Three-way comparisons → American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Citi Strata Premier® Card
American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Citi Strata Premier® Card
All three side by side, every category valued in real cents per dollar — the printed rate times our conservative value for the points it pays, which is the same math the Credit Upside engine runs on every charge. Card data verified 2026-09-03.
| Category | American Express Gold Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Citi Strata Premier® Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 4.4¢/$ (4x) | 3.8¢/$ (3x) | 3.3¢/$ (3x) |
| Groceries | 4.4¢/$ (4x) | 3.8¢/$ (3x) | 3.3¢/$ (3x) |
| Gas | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 3.8¢/$ (3x) | 3.3¢/$ (3x) |
| Travel | 1.1¢/$ (1x) 2x at American Express Travel (amextravel.com) only — not counted | 2.5¢/$ (2x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Flights | 3.3¢/$ (3x) | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 3.3¢/$ (3x) |
| Hotels | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Streaming | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 3.8¢/$ (3x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Transit | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Online retail | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Issuer travel portal portal only | 5.5¢/$ (5x) | 6.3¢/$ (5x) | 11.0¢/$ (10x) |
| EV charging | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 3.8¢/$ (3x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Everything else | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) |
| Annual fee | $325 | $95 | $95 |
| Statement credits (max/yr) | $424 | $220 | $130 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None | None |
| Rewards currency | Amex Membership Rewards | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Citi ThankYou points |
| Signup bonus | 100,000 after $8,000/6mo | 75,000 after $5,000/3mo | 60,000 after $4,000/3mo |
| Offer last confirmed | 2026-09-14 | 2026-09-14 | 2026-09-14 |
Chase Sapphire Preferred wins the most everyday categories outright (8 of 11), but that is only half the question. It is also the cheapest of the three at $95 a year, against $325 for American Express Gold Card — so what that fee buys has to be perks and credits, because it is not rate. Which of the three earns you more still depends entirely on where your money actually goes.
Cents per dollar = printed earn rate × our conservative point value. A big multiplier in a cheap currency loses to a small one in an expensive currency, which is exactly why we never rank on the raw number. The issuer-travel-portal row is shown for reference but excluded from the verdict — it only pays if you book through that issuer's own site, which is a condition, not a category. The same goes for a rate that only pays at one brand (14x at Hilton, 8x on United fares): it is printed under the card's flat rate, labelled, and never counted. Caps, rotating categories and credits you forget to use change the real answer — the app applies all of them to your actual statement.
Prefer them two at a time?
- Chase Sapphire Preferred vs American Express Gold Card
- American Express Gold Card vs Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Citi Strata Premier® Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
Are the fees worth it?
- Is American Express Gold Card's $325 fee worth it?
- Is Chase Sapphire Preferred's $95 fee worth it?
- Is Citi Strata Premier® Card's $95 fee worth it?
If you want out of a fee later
- What does American Express Gold Card downgrade to?
- What does Chase Sapphire Preferred downgrade to?
- What does Citi Strata Premier® Card downgrade to?
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