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The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Our Rating 4.5/5 How our ratings work
- APR19.24%-29.99% (Variable)
- Annual Fee$95
$0 Intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
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Welcome Bonus
$250Cash Bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
The Blue Cash Preferred offers outstanding rates of cash back in common categories like U.S. supermarkets, streaming services, gas stations and transit. If you have significant spending on these categories and care about cash back, then this card is for you.
A Powerful Cash-Back Card With a Modest Annual Fee
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers outstanding rates of cash back on common household purchases like groceries, streaming services, gas stations and transit. While this card has a lot going for it, it’s still not a perfect fit for everyone, and the deciding factor will likely be your daily lifestyle. Those who spend a lot on activities like eating in and streaming will benefit the most from the Blue Cash Preferred Card’s 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. streaming subscriptions. Daily computers will also be rewarded nicely with impressive rates on gas and transit expenses (Terms Apply).
Pros
- An extensive array of category bonuses including up to 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets
- $0 annual fee the first year, then $95
- An array of purchase and travel protections
Cons
- Rewards are earned as pure cash back with no ability to transfer to Amex's travel partners
- There's an annual fee after the first year
Welcome Offer
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card features three valuable offers for new applicants:
- Welcome offer: New account holders can earn $250 as a statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Intro APR: This card offers 0% APR introductory financing for purchases made within the first 12 months of account opening. After that, a go-to APR of 19.24%-29.99% (Variable) applies. (See rates & fees).
- Buy Now, Pay Later Plan: This offer includes $0 Buy Now, Pay Later Plan It fees on plans created during the first twelve months after account opening. Plans created after that have a fixed monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply and other factors.
Requirements to Receive Welcome Offer
The welcome offer is only available to applicants who haven't had this card before. This also applies to the intro APR offer and the intro plan fee offer. American Express may also consider the number of other American Express cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors when making a decision on your welcome offer, intro APRs and intro plan fee eligibility.
It's also worth keeping in mind Amex's once-per-lifetime rule, which prohibits users from earning a welcome bonus for an Amex card more than once, with a few exceptions.
The Complete Guide to Credit Card Application Rules
Rewards Rate
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 in spending per year
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations
- 3% cash back on transit
- 1% cash back on other purchases
While many cash back rewards credit cards offer bonuses for groceries, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card offers a stellar 6% cash back for purchases made at U.S. supermarkets. Just note that the 6% cash back you earn at U.S. supermarkets is limited to the first $6,000 you spend each calendar year, and you'll only earn 1% cash back after that.
And when you want to stay in and watch movies and tv shows on your favorite entertainment streaming service, you'll earn 6% cash back on content offered by companies like Netflix, Hulu, Max, Spotify and others.
This card also offers you 3% cash back for purchases from U.S. gas stations and for transit. Qualifying transit purchases include taxis rideshare, parking, tolls, trains and buses. And like most cash-back cards, you earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Redeeming Rewards
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card provides cash back in the form of Reward Dollars. As long as your American Express card is active, any cash back Reward Dollars you have earned do not expire. Reward Dollars can be redeemed as a statement credit to your account. Simply log in to your account to see how much cash back you’ve earned and redeem it in the form of a statement credit.
Regular APR
The standard interest rate for purchases varies based on your creditworthiness at the time of application.
Annual Fee
This credit card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee thereafter (see rates & fees). An annual fee is a set charge that occurs yearly, on your card anniversary. If you don’t pay the annual fee in the billing statement you receive it in, you’ll start to pay interest on it.
Foreign Transaction Fee
A foreign transaction fee of 2.7% (see rates & fees) is applied on all charges processed outside of the United States (it's somewhat unusual for a premium rewards card like this with an annual fee to charge this).
Card Benefits
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card offers some benefits to help offset the card’s $95 annual fee. These benefits do not have a monetary value, so it is up to you to determine what the benefits are worth to you.
However, this card’s most valuable feature is its earning rate on groceries and streaming purchases. You will be hard pressed to find another card that gives you a better cash back rate.
Plan It by American Express
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card offers a special introductory Buy Now, Pay Later APR and Plan It fees. This offer includes $0 Buy Now, Pay Later Plan It fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that, will have a plan fee that amounts to a small percentage of each purchase amount moved into a plan. The APR will be based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance1
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card provides car rental theft and damage insurance when you use your Card to reserve and pay for your car rental, and decline the optional collision damage waiver. This provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Covered territories do not include vehicles rented in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. As always, it's important to read the exclusions and restrictions to find out exactly what you're covered against.
Global Assist Hotline2
The Global Assist Hotline can help with coordination and assistance services like lost passport replacement assistance, translation services, missing luggage assistance and emergency legal and medical referrals. Global Assist Hotline can also help you prepare for your trip with things like customs information. Card members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
Purchase Protection3
When you use your American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card to make an eligible purchase, your card will cover theft and accidental damage to that purchased item through Purchase Protection. Purchase Protection provides coverage of up to 90 days and $1,000 per occurrence. There is a maximum of $50,000 per calendar year per card.
Return Protection4
If a merchant won't accept your attempted return within 90 days of purchase, American Express’s purchase protection provides a refund of up to the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling for eligible items. The maximum purchase protection provided is $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per card account. The item(s) must be purchased in entirety with your American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card, and purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.
Dispute Resolution
If there is a fraudulent or incorrect charge on your credit card statement, American Express will work with you to help resolve the issue. Although dispute resolution is offered by many credit cards, it can come in handy.
Amex Offers
Amex Offers gives cardholders additional rewards for purchases at featured stores or merchants. Amex Offers are essentially coupons or additional cash-back offers for select restaurants, stores, hotels and even airlines. Amex Offers can be found in your online account or in the Amex mobile app. To use an Amex Offer, select the Offer you want to add to your card, and then use your enrolled American Express card to pay the merchant or vendor. Rewards will be added directly to your statement.
Comparing the Blue Cash Preferred Card to Other Cards
While it's hard to beat the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card's rewards rate for groceries and select streaming services, it's still worth considering some other cash-back cards that offer similar rewards or benefits. Since some cash-back cards don't carry an annual fee, you may find the overall value to be greater even if the rewards rates are lower.
Compare American Express Cards
| Credit Card | Welcome Offer | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
$250Cash Bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. |
$95
$0 Intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 |
1% - 6%Cashback
Earn 6% cash back per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 each year (then 1%) and 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services. You'll also earn 3% cash back on gas from U.S. gas stations and transit expenses, including taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, buses and more. Other purchases earn 1% cash back. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. |
Learn More Rates & Fees |
|
|
$200Cash Bonus
Earn $200 back after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. You will receive the $200 back in the form of a statement credit. |
$0 |
1% - 3%Cashback
Earn 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 each year (then 1%), 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, on gas at U.S. gas stations, and finally 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. |
Learn More Rates & Fees |
Is the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card Right for You?
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is great for people who spend heavily on its bonus categories of supermarkets, streaming services, gas and transit. Combine that with shopping perks and protections, and it’s easy to see why this card is often touted as the great all-around family credit card.
While at least some bonus categories likely already factor into your budget, consider how much you spend on each before applying. For example, if you work from home and mostly order delivery food, you may not spend enough on gas and groceries to justify the card's $95 annual fee. Instead, you may want to consider the American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card, which has no annual fee but features less generous rewards.
On the other hand, larger households could easily earn enough cash back to cover the annual fee. Wherever you fall between these categories, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card could reward you with some of the highest cash-back rates we've seen.
Disclosures
For rates and fees of The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please visit https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card-application/apply/prospect/terms/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card/25330-10-0#FeeTable
For rates and fees of The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please visit https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card-application/apply/prospect/terms/blue-cash-everyday-credit-card/25330-10-0#FeeTable
1 Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company,
2 You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial, or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. 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.
3 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 to 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.
4 Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Louie Patterson
Louie Patterson is a Finance Content Manager who specializes in banking topics such as account bonuses and CDs. With over seven years of professional editorial experience, their work has appeared in several publications, including USA Today and Consumer Affairs.
