American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Fees, rewards and real yearly value, side by side. Updated October 29, 2026.
American Express Gold Card
Estimated value every year on typical spending
$332/ year
Every year, after the annual fee. Year one adds a $800 welcome bonus: $1,132
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Estimated value every year on typical spending
$561/ year
Every year, after the annual fee. Year one adds a $750 welcome bonus: $1,311
The short answer
- On typical spending, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card comes out ahead: about $561 a year after its fee, against $332 for the American Express Gold Card.
- The American Express Gold Card earns more on groceries, dining.
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card earns more on gas, travel, everything else.
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card costs $230 less a year to hold.
Side by side
| American Express Gold Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $325 | $95 |
| Rewards | 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets; 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com; 3X points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com or directly with airlines | 5x points on Chase Travel; 3x points on dining, gas stations, EV charging, vacation homes, top streaming services, and online grocery; 1x points on all other purchases |
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. | Earn 75,000 points after you spend $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Credits counted | $148/yr | $80/yr |
| Intro APR | Not listed | Not applicable |
| Regular APR | 19.74% to 28.74% variable | 19.49% to 27.74% variable |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Credit needed | Good/Excellent | Good/Excellent |
Yearly rewards by category
| Category (monthly spend) | American Express Gold Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| groceries ($500) | $192 | $180 |
| dining ($400) | $154 | $144 |
| gas ($200) | $19 | $72 |
| travel ($300) | $29 | $36 |
| everything else ($1,200) | $115 | $144 |
Yearly value is rewards plus credits you'd realistically use, minus the annual fee, on $2,600/month: $500 groceries, $400 dining, $200 gas, $300 travel, $1,200 everything else. Points use conservative cash values; store-only rewards count at half. How we rank · Use your own spending
Questions people ask
Which is better, the American Express Gold Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card?
On typical spending the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card is worth more: about $561 a year after its fee, against $332 for the American Express Gold Card. Which is better for you depends on where you spend most; see the category answers below.
Which has the lower annual fee?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card ($95 a year, against $325).
Which is better for groceries?
The American Express Gold Card. On $500 a month of groceries it earns about $192 a year, against $180 with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card.
Which is better for dining?
The American Express Gold Card. On $400 a month of dining it earns about $154 a year, against $144 with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card.
Which is better for travel?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card. On $300 a month of travel it earns about $36 a year, against $29 with the American Express Gold Card.
Which is better for gas?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card. On $200 a month of gas it earns about $72 a year, against $19 with the American Express Gold Card.
Put any two cards head to head.
Pick any cards, including ones you already hold, and compare them on your own spending.
Open CompareRelated comparisons
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card vs Venture Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card vs Citi Strata Premier Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
- American Express Gold Card vs Platinum Card
- American Express Gold Card vs Citi Strata Premier Card
- Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
- Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Card details are collected from issuer websites and were last refreshed October 29, 2026. Terms change often; confirm them with the issuer before you apply.