Amex Blue Cash Preferred
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Amex Blue Cash Preferred Vs. EveryDay Preferred: Which Rewards Credit Card Is Right for You?
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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Pros & Cons
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Details
Pros & Cons
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Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.If you're considering adding a new card to your wallet, both the Amex Blue Cash Preferred and the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card are great options. But despite their similar names and common issuer, the two cards couldn't be more different.
Finding which card is best for you will depend on the kind of credit card rewards you're looking to earn, and how you usually spend.
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We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Compare Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred
Both of these American Express credit cards offer similar annual fees, but the Amex Blue Cash Preferred has an objectively more appealing offer: New cardholders pay an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95. This is huge for folks interested in trying a higher-earning rewards card, but are wary of paying an annual fee.
Even so, the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card only charges a low $95 annual fee.
The biggest difference between the Amex cards is the type of rewards they earn. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns cash back in the form of Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed for statement credits, while the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card earns American Express Membership Rewards points.
Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred welcome bonus offers:
- Amex Blue Cash Preferred: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening
- Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card: Earn 15,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening (worth around $270 in travel, based on Insider's points and miles valuations)
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card's bonus is technically easier to earn, but neither card's spending requirement is that high, and you'll have six months to meet the requirement.
Reward rates
While they share many of the same bonus spending categories, earning rates vary (usually in the Amex Blue Cash Preferred's favor). Keep in mind, however, after you use the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card 30 times, you'll earn 50% more points on purchases during that billing cycle. This benefit is unique to the EveryDay Preferred card (and its sister card, the no-annual-fee Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express ).
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns:
- 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% cash back on select US streaming subscriptions
- 3% cash back at US gas stations and on transit
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card earns:
- 3x points at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x)
- 2x points at US gas stations
- 1x points on all other purchases
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card's rewards rates mentioned above are what you'll earn before the 50% bonus is applied. With the bonus, cardholders could earn 4.5x at US supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year), 3x at US gas stations, and 2x on all other purchases.
Redeeming rewards
Cash back always has the same value, while the value of Amex points depends on how you redeem them. Although you'll only get a value of 0.7 to 1 cent per point if you redeem for gift cards or for travel through American Express Travel, you can get much more value by transferring them to American Express airline and hotel partners.
With that, the cash back you earn from the Amex Blue Cash Preferred can only be redeemed as statement credits. If you're looking for more flexible redemption options — including being able to directly redeem for travel — then you're better off with the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card.
Benefits and features
Blue Cash Preferred Card benefits
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred doesn't offer premium perks, but there are a few money-saving benefits worth mentioning. One of the most noteworthy perks is also one of the newest; the Amex Blue Cash Preferred now gets cardholders a monthly $7 credit when they pay at least $12.99 per month for the Disney Bundle (enrollment required).
The card also gets you monthly Equinox+ credits**, car rental loss and damage insurance, return protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, and more. You'll also get access to the Amex Offers** program where you can get cash back or bonus points when you shop at specific retailers and travel brands.
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred offers a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening (then a 18.24% - 29.24% Variable APR). That's super handy if you have larger purchases coming up you want to pay for over time, or want to consolidate debt from other high-interest credit cards.
Amex EveryDay Preferred benefits
Although Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card doesn't come with lucrative perks, there are some decent lifestyle and shopping benefits (such as return protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, and a ShopRunner membership). It also provides secondary car rental insurance (doesn't include liability).
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (made in the first 60 days) for 12 months from the date of account opening (then a 15.99% - 25.99% Variable APR).
Amex Blue Cash Preferred versus the Amex EveryDay Preferred: the biggest differences
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card | |
| Annual fee | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | $95 |
| Welcome bonus offer | $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening | 15,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening |
| Rewards rate | 6% cash back at US supermarkets* 6% cash back on select US streaming subscriptions 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit 1% cash back on all other purchases | 3x points at US supermarkets* 2x points at US gas stations 1 point per dollar on all other purchases 50% more bonus points when you make at least 30 purchases in a billing cycle |
| Card benefits | 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening (then a 18.24% - 29.24% Variable APR) Car rental loss and damage insurance Global Assist Hotline Purchase protection Return protection Extended warranty Amex Offers | 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (made in the first 60 days) for 12 months from the date of account opening (then a 15.99% - 25.99% Variable APR) Car rental loss and damage insurance Global Assist Hotline Purchase protection Return protection Extended warranty Amex Offers |
| Statement credits | Monthly Disney Bundle credits Monthly Equinox+ credits | N/A |
| Review |
*6% cash back/3x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%/1x
How to choose between the Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred
Overall, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred comes out on top. It's hard to beat its high-earning reward rates — especially considering it earns 6% cash back on US supermarkets (up to spending limits) and streaming services. If you maximize the bonus at US supermarkets, you can get up to $360 in cash back each year. It also gets cardholders helpful perks, like monthly Disney Bundle and Equinox+ credits — but those are only valuable if those are services you use.
That said, the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card is great for folks who regularly use and maximize Membership Rewards points. If you're able to meet the transaction bonus target of 30 transactions per billing cycle and unlock the 50% bonus points on purchases, you'll definitely get a lot of value out of the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
**Enrollment required.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
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