Dedicated comparison page

American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeChase Sapphire Preferred$95
Highest reward rateAmerican Express Gold Card5.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeAmerican Express Gold Card700+

Quick Take

American Express Gold Card

by American Express

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American Express Gold Card is a dining card from American Express with a $325 annual fee, up to 100,000 membership rewards points after $8,000 in 6 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on dining rewards who can justify a $325 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 5% on Travel-portal
  • Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $8,000 in 6 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Chase Sapphire Preferred

by Chase

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Chase Sapphire Preferred is a travel card from Chase with a $95 annual fee, 100,000 bonus points after $5,000 in 3 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $95 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 5% on Travel
  • 100,000 bonus points after $5,000 in 3 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricAmerican Express Gold CardChase Sapphire Preferred
Annual Fee$325$95
Reward Rate5.0%5.0%
Signup BonusUp to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $8,000 in 6 months100,000 bonus points after $5,000 in 3 months
Foreign Transaction FeeNoneNone
Recommended CreditGood to excellent creditGood to excellent credit
Rewards SummaryEarn elevated rewards with 5% on Travel-portal, 4% on Dining and 4% on Groceries, plus 1% on other purchases.Earn elevated rewards with 5% on Travel, 3% on Dining and 3% on Online, plus 1% on other purchases.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

American Express Gold Card

Its strongest earning category is Travel-portal at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on dining rewards who can justify a $325 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $8,000 in 6 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $325 annual fee
  • Earns 5% on Travel-portal
  • Earns 4% on Dining

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $325 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $8000 in spending within 6 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Its strongest earning category is Travel at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $95 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • 100,000 bonus points after $5,000 in 3 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $95 annual fee
  • Earns 5% on Travel
  • Earns 3% on Dining

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $95 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $5000 in spending within 3 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between American Express Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The biggest tradeoffs are annual fee, reward concentration, and the level of credit usually needed to qualify. This page compares those inputs directly so you can choose the card that fits your spending and tolerance for annual fees.

Which card is easier to qualify for?

American Express Gold Card has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 700.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

Chase Sapphire Preferred has the lowest annual fee in this comparison at $95.