American Express credit cards, compared

14 American Express cards, from what each earns on a typical year's spending down to what its fee costs. Every card links to its own page, with every rate and where it ranks.

Ranked by what each card earns in a year once its annual fee is paid — every rate converted to dollars with a dated point valuation, spending caps honoured, and rotating categories not credited. Priced on an illustrative household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits and perks are not priced: they are worth their face value only if you would have spent that money anyway.

#	Card	Annual fee	A year, after the fee
1	Blue Business Plus American Express · Points · most from Groceries	none	$1,058
2	Gold Card American Express · Points · most from Groceries	$325 a year	$828
3	Classic Green Card American Express · Points · most from Restaurants & Bars	$150 a year	$622
4	Blue Cash Preferred American Express · Cash back · most from Groceries	$95 a year	$537
5	Blue Cash Everyday American Express · Cash back · most from Groceries	none	$457
6	Hilton Honors Card American Express · Hotel · most from Groceries	none	$409
7	Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express · Airline · most from Restaurants & Bars	none	$361
8	Hilton Honors Surpass American Express · Hotel · most from Groceries	$150 a year	$312
9	Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express · Airline · most from Groceries	$150 a year	$283
10	Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express · Airline · most from Groceries	$350 a year	$104
11	Hilton Honors Aspire American Express · Hotel · most from Restaurants & Bars	$550 a year	−$156
12	Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · Hotel · most from Groceries	$650 a year	−$229
13	Platinum Card American Express · Points · most from Groceries	$895 a year	−$270
14	Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express · Airline · most from Groceries	$650 a year	−$332

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