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American Express offers plenty of high-value travel-focused credit cards, particularly through its lineup of Membership Rewards-earning cards. However, Amex also issues some of the best cashback cards on the market. And two of our favorite cards currently feature generous increased welcome offers.
Earning travel rewards isn't as high on priority lists as in the past. Instead, the ability to earn cashback on everyday expenses like supermarket spending, gas, or department store purchases is perhaps as appealing as ever.
The two cards we are focusing on today are the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. We dig into the increased welcome offers, bonus categories, and intro APR periods of each of these cards and help you determine which card best suits your needs.
Amex Blue Cash Cards at a Glance
| Card Details | Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
|---|---|---|
| Signup Bonus | Earn 20% back on purchases at Amazon.com on the Card in the first 6 months, up to $200 back. Plus, earn $100 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months | Limited Time Offer: Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Offer Expires 12/10/2020. |
| Bonus Categories | • 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) • 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores • 1% Cash Back on other purchases | • 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions • 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) • 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more • 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations • 1% Cash Back on other purchases |
| Intro APRs | 0% on purchases for 15 months then a Variable rate of 13.99% - 23.99% - Rates & Fees | 0% on purchases for 12 months then a Variable rate of 13.99% - 23.99% - Rates & Fees |
| Annual Fee | $0 - Rates & Fees | $95 (which is waived for the first year - Offer Expires 12/10/2020) - Rates & Fees |
Welcome Offers: Earn up to $300 Cash Back
Both of the Blue Cash cards are currently running increased welcome offers of up to $300 cashback, although each is structured differently.
The Blue Cash Preferred offers a straight $300 cashback after spending $3,000 in the first six months. Meanwhile, the Blue Cash Everyday offers a two-tiered bonus of $100 cashback after spending $1,000 in the first six months, plus up to $200 cashback on $1,000 of Amazon.com purchases on the card in the first six months.
- Earn 20% back on purchases at Amazon.com on the Card in the first 6 months, up to $200 back.
- Plus, earn $100 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
- 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%.
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee and no interest.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
- No annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores
- 1% back on other purchases
Both cards give you six months to meet the minimum spend requirements. The initial spending requirement on the Blue Cash Everyday is very affordable. And since you have six months to meet it, you can leverage the card's many bonus categories. Plus, you have six months to hit the $1,000 of spending at Amazon.com.
The offer on the Blue Cash Preferred requires a higher initial spend, but there is no requirement to meet the minimum spend at a particular merchant. And, like the Blue Cash Everyday, you have a full six months to earn the welcome bonus.
If your goal is to avoid paying annual fees, the Blue Cash Everyday provides an equivalent welcome bonus for a lower minimum spend, without the ongoing annual fee. Plus, you get a longer intro APR period to pay down any balance incurred on the card over the holiday season. (Rates & Fees)
Better Return on Spending With the Blue Cash Preferred
Without a doubt, the Blue Cash Preferred provides a better return on spending, provided you spend enough on your card to justify the ongoing annual fee of $95.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Offer Expires 12/10/2020
- Limited Time Offer: $0 introductory annual fee for one year, then $95. Offer Expires 12/10/2020
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee and no interest.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
For example, let’s say each month you spend roughly $30 on streaming services, $300 on groceries, $120 on gas, $50 on tolls and parking, and $100 at department stores, for a total of $600 per month.
If you charge these expenses to the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll earn $310.80 cash back each year. If you charge these expenses to the Blue Cash Everyday instead, you’ll earn $170.40 each year.
After factoring in the ongoing $95 annual fee, the Blue Cash Preferred earns $215.80 vs. $170.40 for the Blue Cash Everyday. That's an additional $45.40 in savings every year you hold the card.
Leverage 0% Intro APR Offer for Larger Purchases
While the goal is always to pay your card off in full every month, an intro 0% APR on purchases is a great fall back option to finance larger purchases over the short term.
Rather than paying loan set up and broker fees, then paying interest on the purchase each month, you can finance a purchase using your 0% APR card and pay it back over the intro period without the fees or interest charges.
Both of the Blue Cash cards feature generous intro 0% APR offers. The Blue Cash Everyday provides up to 15 months and the Blue Cash Preferred up to 12 months before the regular variable interest rates (see table above) kick in on both cards.
Provided you pay the balance down within the intro period, you won’t pay interest on purchases made with either card.
Blue Cash Card Eligibility
As American Express issues both cards, the eligibility requirements are relatively straightforward. As long as you don’t already hold the card (or have held it in the past), you should qualify for the bonus cashback, the intro APR periods, and any intro annual fee offer.
“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 are no family restrictions on these cards. So, if you’ve held the Blue Cash Everyday in the past, you qualify for the Blue Cash Preferred if you meet the rest of the eligibility requirements. And vice versa.
Our Take
The increased offers on the Blue Cash cards can provide much-needed cashback during one of the most expensive times of the year, taking some of the load off your hip pocket and returning cash to your wallet.
As long as you spend more than a couple of hundred dollars per month on essentials like gas and groceries, the Blue Cash Preferred will provide better value over the long term. That's even after factoring in the ongoing $95 annual fee.
However, if you already have cards with crossover bonus categories, or you really don’t want to pay an annual fee, new cardmembers can earn a solid welcome bonus of up to $300 cash back on the Blue Cash Everyday and take advantage of a top intro APR on purchases.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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I used to have the proffered and downgraded to the everyday card. For a zero fee card the 3% in supermarkets is a great benefit and the customer service of AMEX is legendary. Recommend it very much.
Wow—I’m surprised about the 20% on Amazon for first 6 months. That $200 cashback cap seems achievable, especially if you’re doing holiday shopping and/or share your Amazon account with family members!
I often just load my Amazon account. We do enough subscribe and save and day to day purchases that we’d burn through $1,000 fairly quickly, particularly with Whole Foods orders too.
Used to have an everday but dropped it from more use of chase rewards points.
I have one and keep it for the Amex offers. I used to use it for groceries too but just signed up for the Freedom Flex with 5x on groceries.
Seems like a good deal! I am so tied up in the chase UR game though that it’s hard to justify spend through Amex. Maybe it’s time to bite the bullet.
I have this and I think it is a good deal for low spenders.
Blue case everyday card seems a fit for my need. Thanks for the info!
This is a good deal for cash back. I wonder how many people who usually do travel rewards are now doing cash back? I know I have a cashback card but it’s too hard to break old habits and earn travel rewards. I am hoping to have a nice amount of points built up to use when it’s safer for me to travel (I have several higher risk issues).
We have certainly seen a lot more interest in cashback cards recently! And that’s understandable between travelers not traveling and perhaps having a stash of points/miles from canceled trips. Personally, I’m focusing on hybrid points (especially Chase Ultimate Rewards) as those can be used for statement credits on certain purchases – or for travel in the future!
Blue Cash Preferred is interesting. The other one, not so much, since the same or better benefits can be found elsewhere
Wow. $300 for the Blue Cash Everyday? I think I signed up when it was $150. 🙁 Good deal for anyone on the fence.
Does it mean that if I use the Blue Cash Everyday Card for $1000 on Amazon.com, I would get both the $200 and $100 cash back for a total of $300?
Yes, exactly.
Amex is being accepted more places than before now.
6% back on groceries, nice!
Just remember that’s limited to $6,000 in spend, or rather $500/month. My wife and I could go over that just the two of us before we had kids. Now with kids we might max that out by July.
I have taken out a few cards this year alone. I think I need to hold off on this one. But I will share this post with my friends because they may be interested in it. Thanks,
We appreciate it 🙂
. In order to earn the $300 statement credit, you need to spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening.
That’s correct with the Blue Cash Preferred. The Blue Cash Everyday is $1,000 spend (any merchant) for a $100 credit. And if that spend is all at Amazon.com, you get an additional $200 credit.
So you will get a $500 credit with the Blue Cash Preferred on Amazon.com purchases?
No, the Blue Cash Preferred does not have an Amazon cashback promotion on top of the $300 statement credit for $3K in purchases at any merchant.
I’m still eligible for the blue cash preferred bonus even if I already have the blue cash everyday card, correct?
Yep. No issues with getting both cards. Only consideration is that Amex will only let you have 5 credit cards. See this post for more detail
This is a decent deal for low spenders. Cashback coupled with interest free on purchases.
Great point about low spenders. $6k/year comes out to $500/month or a little under $125/week. That’s not actually all that hard to do and that doesn’t take into consideration buying gift cards from grocery stores.
I have the Blue for Business card, but it doesn’t seem to have any of these benefits. I’m not sure where it fits in the array.
Hey Kevin, I have that card too. It was discontinued sometime in 2017. Amex hasn’t really made any improvements since they stopped taking new applications. If you’re looking for a business card, I’d consider the Blue Business Plus card. (Our Card Review)
I have a blue sky, maybe I should think to switch to this blue cash.
Great cashback offers on those cards. Just got the Plat 100K + 10x gas/grocery yesterday so will have to hold off on these.
Lately, with 1-2 quarters every year having a 5% quarterly on groceries on some other card (Chase, Citi, etc), the lure of the Preferred card has been dimmed a bit by its AF.