American Express Gold Card Or Membership Rewards Credit Card?

American Express credit cards are considered a luxury by some, a dream for many, and an absolute must-have for credit card enthusiasts. Although American Express only offers a few credit cards in India, it has developed a niche in India by providing rewarding credit cards. From the Platinum Charge Card to the essential SmartEarn Credit Card, AmEx has a card offering for everyone. Many people find it confusing to choose between the AmEx Gold and Membership Rewards Credit Card. Both cards may seem similar at first glance, but they are quite different from each other.

Both the American Express Gold Charge and Membership Rewards Credit Cards have a joining fee of ₹1,000 and an annual charge of ₹4,500 from the second year onwards, exclusive of taxes. However, the Gold Card is a charge card with no preset spending limit, while the Membership Rewards Card is a mid-level rewards card.

If you are looking to apply for your first American Express Card or are confused about which card to choose between these two, this article is for you. By the end, we will also discuss how you can save on joining charges and annual fees and even earn bonus reward points by applying for the card now with Card Insider.

About AmEx Gold Charge Card

The American Express Gold Charge Card is designed to be simple and rewarding. It does not have hidden loopholes or complicated terms. Those who apply for the Gold Charge Card can enjoy luxury benefits, discounts, and offers. The card has no pre-set spending limit and a luxurious golden appearance.

In terms of rewards, most people choose this card for its straightforward reward structure. Cardholders earn 1 Membership Rewards Point for every ₹50 spent with the card. The Gold Charge Card is one of the only non-fuel credit cards that rewards spending on fuel and utility bill payments, without any reduced rates. Cardholders also receive 5X Membership Rewards Points on the Rewards Multiplier Portal. One of the most attractive features is the milestone benefits: completing six transactions of ₹1,000 or more earns cardholders 1,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points.

Reward Rate

Let’s look closer at the American Express Gold Charge Card reward rate.

Spends	Rewards	Value of Membership Rewards Point	Reward Rate
Six Transactions of ₹1,000 Each Month (₹6,000)	1,000 Membership Rewards Points Each Month	₹500 (1 MR Point = ₹0.50)	Monthly – 8.333%
Yearly Spends of ₹72,000	12,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points	₹6,000 (1 MR Point = ₹0.50)	Annual – 8.333%

Redeeming MR Points for Taj vouchers in the 24 Karat Gold Collection can result in a better value of ₹0.58 per Membership Rewards Point.

About AmEx Membership Rewards Credit Card

As the name suggests, the American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card is a rewarding offering best suited for those who make decent monthly spending. This is quite a popular card and is considered to be a contender with the Gold Charge. In our opinion, the Membership Rewards Credit Card is one of AmEx’s simplest and best card offerings. Anyone looking to apply for an American Express Credit Card should definitely apply for this one as it offers high rewards on small spending multiple times and monthly spends.

One can redeem these unexpiring reward points against the 24 and 18 Karat Gold Collection.

Reward Rate

Let us look at the potential rewards and savings one can earn and do with the Membership Rewards Credit Card.

Spends	Rewards	Value of Membership Rewards Point	Reward Rate
Four Transactions of ₹1,500 Each Month (₹6,000)	1,000 Membership Rewards Points Each Month	₹500 (1 MR Point = ₹0.50)	Monthly (For Six Transactions) – 8.333%
Monthly Spends of ₹20,000	1,000 Membership Rewards Points Each Month	₹500 (1 MR Point = ₹0.50)	Monthly (For Achieving Monthly Spends of ₹20,000) – 2.5%
Yearly Spends of ₹2,40,000	24,000 Membership Rewards Points Each Year	₹14,000 (1 MR Point = ₹0.58)	Annual – 5.8333%

Comparison of Gold Charge Card and Membership Rewards Credit Card

Features	Gold Charge Card	Membership Rewards Credit Card
Joining Fees	₹1,000 + GST	₹1,000 + GST
Annual Charges	₹4,500 + GST	₹4,500 + GST
Reward Rates	1 Membership Reward Point/₹50 on All Eligible Spends Including Fuel and Utilities (1%)	1 Membership Reward Point/₹50 Spent on All Eligible Categories (1%)
Milestone Rewards	1,000 Membership Rewards Points Each Month on Completing Six Transactions Worth ₹1,000 Each	-1,000 Membership Rewards Points Each Month on Completing Four Transactions Worth ₹1,500 Each -Additional 1,000 Membership Reward Points on Spending ₹20,000 Each Month
Airport Lounge Access	None	None
Forex Charges on International Transactions	3.5%	3.5%

Reward Redemption for Gold Charge and MRCC

The Gold Charge and Membership Rewards Credit Card have the same rewards redemption collection, known as the Gold Collection.

24,000 MR Points/24 Karat Gold Collection

• Taj Voucher Worth ₹14,000
• Shoppers Stop Voucher Worth ₹10,000
• Tata Cliq Voucher Worth ₹ 9,000
• Tanishq Voucher Worth ₹9,000
• Amazon Voucher Worth ₹8,000
• Flipkart Voucher Worth ₹8,000
• Reliance Digital Voucher Worth ₹8,000

18,000 MR Points/18 Karat Gold Collection

• Taj Voucher Worth ₹9,000
• Shoppers Stop Voucher Worth ₹7,000
• Tata Cliq Voucher Worth ₹7,000
• Myntra Voucher Worth ₹7,000
• Amazon Voucher Worth ₹6,000
• Flipkart Voucher Worth ₹6,000
• Reliance Digital Voucher Worth ₹6,000

Best Pick Between AmEx Gold Charge and MRCC

It’s a difficult choice as both the cards are quite alike and equally rewarding in one way or the other. Still, those looking to maximize their reward earning and decent spending should opt for the American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card. We also suggest this card for first-time AmEx users. This is a great card for rewards and to familiarize yourself with the American Express ecosystem. With zero joining fees (on referral), this card makes an attractive choice for those looking for a first-year fee credit card.

While the Membership Rewards Credit Card may seem like a perfect card for newcomers, credit card veterans would obviously look for more. Some of them keep the AmEx Trifecta, comprising the Gold Charge, MRCC, and Platinum Travel Credit Card. Our article is for those trying to choose between the Gold Charge and MRCC, particularly from the perspective of newcomers. Otherwise, for veterans who have a far better understanding, things like the reward rate on Rewards Multiplier would also have been a large focus.

Where Can I Apply for the Membership Rewards Credit Card?

Apply for the Membership Rewards Credit Card with Card Insider and receive bonus reward points, along with a reduced fee structure. When applying through our link, you can save ₹1,000 as the joining fee and have to pay a reduced cost which is charged from the second year of ₹1,500 instead of ₹4,500. Clearly, the benefit lies in applying through the referral. Please have a look at the table below for more details.

Features	Without Referral	With Referral
Joining Fee	₹1,000	None (Zero First Year Charges)
Charges from Second-Year Onwards	₹4,500	₹1,500
Referral Bonus Points	None	500 Referral Bonus Membership Rewards Points

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