American Express cards look good in your wallet. ICS cards look like something your employer issues for petrol stations. But if you're living in the Netherlands and spending mostly in euros, the boring option often wins.
The acceptance gap that actually matters
Amex acceptance in the Netherlands sits around 40% of card terminals. ICS cards run on Mastercard and Visa networks, which means 99%. That's not academic. It's the difference between paying at Albert Heijn (no Amex) and having to fumble for your debit card.
Amsterdam restaurants? Maybe 60% take Amex. Your local bakery in Utrecht? Forget it. Online retailers outside the big names? You'll see "Mastercard and Visa only" more often than you'd think.
The ICS Mastercard Black costs €0 per year and works everywhere. The American Express Green Card costs €7.50/month (€90/year) and requires you to carry a backup card anyway.
Foreign currency: where ICS pulls ahead
Both ICS cards charge 0% foreign exchange markup. Zero. The ICS Visa World Card Gold even covers travel insurance and rental car excess at no annual fee.
Amex cards charge 2.95% on non-euro transactions. On a €2,000 holiday spend, that's €59 in FX fees. The ICS card? Nothing.
Yes, Amex gives you Membership Rewards points. But you need to spend €3,000 on the Green Card to earn enough points for a €30 voucher. At 2.95% FX cost, you've already lost €88.50 on that same €3,000 if it was foreign spend. The maths doesn't work unless you're spending heavily in euros at places that actually take Amex.
The airline card exception
If you fly KLM regularly, the Flying Blue Gold Card changes the equation. You earn Flying Blue miles at 1.5x on KLM spending, and the €150 annual fee includes lounge access and a checked bag. That's worth it if you take six+ KLM flights a year.
But for ground spend in the Netherlands? The ICS card still wins. Use the Amex for flights, the ICS for everything else.
When Amex actually makes sense
Three scenarios where Amex beats ICS:
- You spend €15k+ per year at Amex-accepting retailers. At that level, the Membership Rewards can offset the annual fee and FX costs, especially if you redeem for flights or hotel transfers.
- You want lounge access and travel perks. The Flying Blue Platinum Card at €500/year includes Priority Pass and solid insurance. ICS cards don't compete here.
- You run a business and want charge card flexibility. Amex charge cards (pay in full monthly) don't have a preset limit. ICS cards max out around €5,000-€7,500 for most applicants.
Outside those cases, you're paying for brand prestige and collecting points at a rate that doesn't justify the friction.
The ICS trade-off nobody mentions
ICS cards are excellent for what they do, but they do less. No purchase protection beyond the statutory EU requirements. No extended warranty. No concierge service that books restaurants you could book yourself.
The ICS Mastercard Black includes travel insurance, but it's basic. The Amex Platinum cards include coverage up to €500,000 for medical emergencies abroad. If you travel frequently to non-EU countries, that gap matters.
Also: ICS requires you to pay off the full balance monthly. No option to carry a balance (which is financially smart, but not always convenient). Amex gives you the choice, though their interest rates are punitive enough that you shouldn't use it.
What to actually do
For most Dutch residents: get the ICS Visa World Card Gold. No annual fee, 0% FX, works everywhere, includes solid travel insurance. That's your daily driver.
If you want points and can stomach the acceptance hassle, add the American Express Green Card as a secondary card. Use it only where accepted and only for euro spending. You'll earn some points without bleeding FX fees.
If you fly KLM often, skip the Green and go straight to the Flying Blue Gold. The €150 fee pays for itself if you check bags and value lounge access.
The mistake is carrying only an Amex in the Netherlands and wondering why half your purchases require a backup card. The smart play is boring: free ICS card for reliability, Amex for specific high-value use cases. Boring wins.