Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express
vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express

Updated: October 8, 2024

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The Blue Cash Everyday® Card and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express both offer enticing cash back rewards, but the Blue Cash Preferred stands out with its higher rewards rates, especially for supermarket and streaming service purchases. While the Preferred card does have an annual fee after the first year, the cash back benefits can outweigh the cost for those who frequently spend in its higher earning categories.

The Blue Cash Everyday card has no annual fee and is still a strong contender for its own set of rewards and should be considered by those who prefer to avoid fees.

Credit Card logo for Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express
Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express
Credit Card logo for Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express
MoneyGeek Rating
3.7/ of 5
MoneyGeek Rating
4.2/ of 5
On Issuer's Site
On Issuer's Site

Which Card Is Better for You?

You might prefer the Blue Cash Everyday if you value simplicity and savings — this card offers a straightforward cash back program on everyday purchases without an annual fee.

You might prefer the Blue Cash Preferred if you are a heavy spender on groceries and streaming services — this card offers a robust 6% cash back in these categories. The additional perks, like statement credits for specific subscriptions, can add significant value, especially if you can offset the $95 annual fee after the first year.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Card Details and Features

Evaluating features such as APRs, fees, credit requirements, rewards and introductory offers will clarify which card is for you. For instance, if you spend heavily on groceries, the higher cash back rate on supermarkets with the Amex Blue Cash Preferred might outweigh its $95 annual fee, offsetting the Everyday card's no annual fee.

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    Regular APR: Tie

    The Blue Cash Everyday and the Blue Cash Preferred both offer a regular APR range of 18.74% to 29.74% variable.

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    Annual Fee: Blue Cash Everyday

    The Blue Cash Everyday is better for avoiding annual fees, offering no annual fee. The Blue Cash Preferred has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.

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    Introductory 0% APRs: Blue Cash Everyday

    The Blue Cash Everydayoffers a longer period of 0% interest on both purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, compared to the Blue Cash Preferred, which offers this rate for 12 months.

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    Rewards: Amex Blue Cash Preferred

    The Blue Cash Preferred is better for rewards, offering 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% at U.S. gas stations and 3% on transit, all higher than the Blue Cash Everyday.

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    Welcome Offers: Blue Cash Everyday

    The Blue Cash Everyday offers a more valuable welcome bonus, providing a $200 statement credit if you spend $2,000 within six months, which represents a higher return on investment than the $250 bonus after spending $3,000 in the first six months with the Blue Cash Preferred.

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    Recommended Credit Score: Tie

    Both the Blue Cash Everyday and the Blue Cash Preferred cater to individuals with credit scores ranging from 670 to 850, indicating a requirement for good to excellent credit.

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    Penalties and Fees: Tie

    The Blue Cash Everyday and the Blue Cash Preferred have identical penalties and fees, including up to $40 for late payments, a 29.99% variable penalty APR, a cash advance fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each advance, whichever is greater, and a 2.7% fee on foreign transactions.

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    Issuer Satisfaction: Tie

    Because the Blue Cash Everyday Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card are from American Express, they share the same high issuer satisfaction rating of 5.0.

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    Other Features & Perks: Tie

    Both cards offer perks that enhance the cardholder experience. The Blue Cash Preferred provides up to $120 in annual statement credits for an Equinox+ subscription. Both cards offer a $7 per month statement credit for the Disney Bundle.

Rewards Comparison

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred stands out for its robust rewards program, particularly if you spend heavily at U.S. supermarkets and on streaming services, with an expected reward value of over $500 annually. The Blue Cash Everyday doesn't surpass the Blue Cash Preferred in these top bonus categories. But it could be more appealing you value a category like select U.S. department stores.

The bonus categories for each card are detailed in the following table:

Category
Blue Cash Everyday
Blue Cash Preferred

U.S. supermarkets

3% for the first $6,000 annually/1%

6% for the first $6,000 annually/1%

U.S. gas stations

2%

3%

Select U.S. streaming subscriptions

1%

6%

Transit

1%

3%

Select U.S. department stores

2%

1%

Redeeming Rewards

Both the Blue Cash Everyday and the Blue Cash Preferred allow you to apply rewards as statement credits, offering a straightforward way to offset your card balance. You can also use your rewards directly at Amazon.com checkout, providing another convenient redemption option. There's no pressure to redeem rewards quickly because they do not expire as long as the account remains open and in good standing.

Methodology

MoneyGeek evaluates credit cards like the Blue Cash Everyday and the Blue Cash Preferred using a tailored scoring system for various use cases. This approach ensures that the score reflects the card's performance in the scenario where it provides the most value.

For cash back cards, the primary factors we consider are the effective reward rate and the return on investment for offers. These elements — along with annual fees, introductory purchase rates and issuer satisfaction — contribute to a card's overall score. For a detailed understanding of our process, you can review our ranking methodology.

FAQ: Blue Cash Everyday vs. Blue Cash Preferred Card

What are the annual fees for each card?
How do the cash back rewards differ between the two cards?
Is there an introductory APR offer for both cards?
Which card is better for grocery shopping?
Are there foreign transaction fees for either card?

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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