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

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. Should you aren’t touring frequently and using the total lineup of perks and credit, it is probably not price including these playing cards to your pockets.

Nonetheless, each Chase and Amex have wonderful 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 a lot of variations between them. On this showdown, we’re strolling by a side-by-side comparability of those playing cards that will help you decide which is best for you — or whether or not each deserve spots in your pockets.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold comparability

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

*Enrollment is required for these advantages.

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

***Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, situations 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 stage varies by card. Not all car sorts or leases are coated, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable by American Categorical Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold welcome supply

The Sapphire Most popular provides 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, yow 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 provides differ and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal. This supply is price as much as $2,000, primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

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

Associated: The perfect bank card welcome bonuses

Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold advantages

In change for a $95 annual payment, the Sapphire Most popular provides some stable perks, together with a $50 annual lodge credit score for bookings by 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 automotive insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation insurance coverage and baggage delay insurance coverage. These are an awesome security internet when you journey, however they do not do a lot to reinforce your day-to-day life when all the pieces goes in response to plan.

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

• As much as $120 in Uber Money per calendar yr: 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 have to be added as a fee methodology, and you’ll redeem with any Amex card.
• As much as $120 in eating credit every calendar yr: 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 yr: 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 30 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 payment. That is much more worth than you will get from the Sapphire Most popular every year.

Associated: Why you will need to pay the Chase Sapphire Most popular’s $95 annual payment

Incomes factors on the Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold

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

• 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked by Chase Journey (excluding lodge reservations that qualify for the $50 credit score)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft (by Sept. 2027)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $150 or extra (by 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 motels, airfare, rental automobiles, taxis and parking meters
• 1 level per greenback spent on all the pieces else

These are stable charges on a variety of purchases.

Nonetheless, the Amex Gold might shine brighter relating to its incomes construction:

• 4 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback)
• 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 per calendar yr; then 1 level per greenback)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on airfare bought straight from the airline or by amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go motels and different eligible purchases booked by 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 response to TPG’s July 2025 valuations. That makes it among the best playing cards for eating at eating places worldwide and grocery purchasing throughout 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 number of the most beneficial transferable factors currencies round.

The Sapphire Most popular earns Final Rewards factors which you can redeem for journey by Chase Journey or for different gadgets resembling present playing cards and assertion credit.

You will stand up to 1.75 cents per level for some journey booked by Chase Journey (relying on the precise redemption) with the Factors Increase characteristic. However you will get probably the most worth by transferring your factors to one in every of Chase’s lodge and airline switch companions.

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

Once more, you will get the most effective worth out of your factors by transferring them to one in every of Amex’s 20 lodge and airline companions.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards earn transferable rewards and provide you with a variety of precious 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 would possibly make one forex higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, should you reside in a Delta hub, you would possibly get extra worth out of transferring your Membership Rewards factors to Delta SkyMiles, whereas those that have a coveted Southwest Companion Move can get some unbelievable worth by transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Fast Rewards.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt makes use of his Sapphire Most popular usually to switch factors to British Airways Membership to reap the benefits of 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?

Should you spend most of your finances on groceries within the U.S. or eating and might 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 should you want Final Rewards factors and need to earn bonus factors on basic journey bills. Nonetheless, keep in mind that it does not need to be a “this or that” resolution; 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 precious mid-tier playing cards in the marketplace. Each can present wonderful worth in the appropriate arms, and the query of 1 card versus one other largely relies on the way you derive worth out of your bank cards.

Nonetheless, they’re one in every of our prime card pairings, so it may be price having each in your pockets.

To study 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.