Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. American Express Gold

Here at NextAdvisor, we frequently get asked what the “best” credit card is — and recommendations for which one people should get.

While the “best” credit card is subjective and is the one that suits your financial and lifestyle needs, today we are going to take a closer look at two of the most asked-about cards on the market: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the American Express® Gold Card.

Both are beginner-to mid-level credit cards, ideal for those who have some level of comfort and confidence using travel rewards credit cards. Their annual fees are $95 and $250, respectively, and each comes with a host of perks that might be better suited to fit different needs.

Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold at a Glance

One area where the Sapphire Preferred card reigns supreme is in the welcome offer category. The card currently offers 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. You can use those 100,000 points to redeem for free travel, including airfare and hotel stays. In fact, it’s our pick for a credit card with an annual fee under $100.

Here’s how the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold cards measure up against each other.

	Chase Sapphire Preferred	Amex Gold
Annual Fee	$95	$250 (See Rates & Fees)
Welcome Offer	100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening	60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months
Bonus Points	2x on dining and travel	• 4x at restaurants • 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x) • 3x on flights booked directly from airlines or via Amex Travel • 1x on other purchases
Credits	$60 towards eligible Peloton memberships and a complimentary 12-month DoorDash DashPass membership (otherwise $9.99 per month)	Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Eats orders and rides; Gold Card must be added to the Uber app to receive the benefit); Up to $120 in dining statement credits annually ($10 per month)

Bonus Comparison

The clear winner here is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card: It’s offering 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. This current offer is 40,000 points higher than the Preferred’s standard 60,000-point offer with the same minimum spending requirements, and worth $1,250 when redeemed for travel, according to Chase.

In comparison, the Amex Gold is currently offering 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in your first six months of membership. These 60,000 points are worth up to $600 when redeemed for travel, according to Amex.

Rewards Comparison

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns:

On the other hand, the Amex Gold earns:

• 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar on:
  • Dining 
  • U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
• It also earns 3 points per dollar on:
  • Airfare booked directly with airlines
  • Airfare booked directly with AmexTravel.com
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

In this instance, the Amex Gold has a higher earning rate on dining purchases than the Sapphire Preferred card. That said, though, the Amex Gold has a $250 annual fee — more than double that of the Sapphire Preferred. While it does earn more bonus points on dining, the added difference in the cost of the annual fee likely will not outweigh the additional points you would earn.

APR Comparison

As with all travel rewards credit cards, we recommend paying your bills on time and in full to avoid any interest charges. Otherwise, this can negate the value of any rewards you end up earning.

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has a variable APR rate between 16.99% and 23.99%.
• The Amex Gold card has a variable APR rate between 15.99% and 22.99%.

Fee Comparison

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee.
• The Amex Gold has a $250 annual fee. 
• Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.

Deciding Between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold Cards

The good news is that you can’t go wrong with either card. Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold cards are strong travel rewards credit cards that will help you earn bonus points you can later redeem for free or discounted travel.

There’s no doubt that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the better deal right now: 

1. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a significantly higher welcome offer — 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points compared to only 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards points on the Gold card.
2. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a lower annual fee. The Sapphire Preferred’s fee is just $95, compared to the Gold card’s $250.

You’d have to dine out quite a bit to make use of the Amex Gold’s 4x earning rate on dining, compared to the 2x on the Chase Sapphire Preferred, to justify a significantly higher annual fee. 

The Amex does, though, come with perks:

• $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Eats orders and rides; Gold Card must be added to the Uber app to receive the benefit)
• Up to $120 in dining statement credits annually ($10 per month)

Both of these benefits can help offset the cost of the annual fee. You can also earn up to a $100 credit on qualifying activities when booking through the American Express Hotel Collection. In fact, depending on your lifestyle habits, the Amex Gold can end up paying for itself.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred, meanwhile, comes with perks like:

Ultimately, deciding on which card to get comes down to what your budget and spending habits are. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is undoubtedly the better deal and more budget-friendly option. The Amex Gold has more premium perks, such as dining credits, Uber credits and even hotel credits when booking through the American Express Hotel Collection program.

For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, click here.