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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.
Reviews
American Express Business Gold Card review: No fuss with high earning potential
Olivia Mittak is a credit cards editor at TPG. She specializes in maximizing earn for points and miles, finding the best welcome bonuses and choosing the right credit cards for your wallet.
April 21, 2026 • 10 min read
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Quick summary
A mid-tier business card offers strong value for companies that spend in select categories and with certain merchants.
Cardholders can benefit from statement credits for specific subscriptions and services, travel and shopping protections, and business management tools.
The card is best suited for businesses that already spend with featured merchants and can maximize the included credits.
It is positioned as a lifestyle card rather than a travel-focused option, with most benefits limited to the U.S.
What to consider
Maximizing value requires regular spending with select merchants and enrollment for statement credits.
The card's benefits are largely U.S.-centric, and international spenders may find better alternatives.
There is a relatively high annual fee, so businesses should ensure they can offset this cost through the card's perks.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of mid-tier and premium business cards, including which is better for travel versus everyday business expenses.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
at American Express's secure site. Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
Rewards rate
Rate
Category
4X
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
3X
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ using your Business Gold Card.*
1X
Earn 1X on all other eligible purchases.
Intro offer
As High As 200,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
Annual fee
$375
Regular APR
17.99% - 28.74% Variable
Recommended credit
Excellent to Good
For a small business that's ready to commit to a mid-tier business card, the offers strong value. It has strong earning rates, particularly when transferring points to loyalty partners.
Plus, cardmembers receive statement credits for select merchants, useful travel and shopping protections, and business management tools. If your business already spends in its bonus categories and with the merchants covered by its benefits, the Amex Business Gold can be a powerful addition to your wallet. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
Amex Business Gold: The basics
The has a $375 annual fee (see rates and fees), meaning prospective cardmembers must be prepared to recoup that value each year.
Fortunately, the Business Gold offers several ways to offset this cost. According to TPG's April 2026 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents per point, meaning you can recoup substantial value with high-value award redemptions.
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In addition, cardmembers have access to the following perks:
Up to $300 per calendar year in statement credits for U.S. purchases of ChatGPT Business subscriptions (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required)
Up to $240 per calendar year in statement credits (up to $20 monthly) for U.S. purchases at Grubhub, office supply stores and shipments at UPS.com (enrollment required)
Up to $155 per calendar year in statement credits (up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes monthly) for one Walmart+ membership (Plus-Ups excluded; subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required)
Up to $150 per calendar year for U.S. subscription purchases with Squarespace (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required)
Business management tools, such as the ability to link your Business Gold account to QuickBooks
These benefits should help most business owners get outsize value from the Business Gold.
Amex Business Gold pros and cons
Pros
Cons
Earn bonus points in your top two spending categories each month
Valuable transferable points
Statement credits with select merchants
Better options are available for small businesses that have fewer expenses
Charges a high annual fee
High minimum spending requirement for the welcome offer
Benefits may be hard to maximize for some businesses
Amex Business Gold benefits
If your business is interested in automating, the annual up to $300 statement credit for a U.S. ChatGPT Business subscription is a good way to test out how you can best incorporate it into your day to day needs (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required).
If your business already shops with the merchants covered by the 's up-to-$20-per-month statement credit (enrollment required), you're well positioned to get meaningful value from this card.
If you have a Walmart+ membership or want to get one, receiving up to $12.95 per month (plus applicable taxes) in statement credits from the Business Gold for one Walmart+ membership can save your business money (Plus-Ups excluded; subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required).
If your business needs or uses a custom website or online storefront, the up to $150 in annual statement credits toward a U.S. Squarespace subscription could help host or maintain your site (subject ot auto-renewal; enrollment required).
If your business needs to go out of its way to use the Business Gold's statement credits, I'd think twice before opening it. A $375 annual fee is nothing to ignore, so it's important that you're confident in the value you can get from this card.
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While the Business Gold offers some travel benefits, like certain insurance policies and an up to $100 credit for The Hotel Collection stays booked on AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ (minimum two-night stay required), this card is better suited as a lifestyle card than a travel card.
If you're looking for a card that offers perks for flights, hotels or general travel, you'll want to look at other options (more on that in a little bit).
How to earn and use your rewards
The earns Membership Rewards points. Cardmembers earn points at the following rates:
4 points per dollar spent on your top two spending categories each billing cycle, from the following categories (on up to $150,000 in combined spending each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent):
Transit
Select U.S. advertising
U.S. electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers
U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
U.S. gas stations
U.S. wireless phone service providers
3 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
If you don't want to go through the effort of transferring your rewards to partners, you can redeem your points for gift cards, travel through Amex Travel, statement credits and at Amazon.com checkout.
Transferring your points to Amex's travel partners is usually how to get maximum value from them, which is what we recommend.
Some highlights include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Iberia Club. Air Canada Aeroplan is a great way to book long-haul, lie-flat business-class seats, since there's often good availability across partner airlines.
SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Membership Rewards points can also be great for booking economy flights with partners. I recently transferred 36,000 Membership Rewards points to Delta SkyMiles to book two one-way tickets for a friend and me from Cancun International Airport (CUN) to Portland International Airport (PDX). Our tickets cost 36,000 SkyMiles total (plus $175 in taxes and fees). The cash rate for those two tickets was $772 total.
Where the Amex Business Gold could fall short
The will be hard to get meaningful value from if your business doesn't already spend with brands like Grubhub and Walmart.
Given that the Business Gold earns transferable rewards points and has a relatively high annual fee, I'd like to see at least one statement credit for airline incidentals or hotel bookings, even if it can only be earned for bookings made via Amex Travel.
If you own a very small business or just do a side hustle, there are no-annual-fee cards out there that offer great value with less commitment. It's definitely possible to earn valuable rewards without dedicating your business to an annual fee in the hundreds.
OSCAR WONG/GETTY IMAGES
On the flip side, if your business spends hundreds of thousands each year, you may feel limited by the spending cap on the Amex Business Gold's 4-points-per-dollar-spent category. While earning lots of points on some of your spending is always better than earning no rewards at all, there are cards out there that don't have spending caps on common business expenses.
The Amex Business Gold's bigger sibling is the $895-annual-fee (see rates and fees).
This card is much more oriented toward travel, offering statement credits for travel, lounge access, hotel elite status and 5 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com.
If you're on the hunt for a card that can stretch your business's travel to the fullest extent, the Amex Business Platinum will likely be right up your alley. Otherwise, the Amex Business Gold may be a better fit, especially if you don't want to deal with a wide range of perks to track.
Right now, new cardmembers can find out their offer and see if they're 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.)
According to TPG's valuations, this welcome offer is worth up to $4,000.
ILONA TITOVA/GETTY IMAGES
If you're able to get at least 100,000 points for your targeted offer, it's worth applying. That said, considering that Amex only allows a person one welcome bonus per card in a lifetime, it’s worth waiting to see if you’re targeted for the maximum 200,000-point targeted offer.
Other cards to consider instead of the Amex Business Gold
If the Amex Business Gold isn't the right fit for your business, here are a few other options to consider instead:
If you want a no-annual-fee business card: has no annual fee (see rates and fees) and earns 2 points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 in spending per calendar year (then 1 point per dollar spent). To learn more, check out our full review of the Blue Business Plus.
If you want an affordable premium business card: The Capital One Venture X Business has a $395 annual fee and offers premium-level perks, including an annual $300 credit for Capital One Business Travel bookings and lounge access. To learn more, check out our full review of the Venture X Business.
For the right business, the Amex Business Gold is a great way to earn valuable Membership Rewards points while saving on expenses with certain brands. I believe it's a great gateway into more expensive rewards cards, provided you can offset its $375 annual fee.
Just remember that this card is oriented toward those who spend a lot on everyday expenses like advertising, food and office supplies, versus businesses that travel constantly. As long as that fits your business, the Amex Business Gold is worth serious consideration.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus, please click here.
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.
