How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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Advertising Disclosure
LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).

Advertising Disclosure

LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).
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American Express Disclosure
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express Disclosure

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review

Updated on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
LendingTree's Review

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
4.6
Blue Cash Preferred<sup>®</sup> Card from American Express
Gas Rewards
3% Cash Back at US gas stations
Buy Now, Pay Later Intro Offer
Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Rewards Rate
Earn 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. Terms apply.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It was not reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.

The information related to the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.

Key Takeaway

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a valuable cash back* credit card for big U.S. supermarket spenders since it comes with a high earning rate and easy-to-earn welcome offer.

Pros and cons

  • Generous cash back* rewards
  • Rewards easily redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon.com
  • One of the most rewarding cards for U.S. supermarket purchases
  • Valuable welcome offer
  • Intro APR on purchases
  • Limit on higher cash back* rate
  • Annual fee
  • Foreign transaction fee
  • Limited redemption options

Is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express worth it?

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is worth it if you spend a good amount on U.S. supermarket purchases, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit or U.S. gas stations — all common spending categories. Once you spend about $1,580 on groceries alone, you’ll have paid for the card’s annual fee once the intro period ends.

Since this card comes with a solid earning rate and generous welcome offer, this card will likely be worth it for people looking for a cash back card that covers many of their everyday expenses.

Quick facts

    • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
    • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
    • Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible 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% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 18.74% - 29.74%.
    • 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.
    • $84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
    • Terms Apply.
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion
  • 660 720 850
    Good / Excellent
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance
  • Global Assist® Hotline when traveling more than 100 miles from home
  • Return protection
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty
  • $84 Disney Bundle credit
  • Return protection
  • Access to ticket presales and exclusive events with American Express Experiences

Intro Purchase APR

0% on purchases for 12 months

Regular Purchase APR

18.74%-29.74% Variable

Intro BT APR

0% on balance transfers for 12 months

Regular BT APR

18.74%-29.74% Variable

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Cash Advance Fee

Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.

Foreign Transaction Fee

2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Balance Transfer Fee

Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

What we like about the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

  • Generous cash back rewards

    Earn 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. Terms apply. Note that the card’s transit and streaming categories include a large number of vendors and services:

    Qualifying transit purchases

    • Trains
    • Taxi cabs
    • Ride-share services
    • Ferries
    • Tolls
    • Parking
    • Buses
    • Subways

    Qualifying streaming purchases

    • Amazon Music Unlimited
    • Apple Music
    • Apple TV+
    • Audible
    • DirecTV Stream (formerly known as AT&T TV or AT&T TV now)
    • Disney+
    • ESPN+
    • Fubo TV
    • HBO Max
    • HBO (standalone streaming subscription only, formerly known as HBONow)
    • Hulu
    • iHeartRadio
    • Kindle Unlimited
    • Luminary
    • MLB.TV
    • NBA League Pass
    • Netflix
    • NHL.TV
    • Pandora
    • Peacock
    • Paramount+
    • Prime Video
    • Showtime
    • Sling TV
    • SiriusXM Streaming and Satellite
    • Spotify
    • Stitcher
    • TIDAL Music
    • YouTube Music Premium
    • YouTube Premium
    • YouTube TV

    If you max out the $6,000 spend threshold at U.S. supermarkets each year, you’ll earn $360 back annually on those purchases alone — which more than covers the card’s annual fee each year.

    You receive cash back on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express in the form of Reward Dollars that you can redeem as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout, with no minimum redemption amount.

  • Valuable welcome offer

    Yet another reason to give this card a try: New cardmembers earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new card within the first 6 months. We should note that this six months is a particularly notable benefit — in order to earn the welcome offer, most cards will require you to reach the spend threshold within just the first three months of card membership.

  • Intro APR on purchases

    If you need to finance a big purchase, it’s helpful that the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months. After, a 18.74%-29.74% variable APR applies.

    Not every card offers an intro APR, so this can be a big pro for people that may not be able to pay off an entire balance right away. Its intro APR period is on the low end, however, as there are cards with 0% intro APRs for as long as 21 months.

*To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.

What to look out for with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

  • Limit on higher cash back rate

    After you spend $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets, the cash back* you earn on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express for that category drops from 6% to 1% for the rest of the year. Despite there being a cap, it’s still a quite generous one. The average American spends $5,259 on groceries each year, according to 2022 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics — so the cap is a bit above that.

  • Annual fee

    This card charges an annual fee of $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. If you spend $1,585 on purchases eligible for 6% cash back*, you’ll earn enough to recoup amount of the annual fee. However, if you don’t spend enough in the cash back* categories to make the annual fee worth it, you may prefer the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, which also earns rewards on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (though at a lower rate) and has a $0 annual fee.

    *To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.
    *To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.
  • Foreign transaction fee

    When traveling abroad, it’s better to leave this card at home, because there’s a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. Many cards that offer annual fees don’t charge foreign transaction fees, so this is an uncommon exception.

    *To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.
  • Limited redemption options

    With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, you can only redeem your cash back as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Some other cash back cards offer more flexibility with redemption options.

    For example, the Discover it® Cash Back allows you to redeem your rewards for cash (a deposit into your bank account), PayPal and Amazon rewards, gift cards and charitable donations, on top of statement credits. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card lets you use cash back to offset recent purchases, withdraw from ATMs in $20 increments, gift cards and qualifying Wells Fargo checking accounts and mortgages — also on top of statement credits.

Alternate cash back card to the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

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

| Disclosures
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Rates & Fees
| Terms Apply
0% on purchases for 15 months
18.74%-29.74% Variable
$0
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year
  • Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
  • No Annual Fee.
  • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 18.74% to 29.74% variable APR.
  • 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, then 1%.
  • Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
  • Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
  • Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
  • Terms Apply.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


 
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express may be better if you don’t want to deal with an annual fee. It’s basically a toned-down version of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 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. Terms apply. Like the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, your rewards are redeemable for statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout.

It’s a better option if you’re looking for an intro APR on purchases or balance transfers. It offers an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 15 months, then a 18.74%-29.74% Variable APR. It also offers an intro APR of 0% on balance transfers for 15 months, then a 18.74%-29.74% Variable APR.

But if groceries is a heavy spending category for you, then you may be better off with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express despite the annual fee.

*To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express vs. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

| Disclosures
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site
Rates & Fees
0% intro on purchases for 15 months
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$0
3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery
  • Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
  • Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
  • No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
  • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • No annual fee
  • For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


 
If a card that rewards dining and entertainment, as well as grocery store purchases, is more your speed, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card could be a better fit for your needs.

It’s a better option for foodies than the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, since it offers a bonus on both restaurants and grocery stores. You can earn 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®); 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 1% Cash Back on all other purchases.

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card also lets you earn earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. You can redeem your cash back for a larger variety of options, including statement credits, checks, credits toward previous purchases, and gift cards, or to shop online with PayPal using the PayPal Pay with Rewards feature.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express vs. Discover it® Cash Back

| Disclosures
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Cash Back
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Discover's secure site
Rates & Fees
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.74% - 27.74% Variable APR
$0
5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly
  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
  • Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with our digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.74% to 27.74% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


 
If you don’t want to pay an annual fee and would rather earn bonus rewards in a variety of categories that change each quarter, then the Discover it® Cash Back might be right for you. It lets you earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.

This card also offers its unique Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300. This could be valuable if you’re a heavy spender, since you can earn a larger bonus by spending more.

However, the Discover it® Cash Back‘s categories change each quarter and may not always match up with your spending. If you spend heavily at U.S. supermarkets all year long instead of just one quarter, then the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is likely a better fit.

Is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express right for you?

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers one of the most generous cash back* rewards around for purchases in the supermarket category. In addition, it’s a great choice for commuters — whether you travel by train, bus or car — thanks to its transit and gas rewards. Just do the math and make sure you spend enough in the bonus categories to recoup the annual fee after the first year of having this card.

If you can’t match the annual fee, then a no-annual-fee grocery credit card may be the better way to go.

apply-now-icon Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Rates & Fees
|Terms Apply
*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

The information related to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.