Blue Cash Preferred® Card by American Express Review | Earn 6% Back at All US Supermarkets

Best for Groceries

• Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)

• Intro Offer/Welcome Offer: Earn up to $200 cash back after you spend $3,000 on your card in the first six months from account opening, plus 20% back on Amazon purchases in the first six months (up to $200)

• Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening

• Regular APR: 13.99 to 23.99% APR

• Credit Score Requirements: Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Terms and Conditions Apply

OUR RATING 3.65

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Why We Love the Blue Cash Preferred® Card by American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card by American Express offers several features such as bonus earning for everyday purchases like groceries and gas.

Plus, earning the welcome bonus is a quick way to build up cash back rewards. The intro APR offer included isn't the best or longest among cash back cards but is still more than generous at 12 months.

Highlights of the Blue Cash Preferred® Blue Cash by American Express

• $200 cash back welcome bonus when you spend $3,000 on your card in the first six months

• 20% back on Amazon purchases made in the first six months, up to $200

• 6% cash back on up to $6,000 annually at U.S. supermarkets (1% after that)

• 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services

• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations

• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

• 0% Introductory APR offer on purchases for the first 12 months after opening the account (regular APR will apply after that)

• $95 annual fee waived the first year

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Who Blue Cash Preferred® Card by American Express is Best For

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred is an excellent card for individuals and families that regularly spend money on groceries and fuel.

Few cards can match the earning potential on grocery store purchases offered by this card. It's also great for fans of Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, and other eligible streaming services.

The card comes with a significant intro APR offer, too, which will appeal to people who have large purchases coming up that they want to pay off over an extended time without interest.

The Full Breakdown of the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

As a cash back credit card, the Blue Cash Preferred Card doesn't come with all of the bells and whistles found with other rewards credit cards. That doesn't mean this Amex card doesn't provide tons of value to its cardmembers. Use the breakdown below to learn the ins and outs of this cash back card to determine if it's right for you.

Annual Fees

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card carries a $95 annual fee which is waived the first year of card ownership.

Intro APR Offer

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months after opening the account. Cardmembers can make large purchases now and pay them off over the next year. Keep in mind that the intro APR offer only applies to new purchases, not balance transfers. This Amex card doesn't allow balance transfers.

Ongoing APR

Once the 0% introductory APR period ends, the ongoing variable APR currently ranges from 13.99% to 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.

Welcome Bonus

New Amex Blue Cash Preferred cardmembers can earn a $200 cash back bonus if they spend $3,000 on the card during the first six months from account opening. The welcome bonus comes in the form of a statement credit. They also earn 20% back on the first $1,000 of Amazon purchases made in the first six months (up to $200 back).

Credit Score Requirements

To qualify for the Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card, you'll likely need a good to excellent FICO credit score (between 670 - 850). You can increase your credit score and avoid late fees by paying off the full card balance each statement period.

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Point Conversion/ Redemption

Cash back rewards are only redeemable as statement credits with redemptions starting at $25. Rewards can't be used towards your monthly payments.

Member Perks

Most of Amex Blue Cash Preferred's benefits lie in its cash back earning and intro APR offer, but it does come with two extra travel perks:

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance

Use your Blue Cash Preferred card to pay for car rental costs while declining the rental company's collision damage waiver to use this perk.

Coverage includes theft or damage of vehicles rented in select locations. Like most credit cards, this is secondary coverage only. It's only applied after your primary personal car insurance and doesn't cover liability. Always familiarize yourself with your credit card's insurance policy terms before declining coverage offered by the car rental company.

Travel Assistance Hotline

Cardmembers have 24/7 access to travel support through Amex's Global Assist hotline. Help is available around the clock if you run into any emergencies while traveling.

Foreign Transaction Fees

You can also tell that Blue Cash Preferred isn't a travel rewards card because it comes with 2.7% foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the U.S.

Reward Expiration

Cash back rewards from your Blue Cash Preferred Card never expire - as long as your account is open and in good standing. There's no rush to use your rewards if you want to save them up for a bigger payout down the road.

Customer Service/Ease of Access

American Express is known for its stellar customer service.

Customers can get support by phone 24/7. You can also receive help via online chat or by mail. The American Express mobile app is available for iOS and Android and is highly rated among users.

How the Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express Compares to Other Cash Back Rewards Cards

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card might be the perfect card for some, but it may not be the best card for everyone. Here's a look at how it compares to other top credit cards.

Amex® EveryDay Preferred Credit Card vs Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Amex® EveryDay Preferred Credit Card is a rewards card that earns Membership Rewards points for purchases instead of cash back. The card earns points for grocery purchases, too, but only at 3X points per dollar spent. Gas purchases net 2X points and all other purchases net 1X points per dollar spent.

This Amex card comes with a slightly longer intro APR offer for new purchases at 15 months. You can also earn a 15,000 point welcome bonus, but it also carries a $95 annual fee that's not waived the first year.

Citi® Double Cash Card vs Amex Blue Cash Preferred

There's no need to remember bonus spending category rates with the Citi Double Cash Card. It features a much simpler cash back model. You can earn up to 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you make the purchase and another 1% when you pay your bill (minimum payment required to earn cash back). This Citi card doesn't offer much in terms of travel or other perks, but it also comes with no annual fee attached.

This card does have an introductory rate on balance transfers done within the first four months of opening the account. Note that there is a 3% - 5% fee on balance transfers.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the most popular rewards credit cards on the planet, and for a good reason. Not only does it come with a massive welcome bonus, but it also ties you to one of the most versatile loyalty rewards programs around — Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can use ultimate rewards points earned with your Sapphire Preferred card to book travel, buy gift cards, shop online, pay for purchases, get statement credits, and much more. You can even transfer your points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs for even more flexible redemptions.

It carries a $95 annual fee and isn't waived the first year like Blue Cash Preferred. Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with several travel and purchase protections and partner benefits with companies like Lyft, DoorDash, and Peloton.

Is the Blue Cash Preferred Card Worth It?

The Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express is a popular choice for cash back, but there are benefits and drawbacks to consider before applying:

Pros

• High cash back rates in several categories, including groceries

• Great welcome bonus offer

• Intro APR offer on new purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee after the first year

• 6% cash back rate on groceries is only for the first $6,000 spent annually (1% after that)

• Foreign transaction fee

Our Final Take on the Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express

Few cards offer cash back earning potential on groceries as American Express Blue Cash Preferred. The card isn't perfect but earns in other spending categories, such as groceries, that may appeal to a wide range of people.

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