Blue Cash Everyday Vs Blue Cash Preferred: Credit Card Comparison
source link: https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/blue-cash-preferred-vs-blue-cash-everyday-card-comparison
Go to the source link to view the article. You can view the picture content, updated content and better typesetting reading experience. If the link is broken, please click the button below to view the snapshot at that time.
Blue Cash Preferred versus Blue Cash Everyday: Which Amex cash-back credit card is best for you?
The best Amex Blue Cash card for you depends on your spending habits. Blue Cash Preferred; Blue Cash Everyday; Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
This post contains links to products from our advertisers, and we may be compensated when you click on these links. Our recommendations and advice are ours alone, and have not been reviewed by any issuers listed. Terms apply to offers listed on this page. Read our editorial standards.
- The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express are popular cash-back credit cards.
- Both earn bonus cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, but there are key differences.
- The Blue Cash Preferred earns a higher rate of cash back but charges an annual fee (See rates).
- Read Insider's guide to the best cash-back credit cards.
American Express markets most of its credit cards with different color combinations. Beyond the Green, Gold, and Platinum cards, a handful of cards are marketed with the "Blue" label.
In this article, we'll take a look at two of American Express's Blue cards — the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. We'll compare the two cards, look at the pros and cons of each, and help you decide which might be right for you.
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.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs Blue Cash Everyday: The biggest differences
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | |
| Annual fee | $95 (See rates) | $0 |
| Welcome bonus offer | $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months from account opening | $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months |
| Cash back at U.S. supermarkets | 6% back on the first $6,000 spent each calendar year, then 1% back* | 3% back on the first $6,000 spent each calendar year, then 1% back* |
| Cash back on everything else | 6% back on select U.S. streaming services* 3% back at U.S. gas stations* 3% back on transit* 1% back on all other purchases* | 2% back at U.S. gas stations* 1% back on all other purchases* |
| Introductory APR offer | 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then 15.49% - 25.49% Variable (See Rates) | 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months, then 15.49% - 25.49% Variable (See Rates) |
| Foreign transaction fee | Yes (See Rates) | Yes (See Rates) |
| Review | Amex Blue Cash Everyday card review |
*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars.
The two cards also share minor benefits such as car rental loss and damage insurance, fraud protection, access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, and exclusive access to ticket presales and Amex cardmember-only events.
Welcome bonus offer
The welcome bonus offer on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is straightforward — you'll earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months from account opening.
Read more: Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card review
The intro offer on the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
- Generous bonus rewards, especially at U.S. supermarkets
- One of a small handful of credit cards that offer bonus rewards on select streaming services
- Intro APR offer
- Unlike many other cash-back cards, it charges an annual fee
- If you spend more than $6,000 at US supermarkets each year, you'll want to use another card once you reach that cap
- Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a fixed monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 15.49% to 25.49%
- 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 and 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.
- $95 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Cash back on purchases
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express does have a $95 annual fee, but the higher bonuses can more than make up for it, if you maximize them.
If your family spends at least $6,000 on groceries at U.S. supermarkets each year (which works out to $500 per month), the 6% cash back will more than offset the $95 annual fee. You'll get $360 in cash back, compared to $180 if you spend the $6,000 on the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.
Since the 6% cash back is capped at $6,000 per year (then 1%), if you spend more than that, you'll want to switch your spending to a different card, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Citi® Double Cash Card.
Read more: The best credit cards for groceries in 2021
The two cards have different rates and categories for other spending as well. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers 6% back on select U.S. streaming services (including Hulu , Netflix , and Spotify) and 3% back at U.S. gas stations and transit, while the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers 2% back at U.S. gas stations.
- Good bonus cash-back rate at US supermarkets
- No annual fee
- If you spend more than $6,000 at US supermarkets in a year, you should use another card to earn bonus rewards once you hit that cap
- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 15 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 15.49% to 25.49%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
- 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
- No annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Which Amex Blue Cash card is right for you?
When comparing the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you'll want to look at your own specific spending patterns.
If you're already tracking your monthly spending, this will be as easy as reviewing your spreadsheet or tracking tool. If you don't have exact numbers, make your best estimates for your monthly spending in grocery, gas, transit, and streaming services. Since the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a $95 annual fee, subtract that out and add the welcome bonus offer.
Read more: Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card review
If you spend at least $500 per month on groceries and plan to use one of these two cards for your U.S. supermarket spending, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is the way to go. The extra cash back you'll earn will more than make up for the annual fee, and the other bonus categories (streaming services, gas stations and transit) will provide even more cash back.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express could be a better option if you won't spend the full $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets. You'll need to spend at least $3,167 at US supermarkets in order for the higher cash-back rate at U.S. supermarkets to offset the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express annual fee.
Read more: The best credit cards for Amazon purchases
You'll also want to consider that there are many other cash-back cards out there, so it's possible that the best card for you may be a different card entirely.
Featured cash back credit cards from our partners
Recommend
About Joyk
Aggregate valuable and interesting links.
Joyk means Joy of geeK