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Looking for a rewarding cash-back card that fits your everyday spending habits?
Here's how the two cards compare and which might be a better fit for your spending habits.
Amex Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred at a Glance
$0Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back with U.S. online retailers (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 1% back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on eligible transit purchases including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back on gas purchases at eligible U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Related: Which American Express Cash-Back Card Is Right for You?
Each Card Comes With a Valuable Welcome Offer
Both the Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred offer welcome bonuses to eligible new cardholders. Here's what you can earn with each card:
- Blue Cash Everyday: You may be eligible for as high as $200 cash back after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or for other select options. Terms Apply.
- Blue Cash Preferred: You may be eligible for as high as $300 cash back after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or for other select options. Terms Apply. Plus, this card offers a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (Rates & Fees).
On top of the welcome bonuses, both cards come with introductory 0% APR periods on purchases and balance transfers. We'll delve into those a little later.
Related: Tricks To Meet Minimum Spending Requirements on New
Who is eligible to earn the welcome bonus on these Amex cards?
Amex generally won't give you a welcome bonus on a card that you've held before. And even if you've never had the card, Amex can still deny you the bonus based on your history with the issuer. Amex spells it out in its terms and conditions:
“The welcome offer, intro APRs, and intro plan fees are not available to applicants who have or have had this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer, intro APRs, and intro plan fee eligibility.”
There is some good news. Amex has not applied its family rule to Blue Cash cards … at least not yet. So if you've held the Blue Cash Everyday in the past, that alone shouldn't disqualify you from earning a welcome bonus on the Blue Cash Preferred, and vice versa.
Related: Everything To Know About the Amex Welcome Offer Eligibility Tool
Each Card Is Optimized to a Different Kind of Spender
The right card is going to come down to what you spend money on. Both the Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred are unique in what purchases earn the most bonus
Blue Cash Everyday earning rates
By focusing on the categories that shoppers use most — like groceries and gas — Amex has catapulted the Blue Cash Everyday into the upper echelon of cash-back
- 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back with U.S. online retailers (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 1% back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
While it's a bummer that there are caps on the 3% earnings categories, you'd need to average more than $500 in spending per category per month before this will become a limitation.
Blue Cash Preferred earning rates
The Blue Cash Preferred trades the online retail category for streaming and transit (and doubles the cash back on supermarkets). If you've got several streaming subscriptions, which is becoming a household norm, or a hefty grocery bill (who doesn't in this economy), earning 6% back on these purchases is pretty appealing.
This card earns rewards as follows:
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on eligible transit purchases including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back on gas purchases at eligible U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Blue Cash Category Restrictions
Amex defines some of its bonus categories more narrowly than its marketing suggests. Here's what qualifies and what doesn't.
U.S. supermarkets
Amex counts traditional grocery stores, including Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Aldi, as part of its earnings. But it excludes superstores such as Walmart and Target, warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam's Club, convenience stores, drugstores, and meal kit services. Supermarkets outside the U.S. are also a no-go.
Online grocery orders placed directly with a supermarket's own site or app generally code as supermarket purchases, but grocery delivery through a third-party app most likely won't.
Related: The 7 Best Credit Cards for Grocery Shopping in 2026 — From Cash Back to Transferable Points
U.S. gas stations
The merchant's primary business has to be selling fuel, so stations like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron qualify. However, gas you buy at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, or a supermarket fuel center won't earn bonus rewards. Electric vehicle charging typically doesn't count, either.
U.S. online retail purchases
This is the Blue Cash Everyday‘s signature category, and it's also the most restrictive. The purchase has to be made online with a U.S. retail merchant that sells physical goods. Amex's list of qualifying merchant types covers apparel, footwear, electronics, department stores, drugstores, furniture, home goods, auto supply, bookstores, pet stores, sporting goods, and major retailers.
But not everything you buy online qualifies. Airfare, hotels, event tickets, rideshare, food delivery, streaming subscriptions, and digital services are excluded. And if you order something online but pay for it in-store, that won't count, either.
Transit
Available only on the Blue Cash Preferred, transit covers taxis, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, parking, tolls, trains, subways, buses, and ferries. Airfare, rental cars, and cruise fares are excluded, as are Uber Eats and other food delivery charges billed through a rideshare app.
Select U.S. streaming subscriptions
Amex maintains a published list of eligible services. The list currently includes Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, Audible, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Fubo, among others.
Amazon Prime memberships do not qualify, and neither do subscriptions bundled into a wireless bill. The streaming service or an eligible U.S. site must bill the subscription.
Each Card Offers Monthly Statement Credits to Select Merchants and Services
Both cards offer statement credits that can add to their value. But you'll need to enroll first, and there are a few restrictions.
Blue Cash Everyday
Blue Cash Everyday cardholders get two credits: $180 annually in Home Chef credits ($15 per month) and up to $84 in Disney streaming credits ($7 per month).
The Home Chef credit only works on eligible meal kit subscriptions made directly through Home Chef. And considering a meal kit delivery can easily cost $50 or more, that $15 credit might not go as far as you'd hope.
The Disney credit applies to eligible Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN subscriptions or bundles billed directly through participating U.S. websites.
Blue Cash Preferred
Blue Cash Preferred cardholders get a larger Disney streaming credit of up to $120 annually ($10 per month), with the same restrictions as the Everyday card. However, it doesn't offer a Home Chef credit.
Both cards earn bonus cash back only on eligible U.S. purchases and charge a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, so neither is a great choice for international travel.
Both also earn Reward Dollars rather than Membership Rewards points. You can redeem these for statement credits or use them at Amazon.com checkout, with no minimum redemption amount. The Blue Cash Everyday also lets you deposit rewards into an eligible American Express High Yield Savings Account.
Rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.
As for travel protections, neither card offers trip delay, trip cancellation, or baggage insurance. Both offer secondary rental car coverage, though.
Realistic value on the Blue Cash credits
On paper, the Everyday offers up to $264 in annual credits, compared to $120 on the Preferred. But there's a catch.
If you already pay for eligible Disney streaming services, the Preferred's larger credit is probably more useful. The Everyday only pulls ahead if you're also using Home Chef regularly. Otherwise, that extra $180 in credits won't do you much good.
Winner: Blue Cash Preferred for most households, but the Blue Cash Everyday if you're already a Home Chef customer.
Earning rate example
Your spending patterns will ultimately determine whether the Blue Cash Preferred is worth the annual fee.
Let's say that each month you spend:
- $300 on groceries
- $150 on gas
- $50 on transit
- $100 on streaming services
- $200 on online purchases
That adds up to $800 per month, or $9,600 per year.
With that spending, you'd get $504 in annual value from the Preferred, compared to $336 from the Everyday. And even after the Preferred's $95 annual fee kicks in during year two, you'd still come out $73 ahead.
Of course, that doesn't account for the Everyday's Home Chef credit. If you're already using Home Chef, those savings could easily tip the scales in its favor.
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Cards for Each Spending Category
Introductory 0% APR Offers
While the goal is always to pay your card off in full every month, an introductory 0% APR on purchases is a great fallback option to finance larger purchases over the short term. Fortunately, both Blue Cash cards offer this benefit.
The Blue Cash Everyday offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months, while the Blue Cash Preferred offers 12 months. After that, the regular variable APR applies.
Related: The Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fee and 0% Introductory APR
Balance Transfer Offers
Both cards also offer introductory 0% APR periods on balance transfers:
- Blue Cash Everyday: 0% on balance transfers for 15 months, then a Variable APR of 19.74% - 28.74%. Balance transfer fee: either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. (Rates & Fees)
- Blue Cash Preferred: 0% on balance transfers for 12 months, then a Variable APR of 19.74% - 28.74%. Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. (Rates & Fees)
If transferring balances from high-interest cards to one of these 0% offers makes sense, it's a solid card option. However, compared to the best balance transfer cards, you may end up paying a significant upfront fee due to the balance transfer fee (Rates & Fees).
Our Take
The Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred cards each offer impressive value — but for different kinds of spenders.
If you want to avoid an annual fee while earning solid rewards on gas, groceries, and online shopping, the Blue Cash Everyday card is a no-brainer.
But if your spending aligns with the higher-earning categories on the Blue Cash Preferred card — like streaming, transit, and higher grocery bills — it could easily justify its $95 annual fee after year one.
Either way, for those who like the simplicity of a cash-back card, both options are excellent tools for earning money back on your daily essentials.
(Terms apply)
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $200 cash back after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $2,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. Cash Back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
- No Annual Fee.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.74%-28.74%.
- Plan It® makes it easy to split up large purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee, plus you still earn rewards the way you usually do! Here's how: Select a purchase of $100 or more in your online account or the American Express® App. Choose from up to 3 plan duration options. Review and confirm.
- Earn 3% Cash Back on Groceries at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 3% Cash Back on U.S. Online Retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) 3% Cash Back on Gas at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) Cash back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
- With the $84 Disney Streaming Credit, you can earn up to $7 back per month as a statement credit when you use your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express Card to purchase a subscription, including a bundle subscription, on DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites, with no minimum purchase requirement. Subscription is subject to auto-renewal.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back with U.S. online retailers (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
- 1% back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
(Terms apply)
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash Back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.74%-28.74%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don't have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you'll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on gas purchases at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash Back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or for other select options.
- With the $120 Disney Streaming Credit, you can earn up to $10 back per month as a statement credit when you use your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card to purchase a subscription, including a bundle subscription, on DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites, with no minimum purchase requirement. Subscription is subject to auto-renewal.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on eligible transit purchases including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back on gas purchases at eligible U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Page Contents
- Amex Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred at a Glance
- Each Card Comes With a Valuable Welcome Offer
- Each Card Is Optimized to a Different Kind of Spender
- Blue Cash Category Restrictions
- Each Card Offers Monthly Statement Credits to Select Merchants and Services
- Shared Limitations and Redemptions
- Introductory 0% APR Offers
- Balance Transfer Offers
- Our Take
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees)
Don’t care much for the redemption options since you are limited to either a statement credit or giftcards. Would prefer an actual cashback option
It is a fact that the pandemic will disrupt our travel plans for a long time to come.
And having the opportunity to choose between reward points or earning money back with everyday expenses is a fantastic experience.
Even better when we have two options for AMEX cards,
Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred with simple eligibility requirements.
I loved!
Nice additions, make sense to use those cards more often.
Amex has a great rewards program but in Argentina is really expensive to have one 🙁
A pair of very solid cards. Glad to see them getting a little love.
Really like the 6% cash back on groceries on the Blue Cash Preferred, but it still has some room for improvement here….the 6% isn’t valid at the big box stores (Sam’s Club, Costco and even Walmart) even when all you buy is groceries. I know this is a bit tricky for AMEX to figure out, but I get over half my groceries at these places. It is hard to justify the $95 annual fee with this “limitation” in place…..
I like this card. Simple and to the point vs a lot of the other card products out there these days.
I have the Blue Cash everyday and it’s ok. Having to redeem rewards in exactly $25 increments is a little dated when most cards today you can redeem as little as a penny if you really wanted to.
I appreciate the monthly spending example and seeing how much you come ahead using the Preferred after factoring in the AF. Very helpful stuff.
Obviously apply for business cards first to keep Chase 5/24 intact.
I have one of these cards in anticipation of the day when I don’t renew my Platinum card but not lose my earned points since Amex seems to keep dropping benefits, the most recent being their plan to not allow me to take a guest into the Centurion Lounge starting some time next year.
Yeah I need to sign up for that card. I signed up for the Platinum in May and now with the new benefits won’t be keeping it. I am going to look into the Morgan Stanley version though and see if I can get it for free.
Used to have one but not competitive for big spenders with The more expensive fee cards
Nice article and write up, Jess.
Still waiting on some improved offerings on the AmEx MR-generating Everyday and Everyday Preferred cards.
Have been following/watching them for ~21 months without seeing any changes in SUB or earnings categories.
If your main focus is cash back, that Blue Cash Preferred would be hard to beat with those 6% categories on groceries and select streaming services.
good analysis