First-year winner
American Express Gold Card
$500 Year 1 edge
$1,771 vs $1,271
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
American Express Gold Card
Counted benefits
$348
Credits
$348
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$100 Resy Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $100/yr
Up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December for eligible U.S. Resy purchases.
Credit
$84 Dunkin' Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $84/yr
Up to $7 in monthly statement credits at eligible U.S. Dunkin' locations.
Credit
$120 Dining Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $120/yr
Up to $10 in monthly statement credits at eligible partners such as Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys.
Credit
$120 Uber Cash
Other · Listed $120/yr
Get $10 in Uber Cash each month for eligible Uber rides and orders in the U.S.
Perk
The Hotel Collection Benefit
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Eligible bookings through Amex Travel include a property credit toward eligible charges at participating hotels.
Perk
Baggage Insurance Plan
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Coverage for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage when covered travel is charged to the card.
Perk
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Coverage for eligible rental car damage or theft when the rental is reserved and paid for with the card.
Perk
Trip Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse certain additional expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the stated threshold.
Perk
Global Assist Hotline
Other · No listed cash value
24/7 emergency coordination services when traveling more than 100 miles from home.
Perk
Extended Warranty
Extended Warranty · No listed cash value
Can extend the original manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases.
Perk
Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection · No listed cash value
Can help protect eligible purchases against accidental damage, theft, or loss for a limited period after purchase.
Card B
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Counted benefits
$30
Credits
$30
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$50 Annual Hotel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $50/yr
Receive up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for eligible hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.
Perk
DashPass Membership
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can receive a complimentary DashPass membership window with DoorDash benefits.
Perk
DoorDash Monthly Promo
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can receive a monthly DoorDash promotional benefit during the active program window.
Perk
10% Anniversary Points Boost
Other · No listed cash value
Each account anniversary, you can receive bonus points equal to 10% of the total purchases made during the prior year.
Perk
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse covered prepaid travel expenses when a qualifying trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Perk
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the issuer's threshold.
Perk
Baggage Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
Perk
Primary Auto Rental Coverage
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide primary coverage for theft and collision damage on eligible rental cars.
Perk
Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection · No listed cash value
Can help protect eligible new purchases against damage or theft for a limited period after purchase.
Perk
Extended Warranty Protection
Extended Warranty · No listed cash value
Can extend the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases.
Verdict
American Express Gold wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
American Express Gold Card
$250 ongoing edge
$771 vs $521
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $0 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
American Express
American Express Gold Card
Year One
$1,771
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$771
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$748
2.56% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,000
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$348
$348 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$8,000
6 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Earns well on the spend mix you entered.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Chase
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Year One
$1,271
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$521
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$586
2.01% effective return
Welcome Offer
$750
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$30
$30 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$5,000
3 mo window · $1,667/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
4x
$5,400
American Express Gold
$216
4.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$162
3.00%
Groceries
4x
$7,800
American Express Gold
$312
4.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$234
3.00%
Travel
3x
$3,000
American Express Gold
$90
3.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$60
2.00%
Gas
1x
$1,920
American Express Gold
$19
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
American Express Gold
$110
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
American Express Gold$748
Chase Sapphire Preferred$586
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | American Express Gold Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $325 | $95 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 4x 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. | 3x 3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. |
| Groceries rewards | 4x 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. | 3x 3X points on select online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs. |
| Streaming rewards | — | 3x 3X points on select streaming services. |
| Travel rewards | 3x 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. | 5x 5X total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points Welcome offers vary. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. | 75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$424/yr | ~$50/yr |
| Benefit highlights | $100 Resy Credit · $84 Dunkin' Credit · $120 Dining Credit · +8 more | $50 Annual Hotel Credit · DashPass Membership · DoorDash Monthly Promo · +7 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | amex | visa |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
American Express Gold Card
$325
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$95
Foreign transaction fee
American Express Gold Card
None
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
American Express Gold Card
4x
4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out.
Groceries rewards
American Express Gold Card
4x
4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on select online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs.
Streaming rewards
American Express Gold Card
—
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on select streaming services.
Travel rewards
American Express Gold Card
3x
3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
5x
5X total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit.
All rewards
American Express Gold Card
1x
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
American Express Gold Card
Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points
Welcome offers vary. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
75,000 bonus points
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
American Express Gold Card
~$424/yr
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
~$50/yr
Benefit highlights
American Express Gold Card
$100 Resy Credit · $84 Dunkin' Credit · $120 Dining Credit · +8 more
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$50 Annual Hotel Credit · DashPass Membership · DoorDash Monthly Promo · +7 more
Profile
Credit needed
American Express Gold Card
Good
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Good
Network
American Express Gold Card
amex
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
visa
Reward type
American Express Gold Card
Points
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Points