Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Blue Cash Preferred | Blue Cash Everyday |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 first year, then $95 | $0 |
| U.S. supermarkets | 6% on up to $6,000/yr, then 1% | 3% on up to $6,000/yr, then 1% |
| Streaming | 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions | 1% |
| U.S. gas stations | 3% | 3% on up to $6,000/yr, then 1% |
| Transit | 3% | 1% |
| U.S. online retail | 1% | 3% on up to $6,000/yr, then 1% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1% |
| Disney streaming credit | Up to $10/month ($120/yr), enrollment required | Up to $7/month ($84/yr) |
| Intro APR | 0% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers |
| Regular APR (as of October 2026) | 19.74%–28.74% variable | 19.74%–28.74% variable |
| Balance transfer fee | $5 or 3%, whichever is greater | $5 or 3%, whichever is greater |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.7% | 2.7% |
Blue Cash Preferred: for big grocery budgets
The Preferred pays 6% at U.S. supermarkets, the highest grocery rate of any card on our lists. That covers up to $6,000 a year, which works out to $360 a year at the cap. It also pays 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit, so commuters and drivers earn more too.
The Disney streaming credit is worth up to $120 a year if you already pay for Disney+, Hulu or ESPN+. You have to enroll to get it. The card also includes purchase protection, return protection, extended warranty and car rental loss and damage insurance.
A balance transfer must be requested within the first 60 days of account opening to get the intro rate.
Blue Cash Everyday: no fee, three 3% categories
The Everyday pays 3% in three common categories: U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail and U.S. gas stations. Each category has its own $6,000 annual cap. That suits households that do a lot of online shopping, since the Preferred pays only 1% there.
It also has the longer intro APR (15 months vs. 12), which matters if you're planning a large purchase. The Disney credit is smaller, at up to $7 a month.
Where the break-even sits
On groceries, the Preferred earns 3 percentage points more than the Everyday (6% vs. 3%). Divide the $95 fee by 3% and you get about $3,167 a year in U.S. supermarket spending, or about $61 a week, before the Preferred comes out ahead.
Other spending moves that number:
- Streaming and transit favor the Preferred.
- Online retail favors the Everyday.
- Gas pays 3% on both.
- If you'd use the full Disney credit, the Preferred's credit is $36 a year bigger.
For a sense of scale, the average U.S. household spent $6,224 on food at home in 2024, according to the BLS. Not all of that happens at supermarkets, though. Our grocery card guide runs the numbers with that figure.
What doesn't count as a supermarket
Amex excludes superstores (like Target and Walmart) and warehouse clubs (like Costco and BJ's) from the supermarket category. It also excludes gas stations attached to supermarkets and warehouse clubs from the 3% gas rate. If most of your groceries come from a warehouse club, neither Blue Cash card will pay the bonus there. BofA Customized Cash pays 2% at wholesale clubs. A flat 2% card may also serve you better.
How Amex cash back is paid
Both cards earn Reward Dollars. You can redeem them as a statement credit or use them at Amazon checkout. Amex says there's no redemption minimum, and Reward Dollars don't expire while your account is in good standing. They are not Membership Rewards points, so they can't be moved to airline partners. If that appeals to you, see our Amex Gold review. More on getting value in how to redeem rewards.
Which Blue Cash card fits you
- Family that does a weekly supermarket shop: Blue Cash Preferred. If you spend more than about $61 a week at U.S. supermarkets, the 6% rate covers the fee and keeps paying.
- Household that splits groceries between supermarkets and Costco or Walmart: Blue Cash Everyday. Your qualifying supermarket spend may fall below the break-even, and the Everyday adds 3% on online retail.
- Commuter: Blue Cash Preferred, for 3% on transit and gas.
- Planning a big purchase: Blue Cash Everyday, for the longer 15-month 0% intro APR.
- Not sure yet: The Preferred has no fee in year one. Track your supermarket spending for that year before the $95 fee starts.
Business owners and other options
This page covers Amex's personal cards. For business spending, see our best cash back business cards. If you'd rather avoid any annual fee across the board, compare the full no-fee cash back list. Card terms change often, so check the issuer's site before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Blue Cash Everyday. It pays 3% on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 a year, while the Blue Cash Preferred pays 1% there. The Preferred is stronger on supermarkets, streaming and transit.
No. Amex excludes superstores like Target and Walmart and warehouse clubs like Costco and BJ's from the U.S. supermarket category. Those purchases earn 1%.
Only in the first year. The fee is $0 for year one, then $95 a year. Use the first year to see whether your supermarket spending clears the roughly $3,170 break-even against the Blue Cash Everyday.
Not really. Both charge a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, and their bonus categories are limited to U.S. merchants. Use a card with no foreign transaction fee when you travel.
Blue Cash Preferred Card — American Express
Blue Cash Everyday Card — American Express
Amex Blue Cash Preferred review — NerdWallet
Amex Blue Cash Everyday review — NerdWallet
Blue Cash Everyday vs. Blue Cash Preferred — NerdWallet
How Amex cash back Reward Dollars work — American Express
How credit card issuers classify purchases for bonus rewards — CNBC Select
Consumer Expenditures in 2024 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Card terms, rates and fees change often and APRs are variable. Information was checked in October 2026; confirm current terms on the issuer's website before applying. MoneyVerge may be compensated by some card issuers; this does not affect our assessments.