Two popular options for American Express business cards are the American Express® Business Gold Card and The Plum Card® from American Express.
The Business Gold Amex offers tailored rewards, earning 4x points in your top two spending categories each billing cycle from a list of six options (capped at $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year). With up to $395 in annual statement credits and valuable redemption options through Membership Rewards transfer partners, this card can be a powerful earning tool for many businesses.
The Plum Card is a business card that offers the flexibility to pay in full each month to earn rewards or carry your balance for up to 60 days with no interest.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.
Full Reviews: American Express® Business Gold Card and The Plum Card® from American Express.
Overview: Business Gold Amex vs Amex Plum
Welcome Bonus
Amex Business Gold:
The Amex Business Gold currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Amex Plum:
Unlike most cards, the Amex Plum Card does not offer a welcome bonus for new applicants.
Winner:
Amex Business Gold clearly wins this category with a large welcome bonus compared to no welcome bonus.
Earning Rewards
Amex Business Gold:
The Amex Business Gold earns 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar in your top 2 categories each billing cycle, including:
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
- Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
- Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
- U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio);
- U.S. purchases at gas stations;
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
4x points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year, then earn 1 point per dollar.
You can also earn 3x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked via AmexTravel.com. All other eligible purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
Amex Plum:
The Amex Plum Card has a unique way of approaching rewards. You have two options:
- Earn an unlimited 1.5% Early Pay Discount on eligible charges within 10 days of your statement closing date and see the discount applied to your next statement when you pay at the least the Minimum Payment Due by the Payment Due Date; OR
- You can carry the balance interest-free for 60 days if you pay the minimum monthly amount by the Payment Due Date.
The minimum monthly payment is 10% of the balance from new activity on your current billing statement plus the entire amount of any previously deferred balance, as long as your account is current.
This interest-free option could be a good choice for businesses that need extra flexibility with their cash flow.
Winner:
The Amex Business Gold is a points earning machine and clearly wins this category over the 1.5% cash back for the Amex Plum.
Card Benefits
Amex Business Gold:
The Amex Business Gold offers the following benefits:
$20 Monthly Credit: Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
Walmart+ Credit: Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card.
No Preset Spending Limit: This card offers the spending flexibility of no preset spending limit, which adjusts according to factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.*
Baggage Insurance Plan covers your baggage if it is lost, damaged, or stolen and you purchase your ticket with this card.*
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.*
Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans*
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Amex Plum:
The Amex Plum Card offers the following card benefits:
90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.*
Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans*
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
No Preset Spending Limit: This card offers the spending flexibility of no preset spending limit, which adjusts according to factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Winner:
Amex Business Gold. It offers more important travel protections like trip delay insurance and baggage insurance.
Value of the Annual Fees
Amex Business Gold:
The Amex Business Gold Card has an annual fee of $375 (rates & fees). While this is a substantial cost, the card offers several benefits that can help offset it.
You’ll receive annual statement credits for eligible purchases at retailers like FedEx, Grubhub, office supply stores, and for Walmart+ membership. The card also provides valuable earning potential, giving you 4x points in your top two spending categories each billing cycle, up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year.
Amex Plum:
The Amex Plum card has a $250 annual fee (rates & fees) and you can additional employees for no fee.
Winner:
It depends. Some businesses need the payment flexibility of the Plum American Express and it can save you a lot in interest if you were not planning on paying the card statement in full each month.
But if you are planning on paying off the balance each month, the Business Gold’s annual fee is a better value.
Redeeming Points
Amex Business Gold:
The Business Gold earns American Express Membership Rewards points.
American Express Membership Rewards points are a versatile and valuable currency for travelers. The program offers numerous redemption options, with transfers to airline partners being the most lucrative way to use your points.
Amex partners with 18 airlines and 3 hotel chains, allowing you to access a wide range of travel possibilities. Some of the best redemptions include booking business class flights to Europe through Air France-KLM Flying Blue for as low as 50,000 miles one-way. Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club offers excellent value for Delta One flights to Europe at 50,000 points, significantly less than booking directly through Delta.
For those planning a trip to Asia, transferring to ANA Mileage Club can yield incredible value. Round-trip business class flights from the West Coast to Tokyo can be booked for just 90,000 miles. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is another great option, especially for their renowned long-haul flights like New York to Singapore.
Domestic travelers can benefit from transferring to British Airways Executive Club for short-haul American and Alaska Airlines flights, with awards starting at just 8,250 Avios for distances up to 650 miles.
While transferring to airline partners typically offers the best value, Amex also allows direct redemptions for flights through their travel portal. However, this option generally provides lower value at 1 cent per point.
To maximize your Membership Rewards, focus on high-value airline transfers for premium cabin international flights. With strategic planning, you can unlock extraordinary travel experiences and significant savings on your next adventure.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
|
|
|---|---|
Aer Lingus Avios
|
AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
|
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
|
ANA
|
Avianca LifeMiles
|
British Airways Avios
|
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
|
Delta SkyMiles
|
El Al [1,000 to 20]
|
Emirates
|
Etihad Guest
|
Hawaiian Airlines
|
Iberia Avios
|
JetBlue [250 to 200]
|
Qantas
|
Qatar Airways
|
Singapore KrisFlyer
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
Choice
|
Marriott Bonvoy
|
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
|
Amex Plum:
The Amex Plum’s rewards are automatically credited to the following billing statement, assuming you took the cash-back option over the extra time to pay off the balance.
Winner:
Amex Business Gold. Membership Rewards points can be really valuable if used correctly to unlock luxury travel.
The Verdict
For most small businesses, the Amex Business Gold is a better option than the Amex Plum Card.
The Business Gold’s 4x points on your top categories is enticing and a quick way to rack up points if your business spends a lot of money each year.
But if your business needs payment flexibility, then the Amex Plum could be a good way to save hundreds of dollars each year on interest payments.
Which card are you going to choose?
