Amex Classic Green vs Amex Gold

Every figure below is from the same dataset Miles computes its recommendations from. Rows the two cards agree on are collapsed at the bottom.

Economics

Dollar figures are per year unless the row says otherwise. Ongoing annual value is Miles' estimate of what the card adds per year after its annual fee: statement credits discounted for realistic use, benefits, and earning above a strong flat-rate card on a typical spending profile. First-year value is a separate net figure that includes the welcome bonus. A welcome bonus shown at its advertised maximum may not be available to every applicant; that figure is not marked as stronger. ★ marks the stronger comparable figure on other rows, and no row is marked when either figure is unknown.
Figure	Amex Classic Green American Express	Amex Gold American Express
Annual fee	Best: $150 $175/yr less	$325
Ongoing annual value, after fee	$112	Best: $274 $162/yr more
First-year value	$3	$1,614 At the advertised maximum

Sign-up Bonus

The current welcome offer as recorded in the dataset. No winner is marked: a bonus is points times a valuation times a spend requirement you may or may not clear, and the first-year value above already prices it.
Offer	Amex Classic Green American Express	Amex Gold American Express
Current offer	N/A - Card is no longer available for new applicants	You may be eligible for as high as 100K points after $8K spend in the first 6 months

Earning

Percentages are the return on a dollar spent: the multiplier times what Miles values those points at. ★ marks the higher return on a row. Categories only one card earns a bonus on are marked for that card; the other earns its base rate.
Category	Amex Classic Green American Express	Amex Gold American Express
Prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel	—Unknown	Best: 5X7.5%
Dining (up to $50K per year, then 1X)	—Unknown	Best: 4X6%
US Grocery Stores (up to $25K per year, then 1X)	—Unknown	Best: 4X6%
Dining	Best: 3X4.5%	—Unknown
Flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel	—Unknown	Best: 3X4.5%
Transit	Best: 3X4.5%	—Unknown
Travel	Best: 3X4.5%	—Unknown

Benefits

Statement credits, lounge access and elite status as listed in the dataset; protections are counted, not listed. No winner is marked: twelve small credits are not more than two large ones, and the row that prices them, ongoing annual value, is under Economics.
Benefit	Amex Classic Green American Express	Amex Gold American Express
Statement credits	CLEAR Plus: $219 (Annual Calendar Year)	Dining: $10 (Monthly) Dunkin': $7 (Monthly) The Hotel Collection: $100 (Annual Calendar Year) Resy: $50 (Semi Annual Calendar Year) Uber Cash: $10 (Monthly)
Lounge access	—Unknown	—Unknown
Elite status	—Unknown	Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star
Protections	5	6

The same on both cards (7)

Rows where both cards state the same figure or the same earning rate. Nothing is marked, because there is no stronger side.
Fact	Amex Classic Green	Amex Gold
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Authorized user fee	$0	$0
Issuer	American Express	American Express
Rewards currency	American Express Membership Rewards	American Express Membership Rewards
Card type	Personal	Personal
Network	American Express	American Express
All other purchases	1X1.5%	1X1.5%

Which one is right for you

This page shows the difference. It does not pick: the winner depends on what you spend and what you already hold, and adding these figures up without knowing that would be a guess dressed as a verdict. Ask Miles and it computes the answer against your own wallet.

Ask Miles which to get