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Should I Use American Express Credit Cards, Rewards & Banking?

americanexpress.com·Analyzed 22 hours ago··Based on 12 sources

American Express offers world-class Charge and Credit Cards, Gift Cards, Rewards, Travel, Personal Savings, Business Services, Insurance and more.

Depends

Depends

Buy if you spend heavily, travel, and pay in full — the rewards and service justify card fees.

Great rewards and service for big spenders who pay in full; overkill if you carry a balance or want a simple no-fee card.

Confidence: Medium

3%

Supermarket cash back

At U.S. supermarkets (NerdWallet)

466

Trustpilot reviews

Most reviewers were let down

#10

Fortune Most Admired rank

World's Most Admired Companies, 2025

Value for money3

Strong rewards, but 466 Trustpilot reviewers feel shortchanged.

Feature depth4

Cards, travel, banking, business services, insurance under one roof.

Support quality4

US News praises service; Trustpilot reviewers disagree.

Security posture3

Mature program with bug bounty; 2024 breach disclosed.

Pros

  • 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on leading cards¹
  • Known for top-notch customer service in editorial reviews⁵
  • Best-card lists rank Amex rewards programs highly²
  • Wide ecosystem: cards, travel, banking, business services, insurance12
  • Works via Alipay for payments in China11

Cons

  • 466 Trustpilot reviewers: most were let down⁴
  • Not all Amex cards earn Membership Rewards points⁶
  • Disclosed data breach in March 202410
  • Overseas acceptance limited; China needs Alipay workaround11

Gotchas

  • high466 Trustpilot reviewers report disappointment despite strong editorial ratings — a service gap⁴
  • mediumNot all cards earn Membership Rewards — verify the earning structure before applying⁶
  • mediumMarch 2024 breach tied to point-of-sale compromise; monitor statements and alerts⁹

Best for

  • Frequent travelers who use perks
  • Households with heavy supermarket spend
  • Small business owners
  • People who pay balances in full monthly

Not for

  • Anyone carrying a month-to-month balance
  • People wanting a simple no-fee card
  • Applicants below good credit — approval bars vary by card
  • Travelers needing near-universal acceptance abroad

Security

Mature security program with a HackerOne response policy; one disclosed breach in March 2024.

  • March 2024 data breach disclosureAmex disclosed a breach in early March 2024, attributed in reviewed sources to a point-of-sale compromise.10

What users say

Editorial reviewers rate Amex cards among the best for rewards and service, but Trustpilot users were mostly disappointed.

“Considering 466 reviews , most reviewers were let down”
— Trustpilot
“It's known for its top-notch customer service and some of the best rew”
— U.S. News review
“This card earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets”
— NerdWallet review

Alternatives

Compare American Express Credit Cards, Rewards & Banking with each alternative.

Full analysis

Based on 12 public sources: 6 card reviews, 4 security reports, 1 news piece, official site.

Sources

  1. Best American Express Cards — NerdWalletnerdwallet.com
    review
  2. 12 Best American Express Credit Cards — The Points Guythepointsguy.com
    review
  3. American Express Credit Card Reviews — WalletHubwallethub.com
    review
  4. American Express Global Reviews — Trustpilottrustpilot.com
    review
  5. Best American Express Credit Cards — U.S. Newsmoney.usnews.com
    review
  6. Best American Express Credit Cards — Bankratebankrate.com
    review
  7. American Express Security Rating — UpGuardupguard.com
    security
  8. American Express Response Policy — HackerOnehackerone.com
    security
  9. American Express data breach — PureIDpureid.io
    security
  10. American Express Data Breach March 2024 — Security Blueprintssecurityblueprints.io
    security
  11. Does Amex work in China? — Wisewise.com
    news
  12. American Express official siteamericanexpress.com
    official

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