First-year winner
American Express Gold Card
$443 Year 1 edge
$1,771 vs $1,328
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
The Platinum Card from American Express
Counted benefits
$1,132
Credits
$1,132
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
American Express Global Lounge Collection
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Access to Centurion Lounges, select Delta Sky Club visits when flying Delta, Priority Pass Select enrollment, and other partner lounges.
Credit
$200 Uber Cash
Other · Listed $200/yr
Get $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a $20 bonus in December for eligible Uber rides and orders in the U.S.
Perk
$120 Uber One Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year after purchase of an eligible auto-renewing Uber One membership in the U.S.
Credit
$300 Digital Entertainment Credit
Streaming Credits · Listed $300/yr
Up to $25 per month in statement credits for eligible purchases with select digital entertainment partners.
Credit
$400 Resy Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $400/yr
Up to $100 in statement credits each quarter for eligible Resy purchases, including dining at eligible U.S. Resy restaurants.
Perk
$600 Hotel Credit
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Up to $300 back semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel.
Perk
Premium Hotel Status
Other · No listed cash value
Complimentary hotel status and on-property benefits are available with participating programs.
Credit
$200 Airline Fee Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $200/yr
Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees with one selected qualifying airline.
Credit
$209 CLEAR Plus Credit
Other · Listed $209/yr
Up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year for an eligible CLEAR Plus membership.
Perk
$200 Oura Ring Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $200 back in statement credits each calendar year on eligible Oura Ring purchases through ouraring.com.
Perk
Platinum Nights by Resy
Other · No listed cash value
Special access to exclusive reservations on select nights at participating Resy restaurants in select markets.
Credit
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Application Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive either a statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years when the application fee is charged to the card.
Credit
$100 Saks Fifth Avenue Credit
Other · Listed $100/yr
Up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com.
Perk
$300 Equinox Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year on an eligible Equinox club membership or Equinox+ digital subscription.
Credit
Walmart+ Monthly Membership Credit
Other · Listed $155/yr
Monthly statement credit for one eligible Walmart+ membership paid with the Platinum Card.
Perk
$300 lululemon Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $75 in statement credits each quarter for eligible U.S. lululemon store purchases.
Card B
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.
Verdict
American Express Gold wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
American Express Gold Card
$243 ongoing edge
$771 vs $528
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $13,640 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
American Express
The Platinum Card from American Express
Year One
$1,328
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$528
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$292
1.00% effective return
Welcome Offer
$800
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$1,132
$1,132 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$8,000
6 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
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.
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
1x
$5,400
The Platinum Card from American Express
$54
1.00%
American Express Gold
$216
4.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
The Platinum Card from American Express
$78
1.00%
American Express Gold
$312
4.00%
Travel
1x
$3,000
The Platinum Card from American Express
$30
1.00%
American Express Gold
$90
3.00%
Gas
1x
$1,920
The Platinum Card from American Express
$19
1.00%
American Express Gold
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
The Platinum Card from American Express
$110
1.00%
American Express Gold
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
The Platinum Card from American Express$292
American Express Gold$748
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 | The Platinum Card from American Express | American Express Gold Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $895 | $325 |
| 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. |
| Groceries rewards | — | 4x 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. |
| Travel rewards | 5x 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, up to $500,000 per calendar year, and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel. | 3x 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 80,000 Membership Rewards points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. | 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. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$1,594/yr | ~$424/yr |
| Benefit highlights | American Express Global Lounge Collection · $200 Uber Cash · $120 Uber One Credit · +13 more | $100 Resy Credit · $84 Dunkin' Credit · $120 Dining Credit · +8 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Excellent | Good |
| Network | amex | amex |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
The Platinum Card from American Express
$895
American Express Gold Card
$325
Foreign transaction fee
The Platinum Card from American Express
None
American Express Gold Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
—
American Express Gold Card
4x
4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X.
Groceries rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
—
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.
Travel rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
5x
5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, up to $500,000 per calendar year, and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel.
American Express Gold Card
3x
3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
All rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
American Express Gold Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
The Platinum Card from American Express
80,000 Membership Rewards points
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
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.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
The Platinum Card from American Express
~$1,594/yr
American Express Gold Card
~$424/yr
Benefit highlights
The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express Global Lounge Collection · $200 Uber Cash · $120 Uber One Credit · +13 more
American Express Gold Card
$100 Resy Credit · $84 Dunkin' Credit · $120 Dining Credit · +8 more
Profile
Credit needed
The Platinum Card from American Express
Excellent
American Express Gold Card
Good
Network
The Platinum Card from American Express
amex
American Express Gold Card
amex
Reward type
The Platinum Card from American Express
Points
American Express Gold Card
Points