Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Amex Gold: Which mid-tier favourite is best for you?

For a lot of, the $500-plus annual charges that include ultra-premium journey playing cards such because the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) and The Platinum Card® from American Categorical (see charges and costs) aren’t justifiable. In the event you aren’t touring repeatedly and using the total lineup of perks and credit, it might not be value 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 costs) and the American Categorical® Gold Card.

Whereas each of those playing cards act as sister playing cards to their luxurious counterparts, there are various 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.

The Sapphire Most popular provides a compelling limited-time welcome bonus. New candidates can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

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Primarily based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, Final Rewards factors are value 2.05 cents every, making this bonus value $2,050. That is the highest-ever welcome supply now we have seen on this card.

New Amex Gold cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. Primarily based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this supply is value $1,200.

Plus, you may be focused for the next welcome supply on the Amex Gold by the CardMatch device (provides are topic to alter at any time and never everybody will obtain the identical supply).

Winner: Sapphire Most popular. The present welcome supply is value greater than the Amex Gold’s.

Associated: The perfect bank card welcome bonuses

In alternate for a $95 annual price, the Sapphire Most popular provides some strong perks, together with a $50 annual resort 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 embody protections like rental automobile insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation insurance coverage and baggage delay insurance coverage. These are an excellent security internet whilst you journey, however they do not do a lot to boost your day-to-day life when every part goes in line with plan.

For greater than double the Sapphire Most popular’s annual price ($325 vs. $95), the Amex Gold provides 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 have to be added as a fee technique, and you’ll 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 together with your Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, 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 together 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 monthly 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. Phrases apply.

Winner: Amex Gold. The Amex Gold’s assertion credit are valued at $424, greater than the cardboard’s annual price. That is much more worth than you may get from the Sapphire Most popular annually.

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

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 may earn on the following charges:

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

These are strong charges on a variety of purchases.

Nonetheless, the Amex Gold could shine brighter on the subject of its incomes construction:

• 4 factors per greenback on eating at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback)
• 4 factors per greenback at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 per calendar 12 months; then 1 level per greenback)
• 3 factors per greenback on airfare bought immediately from the airline or by amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback on pay as you go motels and different eligible purchases booked by amextravel.com
• 1 level per greenback 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 line with TPG’s April 2025 valuations. That makes it one of many greatest playing cards for eating at eating places and U.S. grocery buying.

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

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

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

You will get a 25% bonus when redeeming factors for journey by Chase Journey. However you may get probably the most worth by transferring your factors to considered one of Chase’s 14 priceless resort and airline switch companions.

The Amex Gold earns equally priceless Membership Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to redeem for journey immediately by AmexTravel.com or for present playing cards and assertion credit.

Once more, you may get one of the best worth out of your factors by transferring them to considered one of Amex’s 21 resort and airline companions.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards earn transferable rewards and provide you with a variety of priceless redemption choices.

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 forex higher than the opposite for you.

For instance, if you happen to dwell 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 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 Govt 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 varied companions, all with their respective redemption choices and candy spots.

Associated: Why transferable factors are value greater than different rewards

In the event you spend most of your finances 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 your winner. Nonetheless, the Sapphire Most popular is a greater match if you happen to desire Final Rewards factors and need to earn bonus factors on common journey bills. Nonetheless, keep in mind that it would not should be a “this or that” resolution; there’s room for each of those playing cards in a well-developed factors technique.

The Sapphire Most popular and Amex Gold are two of probably the most priceless mid-tier playing cards in the marketplace. Each can present glorious worth in the suitable palms, 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 considered one of our high card pairings, so it could be value having each in your pockets.

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

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular
Apply right here: American Categorical Gold

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