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American ExpressAmex Explorer
American ExpressAmex Platinum
Credit cards · Side by side
Amex Explorer vs Amex Platinum
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First-year value after costs, on an assumed $2,000 a month
$219
$239 rewards + $375 bonus, less costs
−$181
$269 rewards + $1,000 bonus, less costs
Amex Explorer's first-year value is $400 higher than Amex Platinum's, on an assumed $2,000 a month.
An assumed $2,000 a month on the card. Drag to try yours
Figure by figure
First-year value
after costs, on an assumed $2,000 a month
$219
$400 more · Higher value after costs
−$181
Sign-up bonus
in dollars, points at what a point buys
$375
75,000 Membership Rewards points
$1,500
300,000 Membership Rewards points
$1,125 more · Larger sign-up bonus
What the bonus asks
spend on the card
$4,000 in 3 months
$5,000 in 3 months
200,000 points in year one
Offer ends
3 Nov 2026
3 Nov 2026
Annual fee
ongoing, with any rewards program fee
$395
$1,055 less · Lower annual fee
$1,450
First-year fee
$395
the same as later years
$1,055 less · Lower first-year fee
$1,450
the same as later years
Rewards program
Membership Rewards
0.50¢ a point
Membership Rewards
0.50¢ a point
Earn rate
on everyday spend, at what a point buys
2
Membership Rewards points per $1 · about 1.00% back
2.25
Membership Rewards points per $1 · about 1.13% back
0.13% more back · Higher earn rate
Purchase rate
23.99%
a year
None
pay in full each month
Interest-free days
on purchases, at most
55 days
55 more · More interest-free days
None
Overseas transaction fee
3.50%
of each overseas purchase
3.50%
of each overseas purchase
Additional cardholder fee
None
a year for each extra card
None
a year for each extra card
Minimum credit limit
$3,000
Not published
Complimentary travel insurance
Included
Included
Airport lounge access
Included
international
Included
international
Network
Amex
Amex
Platinum
Over time
Each card's figure as it stood each week since we began tracking cards. A move shows as ▲ or ▼ in the week it happened.
As of 14 October 2026, Amex Explorer charges $395 a year and its sign-up offer is 75,000 Membership Rewards points; Amex Platinum charges $1,450 a year and its sign-up offer is 300,000 Membership Rewards points. Points are valued at what a point buys (a bank's own points at its gift card rate, airline points at 0.8¢), and the value after costs is worked out on the spend above. Each row says which figure is higher or lower; it doesn't rank the cards.
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