American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
- Top earn
- 2.1%
- Annual fee
- $650
Card comparison
Which card is better between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus?
Spark Cash Plus is the better overall pick over Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (66 vs 34) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee.
Effective rate Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Annual fee Spark Cash Plus
Welcome bonus Spark Cash Plus
Benefits value Spark Cash Plus
Spark Cash Plus is the stronger overall pick between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (66 vs 34) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express (2.1% top effective rate) vs Spark Cash Plus (2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Choose A if
Choose Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express when its strongest categories, bonus, or perks match how you actually spend.
Choose B if
Choose Spark Cash Plus when the fee, welcome bonus, or issuer ecosystem fits better than the headline winner.
Full comparison
How do Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus compare across all spend categories?
Across all five spend categories, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus trade wins row by row. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express peaks at 2.1% effective; Spark Cash Plus peaks at 2%. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express wins the headline effective-rate view in this pair.
| Category / metric | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express | Spark Cash Plus | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 3x points (2.1%) | 2% back (2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.1 pts |
| Grocery | 2x points (1.4%) | 2% back (2%) | Spark Cash Plus · 0.6 pts |
| Gas | 2x points (1.4%) | 2% back (2%) | Spark Cash Plus · 0.6 pts |
| Travel | 3x points (2.1%) | 2% back (2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.1 pts |
| Other | 2x points (1.4%) | 2% back (2%) | Spark Cash Plus · 0.6 pts |
| Welcome bonus | ~$700 estimated | $2000 | Spark Cash Plus |
| Est. annual benefits | $364/yr | $620/yr | Spark Cash Plus |
| Annual fee | $650 | $150 | Spark Cash Plus |
| Holistic overall | 34 pts (cat 17, bonus 5, benefits 9, fee 3) | 66 pts (cat 23, bonus 15, benefits 16, fee 12) | Spark Cash Plus |
Madeen take
How to think about this pair
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express (2.1% top effective rate) vs Spark Cash Plus (2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Strategy
Use Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Use Spark Cash Plus when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet.
Hold both?
Some users carry both cards when one wins dining and the other wins groceries — but only if you will actually use each card for its winning category.
Welcome bonus playbook
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Spark Cash Plus leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Madeen analysis
Which card has stronger benefits: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus?
Madeen estimates $364 annual benefit value on Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express versus $620 on Spark Cash Plus. Credits only matter if you will use them.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Total est. value: $364/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit $100/yr
- Priority Pass™ Select $99/yr
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance $40/yr
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck $25/yr
- Free Night Award $25/yr
Spark Cash Plus
Total est. value: $620/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- Sofar Sounds $240/yr
- Visa Signature Concierge $150/yr
- OpenTable $120/yr
- Roadside Assistance $50/yr
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver $10/yr
Welcome bonus
Which welcome bonus is stronger for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Spark Cash Plus leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express lists 100k Marriott Bonvoy; Spark Cash Plus lists $2,000.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
100k Marriott Bonvoy
Spark Cash Plus
$2,000
Caps & conditions
Caps and earn limits
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express has catalog caps that can change the winner on heavy category spend, while Spark Cash Plus looks cleaner on cap structure in this snapshot.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide
Who should pick which
Scenario playbook
Cashback-first user
Pick Spark Cash Plus
Spark Cash Plus is the better cashback-style pick because it has the cleaner effective-rate and fee blend for this pair.
Travel & points user
Pick Tie
The two cards are too close for a clear winner in this scenario.
No annual fee priority
Pick Spark Cash Plus
Spark Cash Plus is easier to keep for no-fee users because it has the lighter annual-fee burden in this pair.
Heavy dining spend
Pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
For restaurant and dining-coded spend, the winner is whoever posts the stronger dining effective rate after caps and exclusions — see the category matrix for the current snapshot.
Heavy grocery spend
Pick Spark Cash Plus
Supermarket and grocery coding can differ from superstores and delivery, so compare the grocery row before you optimize a weekly shopping basket.
Welcome bonus chaser
Pick Spark Cash Plus
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Spark Cash Plus leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Fee-sensitive keeper
Pick Spark Cash Plus
When you want the card that is easiest to keep year two, annual fee often matters more than a narrow category edge.
Decision guide
Which card is better between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus?
Spark Cash Plus is the better overall pick because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (66 vs 34) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express (2.1% top effective rate) vs Spark Cash Plus (2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
When should you pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express over Spark Cash Plus?
Choose Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Best for dining-heavy spend when the $650 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 2.1% effective (3x points).
- That dining rate ranks higher than about 80% of cards we track in the category.
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
Tradeoffs
- $650 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Marriott Bonvoy value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
When should you pick Spark Cash Plus over Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express?
Choose Spark Cash Plus if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.. Worth a look for dining spend if you need a business card and can use cash back the way you redeem today.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 2% effective (2% back).
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
Tradeoffs
- $150 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Business card — rewards and liability rules differ from consumer cards.
Common questions about Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express vs Spark Cash Plus
Which card is better between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus?
Spark Cash Plus is the stronger overall fit because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (66 vs 34) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. The overall winner depends on your spend mix — use the scorecard rows and scenario playbook to see where each card actually wins.
Which card wins on dining: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express leads dining at 2.1% effective versus 2%.
Which card is better for cashback users: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus?
Spark Cash Plus is the better cashback-style pick between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus.
Which welcome bonus is stronger between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Spark Cash Plus leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Which card has stronger benefits: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus?
Spark Cash Plus leads on estimated annual benefit value in the Madeen snapshot.
Which card has the lower annual fee: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus?
Spark Cash Plus has the simpler fee story in this pair ($650 vs $150). Annual fee only wins if you use the rewards and credits that justify it.
Is Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Spark Cash Plus better for travel spend?
Tie is the stronger travel-style pick between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Spark Cash Plus in this snapshot.
Compare
Related comparisons
Merchants
Store guides featuring these cards
Spark Cash Plus
Related topics
Explore the related pages
Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-08-16
Content tier Premium depth
American Express and Capital One (and related product names) are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by either issuer. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure