Editorial take: American Express Green Card
Hard to justify vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred at $95 with stronger earning. The CLEAR credit is nice but only useful if your airport has CLEAR lines. Most people are better off with Sapphire or Amex Gold.
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Side-by-side
American Express Green Card vs Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Green Card comes from American Express at $150/yr; the Capital One Spark Cash Plus from Capital One at $150/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the American Express Green Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($720 more in estimated value) than the Capital One Spark Cash Plus's. Get the American Express Green Card first; revisit the Capital One Spark Cash Plus after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | American Express Green Card | Capital One Spark Cash Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $150 |
| Sign-up bonus | 40,000 Membership Rewards points | $4,000 cash bonus |
| Bonus value (est.) | $720 | - |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $3,000 in 3 mo | - |
| Issuer | American Express | Capital One |
| Card category | travel | business |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 3x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | amex-mr | None |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
American Express Green Card
$150/yr · 40,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
$150/yr · $4,000 cash bonus
Editorial take: Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Green Card or Capital One Spark Cash Plus?
- The American Express Green Card has a public bonus (40,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $720), while the Capital One Spark Cash Plus doesn't advertise one right now.
- Is the American Express Green Card's $150 annual fee worth it compared to the Capital One Spark Cash Plus?
- At $150/yr, the American Express Green Card is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Capital One Spark Cash Plus's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
- Can I have both the American Express Green Card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Capital One) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
- Should I get the American Express Green Card or the Capital One Spark Cash Plus first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Green Card: $3,000 spend in 3 months. Capital One Spark Cash Plus: no published min spend. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
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.