Booking through Fora vs. Amex FHR / Hilton Gold / Mariott Gold Elite

Does anyone have experience booking through Fora? We are considering using them for an upcoming trip to Japan and I'm wondering how the perks might compare to booking through these other programs we get through our Amex Platinum. We're pretty self-sufficient and don't necessarily need a travel agent, but I hear you're more likely to get upgrades etc. booking through them.