Editorial take: American Express Business Gold
The 4x on your top two categories each month is uniquely flexible, if your business spend varies, this auto-adapts. The credits need active use to offset the fee.
Free during beta. Plus launches at $12/mo or $99/yr on July 1. Annual is locked for 12 months during beta.
Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Business Gold comes from American Express at $375/yr; the Bilt Palladium from Bilt / Cardless at $495/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
For most people the American Express Business Gold is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($675 more in estimated value) than the Bilt Palladium's. Get the American Express Business Gold first; revisit the Bilt Palladium after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | American Express Business Gold | Bilt Palladium |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $375 | $495 |
| Sign-up bonus | 100,000 Membership Rewards points | 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status |
| Bonus value (est.) | $1,800 | $1,125 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $15,000 in 3 mo | $4,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Bilt / Cardless |
| Card category | business | travel |
| Best earning category (Top_two_categories) | 4x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | amex-mr | bilt |
| Headline benefits |
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The 4x on your top two categories each month is uniquely flexible, if your business spend varies, this auto-adapts. The credits need active use to offset the fee.
Bilt 2.0's top tier ($495 AF), launched February 7, 2026 by Cardless. Stacks $400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash + the Obsidian benefit set + Priority Pass with 2 guests. For Bilt loyalists who already hit the rent-day game hard, the math works; for everyone else, Obsidian is plenty.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.