The American Express® Business Gold Card is designed for business owners who want to earn significant rewards from their everyday spending in a few select categories. It stands out in the competitive world of business credit cards for its dynamic rewards structure, robust perks, and suite of business-focused tools. This review breaks down its features, advantages, disadvantages, and whether it’s worth the annual fee for your business.
Introduction
The Amex Business Gold Card is a mid-tier business card built for companies that spend heavily in certain areas. It offers generous Membership Rewards® point earnings, flexibility in spending categories, and valuable statement credits. With a recently increased annual fee of $375, businesses must evaluate whether the card’s benefits justify its cost.
Key Highlights
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Earn 4x Membership Rewards® points in the top two spending categories each month (on up to $150,000 in combined purchases annually).
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Earn 3x points on flights and prepaid hotels when booked through Amex Travel.
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A valuable welcome offer of 100,000 points (typically requires $10,000–$15,000 in spending within the first three months).
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Up to $395 in annual credits, including for FedEx, Grubhub, office supplies, and Walmart+.
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Access to a suite of Amex business tools and protections.
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No preset spending limit and a flexible Pay Over Time feature.
Earning Points
Dynamic Bonus Categories
One of the most appealing features of this card is its dynamic rewards model. Instead of locking cardholders into fixed bonus categories, the card automatically gives 4x points in the two categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle.
These categories include:
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U.S. Restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
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U.S. Gas Stations
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U.S. Advertising (select media)
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U.S. Technology Providers (software and cloud services)
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U.S. Shipping
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U.S. Wireless Phone Services
This approach allows your business to optimize rewards without constantly tracking or shifting spending habits. The 4x rate applies to the first $150,000 combined annually in those two categories. After that, spending earns 1x.
Travel Rewards
You’ll also earn 3x Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. This is a solid perk for businesses with regular travel expenses, though booking through a third-party portal may not always be ideal for loyalty program benefits.
All Other Purchases
Anything outside of the selected top categories or travel booked directly through Amex earns 1x point per dollar, so businesses with more generalized spending might not maximize the card’s value.
Welcome Bonus
Most new cardholders are eligible for a 100,000-point welcome bonus, provided they meet the required spending threshold—often $10,000 to $15,000 within the first three months of account opening.
These points can be worth around $1,000 to $2,000, depending on how you redeem them—especially if you use them for flights, hotel bookings, or transfers to travel partners.
Annual Credits
Despite its relatively high annual fee, the Business Gold Card offsets much of that cost with valuable monthly credits:
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FedEx, Grubhub, and U.S. Office Supply Credit: Get up to $20 per month, or $240 per year, in statement credits for purchases at these merchants.
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Walmart+ Membership Credit: Receive a monthly credit to cover your Walmart+ subscription, worth up to $155 annually.
These benefits require enrollment and are “use it or lose it”—unused monthly credits don’t roll over. Still, if your business already uses these services, these credits can significantly reduce your effective cost of ownership.
Travel & Purchase Protections
As with many American Express premium cards, the Business Gold comes with a host of protections:
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Trip Delay Insurance: Covers delays of more than 12 hours when paid with the card.
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Baggage Insurance: Protection up to $1,250 for carry-on and $500 for checked bags.
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Car Rental Insurance: Secondary coverage against damage or theft (exclusions apply).
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Purchase Protection: Covers new purchases for up to 90 days against theft or damage (up to $1,000 per item).
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Extended Warranty: Adds an extra year to warranties of five years or less.
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Cell Phone Protection: Get up to $800 per claim, twice a year, for theft or damage to a phone if the bill is paid with the card (subject to a deductible).
Redemption Options
American Express Membership Rewards® points are some of the most flexible in the credit card world. You can:
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Book travel directly through the Amex Travel portal
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Transfer points to over 20 hotel and airline loyalty programs (including Delta, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, and Marriott Bonvoy)
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Use points for gift cards, shopping, or statement credits (though these often have less favorable value)
A unique perk of the Business Gold Card is the 25% Airline Bonus: when you use Membership Rewards® to pay for flights with your selected airline through Amex Travel, you’ll receive 25% of your points back—up to 250,000 points annually. This bumps your redemption value up to 1.33 cents per point, compared to the standard 1 cent.
Pay Over Time Feature
Though it’s technically a charge card, the Business Gold allows for Pay Over Time on eligible purchases. This gives business owners the ability to carry a balance—with interest—on selected transactions, adding flexibility for months when cash flow is tight.
The variable APR ranges between approximately 19.49% to 27.49%, depending on creditworthiness.
Business Management Tools
This card includes many tools that streamline business spending:
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Employee Cards: Get up to five additional Business Gold Cards for free (metal), and more for $95 each. You can also issue no-fee Expense Cards for simpler employee purchases.
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Spend Manager and Expense Tracking: Easily label and sort transactions.
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Integrations: Syncs with QuickBooks, Bill.com, and other accounting platforms to simplify reporting and bookkeeping.
Additional Perks
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Amex Offers: Access rotating deals from a wide range of merchants, offering either cashback or extra points.
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The Hotel Collection: Book two or more nights at eligible hotels via Amex Travel and get a $100 property credit and potential room upgrades.
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ShopRunner Membership: Free two-day shipping at participating retailers.
Costs & Fees
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Annual Fee: $375
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APR (on Pay Over Time balances): 19.49%–27.49% Variable
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No Foreign Transaction Fees
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Late Payment Fee: Up to $39
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Returned Payment Fee: Up to $39
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Penalty APR: May apply if payments are missed
Who Should Consider This Card?
This card is ideal for businesses that:
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Spend heavily in two or more of the eligible bonus categories
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Have consistent monthly expenses with FedEx, Grubhub, or office supply stores
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Need employee cards and expense tracking tools
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Prefer earning flexible travel rewards
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Want a robust package of purchase and travel protections
On the flip side, this card may not be a great fit for businesses that:
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Have low or inconsistent spend
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Don’t spend enough in the bonus categories
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Prefer cash back or flat-rate rewards
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Want premium travel benefits like lounge access
Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
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High earning potential in key business categories
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Up to $395 in statement credits
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Flexible redemption options with point transfer partners
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Robust travel and purchase protections
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No foreign transaction fees
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Employee cards and business tools included
❌ Cons
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$375 annual fee (which must be offset with perks and rewards)
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Bonus categories capped at $150,000 in annual spend
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Rewards drop to 1x for all other purchases
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Travel perks aren’t as premium as Amex Platinum cards
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Monthly statement credits require consistent usage
Competitor Comparison
vs. Chase Ink Business Preferred®
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Chase offers 3x points on up to $150K in combined categories but a much lower annual fee of $95.
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Great for consistent spending across travel, shipping, and online advertising.
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Doesn’t offer the same monthly statement credits or dynamic 4x earnings.
vs. Amex Business Platinum®
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Higher annual fee of $695+, but includes airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and 5x on flights.
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Best for companies with frequent high-end travel.
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Business Gold is better for companies with more category-based domestic spending.
vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
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Simpler rewards: 2x miles on all purchases.
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Easier to use but less lucrative for targeted spending.
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Lower annual fee and fewer perks.
Final Verdict
The American Express® Business Gold Card is a smart choice for growing businesses that can capitalize on the 4x bonus categories and use the monthly credits. If you’re spending regularly in areas like shipping, advertising, gas, or restaurants, and want a flexible points program, the card can offer excellent value—especially when you include the welcome bonus and 25% point rebate for flights.
However, companies with more generalized spending or those wanting luxury travel perks may find better value in other cards. Still, for many business owners, this card hits a sweet spot between powerful rewards, flexibility, and business-focused features.