The American Express® Business Gold Card is a premium business charge card designed to reward companies that spend heavily in select categories. With flexible rewards, solid business tools, and valuable credits, this card can be a powerful addition to your financial strategy—if your spending aligns with its strengths.

Summary

This card is best for business owners who spend consistently in a few major categories like U.S. advertising, shipping, dining, or gas. It offers up to 4x Membership Rewards® points on those top-spend categories and includes over $395 in potential annual statement credits. However, it carries a $375 annual fee (increased from $295 for applications approved after February 1, 2024), so you’ll want to be sure the benefits outweigh the cost.

Key Benefits at a Glance

4x points on the two categories your business spends the most on each billing cycle (up to $150,000 per year).
3x points on travel booked through Amex Travel.
1x points on all other eligible purchases.
A 100,000-point welcome offer after meeting the minimum spend.
No preset spending limit and access to a Pay Over Time feature.
No foreign transaction fees.
Up to $395 in annual credits: $240 for shipping, food, or office supplies, and $155 for Walmart+ membership.

Earning Membership Rewards® Points

Adaptive 4x Category Rewards

Each month, Amex automatically determines which two eligible spending categories you used the most and applies a 4x points multiplier to those categories. You don’t have to manually choose or update your preferences.

Eligible categories include:

Restaurants in the U.S.
U.S. gas stations
U.S. advertising purchases (digital, TV, radio)
U.S. shipping services
U.S. technology providers (software and cloud services)
U.S. wireless phone bills

This allows you to maximize rewards without needing to micromanage your spending strategy.

Note: The 4x rate is capped at $150,000 in combined spending per calendar year. After that, it drops to 1x.

3x on Amex Travel Bookings

Flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel earn 3x points, which is great for businesses that regularly book trips through the platform.

1x on All Other Purchases

Any purchases that don’t fall into the categories above, or that exceed the bonus cap, will earn a standard 1x per dollar spent.

Welcome Bonus Offer

New cardholders can typically qualify for 100,000 Membership Rewards® points by spending $10,000–$15,000 in the first three months. The points can be worth $1,000–$2,000 depending on how you redeem them, especially if you leverage travel transfer partners or Amex Travel redemptions.

Redemption Options

Membership Rewards® points are highly flexible and can be used in a variety of ways:

Book flights, hotels, and other travel through Amex Travel.
Transfer points to airline and hotel partners like Delta SkyMiles, British Airways, Air Canada Aeroplan, or Marriott Bonvoy.
Redeem for gift cards or statement credits (less favorable value).
Use Pay with Points and receive a 25% rebate when booking flights with your selected airline on Amex Travel (up to 250,000 points rebated annually), giving you a redemption value of 1.33 cents per point.

Annual Credits

To help offset the card’s fee, Amex offers valuable credits:

Monthly Credits – Up to $240/year

Get $20 per month in credits when using the card at:

FedEx
Grubhub
U.S. office supply stores

You must enroll in advance to activate these credits. They don’t roll over if unused, so consistent monthly usage is key.

Walmart+ Credit – Up to $155/year

Receive $12.95 per month (plus applicable taxes) to cover your Walmart+ membership when paid for using the card.

Travel & Purchase Protection

The Business Gold Card includes a comprehensive set of protections:

Trip Delay Insurance: Reimburses you for expenses if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours.
Baggage Insurance Plan: Covers lost or damaged bags—up to $1,250 for carry-ons and $500 for checked luggage.
Car Rental Insurance: Secondary coverage for theft or damage to rental cars.
Purchase Protection: Covers new items against theft or damage for up to 90 days (limits apply).
Extended Warranty: Adds one extra year to the manufacturer’s warranty on eligible items.
Cell Phone Protection: Up to $800 per claim, twice per year, if your monthly bill is paid with this card (subject to a deductible).

Business Features & Employee Management

This card was built with growing businesses in mind:

Employee Cards: Add up to 5 free metal Business Gold Cards, or issue no-fee plastic expense cards.
Spending Controls: Monitor and limit employee spending.
QuickBooks & Bill.com Integration: Seamlessly track expenses and sync with accounting software.
Spend Manager: Categorize, label, and track transactions for better control over business finances.

Pay Over Time Option

Although this is a charge card, which typically requires full payment every month, Amex offers a Pay Over Time feature that allows eligible purchases to carry a balance—with interest. This adds flexibility for business owners facing uneven cash flow.

Interest rates are variable and generally range from 19.49% to 27.49%, depending on creditworthiness.

Fees and Costs

Annual Fee: $375
APR for Pay Over Time: 19.49%–27.49% variable
No foreign transaction fees
Late/returned payment fees: Up to $39
Penalty APR: Can be up to 29.99%

Is It the Right Card for Your Business?

Ideal Users:

Businesses spending heavily in the 4x bonus categories (shipping, advertising, gas, restaurants, etc.)
Companies with regular monthly purchases from FedEx, Grubhub, or office supply stores
Owners who can redeem points effectively—especially via the 25% airline rebate
Those who want employee cards and spending controls
Businesses that value flexibility and travel protection

Not Ideal If:

Your spending doesn’t align with bonus categories
You prefer flat-rate cash back
You want luxury travel perks like airport lounge access
You don’t want to deal with monthly credit enrollment

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

4x rewards on your top two spending categories
High-value welcome offer
Up to $395 in annual credits
Excellent travel and purchase protections
Flexible redemption options
No foreign transaction fees
Tools for managing employee spending and tracking expenses

❌ Cons

$375 annual fee
Bonus rewards capped at $150,000 per year
Travel perks not as premium as Platinum card options
Credits require monthly activation and consistent usage
Charge card model may not suit every business owner

Alternatives to Consider

Chase Ink Business Preferred®

3x points in select categories (up to $150,000/year)
Lower annual fee ($95)
Offers 100,000-point bonus
Better for consistent spending across a wider variety of categories

Amex Business Platinum®

Annual fee of $695
Premium travel benefits (airport lounges, elite hotel status)
5x on flights and prepaid hotels
Better for executives or frequent international travelers

Capital One Spark Cards

Spark Miles: 2x miles on all purchases
Spark Cash: 2% cash back across the board
Simpler, flat-rate rewards with lower fees
Good for businesses with broad spending patterns

Final Thoughts

The American Express® Business Gold Card is an excellent tool for companies that spend in predictable, high-volume categories. The ability to earn 4x points on your top spending areas—plus travel perks, credits, and business tools—can offer great value. If you take advantage of the welcome bonus, use the monthly credits, and redeem points strategically, the card can more than pay for itself.

However, if your business spending is more scattered or if you're looking for flat-rate simplicity or luxury travel benefits, you might find better value in alternatives like the Chase Ink Preferred or Amex Business Platinum.