American Express Gold Card vs Discover it Cash Back
An honest side-by-side comparison of two of our top credit cards picks — pricing, strengths, weaknesses, and who each one is really for.
American Express Gold Card
Ranked #2 of 15 in this directory
Premium dining and grocery rewards card with valuable statement credits
Discover it Cash Back
Ranked #5 of 15 in this directory
Rotating 5% cash back categories with first-year cash back match
Our pick: American Express Gold Card. Our editors rank American Express Gold Card higher overall in Credit Cards — but Discover it Cash Back can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case below. How we review
Compare the details
| American Express Gold Card | Discover it Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Paid | Free |
| Starting price | See website | Free |
| Category | Travel Rewards | Cashback |
| Editorial rank | #2 of 15 | #5 of 15 |
Strengths
American Express Gold Card
- ✓4x points at restaurants worldwide — one of the highest dining earn rates
- ✓4x points at US supermarkets up to $25,000 per year in purchases
- ✓Up to $240 in annual credits (Uber Cash and dining) offset the fee
- ✓Extensive Membership Rewards transfer partner network
- ✓No foreign transaction fees for international travel
Discover it Cash Back
- ✓First-year Cashback Match effectively doubles all rewards earned
- ✓5% back on rotating categories up to $1,500 per quarter
- ✓No annual fee ever with solid ongoing rewards
- ✓Free FICO score and Social Security number monitoring
- ✓US-based customer service with high satisfaction ratings
Watch out for
American Express Gold Card
- !$250 annual fee requires using credits to get full value
- !Supermarket 4x bonus caps at $25,000/year then drops to 1x
- !Amex acceptance is slightly lower than Visa or Mastercard internationally
- !No travel-specific perks like lounge access or trip delay insurance
Discover it Cash Back
- !Must activate quarterly rotating categories to earn 5%
- !5% bonus capped at $1,500 in spending per quarter
- !International acceptance is limited compared to Visa or Mastercard
- !1% base rate on non-category spending is below the best flat-rate cards
Best use cases
American Express Gold Card
- →Food lover who spends heavily at restaurants and grocery stores
- →Points collector wanting to maximize Membership Rewards earning
- →Cardholder who uses Uber regularly and can capitalize on monthly credits
Discover it Cash Back
- →New credit card user wanting a generous first-year bonus through Cashback Match
- →Strategic spender willing to optimize around rotating 5% categories
- →Student or young adult building credit with a forgiving no-fee card
About each tool
American Express Gold Card
The American Express Gold Card is the top choice for foodies and grocery shoppers, earning 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide and at US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year). The card comes with up to $120 in Uber Cash credits and up to $120 in dining credits annually at select restaurants, effectively reducing the $250 annual fee to just $10 net. Membership Rewards points transfer to a wide array of airline and hotel partners, making this card an excellent complement to any travel rewards strategy.
Discover it Cash Back
The Discover it Cash Back card stands out with its first-year Cashback Match that automatically doubles all cash back earned in the first 12 months. The card earns 5% on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 per quarter) and 1% on everything else. With no annual fee and acceptance at over 99% of US merchants, the Discover it is an excellent first credit card or complement to a rewards strategy that maximizes quarterly bonus categories.
Still deciding? Browse all 15 options with honest pros, cons, and pricing.
See all Credit Cards →