American Express Business Gold Card Review 2024

The card_name can be a smart choice for business owners who spend a lot in categories that change over time, mostly because it offers its highest earning rate (4x points) on up to $150,000 per year in spending across two categories you spend the most in each month. This means you can earn more bonus rewards in different categories from one billing cycle to the next, which essentially lets you customize how you earn rewards over time.

The annual_fees annual fee ($375 beginning Feb. 1, 2024) on this card is steep, but the welcome bonus can entice you into trying out its perks and rewards for the first year. After all, new cardholders can earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold within the first three months of card membership.

TIME’s Take

The card_name is unique among business credit cards from Amex and other issuers, as it bases your rewards rate on the categories in which your business spends the most. This card also earns flexible Amex Membership Rewards points for travel that can be pooled with other American Express credit cards.

This makes it an excellent companion card for business owners to pair with the card_name or the card_name for personal spending. That said, the annual fee on the card_name is on the high side, especially when you consider the limited perks that come with it.

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Pros and cons

Who is the card for?

The card_name is for business owners who have good to excellent personal credit, and it's best for people who want to earn flexible rewards for travel. We say this because Amex Membership Rewards offer the best redemption rates for airfare booked through AmexTravel.com. Also, points transfer to a range of Amex airline and hotel partners that unlock more premium travel redemptions.

While you can redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for options other than travel, you should know that those redemption rates aren't great. For example, Amex points are only worth 0.6 cents each when redeemed for statement credits and 0.5 cents each if redeemed for merchandise through Amex. Also note that travel redemptions other than airfare aren't that great. For example, using points for hotels or car rentals through AmexTravel.com will only get you 0.7 cents per point in value.

Business owners who don't mind their bonus rewards categories changing over time will also benefit the most from this card but only if their normal spending aligns with the available qualifying 4x rewards categories. Included statement credits offered with the card_name for Walmart+ membership, FedEx, Grubhub, and office-supply stores also make it a solid choice for business owners who can use them.

As the card_name doesn't have a preset spending limit, it can also work well for companies that have a lot of business purchases each month and need plenty of purchasing power. However, you need to know that this card only lets users pay for some of their purchases over time; others need to be paid in full when the billing cycle ends.

Rewards rate

The card_name offers an elevated rewards rate of 4x points on up to $150,000 spent each year in your two most popular spending categories each billing cycle (then 1x points). Categories that can qualify for 4x points include:

• Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio).
• U.S. purchases made from electronic-goods retailers and software and cloud system providers.
• U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
• U.S. purchases at gas stations.
• Transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.

The card also earns:

• 3x points on prepaid airfare and hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com.
• 1x points on other purchases.

The fine print

When it comes to the fine print on this business credit card, you should know that the card_name requires some purchases to be paid in full each billing cycle, though others can be paid off over time. Other fees and charges can apply depending on how you use the card.

• There is an annual fee of annual_fees ($375 as of Feb. 1, 2024).
• The Pay Over Time feature has an annual percentage rate (APR) of 19.49% to 27.49% variable.
• There are foreign_transaction_fee foreign-transaction fees.
• There is a late payment fee of late_payment_fee.
• There is a returned payment fee of $39.

Note that this business credit card doesn't allow balance transfers of any kind, whereas some other business credit cards do offer this option (albeit with high variable APRs).

Additional hidden perks

We mentioned that this card comes with up to $395 in statement credit offers each year, but you'll want to know the fine print on these offers and how and when the credits apply. Other hidden benefits are also explained below.:

• Flexible business credit of $240. This credit is good for purchases at FedEx, GrubHub and office supply stores each year. However, credits are given out in monthly increments of $20, and they don't roll over if you don't use them.
• Walmart+ membership credits. Cardholders automatically get up to $155 in annual credits toward Walmart+ membership fees each year when they enroll in the program.
• Cellphone protection. This coverage applies when you pay your phone bill with your card and is worth up to $800 (subject to a $50 deductible). Up to two claims per 12-month period are allowed.
• Trip delay insurance. This coverage can reimburse you for incidental expenses that occur when a trip is delayed for 12 hours or longer.
• Baggage insurance plan. Get coverage worth up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and up to $500 for checked bags when travel with a common carrier is charged to the card.
• Global Assist hotline. Call into this emergency hotline for medical and legal referrals, emergency translation services, and more when you're traveling away from home.
• The Hotel Collection. Qualify for a $100 experience credit, room upgrades based on availability, and other benefits when you use your card to book an eligible stay with this program.
• Purchase protection. Qualify for purchase protection against damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date on eligible items. This coverage is worth up to $1,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per card account per year.
• Extended warranties. Qualify for an additional year of extended warranty coverage on eligible purchases that come with a manufacturer's warranty of five years or less.

What could be improved?

The earning rates on the card_name are definitely impressive, but this is mostly true for businesses that make purchases in the six categories that are eligible for 4x points. The $150,000 annual spending cap for these bonus rewards can also be rather limiting for businesses that have big expenses each year. And while the card offers 3x points on prepaid airfare and hotels, this bonus rate only applies to travel purchases made through Amex.

The high annual fee on this card is also a big downer, especially as the statement credits offered may not be easy or realistic to use. If you are looking for a business credit card that earns flexible rewards for travel with a lower annual fee, you should look into the card_name and the card_name. Both have lower annual fees (annual_fees for the card_name and annual_fees for the card_name) and earn flexible rewards that can be used to book travel through a portal or transferred to airline and hotel partners.

Card alternatives

Bottom line

If you spend a lot of money in this card's 4x point categories each year, signing up for the card_name could help you maximize rewards over time. If you can take advantage of the statement credits this card offers every single month, it can also help make up for the card's high annual fee.

That said, there are other business credit cards with different earning rates and perks to consider if you're still on the fence. Make sure to compare other top business credit cards based on their rewards rates, welcome offers, perks, and fees to find the right fit.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is the card_name hard to get?

The card_name requires applicants to have good to excellent personal credit to qualify, so it won't work for everyone.

What are the benefits of the card_name ?

The card comes with a $240 flexible business credit each year, up to $155 in annual Walmart+ membership credits, cell phone protection, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, purchase protection, extended warranties, and a handful of other perks.

Is the card_name worth getting?

The card_name is worth getting based on its welcome bonus alone. After all, the bonus points you can earn can be worth up to 2 cents each or more (at the time of write: 70,000 points for a total value of more than $1,400) if you transfer to partners and make a premium travel redemption.

How much is the annual fee for the card_name ?

The annual fee on the card_name is annual_fees. However, this fee goes up to $375 starting Feb. 1, 2024.