American Express is a card issuer and payment network known for premium rewards and business-focused benefits, while Chase is primarily a bank offering diverse card products across all credit tiers with broader merchant acceptance. American Express charges higher annual fees but provides superior travel protections, whereas Chase excels in accessibility and everyday rewards variety.
American Express vs Chase — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Premium credit card issuer and payment network known for exclusive benefits and high-reward business cards.
Major bank holding company offering diverse credit cards, checking accounts, and investment services with broad accessibility.
Business Model. Average Annual Fee (Premium Card). Global Merchant Acceptance. Travel Insurance Coverage. Rewards Rate on Dining. No-Annual-Fee Card Options. Small Business Support & Tools
Choose American Express if you're a frequent business traveler or high-income earner willing to pay premium fees for superior travel protections, elevated rewards on dining/hotels, and white-glove concierge services. Choose Chase if you prioritize everyday rewards flexibility, lower costs, broader merchant acceptance, robust no-fee card options, and integrated banking services including checking accounts and investment management.
American Express: $0 liability 24/7 | Chase: N/A
American Express: Issuer + Network | Chase: N/A
American Express: Direct dedicated support | Chase: N/A
American Express: Standardized across cards | Chase: N/A
American Express: 9 million locations | Chase: N/A
American Express: Comprehensive (Premium Cards) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 30-60 days | Chase: N/A
American Express: Strong U.S. + Growing International | Chase: N/A
American Express: 0.30-0.50% Higher | Chase: N/A
12-Month Merchant Acceptance Growth Rate
American Express: 16% Year-over-Year Growth | Chase: N/A
American Express: Good to Excellent (650+) | Chase: N/A
Small Business Merchant Program Threshold
American Express: OptBlue Program (<$1M) | Chase: N/A
American Express: Premium Exclusive Benefits | Chase: N/A
American Express: 5x Expansion (2017-2025) | Chase: N/A
American Express: Established Fee Model | Chase: N/A
American Express: 150+ countries | Chase: N/A
American Express: Good to Excellent (670+) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 5X points | Chase: N/A
American Express: $0 liability | Chase: N/A
American Express: $600 annually | Chase: N/A
American Express: 24/7 Real-Time Alerts | Chase: N/A
American Express: Amex Intelligence Dashboard | Chase: N/A
American Express: ~12 million merchants | Chase: N/A
American Express: 120+ countries | Chase: N/A
Typical Merchant Discount Rate - Standard
American Express: 2.5-3.5% OptBlue | Chase: N/A
American Express: $12,000-16,000 | Chase: N/A
American Express: 670+ (good credit minimum) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 3.5%+ Amex Direct | Chase: N/A
American Express: AES GCM (March 2026 release) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 95% of US merchants, 60%+ internationally | Chase: N/A
American Express: 17.49%-23.49% | Chase: N/A
American Express: 195 countries | Chase: N/A
American Express: $0 (zero liability) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 6+ types (trip cancellation, delay, baggage, loss of passport, emergency medical, evacuation) | Chase: N/A
Minimum Annual Spending for Elite Status
American Express: 1% (Platinum points) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 4-6x (category dependent) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 94% (Amex network) | Chase: N/A
American Express: 500+ lounges (premium cards) | Chase: N/A
American Express: $250,000 | Chase: $100,000
American Express: $10,000 | Chase: $5,000
American Express: 170+ years (founded 1850) | Chase: 160+ years (founded 1865)
American Express: N/A | Chase: 21 with expansion plan
American Express: N/A | Chase: Chase Sapphire Preferred (3x points)
American Express: N/A | Chase: Not specified
American Express: N/A | Chase: Standard digital banking features
American Express: N/A | Chase: Chase Ultimate Rewards (10+ redemption categories)
American Express: N/A | Chase: 30+ states
American Express: N/A | Chase: Solid advisory offerings
American Express: N/A | Chase: Highly rated, feature-rich
American Express: N/A | Chase: Varies by account type ($500-$15,000)
American Express: N/A | Chase: Ranks higher across banking metrics
American Express: N/A | Chase: Chase: $3.8T
American Express: N/A | Chase: 4,700 branches
American Express: N/A | Chase: 16,000+ ATMs
American Express: N/A | Chase: 42 million users
American Express: N/A | Chase: 5% rotating categories
American Express: N/A | Chase: $0 (most accounts)
American Express: N/A | Chase: $8.6 billion
American Express: N/A | Chase: $2.8 trillion
American Express: N/A | Chase: Hyatt + Chase Travel only
American Express: N/A | Chase: Standard rates
American Express: N/A | Chase: 5+ categories
American Express: N/A | Chase: 1:1 Hyatt guarantee
American Express: N/A | Chase: Comprehensive (Sapphire)
American Express: N/A | Chase: 3-5x (category-based)
How to choose between American Express and Chase
American Express vs Chase — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for American Express vs Chase. Contains 96 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
American Express vs Chase — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for American Express vs Chase.
Which credit card company has better merchant acceptance worldwide?
Chase has superior global merchant acceptance at approximately 98%, compared to American Express at 95%. This means Chase cards work at more merchants globally, particularly in smaller businesses and international markets. American Express has improved significantly but still lags slightly due to its closed-loop network model versus Chase's access to the Visa/Mastercard networks.
Should I choose American Express or Chase for business travel?
American Express is superior for business travel. The Amex Platinum card offers $250,000 trip delay insurance (vs Chase's $100,000), complimentary Centurion Lounge access, 4X dining rewards, and stronger concierge services. However, Chase Sapphire Reserve offers better everyday spending rewards and 10,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points annually through the travel credit, making it competitive if merchant acceptance is critical.
Does American Express or Chase offer better rewards for everyday spending?
Chase offers more flexibility for everyday rewards through its Freedom card portfolio, which earns rotating 5X cash back categories plus 1.5X flat rate. American Express Platinum earns up to 4X on dining but requires higher annual spending to offset the $550 fee. For everyday category-based rewards without premium fees, Chase Freedom Flex at $0 annual fee is superior.
What are the key differences in annual fees between these companies?
American Express Platinum charges $550 annually with limited fee waivers, while Chase Sapphire Reserve charges $95 annually. However, both offer substantial travel credits that offset fees ($200-$300 annual travel credit for Amex vs $300 for Chase). American Express also offers more no-annual-fee options, but Chase dominates this category with 8+ fee-free cards across all reward types.
Which company is better for small business owners?
American Express is significantly better for small business owners, offering 100+ specialized business card variants tailored to specific industries (restaurants, travel agencies, consulting, etc.) with dedicated business support. Chase offers business cards but with a much smaller portfolio (~25 variants). If your business requires specialized features and integrated business services, American Express is the clear choice.
How to Choose Between American Express and Chase
Business Model: American Express has Card issuer & payment network operator, while Chase has Bank holding company with diverse financial services.
Consider: Average Annual Fee (Premium Card)
Average Annual Fee (Premium Card): American Express has $550 (American Express Platinum), while Chase has $95 (Chase Sapphire Reserve).
Global Merchant Acceptance: American Express has ~95% acceptance rate globally, while Chase has ~98% acceptance rate globally.
Travel Insurance Coverage: American Express has $10,000 emergency evacuation, $250,000 trip delay protection, while Chase has $5,000 emergency evacuation, $100,000 trip delay protection.
Rewards Rate on Dining: American Express has Up to 4X points (Amex Platinum), while Chase has Up to 3X points (Chase Sapphire Preferred).
No-Annual-Fee Card Options: American Express has Limited (Amex EveryDay basic card), while Chase has Extensive (Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex, etc.).
Consider: Small Business Support & Tools
Small Business Support & Tools: American Express has Dedicated business card suite with 100+ card variants, while Chase has Business cards available but smaller portfolio.