Discover it Cash Back vs Amex Business Gold
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
EXPRESS
Discover it Cash Back wins 3-1. Rotating-category optimizers; first card for thin-credit-file applicants Amex Business Gold is still the right call if small businesses — 4x on top 2 spend categories from a list of 6..
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Discover it Cash Back | Amex Business Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | · $375 |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | 5% (shopping) | · 4% (shopping) |
| Base reward rate | = 1% | = 1% |
| Forex markup | · 1% | No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = Cashback Match — Discover doubles your first-year cashback automatically | = 70,000 Membership Rewards points after $10,000 spend in 3 months |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = No waiver |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | 670 | · 720 |
| Editorial rating | = 4.5/5 | = 4.5/5 |
Benefits compared
Discover it Cash Back
- 5% cashback on rotating quarterly categories (Amazon, gas, restaurants, grocery)
- 1% cashback on everything else
- Cashback Match: Discover matches all cash back earned in your first year
- No annual fee
- Free FICO score on every statement
- No foreign transaction fees
Amex Business Gold
- 4x on top 2 categories ($150K cap): airfare, gas, advertising, tech, restaurants, US shipping
- $20 monthly FedEx + Grubhub credit
- $240 Amex Business Line of Credit access
- No foreign transaction fees
FAQ
›Discover it Cash Back vs Amex Business Gold: which is better?
Discover it Cash Back wins on more dimensions (3 vs 1). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern — see the calculator below.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Discover it Cash Back for its best categories, Amex Business Gold for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Discover it Cash Back: Cashback Match — Discover doubles your first-year cashback automatically. Amex Business Gold: 70,000 Membership Rewards points after $10,000 spend in 3 months.