American Express Gold Card Vs. American Express Green Card

Both these cards offer welcome bonuses which change from time to time. Currently, the Amex Green offers the more generous welcome bonus.

The American Express® Green Card*’s current welcome bonus is: 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.

The American Express® Gold Card’s current welcome bonus is: 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.

Remember, American Express application rules may make you ineligible to earn a welcome bonus if you’ve previously earned the bonus on the identical card in the past. Additionally, you may not be approved for the card at all if you’ve recently opened other Amex cards or if you hold numerous Amex cards, even if they’ve been open a long time. Check the rules, and your own card history, if the welcome bonus is playing into your application decision.

You may notice that the annual fees on these cards aren’t equal.

The American Express® Gold Card carries an annual fee of $250, which is higher than the American Express Green Card’s $150 annual fee.

It may be tempting to automatically lean toward the Amex Green Card since it has a lower fee, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The total value you get from each card will differ based on their different earning structures and two unique sets of benefits. You’ll want to consider the card as a whole while weighing your options rather than focusing on the annual fee alone.

Both cards earn American Express Membership Rewards on every purchase, which is a flexible points currency that is particularly valuable when transferred to partnering travel programs. Additionally, you’ll find some overlap in bonus categories—both cards earn an elevated rate on restaurant and flight purchases, though that’s where the similarities end.

The Amex Gold Card has an edge when it comes to all types of food purchases. You’ll earn 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases (Terms apply). The grocery category can be a great way to maximize a common household expenditure.

On the other hand, the Amex Green Card may be a better fit for travelers. With it, you earn 3 points per dollar on travel and transit including flights, hotels, taxis, rideshare services, trains, parking and more, 3 points per dollar on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. The travel and transit categories are broad and may add up quickly if you make those types of purchases often.

Ultimately, your spending habits may sway you more in one direction than the other.

Since both cards earn Membership Rewards, you’ll have access to the same redemption options.

In general, Membership Rewards aren’t ideal if you want to earn cash back. American Express provides less than 1 cent per point when using rewards to cover past purchases and in most cases when paying with points at checkout, too.

You’re more likely to get a stronger redemption value by transferring your rewards to partnering travel programs like Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Avianca LifeMiles and then booking award tickets through your frequent flyer account. Alternatively, you can book flights through Amex Travel at a flat rate of 1 cent per point, but without the frequent flyer restrictions or learning curve.

Travel Benefits

The Amex Green Card caters more to travelers and as such includes a few benefits that will improve your travel experience.

The American Express® Green Card* offers up to $100 in LoungeBuddy credits annually. Per-visit prices vary by airport lounge, but with many locations that $100 will only get you a couple of visits. That could be enough for some travelers, though, especially if used strategically when you have long layovers. Travelers who value more frequent lounge access will want to take a look at one of the many cards that offer airport lounge access.

Additionally, the Amex Green Card provides up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for a CLEAR® Plus membership with your card. CLEAR® Plus can be a valuable benefit for the frequent traveler, since it works as a fast-pass through identity checks in airport security by using your fingerprints or iris scans instead of making you wait in line.

The Gold Card doesn’t offer any benefits specifically geared toward travelers, but it does include a $10 monthly Uber Cash credit, which can be used toward rides within the U.S. and may appeal to travelers. The credit can also be used for Uber Eats deliveries if you don’t need rideshare services.

Dining Benefits

In addition to the Uber Cash credit mentioned above—which can be used toward dining purchases—the Amex Gold Card also offers an up-to $10 monthly dining credit valid at select merchants. The credit can be used at Grubhub (and their thousands of partnering restaurants nationwide) as well as other dining spots including select Shake Shack or The Cheesecake Factory locations. Enrollment is required before your first use.

Foreign Transaction Fee

As is common on mid-tier and premium credit cards, neither the Amex Green nor Gold Card charge a foreign transaction fee anywhere Amex is accepted.

APRs

These cards aren’t ideal if you anticipate carrying a balance from time to time. Both cards offer the Pay Over Time feature, allowing you to carry over a limited balance on eligible purchases. However, neither one offers a 0% intro APR, and the ongoing rates for the Pay Over Time feature are the same for both cards with the potential to be high. Both cards have the potential to be high with the Pay Over Time feature. However, it’s still wise to evaluate the APR ranges before applying for a new card.

Amex Green Card Interest Rates

• Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Amex Gold Card Interest Rates

• Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Both the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card* offer car rental loss and damage insurance¹, but the insurance offered is secondary coverage, meaning that your auto insurance policy will be required to pay for damages to a rental car before the credit card’s insurance will. If you highly value car rental loss and damage insurance, consider a credit card that offers primary insurance as a benefit.

Everyday Rewards

If you’re looking for everyday rewards on general purchases, the best tool for you may be a 2% cash-back card.

If you’re looking for an ultra-premium travel credit card with solid earnings on general purchases, consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which pairs robust travel benefits including lounge access with strong earnings: 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25 and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel.

Both the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card* can provide value in excess of their annual fees if you take advantage of the included statement credits or spend heavily in the bonus categories. Frequent travelers will likely gravitate toward the American Express® Green Card* while those who prioritize dining may find a better match on the American Express® Gold Card. Either way, these are solid cards with the potential for strong earnings.

To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.

¹Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.