Review: the American Express Business Gold card

If you are looking for an Amex business card, American Express offers two core products in the UK.  This review looks at the American Express Business Gold charge card.  Our review of the other Amex business card, the American Express Business Platinum charge card, is here.

Key link: American Express Business Gold charge card application page

Why Amex Business Gold?

The American Express Business Gold charge card is issued directly by American Express.

The card is aimed mainly at small businesses and sole traders.  The criteria for applying are fairly lenient:

• You have a permanent UK home address
• The business (if you are not a sole trader) has a UK bank account
• The business has no County Court Judgements against it
• You are over 18

There are no turnover or profitability requirements for the company itself but you must have a minimum personal income of £20,000.  There is no longer any requirement to have been in business for one year – you can now apply as soon as you have a bank account.

Note that the American Express Business Gold card is a charge card, not a credit card. You MUST clear your balance in full at the end of each month.

What is the Amex Business Gold sign-up bonus?

You will receive 20,000 American Express Membership Rewards points when you spend £3,000 within three months. This is a very generous incentive. 

The card is also free for the first year.  The annual fee for the following years is £195.

Membership Rewards points can be converted into a range of goodies.  The most valuable options are converting into frequent flyer miles (including Avios points and Virgin Flying Club) at a ratio of 1:1.  This means that the sign-up bonus is worth 20,000 Avios points or 20,000 Virgin Points.

Amex points also convert into Hilton Honors (at 1:2), Marriott Bonvoy (at 2:3) and Radisson Rewards at 1:3.

There are also a lot of non-travel redemptions including High Street, Amazon and iTunes gift cards.

Membership Rewards points are awarded to the individual and NOT to the company so you can spend them however you wish.

Do you qualify for the sign-up bonus?

Yes you do!

I can say that with certainty because American Express removed all the rules on who qualifies for the sign-up bonus in 2024.

If you are accepted, you WILL get the bonus if you hit the spend target. It doesn’t matter what other American Express cards you have or recently had.

Is there a bonus for regular spending?

Yes, although it will only benefit high spenders.

You will receive an additional 10,000 bonus Membership Rewards points whenever you spend £20,000 in a calendar quarter (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, Oct-Dec).

If you spent exactly £20,000 in a quarter, you would have earned 30,000 points in total. This comprises 10,000 bonus points and 20,000 base points. 1.5 points per £1 spent is a very good return.

Any other benefits?

You receive £100 credit per year to spend with Dell. No minimum spend applies but the credit is split into two parts. You can earn £50 cashback between January and June and £50 cashback between July and December.

You can apply for up to 20 complimentary Amex business cards for your employees.

You will receive one consolidated statement showing the spend on your card and all of the supplementary cards.  All of the Membership Rewards points earned on your employee cards will flow into your personal account.

Depending on when in your monthly cycle you make a payment, you will effectively receive up to 54 days free credit on your spending.

American Express statements provide more underlying transaction detail for flights and certain other transactions than Visa or Mastercard statements, making it easier to reconcile transactions.

What is the Amex Gold Business annual fee?

There is no fee for the first year.

For future years, there is a fee of £195. This should be a tax deductible business expense.

What do I earn per £1 spent on the card?

You receive 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on the card.

What is a Membership Rewards point worth?

Anything from ‘not a lot’ to ‘a lot’ is the answer!   This article outlines my view on the most valuable American Express Membership Rewards transfer options.

I tend to value airline miles at 0.75p – 1p each (this is conservative) so that is your valuation if you transfer to an airline programme.

Some of the hotel programmes also offer good value. Your options are Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and Radisson Rewards.

You can take a look at the full list of American Express Membership Rewards redemption options here.

You’ll need a small business Visa or Mastercard as well

The only major issue with Amex business cards, including American Express Business Gold, is the lack of acceptance by some suppliers.

Realistically, you will need to have a Visa or Mastercard as well to ensure that you can always get a card accepted.

For limited companies (sole traders are not accepted), I recommend the free Capital on Tap Visa credit card.  It has a very generous earning rate of 1 Avios per £1 and no annual fee. It also has no foreign exchange fees.

Conclusion

If you are a sole trader or own a small business, even a service company, then the American Express Business Gold card is well worth a look. 

The 20,000 Membership Rewards points for signing up are a generous incentive, and with no fee for the first year you have nothing to lose.

If you can put £20,000 per quarter through the card to earn the 10,000 bonus Membership Rewards points, you will be getting an exceptionally strong return on your spending.

How to apply

The official Amex Business Gold website, which contains full details and the application form, is here.

Disclaimer: Head for Points is a journalistic website. Nothing here should be construed as financial advice, and it is your own responsibility to ensure that any product is right for your circumstances. Recommendations are based primarily on the ability to earn miles and points. The site discusses products offered by lenders but is not a lender itself. Robert Burgess, trading as Head for Points, is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as an independent credit broker.