Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum: Which premium business card is right for you?
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.
Let's review these two popular business cards to see how the Amex Business Gold competes with the Amex Business Platinum.
Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum comparison
| Amex Business Gold | Amex Business Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| <strong>Welcome bonus</strong> | Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 200,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. | Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 300,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. |
| <strong>Annual fee</strong> | $375 (see <a href="/tc/7763?pid=7763&name=American%20Express%C2%AE%20Business%20Gold%20Card&data-testid=ratesFees" target="_blank">rates and fees</a>) | $895 (see <a href="/tc/7758?pid=7758&name=The%20Business%20Platinum%20Card%C2%AE%20from%20American%20Express&data-testid=ratesFees" target="_blank">rates and fees</a>) |
| <strong>Earning rates</strong> | <ul> <li>Earn 4 points per dollar spent in two categories — out of U.S. gas stations, U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), advertising in select media from U.S. media providers, transit, U.S. electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and U.S. wireless telephone services — with the most spending each billing cycle (on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent).</li> <li>Earn 3 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotel bookings made through amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.</li> </ul> | <ul> <li>Earn 5 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.</li> <li>Earn 2 points per dollar spent in select business categories — including U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers — as well as on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (on up to $2 million of purchases in a calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent).</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases.</li> </ul> |
| <strong>Benefits</strong><strong><br> </strong> | <ul> <li>Up to $240 per calendar year (up to $20 a month in statement credits) for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub and office supply stores</li> <li>Up to $155 back per calendar year (up to $12.95 a month in statement credits) for one Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal; excluding Plus Ups)</li> <li>Travel protections</li> <li>Cellphone protection*</li> <li>No foreign transaction fees (see <a href="/tc/7763?pid=7763&name=American%20Express%C2%AE%20Business%20Gold%20Card&data-testid=ratesFees" target="_blank">rates and fees</a>)</li> <li>Enrollment is required for select benefits</li> </ul> | <ul> <li>Up to $150 in statement credits on U.S. purchases made directly at Dell and an additional $1,000 statement credit after spending $5,000 or more each calendar year</li> <li>Up to $360 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $90 quarterly) for purchases with Indeed</li> <li>$250 in Adobe statement credit after spending $600 or more on U.S. purchases made directly at Adobe each calendar year (subject to auto-renewal)</li> <li>Up to $209 in Clear+ statement credits per calendar year (subject to auto-renewal)</li> <li>Up to $200 in airline fee statement credit per calendar year</li> <li>Up to $120 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $10 monthly) for purchases with U.S. wireless telephone service providers</li> <li>$120 in statement credit for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 in TSA PreCheck credit every 4 1/2 years</li> <li>Access to The Global Lounge Collection (a<span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">ccess is limited to eligible cardmembers)</span></li> <li>Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status</li> <li>Hilton Honors Gold status</li> <li>Leaders Club Sterling status</li> <li>Travel protections</li> <li>Purchase protections</li> <li>Cellphone protection*</li> <li>No foreign transaction fees (see <a href="/tc/7758?pid=7758&name=The%20Business%20Platinum%20Card%C2%AE%20from%20American%20Express&data-testid=ratesFees" target="_blank">rates and fees</a>)</li> <li>Enrollment is required for select benefits</li> </ul> |
| <strong>Redemption bonus</strong> | None | Receive 35% back on Pay with Points flight redemptions (up to 1 million points back per calendar year) for eligible flights with your selected airline booked through Amex 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 find out their offer and see if they are eligible for as high as 200,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
TPG's March 2026 valuations peg Amex points at 2 cents apiece, so the current offer is worth up to $4,000.
The welcome offer on the Amex Business Platinum Card is even better. New applicants can find out their offer and see if they are eligible for as high as 300,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases within 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 $6,000.
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. As long as you can meet the card's hefty minimum spending requirement, its welcome offer provides more value.
Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum benefits
As premium business travel rewards cards, both come with many of the same features:
- Travel protections, including baggage insurance**, car rental loss and damage insurance**, and trip delay insurance***
- Purchase protection**
- Extended warranty**
- Cellphone protection***
**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 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.
The Amex Business Gold has a set of business-friendly statement credits that help offset its annual fee.
Still, the Amex Business Platinum offers many benefits beyond those of the Amex Business Gold. These benefits are enough to offset the card's high annual fee but are also tailored to help business owners save money and travel comfortably.
The Amex Business Platinum definitely wins when it comes to travel-related benefits. As a great example, you can't get lounge access with the Business Gold, but you can with the Business Platinum.
This access includes Amex's own Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Lufthansa lounges (with a same-day Lufthansa Group flight, regardless of the ticketed cabin) and Escape lounges.
This also includes Delta Sky Club access — eligible Business Platinum Card members will receive 10 visits per eligible card, per year to Delta Sky Clubs and grab-and-go locations when traveling on a same-day, Delta-operated flight, unless they spend $75,000 with their card in a calendar year to enjoy unlimited access.
Additional Amex Business Platinum travel benefits include complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, Hilton Honors Gold status and various rental car elite statuses. Enrollment is required.
Finally, the Amex Business Platinum offers Pay with Points bonuses on select flights booked through American Express Travel. When you use Membership Rewards points to book eligible flights with your selected qualifying airline through Amex Travel, you'll receive 35% of them back as a Business Platinum Card member (up to 1 million points back per calendar year).
Amex Business Platinum cardholders are also eligible for an annual $200 credit toward airline incidental fees with this airline. This can cover things like airport lounge passes, checked bag fees and other common charges you may incur on the road. Once you make an eligible purchase, it will be refunded in the form of a statement credit.
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. It offers an outstanding range of statement credits and travel perks.
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.
A unique aspect of earning on the Amex Business Gold is that you'll automatically earn 4 points per dollar spent in your top two spending categories each billing cycle (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), so there's no need to select a category and commit to it. Eligible categories include:
- U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- Transit purchases, including trains, taxis, ride-hailing services, tolls, ferries, buses, parking and subways
- U.S. purchases made with electronic goods retailers and software and cloud service providers
- Monthly wireless telephone charges made directly with U.S. service providers
The Amex Business Gold also earns 3 points per dollar spent on flights, prepaid hotels and prepaid flight-and-hotel packages that are booked on amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Compared to the Amex Business Gold, the Amex Business Platinum offers fewer categories for earning points. Eligible categories include:
- Flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com (5 points per dollar spent)
- Eligible business categories (U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers) and purchases of $5,000 or more in any category (2 points per dollar spent; applies to up to $2 million in combined purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)
- All other eligible purchases (1 point per dollar spent)
Winner: Amex Business Gold. Cardmembers can earn bonus points through more categories.
Related: Maximize your earning with the Amex Business Gold
Redeeming points with the Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum
Membership Rewards points earned with the Amex Business Gold and the Amex Business Platinum can be redeemed for statement credits, used for travel purchases (such as airfare or hotels) through American Express Travel, and transferred to the issuer's various airline and hotel partners.
However, there is a slight difference with select flights booked via Amex Travel with the issuer's Pay with Points feature.
The Amex Business Platinum offers a 35% Pay with Points bonus (up to 1 million points back per calendar year) when booking eligible flights with your selected qualifying airline through Amex Travel. This can be helpful when you want to book a specific flight with your chosen airline but can't book it through one of the issuer's transfer partners.
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 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs. When used in this manner, points are worth 2 cents each, according to TPG's valuations. However, you can often get more value than this when you book business- and first-class airfare.
Transferring points to airline partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue can help you score phenomenal flights and maximize your return on your points — especially if you can complete your transfer during a limited-time transfer bonus.
Credit Cards Editor Olivia Mittak likes to use her Membership Rewards points for flights, such as with Air Canada Aeroplan and Delta SkyMiles.
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 that offers perks and benefits to enhance their experience on the road. If you can use the included benefits, this card's perks justify its $895 annual fee.
That said, the Amex Business Gold is a better fit for small-business owners who want to earn as many points as possible on everyday business spending across a wide variety of categories, all for a manageable annual fee of $375.
Some business owners may find value in opening both cards. This way, they can use the Amex Business Platinum Card for travel benefits and the Amex Business Gold Card for earning more points on their daily business expenses.
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.
Again, 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 eligible flights with your selected qualifying airline booked through Amex Travel (up to 1 million points back per calendar year).
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.
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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