Is the Amex Gold still worth $325 a year?
At renewal there's no welcome bonus left, just the fee against what the card earns and the credits you actually use. Here's that renewal year for three spending profiles, compared with downgrading or switching to a no-fee card. Terms verified Oct 5, 2026.
| Profile | Amex Gold after fee | Best alternative | Pays | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday spender About $2,000 a month, mostly groceries and errands, one trip a year. | $427 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $535 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if elite status are worth over $108 a year to you. |
| Balanced About $3,500 a month with a few trips a year and regular dining out. | $1,043 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $1,055 | Close call |
| Frequent traveler About $5,000 a month, heavy on flights, hotels and restaurants, some trips abroad. | $1,718 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $1,782 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if elite status are worth over $64 a year to you. |
Profiles use typed totals, so merchant credits (rideshare, delivery, streaming) aren't counted here.Answer a few questions in the calculator below and the verdict updates.
The credits, and what it takes to use them
Up to $424 a year on paper. They only offset the fee to the extent you'd have spent that money anyway.
| Credit | How it works |
|---|---|
| $120 Uber Cash ($10 a month) | Add the Gold Card to your Uber account; $10 Uber Cash each month for U.S. Uber Eats orders and rides paid with an Amex card. Unused Uber Cash does not roll over. Basic Card Member only. Needs enrollment. |
| $120 dining credit ($10 a month) | Partners since the 2026-04-30 refresh: Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory and Wonder, at U.S. locations. Goldbelly and Wine.com were dropped. Needs enrollment. |
| $100 Resy credit ($50 semi-annually) | Up to $50 January-June and $50 July-December at U.S. restaurants that take reservations on Resy (and Resy purchases). Enrollment required. Needs enrollment. |
| $84 Dunkin' credit ($7 a month) | At U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required. Needs enrollment. |
Run it on your own spending
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table above is precomputed.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table above is precomputed.
Downgrade instead of closing: American Express usually lets you product-change to the Amex Green, which keeps your account age and credit line. Ask before you cancel.
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