Blue Cash Everyday Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred Card: Which American Express Card Is Best for You?
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Written by
Angela Mae
If you’re thinking about adding an American Express cash-back credit card to your wallet, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (a CardCritics™ advertiser) are worth considering. You can earn cash-back rewards in statement credits with both credit cards and benefit from low introductory APRs on purchases and balance transfers.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card has the edge when it comes to earning cash back rewards. But it also has an annual fee, which the Blue Cash Everyday Card doesn’t have. If you don’t mind the lower rewards potential and want to avoid an annual fee, the Blue Cash Everyday Card might be better.
Read on to find out whether the Blue Cash Everyday Card vs. the Blue Cash Preferred Card is right for you.
What Is the Blue Cash Everyday Card?
The Blue Cash Everyday Card does not charge an annual fee, making it a low-fuss credit card to keep in your wallet. It also comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening, then 19.99%-28.99% Variable APR.
With the Blue Cash Everyday Card, you can earn:
- 3% Cash Back 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, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Other Benefits
- $200 Welcome offer: Earn $200 as a statement credit when you spend $2,000 on purchases within 6 months of account opening.
- $84 Disney Bundle credit: Get up to a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at Disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $180 Home Chef credit: Earn up to $15 a month in statement credits when you purchase an auto-renewing subscription for Home Chef meal kits with your enrolled card.
- Special events: Gain access to special ticket access and presale with Amex™.
- Car rental protection: Earn loss and damage insurance for rental cars booked and paid for using this card (not available in Australia, New Zealand or Italy). This is secondary coverage, meaning it pays out after your primary insurance.
- Global Assist® Hotline: Earn complementary access to the Global Assist Hotline whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home.
Fees to Keep in Mind
While the Blue Cash Everyday Card does not charge an annual fee, these fees are worth noting:
- Annual Fee: $0
- Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7% foreign transaction fee
- Cash Advance Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Late Payment Fee: Up to $40
- Returned Payment Fee: Up to $40
This card is ideal for those who want an everyday credit card with no annual fee, a solid introductory APR and the option to earn cash back across multiple categories.
What Is the Blue Cash Preferred Card?
The Blue Cash Preferred Card has a 0% intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then 19.99%-28.99% Variable APR. This is a generous offer from a card that offers elevated rewards, but it is a shorter introductory period than the Blue Cash Everyday Card.
You’ll have to pay a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Compared to the Blue Cash Everyday Card, the Blue Cash Preferred Card has higher earning potential and fewer caps to to worry about. You can earn cash back in the following ways:
- 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.
- 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Other Benefits
- $250 welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases within 6 months of account opening.
- $120 Disney Bundle Credit: Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Amex Offers and Events with Amex™: Earn special ticket access and presales to all of your favorite events (while supplies last). You can also earn more through Amex Offers when shopping online or in person.
- Car rental insurance: Car rental loss and damage insurance: This card also comes with secondary auto insurance for rental vehicles (not available in Australia, New Zealand or Italy).
- Global Assist® Hotline: Earn complementary access to the Global Assist Hotline whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home.
Fees to Keep in Mind
These are the fees associated with the Blue Cash Preferred Card to keep in mind:
- Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7% foreign transaction fee
- Cash Advance Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Late Payment Fee: Up to $40
- Returned Payment Fee: Up to $40
This card is ideal for those who want more flexibility and cash back earning potential than the Blue Cash Everyday Card offers, and feel they can justify the fee with the rewards they can earn. Most of the perks are U.S. based, so it’s also a good card for travelers who plan to travel domestically.
Key Differences Between the Blue Cash Everyday Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card
The biggest differences to consider are the welcome offer, the intro APR periods and the ongoing rewards. These aspects weighed against the annual (or no annual) fee will help you make a good decision for yourself.
Cash Back Earning Rates: Everyday vs Preferred
Here’s a breakdown of the Blue Cash Everyday Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred Card cash back earning rates:
| Categories | Blue Cash Everyday Card | Blue Cash Preferred Card |
|---|---|---|
| U.S Supermarkets | 3% (on up to $6,000 annually, then 1%) | 6% (on up to $6,000 annually, then 1%) |
| U.S Online Retail Purchases | 3% (up to $6,000 annually, then 1%) | N/A |
| Select U.S. Streaming Subscriptions | N/A | 6% |
| U.S. Gas Stations | 3% (up to $6,000 annually, then 1%) | 3% |
| U.S. Transit | N/A | 3% |
| Other Purchases | 1% | 1% |
Annual Fee Breakdown: Is It Worth It?
When choosing between credit cards, it’s important to consider the annual fee. The Blue Cash Everyday Card has a $0 annual fee while the Blue Cash Preferred Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
While no annual fee might sound better, the Blue Cash Preferred Card does have a few perks to help you justify the extra cost. The main ones are:
- Elevated cash back rewards when compared to the Blue Cash Everyday Card
- Minimal spending caps on its various cash-back reward categories
- Additional spending categories compared to the Blue Cash Everyday Card
- Higher welcome offer
Who Should Choose the Blue Cash Everyday Card?
The Blue Cash Everyday Card credit card makes the most sense for those who:
- Are budget-conscious
- Don’t tend to spend a lot and only shop occasionally
- Want to avoid annual fees
- Looking for a credit card with a long low introductory APR
Once the introductory APR period ends, it helps to pay off your balance each month to avoid interest charges. If you need to transfer the balance from a high-interest credit card and can pay it off during the first 15 months, you can also save a lot of money in interest charges with this card.
To use the Blue Cash Everyday Card effectively, spend as you normally would but on the cash-back reward categories.
Who Should Choose the Blue Cash Preferred Card?
The Blue Cash Preferred Card is best suited for:
- Heavy spenders
- Families or those who travel the U.S. looking to take advantage of elevated cash back rewards on things like gas, transit and streaming services and groceries in the U.S.
Just like with the Blue Cash Everyday Card, you’ll get a low introductory APR period. Maximize the rewards and eliminate interest charges by spending during this period. You can also transfer an existing card’s balance to this one. Just remember that it is best to pay off your full balance before the variable interest rate kicks in.
To help justify the annual fee, you can also balance your spending in such a way that earns you more cash back rewards than the annual fee you pay to keep the card.
Welcome and Introductory Offers
The Blue Cash Everyday Card has two introductory offers:
- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- 0% intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening, then 19.99%-28.99% Variable APR
The Blue Cash Preferred Card also has a couple of introductory offers:
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- 0% intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then 19.99%-28.99% Variable APR
- No annual fee for the first year ($0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.)
To earn either card’s welcome offer, use your credit card to purchase things as you normally would and make sure you meet the minimum spend requirement in the allotted time. If possible, make purchases in the categories with the highest cash-back potential to get the most out of the rewards.
Other Benefits and Perks: What You Get With Each Card
The Blue Cash Everyday Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card have similar benefits and perks. These include:
- Disney Bundle credit (enrollment required)
- Events with Amex™ (for special or presale tickets)
- Send & Split® (lets you split purchases via Venmo or PayPal)
- Amex Offers (to earn additional rewards)
- Plan It® access (split purchases into monthly installments for a fee) (no enrollment required)
- Pay It® access (use the App to pay for small purchases and earn rewards)
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance (secondary coverage)
- Global Assist® Hotline access (for when you need a medical referral, need help with customs or lose your wallet)
- Cash back at Amazon.com (use cash-back rewards to cover all or part of your purchase)
- Purchase protection (available for up to 90 days after making a purchase)
Additional benefits of the Blue Cash Preferred Card include:
- Return protection on eligible purchases (up to $1,000 per calendar year)
- Extended warranty (maximum $10,000 coverage per account member per year)
Current cardholders can contact American Express via phone or online chat through their account.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
*CardCritics™ references a FICO® 8 score, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when evaluating your application.
Side By Side Comparison
Annual Fee
Purchase and Balance Transfer APR
Welcome Bonus
Ongoing Rewards
Earn 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
Earn 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
Earn 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
Earn 1% cash back on other purchases.
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
Pros & Cons
- Long intro APR period for purchases and balance transfers
- Well-rounded cash back with no annual fee
PROS
- Once the Intro APR period expires, the APR is high
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Categories limited to the U.S.
CONS
- Lucrative welcome offer
- Steller ongoing cash back on everyday purchases
- Introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers
PROS
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Annual fee may be high for some
CONS
Learn More
Which Card Is Better for Everyday Spending?
If you’re looking for an everyday cash back rewards card, the Blue Cash Everyday Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card are both solid options. The Blue Cash Preferred Card has more cash-back reward options, but the annual fee can limit earning potential if you don’t tend to spend a lot. The Blue Cash Everyday Card doesn’t have an annual fee, but its cash-back reward categories are more limited.
Here are some ways to maximize the earned cash-back rewards with these cards:
- Understand the earnings potential. The cash back categories vary by card. If you have the Blue Cash Preferred Card, take advantage of the elevated cash back opportunities as this will help you justify the annual fee.
- Pay off your balance. Always pay off your balance each month before incurring interest. Interest charges can eat into any earnings.
- Assess your regular spending. Don’t go beyond your normal spending habits for the cash back potential as you could end up going overbudget. Pick a card that offers rewards for things you already spend your money on.
- Read the fine print. Limitations and exclusions apply, so look over the fine print to make sure you’re getting the most out of your card.
- Take advantage of the welcome offer. You’ll need to spend a certain amount within 6 months of opening an account to earn the welcome offer.
Ultimately, it’s important to consider your own spending habits before choosing a rewards credit card. Pick a card you’re likely to use and can get the most benefits from without spending much — or anything — out of pocket.
For the Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance on the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
For the Global Assist Hotline benefit on the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
For the Purchase Protection benefit for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express when an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
For the Return Protection benefit of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express with Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
For the Extended warranty benefit of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, when an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Blue Cash Everyday Card vs the Blue Cash Preferred Card credit cards to help you decide which is right for you.
What are the cash back limits for both Blue Cash Everyday Card and Blue Cash Preferred Card?
The Blue Cash Everyday Card limits the 3% you can earn on U.S. groceries, online U.S. retail purchases, and U.S. gas station purchases (on up to $6,000 per year per category). After the caps are reached you will earn 1% back. The 1% rate and the other cash back categories are not capped. The Blue Cash Preferred Card limits the 6% cash back you can earn on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 annually). After the cap is reached you will earn 1% back. The 1% rate and the other cash back categories are not capped.
Can I earn rewards on online shopping?
The Blue Cash Everyday Card allows you to earn cash-back rewards on U.S. online retail purchases.
Is there a foreign transaction fee on either card?
Both cards have a 2.7% foreign transaction fee.
Can I switch from the Blue Cash Everyday Card to the Blue Cash Preferred Card?
If you already have the Blue Cash Everyday Card, you might be able to upgrade it to the Preferred card. Contact American Express about your options.
How do the redemption options work with both cards?
When you make a qualifying purchase, you’ll earn cash back in the form of Reward Dollars. You can redeem your earnings while shopping online through Amazon. Or you can apply them toward your next statement balance. The process takes up to three days.
- What Is the Blue Cash Everyday Card?
- What Is the Blue Cash Preferred Card?
- Key Differences
- Comparing Cash Back Earning Rates
- Annual Fee Breakdown
- Who Should Choose the Blue Cash Everyday Card?
- Who Should Choose the Blue Cash Preferred Card?
- Welcome and Introductory Offers
- Other Benefits and Perks
- Side By Side Comparison
- Which Card Is Better for Everyday Spending?
- Frequently Asked Questions
