Chase Sapphire Preferred vs American Express Gold Card: which fits your plan?
By ApplyOrWait. Compiled from issuer terms and our audited issuer-rule list. Offers checked ; issuer rules verified . Terms apply.
With travel redemption, Chase Sapphire Preferred's estimated first-year value after fees is $928. American Express Gold Card's estimate leaves out its variable welcome offer (as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points), so the Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold Card estimates are not a like-for-like comparison. Chase Sapphire Preferred has the lower annual fee at $95, compared with $325 for American Express Gold Card. Applicants report Chase usually declines people who opened 5 or more new card accounts in the past 24 months, so if keeping Chase access matters, apply for Chase Sapphire Preferred before American Express Gold Card; approval remains the issuer's decision.
We compare conditional value after fees; compensation never changes rankings.
How we rank| Feature | Chase Sapphire Preferred | American Express Gold Card |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Chase | American Express |
| Annual fee | $95 | $325 |
| Welcome offer, terms apply | 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points | as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Required spend | $5,000 in 3 months | $8,000 in 6 months |
| First-year value after fees, estimated (travel) | $928 | -$103 |
| Offer last checked | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-06 |
Can you get both Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold Card, and in what order?
Application windows and account limits
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Chase usually declines most applications at 5/24 or higher, based on applicant reports. Approval is never guaranteed. Your estimated 5/24 count changes as older accounts age out. Exact eligibility timing depends on reported opening dates.
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Applicants report Chase pacing of roughly two cards in 30 days, usually one business card. Additional applications may be declined. Many applicants space Chase applications about 90 days apart to reduce review risk; this is community guidance.
American Express Gold Card: The usual Amex limit on new credit-card approvals generally does not apply to this card. Other approval checks still apply. Amex generally limits charge-card holdings; ten total is commonly reported, with exceptions and lower personal-card limits reported by some applicants.
Welcome offers and prior-card history
Chase's terms say the Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome offer may be unavailable if you have or had the card or received its welcome bonus before, and you cannot open the card while you hold it.
American Express Gold Card: Amex may restrict a welcome offer if you have held the card before. Some targeted offers have different terms; the issuer determines eligibility.
Effect on Chase 5/24
Chase Sapphire Preferred is a personal card: opening it adds a recent account toward Chase's 5/24 count for 24 months, including if it later closes.
American Express Gold Card is a personal card: opening it adds a recent account toward Chase's 5/24 count for 24 months, including if it later closes.
Application order
Applicants report Chase usually declines people who opened 5 or more new card accounts in the past 24 months, so if keeping Chase access matters, apply for Chase Sapphire Preferred before American Express Gold Card; approval remains the issuer's decision.
Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold Card: current offers
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Welcome offer: 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points. Annual fee: $95. Terms apply.
First-year value after fees (travel redemption), estimated: $928.
Last checked: .
American Express Gold Card
Welcome offer: as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points. Annual fee: $325. Terms apply.
First-year value after fees (travel redemption), estimated: -$103.
Bonus up to $1,250 with conditions. This ceiling is excluded from the estimate.
Last checked: .
Can I get both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the American Express Gold Card welcome offers?
Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold Card have product-specific welcome-offer checks for previous cards or bonuses. Passing an application timing check does not establish welcome-offer eligibility.
Which should come first: Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Gold Card?
Check Chase Sapphire Preferred while you still have room under Chase's reported 5/24 limit. Opening another personal card first can use that room.
How would Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold Card affect my Chase count?
Opening Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Gold Card increases the personal-account count used for Chase's reported 5/24 rule for 24 months. Closing a recent account does not remove that account from the count.
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