American Express® Business Gold Card Review for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
American Express® Business Gold Card is best for business owners that need flexible credit limits and want to earn premium rewards on the top two eligible spending categories. While it comes with a high annual fee of $295, cardholders get to enjoy a 25% airline bonus when booking a flight using points. You need to pay your balance in full each month, but if you’re qualified for its Pay Over Time feature, you can carry a balance with interest on eligible charges.
American Express® Business Gold Card
BEST FOR:
Maximizing rewards in the two categories where you spend the most
- Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
- Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
- Your Card – Your Choice. Now choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
- *Terms Apply
Pros
- Earn 4x points in two categories every month
- Pay eligible charges over time with interest, or pay your balance in full monthly
Cons
- You’ll pay a high annual fee of $295
- No interest-free financing opportunities
- Premium roadside assistance: Free of charge up to four times a year. You can receive towing up to 10 miles, winching, jump-starts, flat tire changes, lockout service when the key is in the vehicle, and delivery of up to two gallons of gas
- Return protection: American Express will refund you for eligible purchases when the store doesn’t accept returns of undamaged items. Coverage is limited to 90 days from purchase, up to $300 per item, and up to a maximum of $1,000 per year.
- Baggage insurance: If your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you’re eligible for coverage of up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and $500 for checked bags
- Extended warranty: Receive one additional year of coverage on purchases with eligible warranties of five years or less
- Purchase protection: Covers new purchases against damage or theft within 90 days of purchase. Coverage is limited to $1,000 per incident.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
- Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
- Your Card – Your Choice. Now choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
- *Terms Apply
Pros
- Earn 4x points in two categories every month
- Pay eligible charges over time with interest, or pay your balance in full monthly
Cons
- You’ll pay a high annual fee of $295
- No interest-free financing opportunities
- Premium roadside assistance: Free of charge up to four times a year. You can receive towing up to 10 miles, winching, jump-starts, flat tire changes, lockout service when the key is in the vehicle, and delivery of up to two gallons of gas
- Return protection: American Express will refund you for eligible purchases when the store doesn’t accept returns of undamaged items. Coverage is limited to 90 days from purchase, up to $300 per item, and up to a maximum of $1,000 per year.
- Baggage insurance: If your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you’re eligible for coverage of up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and $500 for checked bags
- Extended warranty: Receive one additional year of coverage on purchases with eligible warranties of five years or less
- Purchase protection: Covers new purchases against damage or theft within 90 days of purchase. Coverage is limited to $1,000 per incident.
When evaluating points rewards business credit cards like the American Express® Business Gold Card, we first consider both ongoing and introductory rewards. We also take into account the annual fee, introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs), and other benefits.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 28 | 30 |
Introductory Rewards | 15 | 20 |
Additional Features | 15 | 15 |
Annual Fee | 10 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 0 | 10 |
Ongoing APR | 8 | 10 |
Total Score | 76 | 100 |
Who the American Express® Business Gold Card Is Best For
- Those who need flexible credit limits: It has no preset spending limit, which means your limit is flexible. The amount you can spend adjusts based on your purchase, payment, and credit history.
- Those who travel frequently: You can enjoy travel perks like booking a flight using Pay with Points on Amex Travel and getting 2.5 points back, making it a valuable option for those with frequent travel expenses.
- Those who can pay their balance in full every month: While it has a Pay Over Time feature, it only applies to selected purchases. Other charges that aren’t qualified for Pay Over Time should be paid in full each month.
If this card doesn’t fit your needs, see our recommended alternatives section below.
American Express® Business Gold Card Rewards
- 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of opening an account
- 4x points to the first $150,000 in combined purchases on the top two business categories each calendar year. Qualifying business categories include:
- Airfare purchased directly from airlines
- United States purchases for advertising in selected media (online, TV, and radio)
- US purchases from selected technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions
- US purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- US purchases for shipping
- 1x points on all other eligible purchases
Points Rewards Explained
You can use your points in a number of ways:
- For a first class or business class flight: Cardmembers will receive 2.5 extra points for every 10 points used to redeem for any First or Business class flight on any airline or for flights with a selected qualifying airline using Membership Rewards Pay with Points through American Express Travel (25% airline bonus), up to 250,000 bonus points per calendar year.
- Membership Rewards® Pay with Points A minimum redemption of 5,000 is required. : Cardmembers must charge eligible purchases through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards® program-enrolled American Express® Card.
- Membership Rewards® Program: Cardmembers can use their earned points through the Membership Rewards® Program. Visit American Express’ page for the list of participating partners and available rewards.
American Express® Business Gold Card Features
Cash Flow Flexibility
- Pay Over Time: This feature allows you to pay your balance on eligible The following are ineligible for Pay Over Time: Cash advances (including cash and other cash equivalents), certain insurance premiums, and other fees owed to American Express). purchases over time with interest. American Express will assign a Pay Over Time limit to your account, which may differ from the total amount you can spend on your card.
- No preset spending limit: This offers flexible spending limits. Unlike traditional cards that have a set limit, your spending amount on this card can be adjusted based on factors such as your purchase history, payment, and credit history.
Expense Management
- Year-end summary: American Express offers a year-end summary of charges to help you manage your account online.
- Free employee cards: You can earn rewards on purchases made on employee cards and stay on top of expenses with spending limits.
- QuickBooks® integration: You can save time with auto-expense categorization in QuickBooks.
Travel Protection
- Baggage insurance plan: American Express provides a baggage insurance plan of up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. For New York residents, there’s an aggregate maximum limit of $10,000 for all covered persons per covered trip.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: American Express provides car rental loss and damage insurance when you pay for your rental using your eligible credit card. You should decline the collision damage waiver provided by the rental company to be eligible.
- Trip delay insurance: If you purchase a round-trip with your American Express credit card, you’re covered with trip delay insurance if your trip is delayed for more than 12 hours.
- The Hotel Collection: After spending at least two consecutive nights at participating properties, you can book at The Hotel Connection with American Express Travel to get the following benefits:
- Global Assist® Hotline: Cardholders can contact the Global Assist® Hotline for emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance.
Purchase Protection
- Purchase protection: American Express protects your purchased items that are damaged or stolen for up to 90 days from the date of purchase. The purchase protection coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per card member per year.
- Extended warranty protection: American Express will extend the warranty for one additional year if the original manufacturer’s warranty is five years or less. To be eligible, the items must have been purchased in the United States or its territories or possessions.
- Relationship Care® Service: As a cardmember, a customer care professional is available 24/7 to answer any questions you have about your card.
- Dispute resolution: American Express will work with you to address any fraudulent or incorrect charge made with your card.
American Express® Business Gold Card Fees
APR
- Introductory: None
- Ongoing: 19.49% to 27.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Penalty
Penalty APR will apply for a minimum of 12 consecutive billing periods and will continue to apply until after you have made timely payments with no returned payment incurred for 12 consecutive billing periods.
: 29.99% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate. This will apply to your account if you:
- Made two or more late payments within the 12-month period
- Didn’t pay the Minimum Payment due by the closing date of the billing period and still didn’t pay it by the Closing Date of the next billing period
- Made a returned payment
Fees
- Annual: $295 ($375 if application is received on or after 2/1/24)
- Balance transfer: Transfers aren’t allowed
- Foreign transaction: None
- Cash advance: Cash advances aren’t allowed
- Late payment: Either $39 or 2.99% of any past due pay-in-full amount, whichever is greater
- Returned payment: $39
Your due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing cycle.
- Online or mobile banking: You can pay your credit card bills from either the Amex website or its mobile app.
- Phone: Call (800) 472-9297, state your card information when prompted, and then follow the prompts.
- AutoPay: Log in to your online account and click “Payments,” located in the blue navigation bar, then choose “Manage AutoPay.”
- Mail: You can send your credit card bills via courier or express delivery mail to either address below. Ensure to include your account number on the front of your payment for easy reference.
First Class Mail
American Express
PO Box 650448
Dallas, TX 75265-0448
Express Mail
American Express
Attn: Express Mail Remittance Processing
20500 Belshaw Ave.
Carson, CA 90746
When To Consider American Express® Business Gold Card Alternatives
You Need a Business Credit Card That Allows Balance Transfer Transactions
American Express® Business Gold Card does not allow balance transfers and cash advances. If you need a card that allows balance transfer transactions and earns points rewards, consider the Chase Ink Business Preferred®.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Maximizing travel rewards at a lower annual fee
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
Pros
- Reward points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® card
- Comprehensive travel and purchase protection
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- No interest-free financing option on both purchases and balance transfers
- With annual fee
- Need to make extremely large purchases to qualify for the sign-up bonus
- Cellphone protection: Get up to $1,000 per claim in cellphone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees listed on your monthly cellphone bill
- Purchase protection: Can cover your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft of up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account
- Extended warranty protection: You can extend the period of the United States manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Fraud monitoring: Chase will help keep your accounts safe with account alerts―and you can choose how you’d like to receive them
- Free employee cards: You can create employee cards at no additional cost, and lets you set individual spending limits―helping you earn rewards even faster
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
Pros
- Reward points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® card
- Comprehensive travel and purchase protection
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- No interest-free financing option on both purchases and balance transfers
- With annual fee
- Need to make extremely large purchases to qualify for the sign-up bonus
- Cellphone protection: Get up to $1,000 per claim in cellphone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees listed on your monthly cellphone bill
- Purchase protection: Can cover your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft of up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account
- Extended warranty protection: You can extend the period of the United States manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Fraud monitoring: Chase will help keep your accounts safe with account alerts―and you can choose how you’d like to receive them
- Free employee cards: You can create employee cards at no additional cost, and lets you set individual spending limits―helping you earn rewards even faster
- Lets you earn 3 points per dollar spent on the first $150,000 in combined purchases in four categories for each account anniversary year—categories include travel, shipping purchases, advertising on search engines and social media sites, and expenses on internet, cable, and phone services
- Allows balance transfers; charges either 5% of the amount of each transfer or $5 (whichever is greater)
- Is in our roundups of the leading business credit cards for travel and top credit cards for new businesses with no credit history
You may check our list of the best business credit cards for balance transfers for more options.
You Prefer a Fixed-rate Travel Business Credit Card
American Express® Business Gold Card lets you earn premium rewards on selected categories. If you prefer to earn fixed-rate rewards instead, our recommendation is the Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business.
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
BEST FOR:
Unlimited 2x miles with every swipe
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12-month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assistance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12-month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assistance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
- Offers 5x unlimited reward miles on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel, unlimited 2x miles on any business purchase, and up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Allows you to get two free visits to a Capital One airport lounge each year
- Is one of our top-recommended business credit card for miles and best business credit cards for travel
You Need a Business Credit Card With Luxury Travel Perks
American Express® Business Gold Card does not offer luxury travel perks. If you want access to airport lounges and The Centurion Lounge, check out the American Express Business Platinum Card®.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
BEST FOR:
Gaining access to unrivaled travel rewards and luxury travel perks like airport lounge access
- Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- Premium travel rewards
- Free access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Balance is due in full monthly
- High annual fee
- American Express lounges: Free access to American Express’ network of Centurion lounges located in slightly less than a dozen United States airports.
- Other airport lounges: Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you free access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide for you and two guests.
- Airport screening: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every 4 1/2 years.
- Travel credit: Up to $200 annual statement credit toward air travel expenses like baggage fees and inflight food and drink.
- Rental status: Elite status at a number of car rental agencies.
- Free Wi-Fi: 10 annual free Gogo inflight Wi-Fi passes.
- Rebate for redeemed points: 35% points rebate if you book a business or first-class flight, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year.
- Dell statement credit: Up to $400 in statement credits annually for Dell purchases.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- Premium travel rewards
- Free access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Balance is due in full monthly
- High annual fee
- American Express lounges: Free access to American Express’ network of Centurion lounges located in slightly less than a dozen United States airports.
- Other airport lounges: Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you free access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide for you and two guests.
- Airport screening: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every 4 1/2 years.
- Travel credit: Up to $200 annual statement credit toward air travel expenses like baggage fees and inflight food and drink.
- Rental status: Elite status at a number of car rental agencies.
- Free Wi-Fi: 10 annual free Gogo inflight Wi-Fi passes.
- Rebate for redeemed points: 35% points rebate if you book a business or first-class flight, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year.
- Dell statement credit: Up to $400 in statement credits annually for Dell purchases.
- Offers luxury travel perks such as access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide and airline free credit
- Lets you redeem a minimum of 5,000 points to book on American Express Travel and receive 35% of your points back
- Offers Pay Over Time, allowing you to pay your balances over time with interest
- Is on our lists of the leading business credit cards for travel and top small business credit cards.
See our roundup of the best American Express business credit cards for additional options from the provider.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It is—if your business makes significant purchases. Earned points can be used to offset purchases through the Membership Rewards® Program.
You only need either a personal credit score of at least 670 or a business credit score of at least 75 and two years of good credit history.
No. American Express is the only major card issuer that offers no preset spending limit cards.
Bottom Line
American Express® Business Gold Card is best for business owners who use their cards for everyday expenses and want to redeem rewards for travel. The best thing about it is that you can earn premium rewards in the two categories where you spend the most. Keep in mind, however, that it doesn’t offer a 0% APR period, has a high annual fee, and doesn’t allow cash advance and balance transfer transactions.