Founders Card vs Amex Platinum: Which Card Offers More Value

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The Founders Card and American Express Platinum are two of the most popular premium credit cards on the market, but which one offers more value? Let's break it down.

The Founders Card has a $595 annual fee, while the American Express Platinum has a $550 annual fee. However, the Founders Card offers a $240 annual airline fee credit, which can be a major perk for frequent flyers.

One thing to consider is the rewards structure of each card. The Founders Card offers 1.5 points per dollar spent, while the American Express Platinum offers 5x points on air travel and hotels. However, the Founders Card has a more flexible points redemption policy, allowing you to transfer points to a wide range of airline and hotel partners.

Ultimately, the decision between the Founders Card and the American Express Platinum will depend on your individual needs and spending habits.

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Founders Card vs Amex Platinum

Founders Card vs Amex Platinum: What's the Difference?

Credit: youtube.com, Amex Platinum Plus The Founders Card, An Unlikely Powerful Duo!

The FoundersCard and American Express Platinum card are two premium credit cards that offer a range of benefits and perks. However, they cater to different needs and preferences.

The FoundersCard has an ongoing rewards program that offers discounts up to 25% on select airlines, hotels, rental cars, shipping, wireless data plans, and more.

If you're a small business owner who travels frequently, you might find the FoundersCard perks attractive. But for most people, the American Express Platinum card offers better value.

Here's a comparison of the two cards:

The American Express Platinum card's benefits, including elite status in the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, can help offset the cost of the card.

Membership Benefits

FoundersCard offers a wide range of benefits across four categories: Business, Lifestyle, Hotels, and Travel. FoundersCard hotel benefits include directly negotiated rates, flexible cancellation policies, and specialty benefits at numerous hotels.

Members can save up to $119.50 on a two-night stay at Yotel NYC, and enjoy a $6 daily discount on the resort fee plus a $25 daily food and beverage credit at the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas.

Credit: youtube.com, FoundersCard Overview: What is it and is it Worth it?

Some notable FoundersCard business benefits include up to 47% off UPS shipping pricing, up to 55% off at Office Depot, and up to 20% off Eero.com (home networking equipment).

Here are some of the most notable business discounts and rewards available for FoundersCard members:

  • Up to $20K in fee-free payments through Stripe (jumps up to $50K in fee-free payments for ELITE members)
  • $5K in AWS Activate Credits & 1 year of AWS Business Support (ELITE Members only)
  • Up to 47% off UPS shipping pricing
  • Up to 55% off at Office Depot
  • Save up to 15% off AT&T Wireless plans
  • Up to 60% off Lenovo.com (some of the lowest pricing that I've ever seen for their products, but discount varies on model*)
  • Up to 40% off Dell products
  • Save 20% on Shopify e-commerce plans
  • Save 30% on Hubspot email marketing plans
  • Save 20% off 1Password Team pricing
  • Save 20% off Zoom Services, 10% off Zoom phone & a free Zoom Rooms license
  • 1-Year complementary service to Phone.com
  • $2,000 in credits towards AirTable
  • 6-months of complimentary access to ZenDesk
  • 30% off Slack plans
  • Up to 20% off Eero.com (home networking equipment)
  • 15% off your first year of Docusign
  • 20% off Google Workspace Business Standard or Business Plus plans
  • 20% off business cards and stationery products through Moo Inc.

Elite Membership

FoundersCard Elite Membership offers a range of benefits that can be valuable for those who use them frequently. The annual fee for this upgraded membership is $995.

One of the perks of FoundersCard Elite is access to a concierge service that can assist with travel booking and recommendations. This service can be especially helpful for those who value personalized advice.

FoundersCard Elite also includes a complimentary Spouse Membership or Team Membership, which can be worth up to $395 or $295 annually. This can be a significant addition to the standard membership benefits.

Elite members also receive special access and privileges for events and hotel reservations, which can be a nice perk for those who attend conferences or travel frequently.

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Other Notable Business

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As a FoundersCard member, you'll have access to a wide range of business benefits that can help you save money and streamline your operations. One notable benefit is the fee-free payments offered by Stripe, which can be up to $20,000 for regular members and jumps up to $50,000 for ELITE members.

You can also take advantage of the complimentary Power Pack upgrade offered by 99designs, which can be a great resource for business owners who need design services.

FoundersCard members can also enjoy significant discounts on various business services, including:

  • Up to 15% off AT&T Wireless plans
  • Up to 60% off Lenovo.com
  • Up to 40% off Dell products
  • Save 20% on Shopify e-commerce plans
  • Save 30% on Hubspot email marketing plans
  • Save 20% off 1Password Team pricing
  • Save 20% off Zoom Services, 10% off Zoom phone & a free Zoom Rooms license
  • 1-Year complementary service to Phone.com
  • $2,000 in credits towards AirTable
  • 6-months of complimentary access to ZenDesk
  • 30% off Slack plans
  • Up to 20% off Eero.com (home networking equipment)
  • 15% off your first year of Docusign
  • 20% off Google Workspace Business Standard or Business Plus plans
  • 20% off business cards and stationery products through Moo Inc.

These benefits can be a huge help for business owners, and can even provide a significant return on investment for FoundersCard membership.

Cost and Value

The cost of a FoundersCard membership is a significant investment, with a standard membership costing $595 per year plus a one-time $95 activation fee. However, this fee can be waived with a referral code.

To put this in perspective, a standard membership costs almost $700 all-in without a referral. But with a referral code, you can get it for $495 per year. And if you're an elite member, the fee is $995 per year, although this can be waived with the referral code FCELITE2021.

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Credit: youtube.com, BEST Travel Card? The one that requires credit (AMEX) or the one that doesn’t (Founders Card)?

The value of a FoundersCard membership can be substantial, especially for business professionals and entrepreneurs who can take advantage of its many benefits. Some users have reported saving thousands of dollars per year through the redemption of membership benefits.

Here are some notable examples of FoundersCard redemptions:

  • Caesar's Diamond Rewards – (Worth $370/year in perks)
  • MailChimp – $2,500 in MonkeyRewards credits
  • Phone.com – Free $120 Annual Package
  • AT&T – 15% off monthly bill, equating to $143.55/year
  • Yotel NYC – Saved $119.50 on a two-night stay in NYC
  • Hilton – Fast track to Hilton Gold elite status (worth $980 estimated)
  • AirTable – $2,000 in free credits
  • Shoprunner – $79/yr in savings for free two-day shipping, free return shipping, and member-only deals

To determine whether a FoundersCard membership is worth the price, you need to consider whether the benefits interest you and whether you can use them. If you can put a value on every benefit, would the overall value be greater than the annual fee?

Hotel and Travel

Hotel and Travel benefits with FoundersCard are quite impressive. Members can enjoy discounts on flights with airlines like United Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Surf Air & British Airways, with savings up to 16% off.

FoundersCard has also partnered with rental car companies like Hertz, Avis, Silvercar, Zipcar, and Sixt, offering discounts and perks such as automatic Hertz Gold Plus Elite Status and complimentary Platinum status with Sixt.

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Credit: youtube.com, Elite Founders Card - The travel card that doesn’t require credit in 2024!

Traveling by car? FoundersCard members can save up to 20% on rentals with Hertz, 25% off rentals with Avis, and 15% off rentals with Sixt. If you're a frequent traveler, you'll appreciate the lounge access and loyalty status offered by FoundersCard with airlines like American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Cathay Pacific.

Here are some of the airline loyalty programs and benefits offered by FoundersCard:

FoundersCard members can also enjoy hotel discounts with brands like Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, Rosewood Hotel Group, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Ritz Carlton, Peninsula Hotels, Four Seasons, and W Hotels, among others. With over 100 properties to choose from, you'll likely find a discounted rate that suits your needs.

A unique perspective: Amex Platinum Card Hotel Benefits

Lifestyle and Perks

FoundersCard offers a range of lifestyle benefits that can enhance your life in various ways. You can get preferred pricing on sports, concerts, theatre, comedy, and more live events through Tickets by FoundersCard.

From the business side, FoundersCard has partnered with various brands to offer exclusive discounts and benefits. For instance, you can get up to $20K in fee-free payments through Stripe, and up to 55% off at Office Depot.

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Some of the notable lifestyle benefits include tickets to live events, car discounts, and clothing discounts. You can get up to 30% off at Adidas.com, and up to 15% off at Bose.com. FoundersCard has also partnered with various hotels around the world to offer discounted rates and extra property-specific benefits.

Here are some of the lifestyle benefits you can expect from FoundersCard:

  • Tickets by FoundersCard: Preferred pricing on sports, concerts, theatre, comedy, and more live events
  • Car Discounts: Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar
  • Clothing Discounts: Adidas, Cole Haan, Tommy John, Reebok, PUMA, Todd Snyder, Kendra Scott & more
  • Hotel Discounts: Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, Rosewood Hotel Group, and more

Business Perks

FoundersCard's business perks are a game-changer for entrepreneurs and professionals. With exclusive discounts and freebies, you can save a significant amount of money on various business essentials.

One of the most notable benefits is up to $20K in fee-free payments through Stripe, which jumps up to $50K in fee-free payments for ELITE members. This can be a huge relief for businesses that deal with online transactions.

FoundersCard has partnered with various companies to offer discounts on essential business services. For example, you can get up to 47% off UPS shipping pricing, which can help you save a lot on logistics.

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Here are some of the most notable business discounts and rewards available for FoundersCard members:

  • Up to $20K in fee-free payments through Stripe (jumps up to $50K in fee-free payments for ELITE members)
  • $5K in AWS Activate Credits & 1 year of AWS Business Support (ELITE Members only)
  • Up to 47% off UPS shipping pricing
  • Up to 55% off at Office Depot
  • Save up to 15% off AT&T Wireless plans
  • Up to 60% off Lenovo.com (some of the lowest pricing that I've ever seen for their products, but discount varies on model*)
  • Up to 40% off Dell products
  • Save 20% on Shopify e-commerce plans
  • Save 30% on Hubspot email marketing plans
  • Save 20% off 1Password Team pricing
  • Save 20% off Zoom Services, 10% off Zoom phone & a free Zoom Rooms license
  • 1-Year complementary service to Phone.com
  • $2,000 in credits towards AirTable
  • 6-months of complimentary access to ZenDesk
  • 30% off Slack plans
  • Up to 20% off Eero.com (home networking equipment)
  • 15% off your first year of Docusign
  • 20% off Google Workspace Business Standard or Business Plus plans
  • 20% off business cards and stationery products through Moo Inc.

These discounts can help you save a significant amount of money on various business essentials. By taking advantage of these perks, you can focus on growing your business without breaking the bank.

Lifestyle 2021

FoundersCard offers a wide range of lifestyle benefits that can enhance your life in various ways. From preferred pricing on live events to discounts on luxury brands, there's something for everyone.

Taylor Swift fans can get preferred pricing on The Eras Tour tickets in select cities through Tickets by FoundersCard. This is just one example of the exclusive experiences available to members.

If you're in the market for a new BMW or MINI, you can get up to $5,000 off or $500 off respectively in the U.S. through FoundersCard's partnership with BMW. Similarly, you can get 6% off MSRP on an Audi purchase.

Credit: youtube.com, Billionaire Luxury Lifestyle 2021

Adidas fans can enjoy a 30% discount at Adidas.com, while Bang & Olufsen offers up to 15% off. Wine enthusiasts can get up to 25% off on select wines at Wine Library.

Here are some of the lifestyle benefits offered by FoundersCard:

  • Taylor Swift tickets: Preferred pricing on The Eras Tour tickets in select cities.
  • BMW: Up to $5,000 off a new BMW or $500 off a new MINI in the U.S.
  • Audi: 6% off MSRP on your purchase
  • Adidas: 30% discount at Adidas.com
  • Bang & Olufsen: Up to 15% off
  • Wine Library: Up to 25% off on select wines

Reviews and Trials

FoundersCard offers a three-month free trial for new members, allowing you to test out their benefits before committing to a membership fee.

This trial period is a great opportunity to experience the value of FoundersCard firsthand, and with the code FCAWARD3MO, you can apply today and lock in a lower ongoing membership fee.

The ongoing membership fee for FoundersCard is $395 per year, with a waived activation fee, significantly lower than the standard rate.

FoundersCard provides elite status benefits to their members, including Avis Preferred Plus, Sixt Rent a Car Platinum, Hilton Honors Gold, and Cathay Pacific Airways Marco Polo Club Silver status.

In addition to elite status, FoundersCard offers discounts and promo codes with various travel providers, such as car rental discounts with Hertz, Avis, and Sixt, and airline discounts with United Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

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Some notable travel benefits of FoundersCard include a year of free TripIt Pro membership, 15% off EmpireCLS car and chauffer service, and three months of XO Rise private jet membership.

FoundersCard also has a history of running status match opportunities for members, such as a recent status challenge for American Airlines.

If you're considering FoundersCard, it's worth noting that a few years ago, the membership fee was $295 per year, and that rate is still available without a 2-year commitment or initiation fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who gets approved for FoundersCard?

FoundersCard is designed for startup founders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are shaping the future of business and technology. Membership is typically reserved for those who have founded or co-founded a company, or hold a leadership role in a startup or innovative organization.

Felicia Koss

Junior Writer

Felicia Koss is a rising star in the world of finance writing, with a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics into accessible, engaging pieces. Her articles have covered a range of topics, from retirement account loans to other financial matters that affect everyday people. With a focus on clarity and concision, Felicia's writing has helped readers make informed decisions about their financial futures.

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