Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the American Express® Gold Card ($325/yr) and the Sam's Club Mastercard® (no annual fee) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
Strongest in dining at 4% (up to $50,000/yr). 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Apply NowStrongest in gas at 5% (up to $6,000/yr). 5% on gas and EV charging (first $6,000/yr), 3% on dining and takeout, 1% elsewhere. Warehouse purchases earn 1% unless you hold a Plus membership.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | American Express Gold Card | Sam's Club Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $325 | $0 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 100,000 points after $8,000 spend in 6 months | $30 after $30 spend in 1 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Dining Rewards | 4% (up to $50,000/yr) | 3% |
| Groceries Rewards | 4% (up to $25,000/yr) | 1% |
| Gas Rewards | 1% | 5% (up to $6,000/yr) |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
3% on flights Earns 3% only on flights booked direct with the airline or on AmexTravel.com. Hotels, car rentals and cruises earn 1%. |
3% at Sam's Club with Plus Earns 3% on Sam's Club purchases only with a Plus membership, which costs more than the base Club tier. Club members earn 1% there, and groceries bought anywhere else earn 1%. |
| Key Benefits | 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights. | 5% on gas and EV charging (first $6,000/yr), 3% on dining and takeout, 1% elsewhere. Warehouse purchases earn 1% unless you hold a Plus membership. |
American Express Gold Card pulls ahead for dining, groceries spending.
Sam's Club Mastercard wins on gas.
The $325/year fee difference means American Express Gold Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
American Express Gold Card carries $424/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.