Amex Business Gold vs CIBC bizline® Visa* 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
CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

2.7

Learn more

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

$1,866

First-year value

Doesn't earn rewards

$536

Every year after

Doesn't earn rewards

Only Amex Business Gold earns rewards we can work out.

Compare the fees, rates and perks below.

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

—
+ $1,330
first year only

Welcome bonus

—
− $199

Annual fee

—
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

—
$1,866.19

First-year value

—

Where each card earns

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

$239.4
at 1x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

—
$116.74
at 1x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

—
$91.2
at 1x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

—
$68.4
at 1x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

—
$68.4
at 1x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

—
$57
at 1x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

—
$45.6
at 1x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

—
$34.2
at 1x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

—
$34.2
at 1x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

—
$34.2
at 1x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

—
$23.26
at 1x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

—
$22.8
at 1x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

—
$22.8
at 1x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

—
$22.8
at 1x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

—
$11.4
at 1x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

—
$11.4
at 1x

Car Rental

$600 a year

—
$11.4
at 1x

Other Travel

$600 a year

—
$0
10,000 points each quarter when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your Card

Spend bonuses

on top of the rates

—
$915.19

Rewards in a year

—

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.

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

No welcome bonus right now.

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

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

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$0
$50

Employee cards

$0 (up to 9)
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
American Express Membership Rewards

Rewards

No rewards
American Express

Network

Visa

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

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

Interest rates

Purchase:

CIBC Prime plus 1.5%

Cash Advance:

CIBC Prime plus 1.5%

Balance Transfer:

CIBC Prime plus 1.5%

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
560
Fair
660⁎
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

$15,000

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

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

No rewards earned on purchases

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Amex Business Gold

Insurance

  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $100,000

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    yes
  • 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™

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

Insurance

  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $100,000

Perks

  • car rental

    Car Rental Discount

    Get up to 30% off base rates with Avis® Pay Now or up to 35% off base rates with Budget

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

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

Not a rewards card — this is a low-cost credit line for businesses that need to carry a balance or manage cash flow. With a variable rate as low as Prime + 1.5% and no annual fee, it’s one of the cheapest ways to borrow on a business credit card. There are no points, no perks, and no welcome offer. But if your priority is affordable financing rather than earning rewards, this card undercuts most of the market on interest costs. Good for newer businesses building credit or seasonal businesses that need flexible short-term financing.

  • No annual fee
  • Low interest rates
  • Accessible income requirement
  • No rewards
  • No welcome offer
  • Interest rates fluctuate
  • Lacks standard insurance categories

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.

CIBC bizline® Visa* Card