Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred (2026)
Two of the most popular mid-tier rewards cards. Both charge $95–$250/yr and offer strong category bonuses. Which is actually better? It depends on your spending — here's the head-to-head.
American Express® Gold Card
$1,142
first year value
Annual fee$250
Ongoing value$392/yr
Welcome bonus+$750
Groceries4x
Dining4x
Travel3x
Better on avg. spend
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
$1,279
first year value
Annual fee$95
Ongoing value$529/yr
Welcome bonus+$750
Groceries3x
Dining3x
Travel5x
Choose Amex Gold if:
- ✓ You spend $300+/month on groceries (4x vs 3x matters significantly)
- ✓ You dine out frequently worldwide (4x at all restaurants globally)
- ✓ You use Uber — the $120 Uber Cash credit offsets a big chunk of the fee
- ✓ You eat at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, or Goldbelly (dining credits)
Choose Chase Sapphire Preferred if:
- ✓ You book travel through the Chase portal (5x on hotels and airfare)
- ✓ You want to transfer points to United, Hyatt, Southwest, and more
- ✓ You want a lower annual fee ($95 vs $250) and simpler credits
- ✓ You value primary car rental coverage (Amex is secondary)
Your spending is different from the average. Use the CardIQ calculator to see which earns more for your exact monthly numbers.