American Express® Business Gold Card Review

American Business®  Gold Card Full Review

The card issuer scored best in the security category because it takes many steps to protect users' sensitive data.

It scored the lowest in the rates and fees and customer service categories. While the card doesn't have a foreign transaction fee, it does come with a high annual fee. Plus, while American Express® offers 24/7 customer service through multiple channels, the company has received many complaints and negative reviews online.

In the sections below, we dive deeper into the details behind the ratings we gave in each review category.

Rates and Fees

Your American Express® Business Gold Card account is subject to the following rates and fees:

• Introductory annual percentage rate (APR): 0% on eligible Pay Over Time purchases for the first six months

• Pay Over Time APR: 18.49%-27.49% variable

• Penalty APR: 29.99%

• Annual fee: $375

• Foreign transaction fee: None

• Late fee: The greater of $39 or 2.99% of any past due Pay In Full amount

• Returned payment fee: $39

The penalty APR may be applied to your account if you miss a payment and may remain in effect for 12 or more consecutive billing periods. You can get it removed by making timely payments during those billing periods.

Features and Benefits

Rewards

The American Express® Business Gold Card offers a sign-up bonus of 175,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within three months of opening your account. In addition, you can earn points as follows:

• 4x points on your top two eligible spending categories per billing cycle (eligible categories include advertising through U.S. media providers, purchases from electronics retailers or software providers, restaurant or takeout meals, gas station purchases, transit-related costs such as taxi, train, bus, and rideshare fares, and wireless phone expenses)

• 3x points on prepaid hotels and flights booked through American Express® Travel

• 1x points on all other eligible purchases

Important note: The 4x points tier is capped at $150,000 in annual spending. Once you reach that threshold, those purchases will earn 1x points.

You can redeem your points for gift cards, statement credits, travel bookings, or online purchases. Depending on how you redeem them, 10,000 points could be worth up to $100. Statement credits are the least valuable, giving you just $60 for 10,000 points. 

Statement Credits

As a cardholder, you can earn the following statement credits:

• Up to $240 annually for eligible purchases at FedEx, GrubHub, or office supply stores

• Up to $155 annually for your Walmart+ membership

Travel Perks

The American Express® Business Gold Card offers the following travel perks:

• The Hotel Collection: Get up to $100 in experience credit for eligible spa, dining, or resort activities when you book two or more nights at a participating location. You can also get a room upgrade at check-in when available. 

• Trip delay insurance: Get up to $300 in reimbursement for meals, lodging, toiletries, and other essentials if your trip gets delayed for a covered reason for more than 12 hours.

• Baggage insurance plan: Get up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and $500 for checked baggage (in excess of the common carrier coverage) if your bags get lost, damaged, or stolen.

• Car rental loss and damage insurance: Get up to $50,000 in coverage when you decline the car rental company's collision damage waiver and use your card to pay for the reservation.

• Global Assist® Hotline: Get 24/7 emergency assistance when you're more than 100 miles from home.

Other Benefits

As a cardholder, you'll also have access to additional benefits, such as:

• Cellphone protection: Get reimbursed up to $800 to repair or replace your phone if it gets damaged or stolen.

• Purchase protection: Get up to $1,000 per covered purchase (up to $50,000 per account per calendar year) if the item is stolen or accidentally damaged within 90 days of purchase.

• Extended warranty: Get up to an additional year of warranty protection (on original warranties of five years or less).

• Bill.com membership: Get a free Basic plan to pay your vendors when you enroll your card.

Spending Limit

Your account won't have a preset spending limit. Your limit will vary based on your payment, credit, and usage history. However, you will have a Pay Over Time limit as the card issuer wants to cap the balance you can carry from month to month.

Repayment Options

You can pay off your entire balance each month or choose to Pay Over Time. You will pay interest on Pay Over Time purchases.

Security

American Express® does several things to keep your personal and financial data safe, such as:

• Monitoring your account for potential fraudulent activity

• Sending alerts when unusual account activity is detected

• Making it easy to report fraud online or by phone

• Using SafeKey for identity verification when you shop online (you may have to tap an app notification, enter a code, or scan your face or fingerprint)

Plus, your account details aren't stored on your device when you add your card to your digital wallet.

User Experience

American Express® publishes detailed information on its website about each card it offers. However, it doesn't disclose eligibility criteria online, and a company representative couldn't provide that information when I called, either.

The online application is a simple one-page form with basic questions about your identity and income. You can also apply for a card by calling 1-888-781-6736. 

I called this line and got connected with a friendly representative within a minute. They answered my questions and were ready to help me apply for an account on the spot. 

Your personal credit score won't be impacted unless you're approved for and accept the card. However, you may see a change in your business credit score when you apply. 

You can manage your account via the American Express® mobile app, which is available for Android and iOS devices. With the app, you can:

• See your balance and available credit

• Find payment information and make a payment

• Track rewards

• Find special offers

• Request a replacement card or freeze your account

The app is highly rated by Apple device users (4.9 out of 5 stars) and fairly well-rated by Android device users (3.9 out of 5 stars). Some raters praised the app for being user-friendly. However, other reviewers indicated that a recent update made the app less effective.

Customer Service

Contacting American Express®

You can get help with your account 24/7 in these three ways:

• By phone – 1-800-492-3344 (line for existing cardholders)

• Online

• Via the mobile app

You must be logged into your online account or mobile app to connect with a customer service representative. Since I'm not a cardholder, I couldn't test these contact methods.

However, I spoke with two current cardholders to learn about their experience. Andreas Jones, creator of KindaFrugal.com, said, "I had an issue with one of my employee cards that I set up incorrectly. I contacted customer service, and they were delightful to work with throughout the process. They were very responsive and followed through to make sure the issue was resolved to my satisfaction."

Certified financial planner (CFP®) Michelle Petrowski used to enjoy contacting customer service. Unfortunately, her experience worsened when American Express® outsourced the function to providers outside the United States. 

American Express® Business Gold Card Visit Site

What Cardholders Are Saying

Jones, a cardholder since 2019, loves how the card's rewards structure adapts to your business's expenses, giving you the most points for your top two spending categories each billing cycle. However, "keeping track of which categories are earning 4x points each month can be a bit of a hassle if you're not super organized," said Jones.

Petrowski, a member since 2009, has high praise for the purchase protection benefit. She said, "Years ago, my son dropped water on his MacBook, and it was no longer functional. We had only had it for a short time. I opened a claim and sent the receipt to [the company], and they sent me a check to put towards the purchase of a replacement product."

I checked Reddit to get more cardholder input. Some users reported being happy about the addition of the current statement credit benefits. Others expressed irritation due to the annual fee increase (previously $295) and the elimination of shipping costs as a 4x points category.

Company Reputation

American Express® has a blemished online reputation, including:

• 1.4 out of 5 stars across 4,600 reviews on Trustpilot, with 79% of reviewers giving the company one star

• No accreditation, an F rating, and 1.1 out of 5 stars via the Better Business Bureau (BBB)

• A court order to pay $108.7 million in civil penalties for allegedly engaging in deceptive marketing practices (as of January 16, 2025)

Please note: As of this writing, we have contacted the company's public relations department regarding these issues and are awaiting their comments.

Card Comparison: Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum

The American Express® Business Gold Card may be better if you want to get well-rewarded for purchases in several spending categories. However, you may want to choose the American Express® Platinum Gold Card if you plan to do a lot of business travel and can justify the significantly higher annual fee.

American Express® Business Gold Card Visit Site

Methodology: How We Review Credit Cards

We do extensive research before writing our reviews. Here are some of the factors we consider:

• Rates and Fees: How much does it cost to have the card? How easy is it to get a return on investment?

• Features and Benefits: How do you earn rewards? How much can you earn? What perks do you have access to as a cardholder? 

• Security: Does the card issuer take data security seriously? How easy is it to monitor your account and report fraud?

• User Experience: Does the company make getting, using, and managing your card easy? Can you manage your account via a mobile app?

• Customer Service: Is it easy to get help when you need it? Does the company have a good reputation?

We give the card a one to five rating in each of the above categories, with one being the worst and five being the best. The Editor's Score is the average of the five ratings.

Bottomline: Is the American Express® Business Gold Card good?

The American Express® Business Gold Card may be a good addition to your wallet if you get enough benefits to offset the annual fee. It could also be the right fit if you want to get a high reward rate across multiple spending categories. However, you may want to consider other options if you don't want to track your spending or plan to use your card for only one or two distinct purposes.

Jones offered this advice: "Choosing a business credit card isn't a one-size-fits-all deal. It's about finding that sweet spot between your spending habits, reward preferences, and business needs. 

"Think about where your business is headed. A card that seems perfect now might not fit the bill in a year or two. Look for something that can grow with you," Jones continued.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it hard to get the American Express®  Business Gold Card?

The company doesn't disclose qualification criteria for its cards, so it's difficult to say whether it's hard to get the American Express® Business Gold Card. However, you can increase your approval odds by improving your credit score as much as possible before applying.

What is the limit on the American Express®  Business Gold Card?

The American Express® Business Gold Card doesn't have a preset spending limit. The amount you can charge will depend on your payment, credit, and usage history at a given time. However, the card's Pay Over Time feature does have a spending cap, which also depends on several factors.

What are the benefits of the American Express®  Business Gold Card?

The American Express® Business Gold Card offers several benefits, such as a generous welcome bonus, a high rewards rate for select spending categories, and statement credits. You'll also have access to travel protection, like baggage insurance, and other consumer perks, like extended warranties.