Starbucks Gold Card vs. Black Card: how do they compare?

I had been a loyal Starbucks customer for about six months when one of my friends told me about the Starbucks cards and reward program. I had seen and heard about them but I hadn’t bothered to learn more. My friend showed me how the reward program worked, the Starbucks cards available and the benefits derived from them. Since then, I have been hooked and have never looked back. Two of the cards caught my attention, the gold, and black card. Therefore, I prepared this article to share more about them, and compare them, so then you can choose which one suits your lifestyle best.

What are the differences between Starbucks Gold Card vs. Starbucks Black Card?

Features	Starbucks Gold Card	Starbucks Black Card
Appearance	Gold in color and made of plastic	Black in color and made of stainless steel.
Availability	Available to anyone who joins the Starbucks Reward program and meets its criteria.	Not easily available, as it is quite expensive and sold on select luxury goods sites.
Price	It is obtained after earning more than 300 stars within 12 months, which is about $150 plus an annual fee of $25.	Costs $450 to obtain.
Rewards and Benefits	A personalized gold card A free birthday drink Free refills of plain coffee or tea Monthly Double-Star days- On selected days, you will earn four stars on every dollar spent. A Reward every 125 stars –When you earn 125 stars, you will get a reward of either free drinks or food.	A personalized black card. A free birthday drink. Free refills of plain coffee or tea. Percentage discounts on drinks and food.
Requirements	Registered member of the Starbucks Reward program and have earned at least 300 stars within a period of 12 months.	$450 for the purchase of the card. Be a registered member of the Starbucks Reward program.
Replacements	In case your card gets lost or stolen, you can report this via the app. Starbucks will freeze the card as well as the remaining balance. It will be transferred to another card which will be mailed to you.	In case your card gets lost or stolen, you can report this via the app. Starbucks will freeze the card as well as the remaining balance. It will be transferred to another card which will be mailed to you.
Expiry	No expiration date.	No expiration date.

Starbucks Gold Card vs. Black Card – How They Compare

Appearance

The Starbucks Gold Card is gold in color and made of plastic. It is a bit of a letdown since it would be great to have a 14k gold card in your wallet. Also, some customers have complained of the card wearing out after just a short time.

The Starbucks black card is much stronger since it is made of stainless steel and has a classy black color, the epitome of luxury.

In this category, the Starbucks black card wins. Its classy black color and sturdiness due to the stainless steel are both functional and luxurious in appearance.

Availability

The Starbucks Gold Card is available for anyone who registers for the Starbucks Rewards Program and has earned 300 stars within a period of 12 months. Stars are earned with every drink or food purchase from Starbucks. You earn two stars for every dollar spent.

The Starbucks Black Card is quite a rarity. It costs a whopping $450 and is available only in select luxury stores. It is not easily available or accessible to middle-class coffee lovers.

In this category, the Starbucks gold card wins. Just with a couple of consistent purchases of your favorite foods and drinks, you can become a gold card member.

Price

The price of the Starbucks gold card would be about $150, similar to 300 stars.

The Starbucks black card costs $450. This amount is representative of the money that you can spend on any Starbucks drinks or foods.

In this category, the gold card wins since it is much cheaper than the black card.

Rewards and Benefits

The Starbucks gold card comes with a personalized gold card with your name printed on it, a free birthday drink, free drink refills of plain drinks, a reward for every 125 stars earned, and earning double stars for every dollar spent on select days every month.

The Starbucks black card has the same benefits as the gold card, except for the personalized black card and percentage discounts on some of your drinks and foods.

In this category, the gold card wins. When you compare the benefits derived from the gold card to the black card, they are very similar. The gold card wins here since you will enjoy so many benefits without having to spend $450 to get your card.

Requirements

To obtain the Starbucks gold card, you need to be a registered member of the Starbucks Reward program and have earned at least 300 stars within 12 months.

To obtain the black card, in addition to being a Starbucks Reward program, you need to pay $450 to obtain the card.

In this category, the Starbucks gold card wins since it’s easier and much more affordable to obtain.

Replacements

The Starbucks gold card can be easily replaced at no extra cost. The procedure for replacement is also easy, convenient, and straightforward.

The Starbucks black card also has the same replacement procedure as the gold card.

In this case, it is a draw since both cards can be replaced the same way.

Expiry

The Starbucks gold card and the black card have no expiry date. In this category, it is a draw, since neither of the cards has an expiry date.

Starbucks Gold Card vs. Black Card: A comparison overview

Starbucks Black Card- Overview

The Starbucks black card can easily qualify as a luxury item. It comes in a sleek black color and is made of stainless steel. Some people even compare it to the American Express black platinum card made of titanium.

It can be a great long-term investment if you are a loyal Starbucks customer, as the money in there can be allocated to just your Starbucks purchases.

How to get Starbucks Black Card

It costs $450 to obtain this card and, you can only find it in select luxury stores. It is best to research before so that you know where you can make a purchase.

What are customers saying?

It is a great long-term investment that can be made only by a select few who can afford it, which is about 1% of the population. Not everyone has a spare $450 lying around to spend on a Starbucks card.

Starbucks Gold Card- Overview

This is one of the best reward systems that Starbucks could have come up with. This card comes with great rewards and benefits, and who would not want a gold card with their name written on it?

It may take a while to obtain enough stars to qualify for this card, but once you do, it is worth it. If you are looking to save a few coins here and there on your beverage and food purchases, this would be a great way to do that.

How to get Starbucks Gold Card

You will need to be registered to the Starbucks reward program, which can be easily done via the Starbucks app. With every dollar spent, you will obtain two stars. Once the stars accumulate to at least 300 within a span of 12 months, you will receive the gold card status.

What are customers saying?

It is a great way for Starbucks to thank its customers for their loyalty, and people from all walks of life can enjoy its benefits without spending an arm and a leg.

Final Verdict: So, which is better? – Starbucks Gold Card vs. Black Card

The Starbucks gold card is better. It comes with incredible rewards and benefits without having to spend a lot of money. As earlier mentioned, you’ll need to have obtained 300 stars within a year to get the gold status, which translates to spending about $150. This is much more affordable than the black card which costs $450.

FAQ Section

Is there a big difference between Starbucks gold card and Black card?

Yes, there is. Starting with the appearance of the card. The gold card is gold, while the black card is black. There are also differences in their prices and how to obtain them.

Which card is more expensive between the Starbucks gold and Black card?

The black card is more expensive. It costs a whopping $450 to obtain.

Is the Starbucks gold card worth the money?

It depends on the user. The pro in having the gold card is the benefits and rewards it comes with, the con is that to maintain your gold card status, you’ll need to be a consistent Starbucks customer.

Which reward card has a permanent status between Starbucks gold card and Black card?

The black card has permanent status. Both of these cards have no expiry date, but you will need to make constant purchases to Starbucks to maintain the gold status. The black card is a one-time purchase, and you get permanent status.

Which is easier to get between Starbucks gold card and Black card?

The Starbucks gold card. It will take longer, but is much cheaper than spending $450 to get a black card.

Which one can Starbucks employees earn between gold and Black card?

A gold card. Starbucks employees are allowed to obtain gold cards.

Which is more popular between Starbucks black card and gold card?

The gold card is more popular. It is more accessible to people from all walks of life.

Which one gives you more reward between Starbucks black card and gold card?

Both of them give similar rewards. The only additional thing the black card gives is percentage discounts on your drinks or food.