American Express® Gold vs Citi Strata℠
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express® Gold | Citi Strata℠ | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $325 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points | 20,000 ThankYou® Points ($200 value) |
| Dining | 4x | 2x |
| Groceries | 4x | 3x |
| Gas | 1x | 3x |
| Travel | 3x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 3x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $598 | $511 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Pools with Citi → transferable |
| Network | Amex | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the American Express® Gold earns about $598 a year in rewards and the Citi Strata℠ about $511, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The American Express® Gold charges $325, but carries about $424 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The Citi Strata℠ has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Citi Strata℠ delivers more total value, about $27 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on gas and streaming. Both earn transferable points rather than flat cash, so the deciding factor is whose transfer partners reach the airlines and hotels you would actually book. On the sign-up bonus, the American Express® Gold currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the American Express® Gold if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, travel. Pick the Citi Strata℠ if your spending leans toward gas, streaming.