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.
All credit cards
Side-by-side
American Express Green Card vs PayPal Cashback Mastercard
Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Green Card comes from American Express at $150/yr; the PayPal Cashback Mastercard from Synchrony at $0/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 ($520 more in estimated value) than the PayPal Cashback Mastercard's. Get the American Express Green Card first; revisit the PayPal Cashback Mastercard after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | American Express Green Card | PayPal Cashback Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $0 |
| Sign-up bonus | 40,000 Membership Rewards points | $200 cash back |
| Bonus value (est.) | $720 | $200 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $3,000 in 3 mo | $500 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Synchrony |
| Card category | travel | cashback |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 3x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | amex-mr | None |
| Headline benefits |
|
Read the full review
American Express Green Card
$150/yr · 40,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
PayPal Cashback Mastercard
$0/yr · $200 cash back
Editorial take: PayPal Cashback Mastercard
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Green Card or PayPal Cashback Mastercard?
- The American Express Green Card has the bigger bonus, 40,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $720, versus $200 cash back (~$200) on the PayPal Cashback Mastercard.
- Is the American Express Green Card's $150 annual fee worth it compared to the PayPal Cashback Mastercard?
- 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 PayPal Cashback Mastercard's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
- Can I have both the American Express Green Card and PayPal Cashback Mastercard?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Synchrony) 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 PayPal Cashback Mastercard first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Green Card: $3,000 spend in 3 months. PayPal Cashback Mastercard: $500 in 3 months. 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.