Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold: Which card is greatest?

For a lot of, the $600-plus annual charges that include ultra-premium journey playing cards such because the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) and The Platinum Card® from American Categorical (see charges and charges) aren’t justifiable. In case you aren’t touring frequently and using the total lineup of perks and credit, it might not be price including these playing cards to your pockets.

Nonetheless, each Chase and Amex have glorious mid-tier playing cards: the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges) and the American Categorical® Gold Card.

Whereas each of those merchandise act as sister playing cards to their luxurious counterparts, there are various variations between them. On this showdown, we’re strolling by means of a side-by-side comparability of those playing cards that can assist you decide which is best for you — or whether or not each deserve spots in your pockets.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold comparability

Here is a fast overview that compares the important thing perks on these two playing cards:

*Enrollment is required for these advantages.

**Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

***Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.

^Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Not all car sorts or leases are lined, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable by means of American Categorical Journey Associated Companies Firm, Inc.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold welcome supply

The Sapphire Most popular affords a compelling welcome bonus. New candidates can earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Final Rewards factors are price 2.05 cents every, making this bonus price $1,538.

THE POINTS GUY

With the Amex Gold, you will discover out if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome affords differ and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion. This supply is price as much as $2,000, based mostly on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

Winner: Amex Gold. It is welcome supply might doubtlessly be increased.

Associated: The most effective bank card welcome bonuses

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold advantages

In change for a $95 annual charge, the Sapphire Most popular affords some strong perks, together with a $50 annual resort credit score for bookings by means of Chase Journey, a ten% factors bonus in your cardholder anniversary and a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

Different advantages embrace protections like rental automobile insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation insurance coverage and baggage delay insurance coverage. These are an incredible security internet whilst you journey, however they do not do a lot to boost your day-to-day life when every little thing goes in keeping with plan.

For greater than triple the Sapphire Most popular’s annual charge ($325 vs. $95), the Amex Gold affords a number of glorious perks (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply):

• As much as $120 in Uber Money per calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $10 in Uber Money every month, legitimate on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. Your Amex Gold should be added as a fee methodology, and you may redeem with any Amex card.
• As much as $120 in eating credit every calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $10 a month in assertion credit for purchases along with your Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing unit, Goldbelly, Wine.com and 5 Guys.
• As much as $100 in assertion credit for purchases made at Resy eating places per calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $50 in assertion credit biannually for eligible Resy purchases and eating at U.S. Resy eating places; simply pay along with your card to obtain the credit score. No reservation is required.
• As much as $84 in assertion credit for Dunkin’ Donuts purchases: Obtain as much as $7 per thirty days in assertion credit for purchases made at U.S. Dunkin’ Donuts.

Enrollment is required; phrases apply.

Amex Gold cardmembers additionally obtain journey and buy protections.

Winner: Amex Gold. The Amex Gold’s assertion credit are valued increased than the cardboard’s annual charge. That is much more worth than you may get from the Sapphire Most popular annually.

Associated: Why you may wish to pay the Chase Sapphire Most popular’s $95 annual charge

Incomes factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

The Sapphire Most popular affords helpful bonus classes. The true spotlight is not simply the classes themselves however how broadly they’re outlined. With this card, you may earn:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked by means of Chase Journey (excluding resort reservations that qualify for the $50 credit score)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft (by means of Sept. 2027)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $150 or extra (by means of Dec. 2027, with a restrict of 25,000 bonus factors)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery shops (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on different journey, together with inns, airfare, rental automobiles, taxis and parking meters
• 1 level per greenback spent on every little thing else

These are strong charges on a variety of purchases.

Nonetheless, the Amex Gold could shine brighter with regards to its incomes construction:

• 4 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback)
• 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 per calendar 12 months; then 1 level per greenback)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on airfare bought straight from the airline or by means of amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go inns and different eligible purchases booked by means of amextravel.com
• 1 level per greenback spent on different eligible purchases

Regardless of the spending cap, incomes 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets is an 8% return on each purchases, in keeping with TPG’s July 2025 valuations. That makes it among the finest playing cards for eating at eating places worldwide and grocery buying inside the U.S.

Winner: Amex Gold. Its increased incomes charges on eating worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets, in addition to on flights booked straight with an airline, give it the higher hand.

Associated: Why the Amex Gold is the right ‘in-between’ bank card

Redeeming factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

Each of those playing cards are related in that they earn a few of the Most worthy transferable factors currencies round.

The Sapphire Most popular earns Final Rewards factors you could redeem for journey by means of Chase Journey or for different gadgets similar to reward playing cards and assertion credit.

You may rise up to 1.75 cents per level for some journey booked by means of Chase Journey (relying on the particular redemption) with the Factors Enhance characteristic. However you may get probably the most worth by transferring your factors to considered one of Chase’s resort and airline switch companions.

The Amex Gold earns equally invaluable Membership Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to redeem for journey straight by means of AmexTravel.com or for reward playing cards and assertion credit; nonetheless, all at lackluster charges, with some even being lower than 1 cent per level.

Once more, you may get one of the best worth out of your factors by transferring them to considered one of Amex’s 20 resort and airline companions.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards earn transferable rewards and offer you a variety of invaluable redemption choices.

Transferring factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

TPG’s April 2025 valuations peg Chase Final Rewards at 2.05 cents every and Amex Membership factors at 2 cents every, however your journey habits may make one foreign money higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, in the event you stay in a Delta hub, you may get extra worth out of transferring your Membership Rewards factors to Delta SkyMiles, whereas those that have a coveted Southwest Companion Cross can get some unbelievable worth by transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt makes use of his Sapphire Most popular typically to switch factors to British Airways Membership to benefit from candy spots on American Airways flights.

In the meantime, TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak transfers the Membership Rewards factors she earns on her Amex Gold to Air Canada Aeroplan and Delta SkyMiles.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards switch to numerous companions, all with their respective redemption choices and candy spots.

Associated: Why transferable factors are price greater than different rewards

Ought to I get the Sapphire Most popular or Amex Gold?

In case you spend most of your funds on groceries within the U.S. or eating and may make the most of its month-to-month credit, the Amex Gold is probably going a greater match for you.

Nonetheless, the Sapphire Most popular is a greater match in the event you choose Final Rewards factors and wish to earn bonus factors on normal journey bills. Nonetheless, do not forget that it does not need to be a “this or that” choice; there’s room for each of those playing cards in a well-developed factors technique.

Backside line

The Sapphire Most popular and Amex Gold are two of probably the most invaluable mid-tier playing cards in the marketplace. Each can present glorious worth in the appropriate arms, and the query of 1 card versus one other largely is determined by the way you derive worth out of your bank cards.

Nonetheless, they’re considered one of our high card pairings, so it could be price having each in your pockets.

To be taught extra, learn our full evaluations of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and Amex Gold.

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Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular
Apply right here: Amex Gold

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For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on right here.