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Card vs Card Comparison

Amex Gold
vs
Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Updated

Two cards, head-to-head. We break down earning rates, perks, transfer partners, and the real scenarios where each one wins.

American Express

Amex Gold

Annual fee

$325

Points

Membership Rewards

Signup bonus

60K points after $6K in 6 months

Top earning rates

  • →4x on restaurants worldwide
  • →4x on US supermarkets (up to $25K per year)
  • →3x on flights booked direct or on Amex Travel

Top perks

  • →$120 Uber Cash ($10 per month)
  • →$120 dining credit ($10 per month at select partners)
  • →$84 Dunkin' credit
See Amex Gold detailsarrow_forward

Chase

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual fee

$550

Points

Ultimate Rewards

Signup bonus

60K points after $4K in 3 months

Top earning rates

  • →3x on travel and dining (the workhorse multiplier)
  • →10x on Chase Travel hotels and car rentals
  • →5x on Chase Travel flights

Top perks

  • →$300 annual travel credit that auto-applies to any travel charge
  • →Priority Pass lounge access
  • →$5 monthly DoorDash plus DashPass
See Chase Sapphire Reserve detailsarrow_forward

The verdict

When each card wins.

Amex Gold wins if

Pick this if you spend heavily on restaurants and US groceries and will use the monthly credits as they drop.

Honest downside: Credits split into monthly buckets that you forfeit if you miss a month.

Chase Sapphire Reserve wins if

Pick this if travel and dining are your largest spend categories and you want to transfer points to Hyatt for outsized hotel value.

Honest downside: No credits beyond the $300 travel credit. The $550 fee is real if you do not transfer to Hyatt.

At a glance

Side-by-side spec sheet.

SpecAmex GoldChase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee$325$550
Points currencyMembership RewardsUltimate Rewards
Signup bonus60K points60K points
Top earn category4x on restaurants worldwide3x on travel and dining (the workhorse multiplier)
Second earn category4x on US supermarkets (up to $25K per year)10x on Chase Travel hotels and car rentals
Third earn category3x on flights booked direct or on Amex Travel5x on Chase Travel flights
Signature perk$120 Uber Cash ($10 per month)$300 annual travel credit that auto-applies to any travel charge
IssuerAmerican ExpressChase

Questions

Frequently asked.

Which is better, Amex Gold or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

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Amex Gold wins if you spend heavily on restaurants and US groceries and will use the monthly credits as they drop. Chase Sapphire Reserve wins if travel and dining are your largest spend categories and you want to transfer points to Hyatt for outsized hotel value.

Can I have both the Amex Gold and the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

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Yes. These are issued by different banks (American Express and Chase), so they don't conflict on application rules. Many travelers carry both to stack the strongest benefits from each card's ecosystem.

Which has the higher annual fee, Amex Gold or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

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Chase Sapphire Reserve has the higher annual fee at $550, compared to $325 for Amex Gold. Whether the pricier card is worth the difference depends on which credits and perks you use each year.