Amex Business Gold vs Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

Both business cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.

amex business gold

American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card

4.5

Apply now
Our reviewRewards calculator
Marriott Bonvoy Business

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

4.5

Apply now
Our reviewRewards calculator

Worked out on a typical small business spending $4,000 a month. Enter yours to see your own numbers.

$1,866

First-year value

$1,204

$536

Every year after

$602

Amex Business Gold is worth $662 more to your business in year one.

From year two, Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card pulls ahead by $66 a year.

How the first year adds up

Rewards and the welcome bonus in, the annual fee, FX fees and employee cards out, at your spending.

$915.19
in American Express Membership Rewards points a year

Annual rewards

Better of the two$931.9
in Marriott Bonvoy points a year
+ $1,330Better of the two
first year only

Welcome bonus

+ $602
first year only
− $199

Annual fee

Better of the two− $150
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

− $180
2.5% on $600/mo
$1,866.19Better of the two

First-year value

$1,203.9

Where each card earns

A year of your spending on each card, category by category, biggest spend first.

Amex Business Gold earns more on 10 of your 17 categories, Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card on 7.

$239.4Better of the two
at 1x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

$216.72
at 2x
$116.74Better of the two
at 1x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

$105.78
at 2x
$91.2Better of the two
at 1x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

$82.56
at 2x
$68.4
at 1x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$92.88
at 3x
$68.4
at 1x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$92.88
at 3x
$57Better of the two
at 1x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

$51.6
at 2x
$45.6Better of the two
at 1x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

$41.28
at 2x
$34.2
at 1x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$46.44
at 3x
$34.2Better of the two
at 1x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

$30.96
at 2x
$34.2Better of the two
at 1x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

$30.96
at 2x
$23.26Better of the two
at 1x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

$21.16
at 2x
$22.8Better of the two
at 1x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

$20.64
at 2x
$22.8
at 1x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$30.96
at 3x
$22.8Better of the two
at 1x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

$20.64
at 2x
$11.4
at 1x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

Better of the two$15.48
at 3x
$11.4
at 1x

Car Rental

$600 a year

Better of the two$15.48
at 3x
$11.4
at 1x

Other Travel

$600 a year

Better of the two$15.48
at 3x
$0
10,000 points each quarter when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your Card

Spend bonuses

on top of the rates

$0
none
$915.19

Rewards in a year

Better of the two$931.9

Welcome bonus

Each offer as the issuer words it, then which milestones your spending reaches.

Amex Business Gold

  • Earn a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 Membership Rewards® points in your first year.
  • Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $7,500 in purchases within the first three months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn an additional 20,000 points after spending $30,000 on your Card in your first 12 months of Cardmembership.
  • That’s up to $700 in statement credits to reinvest in your business.

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

  • Earn up to 80,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points
  • New Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Cardmembers can earn 70,000 points after you spend $5,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • Plus, earn 10,000 points when you spend $1,000 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership

Amex Business Gold

Worth $1,330 at your spending

Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $7,500 on your Card in your first 3 months

50,000 pts

Earn 20,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $30,000 on your Card in your first year

20,000 pts

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

Worth $602 at your spending

70,000 points after you spend $5,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership

70,000 pts

Fees, rates and eligibility

What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.

$199

Annual fee

Better of the two$150
$50

Employee cards

$50
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
American Express Membership Rewards

Rewards

Marriott Bonvoy
American Express

Network

American Express

Amex Business Gold

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99% - 29.99%1

Cash Advance:

N/A1

1 This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. This rate is effective from the day account is opened. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option Rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day the Flexible Payment Option is first available on your account.

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99%2

Cash Advance:

21.99%2

2 If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

How each card earns

The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.

Amex Business Gold

  • 1x point per $1 spent on all purchases
  • 10,000 points each quarter when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your card

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

  • 5x points per $1 on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 3x points per $1 on eligible gas, dining and travel purchases
  • 2x points per $1 on all other purchases (everyday business expenses and more)

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Amex Business Gold

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $100,000
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

Perks

  • travel

    Travel Credit

    Book two or more consecutive nights at participating properties through The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel to receive a $100 credit for amenities or a complimentary room upgrade, if available.
  • airport waiting room

    Priority Travel

    Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport, including access to the Pearson Priority Security Lane and discount on parking.
  • Amex logo

    Amex Experiences™

    Access Front Of The Line® Amex Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

Perks

  • star fall

    Status lift

    Earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status by spending $30,000 or staying 10 nights combined with 15 Elite Night Credits. Status retention depends on Marriott Bonvoy terms.
  • bed furniture

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

    Each year, 8-10 weeks after your anniversary, receive a Free Night Award for a Marriott Bonvoy room up to 35,000 points, valid for 1 year. Resort fees excluded.

Our take

Amex Business Gold

The American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card is an excellent choice for business owners who also travel seeking an entry-level card that offers a strong balance of generous travel benefits without excessive costs. With a relatively low annual fee, this card provides flexibility and a range of perks that make it stand out among other options.

  • Flexible rewards
  • Travel perks
  • Foreign transaction fees
  • Limited travel insurance
  • Lower acceptance

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

Built for businesses that book Marriott hotels regularly. You earn 5x Bonvoy points per dollar at Marriott properties, 3x on dining and gas, and 2x on everything else — the earn structure is strong across the board. The annual free night certificate (worth up to 35,000 points) can easily cover the $150 fee on its own, and Silver Elite status means room upgrades and late checkout. The main limitations: it’s an Amex, so acceptance can be spotty in Canada, and the points are most valuable within the Marriott ecosystem. If you don’t stay at Marriott properties, this card loses its edge.

  • Generous welcome bonus
  • High hotel optimization
  • Annual free night certificate
  • Automatic Silver Elite status
  • Lower acceptance
  • Annual fee

More business card comparisons

Each card against every other business card we review.

Amex Business Gold

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

Legal

Amex Business Gold

*Terms and conditions apply.


This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. This rate is effective from the day account is opened. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option Rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day the Flexible Payment Option is first available on your account.


Account must be in good standing. Membership Rewards points (points) earned by the Basic Cardmember on all purchases, less credits and adjustments. Interest charges, annual fees, other fees and cash equivalent transactions are not purchases and do not qualify for Membership Rewards points. A minimum purchase of $0.50 is required to earn points. Earn one (1) point for every $1.00 in eligible purchases charged to your card.


American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

*Terms and conditions apply.


If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.


American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.