Marriott Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bevy: Which One Comes Out On Top?

Two of the popular credit cards in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio deliver various benefits to their users. The right one for you may depend on your typical travel patterns and history, such as if you already have a high level of elite status with Marriott or you travel only to certain regions.The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card both come with valuable perks, but there are quite a few considerations that are worth a thorough review. Many travelers prefer not to have two cards from the same loyalty program, and these two cards are actually quite different from each other (including being issued by different banks).Let’s take a look at these two Marriott co-branded cards to see if one may serve your needs over the other.Two Marriott cards, side by sideHere's how the cards stack up on the basics.How the cards compareMarriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit CardMarriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card on American Express' website Marriott Bonvoy Card ComparisonMarriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit CardAnnual fee: $95.Welcome offer: Earn 3 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Redeem your Free Night Award for a one-night stay at properties with a redemption level up to 50,000 points per night. Certain hotels have resort fees. Special Offer through 6/30/2027: Get up to $100 in statement credits after spending $500 on eligible airline purchases. That's $50 in statement credits semi-annually. 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points on Marriott Bonvoy property spending.10X for being a Marriott Bonvoy member.1X points for Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.3X points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations and dining.2X points for every dollar on other eligible purchases.Terms apply.Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points.15 Elite Night Credits annually toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.Terms apply.No foreign transaction fees.Baggage delay insurance.Lost luggage reimbursement.Trip delay reimbursement.Purchase protection.One-year complimentary DoorDash DashPass. Activation required.Terms apply.Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® CardAnnual fee: $250.Welcome offer: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.Rewards6X points on Marriott Bonvoy® points on Marriott Bonvoy property spending.10X points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member.2.5X points for Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.4X points at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).2X points for every dollar on all other eligible purchases.Terms apply.Credits and status benefitsMarriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.15 Elite Night Credits towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status. Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott.Terms apply.Other benefitsNo foreign transaction fees.Car rental loss and damage insurance. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.Baggage Insurance plan. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.Trip delay insurance. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.Purchase protection and extended warranty.Terms apply. Still not sure?Why the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card winsWhile the “winning” card for some may not apply to everyone, we wanted to analyze the card that provides exceptional benefits for travelers looking for a Marriott card in exchange for the cost of the annual fee. Those new to Marriott will find this to be a solid entry-level card, but it also works for Marriott Bonvoy fans looking for some extra perks without a huge outlay of money for an annual fee. These are the benefits that handed this card the win.Lower annual feeThe annual fee on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is notably less at $95 compared with $250 on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card. While the earning rates when using the card to pay for Marriott stays are nearly the same, and both have bonus categories where you can earn multiples of points based on everyday spending, the lower-annual-fee card offers a lot of points earning for its low annual fee.On top of the lower annual fee, it comes with an automatic annual free night award, Silver Elite status and a fast path to achieve Gold if you use the card often. Add to that an annual $100 in airline credits and DoorDash DashPass membership, and you have more than covered the annual fee without considering the other perks.The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card card’s $250 annual fee is higher, and its annual free night award requires spending $15,000 in eligible purchases. But the card comes with automatic Gold Elite status and more bonus points earned.There are other cards (like American Express Platinum Card®) that also include free Gold Elite status with Marriott that can provide decent value for their annual fee (enrollment required). From a pure cash maximization perspective, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card wins because it provides more bang for your buck.A free night certificateThe Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is the only one of the two cards to include an annual free night award, and it has a lower annual fee. It can be used at properties up to 35,000 points a night. This can render great value and is more than worth the $95 annual fee. Hands down, it is the winner in this category.If you spend more than $15,000 on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card in a calendar year, you can unlock a free night certificate valid at up to 50,000 points. This is even more valuable than the included certificate that comes with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, but it also requires you to spend more on this card to get it.It is important to consider the opportunity cost of not putting certain types of spend on other cards where you could be earning greater multiples of points for the same type of spending. Would losing those points be worth the value of a one-night-free certificate? Since Marriott relies on dynamic pricing, which means that points rates for a redemption night can fluctuate regularly, in many cases the value may not reach the level of the missed points opportunity.$100 airline creditWhile both cards offer decent travel protection benefits, only the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card comes with a flight credit. You can earn up to $100 in statement credits when making purchases directly with airlines by spending $250 on the card before the end of 2026 for a $50 statement credit and another $50 credit by spending $50 before June 30, 2027. That gives another point to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Boundless card.Why you still might want Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® CardIf you don’t already have a Marriott co-branded credit card and you want to diversify what’s in your wallet, this could be a great option for big spenders. And if you are looking for one of the fastest paths to high Marriott elite status, this card can help you get there.Higher bonus categories on spending and more points earningBoth the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card cards offer bonus points on spending, but the more expensive annual fee Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card card offers more points on more spending opportunities, including the below:18.5X points on Marriott Bonvoy property spending (1.5X more than the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card card).4X points at global restaurants, including U.S. takeout and delivery plus U.S. Supermarkets on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, then 2X points (that’s 1X more than what Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card offers and available on $9,000 more in spending). 1,000 bonus points when staying at a Marriott Bonvoy property.Terms apply.Depending on how much you spend in these categories, you have the ability to earn more points with this card than the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, including when you are not traveling. And then when you are, you earn 1,000 Marriott bonus points for each paid, eligible stay booked directly with Marriott. This gives it an edge, even though the annual fee is higher.15 elite night credits and a faster path to higher tiersWhen you get the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, you’ll receive 15 elite night credits deposited into your Marriott account. This is on top of the instant Gold Elite status you earn with the card, which normally requires staying 25 nights. To reach the next tier, Platinum, you only need an additional 10 nights to reach its 50-night minimum.This means not only do you start out at a higher elite tier with Marriott just for having this card, but also you can progress more quickly to Platinum. For frequent travelers, the best value of this card is the opportunity to reach the next status tier faster. And if you wanted to keep going, you would only need 35 more nights to get to Titanium, which is rich with on-property perks like lounge access, welcome gifts and room upgrades.Earning these nights within a calendar year is not difficult for Marriott loyalists, especially if you hit the jackpot during a promotion that offers double elite nights.The status perks don’t stop there. Once you hit Marriott’s Titanium status, you can then link your account with United Airlines to earn United’s Premier Silver elite status for more benefits when you fly United, including greater baggage allowance and free extra-legroom economy seats at check-in.Which card should you get?Both of these cards provide Marriott Bonvoy points earning and elite status, and they both offer a great way to expedite points earning or receive travel and purchase protections when using the card. But the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card packs a greater punch in its benefits for a lower annual fee. It becomes a great additional card to others you may have (like the American Express Platinum Card®, which has its own impressive travel perk lineup).If you are a Marriott frequent guest, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card offers higher-tier Gold status and a faster path to even better tiers for perks. But, it costs more each year and does not offer a free annual night.Deciding which perks are more important for you, as well as looking at what benefits come from other cards in your wallet, will help you make an informed decision on which of the two best suits your needs.For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page.