly with U.S. service providers
The Amex Business Gold also earns 3 points per dollar on flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid flight + hotel packages that are booked directly with Amex Travel or AmexTravel.com.
In comparison to the Business Gold, the Amex Business Platinum offers a limited number of categories to earn points. The eligible categories include:
- 5 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com
- 1.5 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases in business categories and purchases of $5,000 or more, for up to $2 million in purchases a year
- 1 point for every dollar on all other eligible purchases
Winner: Amex Business Gold. Cardmembers can earn bonus points through several categories.
Related: Maximize your earning with the Amex Business Gold
Redeeming points with the Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum
Membership Rewards earned with the card can be redeemed toward statement credits, used for travel purchases (such as airfare or hotels) through Amex Travel, and transferred to the issuer's 21 airline and hotel partners.
However, there are slight differences when it comes to select flights booked via American Express Travel with the issuer's Pay with Points feature.
The Amex Business Platinum offers a 35% Pay with Points rebate (up to 1 million points back per calendar year).
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. The ability to use Pay with Points gives this card the upper hand.
Transferring points with the Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum
Membership Rewards points can be transferred to over 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs. When used in this manner, points are worth 2 cents each, according to TPG's November 2024 valuations. Transferring points to airline partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, or Air France-KLM FlyingBlue can help you score phenomenal flight options and get the most return on your points — especially if you can do so with a limited-time transfer bonus.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson regularly transfers points to Avianca Lifemiles and has secured transatlantic flights to Europe from Newark for as low as 17,000 points in economy class.
Winner: Tie. Both cards offer the exact same list of transfer partners and ratios.
Should I get the Amex Business Gold or Amex Business Platinum?
The Amex Business Platinum is great for frequent travelers and those looking for a card to give them perks and benefits that enhance their experience when on the road, such as Marriott and Hilton elite status and an array of airport lounge access. These perks justify the card's $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). On the other hand, the Amex Business Gold is better for small-business owners who want to earn maximum points on everyday business spending across a wide variety of categories for a manageable annual fee of $375 (see rates and fees).
Bottom line
Each of these business cards from American Express could be a good fit for your needs. Depending on the size and nature of your company, you might even consider getting both cards. You could carry the Business Gold to maximize the card's bonus categories and keep a Business Platinum to enjoy benefits like Centurion Lounge access, rental car elite status and a 35% bonus on points redeemed for select airfare through Amex Travel.
By examining your business needs, you can choose the best combination of cards to maximize your award travel possibilities.
For more information, see our full reviews of the Amex Business Gold and Amex Business Platinum.
Apply here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Apply here: American Express Business Gold Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here.