Amex Gold vs Sapphire Preferred
It depends on how you spend: the Amex Gold wins for 2 of our three profiles and the Sapphire Preferred for 1. Below: what each card pays after fees for three spending profiles, the break-even, and a live calculator for your own numbers. Card terms verified Oct 5, 2026.
Simulated results
Five years, welcome offers counted when the profile's own spending reaches them, points valued for travel (Amex points at 1.5¢, Chase points at 1.5¢). Merchant credits like Uber or DoorDash aren't counted for typed profiles; they show up in the break-even instead.
| Profile | Amex Gold: year 1 | then yearly | 5 years | Sapphire Preferred: year 1 | then yearly | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday spender About $2,000 a month, mostly groceries and errands, one trip a year. | $1,927 | $427 | $3,637 | $1,670 | $545 | $3,850 |
| Balanced About $3,500 a month with a few trips a year and regular dining out. | $2,543 | $1,043 | $6,715 | $2,165 | $1,040 | $6,325 |
| Frequent traveler About $5,000 a month, heavy on flights, hotels and restaurants, some trips abroad. | $3,218 | $1,718 | $10,090 | $2,790 | $1,665 | $9,448 |
The break-even
Everyday spender
Amex Gold trails Sapphire Preferred by $43 a year. It wins only if its elite status and credits you'd have to use are worth more than $43 a year to you.
This flips if Amex points are worth more than 1.56¢ each to you (we're using 1.5¢).
Balanced
Sapphire Preferred trails Amex Gold by $78 a year. It wins only if its Global Entry credit and credits you'd have to use are worth more than $78 a year to you.
This flips if Chase points are worth more than 1.59¢ each to you (we're using 1.5¢).
Frequent traveler
Sapphire Preferred trails Amex Gold by $128 a year. It wins only if its Global Entry credit and credits you'd have to use are worth more than $128 a year to you.
This flips if Chase points are worth more than 1.6¢ each to you (we're using 1.5¢).
Try it with your spending
Starts from the Balanced profile. Change any number, or drop in your statements; they're read on this device and never uploaded.
The live calculator needs JavaScript. The tables above are precomputed.
The live calculator needs JavaScript. The tables above are precomputed.
Side by side
| Term | Amex Gold | Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer and network | American Express, American Express | Chase, Visa |
| Annual fee | $325 | $95 |
| Requires | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months (as high as; offers vary) | 75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months |
| Earning | 4x at restaurants worldwide (incl. takeout and U.S. delivery) on up to $50,000 a calendar year · 4x at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 a calendar year · 5x on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel · 3x on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel · 2x on prepaid car rentals and cruises booked through Amex Travel · 1x on everything else | 5x on all Chase Travel purchases (flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation homes, activities, tours) · 3x on dining worldwide (incl. takeout and eligible delivery) · 3x at gas stations and EV charging (new 6/15/2026) · 3x on vacation homes booked direct with top brands: Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com, Vacasa (new 6/15/2026) · 3x on top streaming services (Apple Music, Apple TV, Disney+, ESPN+, Fubo, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime, SiriusXM, Sling, Spotify, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, Vudu) · 3x on online grocery (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) · 2x on all other travel worldwide · 5x total on Lyft rides/products in the Lyft app through 9/30/2027 · 5x total on Peloton equipment/accessory purchases over $150, on up to $5,000 in total purchases (promo through 12/31/2027) · 1x on everything else |
| Rewards currency | American Express Membership Rewards points | Chase Ultimate Rewards points |
| Statement credits | $120 Uber Cash ($10 a month) · $120 dining credit ($10 a month) · $100 Resy credit ($50 semi-annually) · $84 Dunkin' credit ($7 a month) | $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit · $10 monthly DoorDash promo on a non-restaurant order · Complimentary DashPass membership ($120 value) · Complimentary Apple TV for one year ($156 value) |
| Lounges | None | None |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Authorized users | No fee | No fee |
| Availability | Open to new applicants | Open to new applicants |
| Verified | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Is the Amex Gold worth its $325 fee? · Is the Sapphire Preferred worth its $95 fee? · Compare every card with your statements