Amex Business Gold vs Amex Platinum Business

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
amex platinum business
Finly rebate
$175

Business Platinum Card® from American Express

4.6

Get offer

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

$1,866

First-year value

$164

$536

Every year after

$164

Amex Business Gold is worth $1,702 more to your business in year one.

It stays ahead after that, by $372 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$1,143.42
in American Express Membership Rewards points a year
+ $1,330Better of the two
first year only

Welcome bonus

+ $0
not reached at this spending
− $199Better of the two

Annual fee

− $799
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

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

First-year value

$164.42

Finly rebates are paid on top and aren't counted in these values.

Where each card earns

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

Amex Platinum Business earns more on 17 of your 17 categories.

$239.4
at 1x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

Better of the two$299.14
at 1.25x
$116.74
at 1x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

Better of the two$146.15
at 1.25x
$91.2
at 1x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

Better of the two$114
at 1.25x
$68.4
at 1x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$85.5
at 1.25x
$68.4
at 1x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$85.5
at 1.25x
$57
at 1x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

Better of the two$71.14
at 1.25x
$45.6
at 1x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

Better of the two$57
at 1.25x
$34.2
at 1x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$42.64
at 1.25x
$34.2
at 1x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$42.64
at 1.25x
$34.2
at 1x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$42.64
at 1.25x
$23.26
at 1x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

Better of the two$29.18
at 1.25x
$22.8
at 1x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$28.5
at 1.25x
$22.8
at 1x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$28.5
at 1.25x
$22.8
at 1x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$28.5
at 1.25x
$11.4
at 1x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

Better of the two$14.14
at 1.25x
$11.4
at 1x

Car Rental

$600 a year

Better of the two$14.14
at 1.25x
$11.4
at 1x

Other Travel

$600 a year

Better of the two$14.14
at 1.25x
$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$1,143.42

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.

Amex Platinum Business

  • Earn up to 120,000 bonus Membership Rewards® points
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you charge $15,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • Plus, earn 40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership
  • That’s up to $1,200 in statement credit that can be reinvested in your business

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

Amex Platinum Business

Worth $0 at your spending

80,000 MR points when you spend $15,000 in the first 3 months

0 pts

40,000 MR points when you make a purchase in months 15-17 (card year 2)

40,000 pts

40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership (card year 2)

40,000 pts

Fees, rates and eligibility

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

$199Better of the two

Annual fee

$799
$50

Employee cards

$250 per Platinum, $0 per Gold (max 99)
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
American Express Membership Rewards

Rewards

American Express Membership Rewards
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

Amex Platinum Business

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99% - 30%2

Cash Advance:

21.99% - 30%2

2 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. 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 account is opened.

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

Amex Platinum Business

  • 1.25x points per $1 spent on all purchases

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™

Amex Platinum Business

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $1,000
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,500
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $1,000

  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

    15 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500

Perks

  • travel

    Travel Credit

    Access a $200 Annual Travel Credit each year of your Cardmembership
  • airport waiting room

    Priority Travel

    At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park

  • concierge

    Concierge Services

    Personalized concierge at your service
  • discount

    Discount

    Your Business Platinum Card gets you savings on the seats you really want and lower fares on premium tickets with participating airlines
  • grwoth

    Interest on Balance

    Up to 55 interest-free days
  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

    Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts, theatre shows, and special offers with American Express® Experiences
  • 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.
  • border guard

    Nexus Program Rebate

    Access a $100 credit for NEXUS with your Cardmembership
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge

    Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM which unlocks access to over 1400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience. Terms and Conditions apply.
  • hotel

    Complimentary Hotel Benefits

    Enjoy Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits at over 1,600 properties worldwide like guaranteed late check-out, complimentary breakfast for two, and more with Business Platinum.
  • mobile phone wifi

    Wireless Credit

    Up to $120 in statement credits each year. Spend $10 each month with eligible wireless providers month and get a $10 credit.
  • business briefcase

    Business Statement Credits

    Up to $500 in business statement credits. Enroll and earn statement credits on eligible purchases with $200 Dell statement credit, $300 Indeed statement credit.

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

Amex Platinum Business

The most premium business card in Canada, and priced accordingly at $799/year. You get 1.25x Membership Rewards points on everything, a massive welcome bonus of up to 120,000 points, and a deep roster of perks: airport lounge access, hotel elite status, statement credits, and comprehensive insurance. The value proposition only works if you travel frequently and use the perks — the earn rate alone doesn’t justify the fee. But for businesses that fly often, entertain clients, and want best-in-class coverage, the benefits can far exceed the cost. Amex acceptance gaps in Canada remain a consideration.

  • Optimize all purchases
  • Premium travel perks
  • Comprehensive insurance
  • Interest grace period
  • Business statement credits
  • High annual fee
  • Limited acceptance

More business card comparisons

Each card against every other business card we review.

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.

Amex Platinum Business

*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. 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 account is opened.


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.