The Mastercard® Black Card is better than the Mastercard® Gold Card because it has a lower annual fee and provides better overall value, despite its own high cost. The Mastercard® Black Card also has a higher WalletHub Rating.

Mastercard® Gold Card is very expensive, with an annual fee of $1,199. This card offers decent travel benefits and rewards but has no initial bonus, making it very hard to justify its high yearly price tag.

Other Key Things to Remember

• The Mastercard® Black Card is pricey in its own right, with a $699 annual fee.
• Both cards come with airport lounge access, but Mastercard® Gold Card offers a bigger annual airline credit than the Mastercard® Black Card.
• The Mastercard® Gold Card and the Mastercard® Black Card have 0% introductory APRs on balance transfers, but anyone interested in transferring high-interest debt should check out the best balance transfer credit cards for much better offers.
• The Mastercard® Black Card charges a $249 annual fee for each authorized user added to the account, compared to $349 per year for the Mastercard® Gold Card.

Mastercard® Gold Card vs. Mastercard® Black Card

It's important to note that neither of these cards should be confused with the actual Black Card, the Centurion® Card from American Express. This is the epitome of an exclusive credit card, as it is available by invitation only and reserved for high-net-worth individuals who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. For more information on the Amex Black Card and other high-end offers, refer to WalletHub's most exclusive credit cards page.

To learn more about Mastercard's options, check out our full reviews of the Mastercard® Gold Card and Mastercard® Black Card.

The Mastercard® Gold Card credit score requirement is 700 or higher. That means people with good credit may have a decent shot at getting approved for the Mastercard® Gold Card. You can check your credit score for free here on WalletHub to see if you qualify.

Note that while your credit score is an important factor, there are plenty of other things that will impact your chances of being approved for the Mastercard® Gold Card. Some other key criteria include your income, existing debt load,...

You can get approved for the Mastercard® Gold Card immediately after applying if your application meets the issuer's exact criteria. However, if you don't get a decision immediately after applying, it doesn't mean you won't have a shot after your application is reviewed in more detail. In that case, you should get a decision in 2-3 business days after applying, and you'll receive a letter in the mail informing you about the decision in 7-10 business days...

Mastercard Gold Card points are worth 1.33 cents per point, on average. The value of Mastercard Gold Card points depends on how they are redeemed. For example, points from Mastercard Gold Card are worth up to 2 cents each when redeemed for airfare or cash back.    

Mastercard Gold Card Point Values