American Express is largely known for their lineup of travel and rewards credit cards.
But they also offer several cash back cards – most notably their Blue Cash lineup of cards.
Featuring high cash back earn rates on basics (including 6% on groceries for the premium option), there’s a lot to love with these credit cards.
Here’s what these cards have to offer, and alternatives to consider.
Amex Blue Cash cards at a glance
| Amex Blue Cash Card | Welcome Bonus | Average Earn Rate | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | $250 | 2.07% | $95 |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | $150 | 1.5% | $0 |
Amex Blue Cash Preferred
We’ll start by going over Amex’s premium cash back offering – the
| Card Feature | Amex Blue Cash Preferred |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 |
| Welcome bonus | Earn $250 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| Rewards | * 6% cash back on groceries, up to $6,000 spent per year * 6% cash back on select streaming services * 3% cash back on gas and transit * 1% cash back on all other purchases |
| Insurance coverage | 4 types: * Extended warranty * Purchase protection * Return protection * Rental car |
| Balance transfer offer | 0% interest for 12 months |
Amex Blue Cash Preferred rewards
So what will you earn for rewards? You’re looking at some high earn rates on essentials like groceries and gas:
- 6% cash back on groceries, up to $6,000 spent per year,
- 6% cash back on select streaming services,
- 3% cash back on gas and transit, and
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
There are no other cards that will give you 6% cash back on a staple spending category like groceries, even if it is capped at $6,000 in annual spend every year.
And for all those streaming services you’ve subscribed to, you’ll earn 6% cash back with them too.
These are some great earn rates, and you’ll never earn less than 1% back on your purchases.
How to offset the annual fee
This card does have an annual fee of $95, and not many cash back cards have one. But it’s easy to offset.
Simply spend $132 in groceries per month ($1,584 yearly), and you’ve already covered the annual fee.
In fact, just spending $6,000 per year ($500 a month) on groceries earns $360 cash back. That’s a lot of cash back, and it doesn’t include anything else you might be charging to the card.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred foreign exchange fee
So what about the foreign exchange fee? This card has the typical Amex fee of 2.7%, which is slightly lower than the standard fee of 3% most other cards charge.
Other Amex Blue Cash benefits
Beyond the rewards, there are other benefits to this card.
Balance transfer and purchase APR intro rate
If you have any credit card debt, this card has a great introductory balance transfer offer of 0% for 12 months. This interest rate also applies to new purchases made to the card for the first year.
Purchase and travel insurance
This card also comes with 4 types of travel and purchase protection:
Amex Blue Cash Everyday
There’s also a no annual fee card in the Blue Cash lineup – the
| Card Feature | Amex Blue Cash Everyday |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Welcome bonus | $150 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| Rewards | * 3% cash back on groceries, on the first $6,000 in annual spend * 2% cash back on gas and select U.S. department stores * 1% cash back on all other purchases |
| Insurance coverage | 4 types: * Extended warranty * Purchase protection * Return protection * Rental car |
| Balance transfer offer | 0% interest for 15 months |
Amex Blue Cash Everyday rewards
For earning cash back rewards, you’ll be earning up to 3% cash back on your purchases:
- 3% cash back on groceries, on the first $6,000 in annual spend,
- 2% cash back on gas and select U.S. department stores, and
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
For no annual fee, you’re looking at some great earn rates that will really rack up the cash back – especially earning 3% back on a staple like groceries (even if it is capped at $6,000 in spend per year).
When no annual fee is better
When is the no annual fee card the better choice? It largely comes down to how much you spend on groceries.
Spending $3,167 per year on groceries is where the net rewards (which takes into account the annual fees) of both cards are the same.
Of course, as you start spending more on gas and streaming services, that number starts to shrink.
A rule of thumb would be if you spend less than $3,000 on groceries ($250 per month), go with the
Related: When Is It Worth It To Pay A Credit Card Annual Fee?
Amex Blue Cash Everyday foreign exchange fee
Like its Preferred brother, this card has a foreign exchange fee of 2.7%. So there won’t be any extra savings on purchases made in foreign currency.
Other Amex Blue Cash Everyday benefits
The benefits of the Everyday card are largely similar to the Preferred version, with a few slight changes.
Balance transfer and purchase APR intro rate
This card has a much better introductory balance transfer and purchase APR offer. It’s 0% for 15 months, an increase in length of 3 months.
Purchase and travel insurance
The purchase and travel insurance on both cards are identical. You’ll receive the exact same coverage whichever card you go with.
Alternatives to the Amex Blue cash cards
So what are some of the alternatives to consider?
Here are a few cards you can take a look at, and all of the no fee cards listed would also make great companions to either Blue Cash card.
Capital One Savor Rewards
Capital One’s lineup of Savor Rewards cards offer cash back bonuses on select categories – entertainment, restaurants, and groceries.
There’s 2 versions of the cards – the
The
- 4% cash back on dining and entertainment,
- 2% cash back on groceries, and
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The
And as 1 last bonus, both of these cards have no foreign transaction fees.
Citi Double Cash
To earn a high rate on every purchase, with no caps or limits, the
For no annual fee, you’ll earn:
- 1% cash back on all purchases, and
- another 1% cash back when you make your payments.
It’s effectively 2% cash back on all your purchases. Use it on all your off-category spending alongside your Amex card and you’ll always be earning at least 2% on your purchases.
PayPal Mastercard
Our last alternative to consider is the
With this card, you’ll earn a straight 2% cash back on every purchase you make, with no caps or limits on how much you can earn. And it also offers no foreign exchange fees, to help save when making purchases in foreign currency.
Related: PayPal Mastercard Review: A Top Cash Back Credit Card
Your thoughts
The Amex Blue Cash lineup certainly offers high cash back rewards.
And you also get to choose whether you want to pay an annual fee and earn higher rewards, or earn lower rewards for no annual fee.
What are your thoughts on Amex Blue Cash cards?
Let us know in the comments below.
Frequently asked questions about Amex Blue cash credit cards
Here are some frequently asked questions about Amex Blue cash credit cards.
Is the American Express Blue Cash Preferred worth the annual fee?
As long as you spend approximately $250 per month on groceries, the
Is the Amex Blue Cash Everyday a charge card?
No, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is not a charge card.
How does the American Express Blue Cash work?
Amex Blue Cash cards collect cash back on every purchase. You can then use your cash back to pay the balance on your card.
