Blue Cash Everyday Review: 3% Cash Back at Supermarkets and Gas Stations

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The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a great fit for consumers who spend significantly at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail. The card lets you earn 3% cash back in these common, high-spend categories for up to $6,000 per year, then 1% for each category. With no annual fee, it’s an excellent option for earning cash back from everyday spending. However, if you want higher cash back and spend at least $132 per month at supermarkets, you may want to consider the card’s upgraded version, the Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express.

The Blue Cash Everyday (also called Amex BCE) is a no-annual-fee card that offers a straightforward way to earn cash back on everyday purchases.

With 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases, this card is well-suited for suburban families. However, the 3% cash back rate is capped at $6,000 per year for each bonus category, but that's expected among cards in this category. All other purchases, including those beyond the spending cap, earn 1%.

The Amex BCE is a solid choice if you want to earn cash back on everyday categories but don't want to pay an annual fee. However, if you're looking for higher cash back, you might consider options that have an annual fee. Notably, the Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year) but has a $95 fee after the first year.

>>MORE: MoneyGeek's Best Cash Back Credit Cards

The Blue Cash Everyday’s cash back program is simple and focused on providing rewards for your everyday expenses. You earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail and U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year for each category. All other purchases, including those after the spending cap, earn 1% cash back. The bonus categories remain the same and don’t need to be activated, which is a nice bonus.

Whether or not you'll earn the bonus rate depends on the merchant's MCC (Merchant Category Code). Here are some important details:

• U.S. Supermarkets: Conventional supermarkets like ALDI, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods qualify for the 3% rate. However, wholesale clubs such as Costco and Walmart are excluded. You’ll earn a base rate of 1% at these stores.
• U.S. Gas Stations: Only traditional gas stations like Shell, Exxon and Murphy USA qualify. Gas purchased from wholesale clubs is excluded from the bonus rate.
• U.S. Online Retail: To earn 3% cash back, your purchase must be made on a website or app from a U.S. retail merchant that sells physical goods directly to consumers. Major online retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Chewy.com qualify.

The cash back you earn does not expire and can be conveniently redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout, with no minimum redemption amount required.

The Blue Cash Everyday offers several benefits that make it a strong choice for everyday spending:

High Cash Back Rates: Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases, up to $6,000 per year in each category (then 1%). You don't have to switch or sign up for categories every quarter. Moreover, because the cap is applied annually instead of monthly or quarterly, you’ll have more flexibility on how you spend the cap throughout the year.

If you spend the full amount on its bonus categories, you can earn up to $180 per category, adding up to $540 in total savings per year. This makes it a great card for those who spend significantly in these categories.

No Annual Fee: With a $0 annual fee, you can enjoy the card's benefits without worrying about an additional yearly cost.

Introductory APR Period: Enjoy no interest on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, easing the burden of big-ticket items or existing debt. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to transfer your existing balance from other American Express cards to this card.

The Blue Cash Everyday offers strong rewards, but if you're looking for the highest rewards or the longest no-interest period, there are better options out there.

Low Base Cash Back Rate: The 3% cash back applies only to the first $6,000 spent per year in each bonus category. After that, you earn just 1%. This is lower compared to the 1.5% cash back rate you find from flat-rate cash back cards. If your spending covers diverse categories, consider flat-rate cash back cards like the Citi Double Cash Card, which lets you earn 2% cash back on all purchases.

Bonus Categories Have Exclusions: If you frequently shop at big-box stores like Costco, Target and Walmart, you won’t be able to take advantage of the card’s 3% cash back rate. If this is the case, consider store cards like the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi or the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®.

We compare the Blue Cash Everyday with similar cash back cards to help you decide if it meets your needs.

You can maximize your savings by pairing the Blue Cash Everyday with a credit card offering complementary cash back features. We reviewed cards that pair perfectly with the Blue Cash Everyday so you can boost your rewards earnings.

We evaluated the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express by comparing it to 60 similar cash back cards. The card's Cash Back Score of 3.79 reflects its performance in the following weighted categories:

• Effective Reward Rate (50%): Measures the card's rewards rate.
• Annual Fee (10%): Rates annual fees, where a perfect score represents no annual fee.
• Offer ROI (10%): Measures the return on investment of the card's offers.
• Intro Purchase (5%): Rates the presence of a 0% APR offer on purchases.
• Recommended Credit (5%): Examines the recommended credit score for applying, where a perfect score represents availability to almost all credit scores.
• Issuer Satisfaction (5%): Evaluates the card's performance in J.D. Power's issuer satisfaction study.
• Penalties (5%): Reviews penalty rates and fees, where a perfect score translates to no penalty rates or fees.
• Regular APR (5%): Measures the regular APR of the card.
• Foreign Transaction (5%): Measures applicable foreign transaction fees.

By systematically rating cards using the above criteria, MoneyGeek can directly compare card offers and help you find the best option for your wallet.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express, please click here.