American Express fields a diverse range of rewards credit cards, with options ranging from cash-back cards to premium products with benefits such as airport lounge access and annual travel statement credits.
Right in the middle of the pack are the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and the Amex EveryDay Preferred® Credit Card from American Express.
The first earns cash back of between 1% and 6% on purchases; the second earns Membership Rewards points that you can transfer to Amex's more than 20 airline and hotel partners.
Given their similar annual fees, welcome offers and earning structures, you might be trying to decide between these two cards. The good news is, there's no wrong choice. You just need to decide if a cash-back card or one earning transferable points fits your rewards strategy better.
Here's how the two cards compare.
The information for the Amex Everyday Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred comparison
| The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees) |
| Welcome offer | 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in three months | $250 statement credit back after spending $3,000 in the first six months of card membership |
| Earning | 3 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, then 1 point per dollar spent 2 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations 1 point per dollar everywhere else 50% bonus points every billing period with 30 or more purchases | 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1% 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% on transit and at U.S. gas stations 1% on everything else |
| Redemptions | Transfer to airline and hotel partners Statement credits | Cashback for statement credits, gift cards, direct shopping |
| Other benefits | Travel and shopping protections Amex Offers ShopRunner | Travel and shopping protections Amex Offers ShopRunner Up to $84 annually in statement credits toward Disney+, ESPN+ and or Hulu ($7/month after spending $9.99 or more; subject to auto-renewal) Up to $120 annually in statement credits toward select Equinox services (up to $10/month; subject to auto-renewal) Enrollment is required for select benefits. |
The information for The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Now for the details on each card and their respective benefits.
Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred welcome offer
Let's get to the first major difference between the cards.
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New Blue Cash Preferred cardmembers can earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on their new card within the first six months.
The current welcome offer for the Amex Everyday Preferred is 15,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of account opening. These are full-fledged, transferable Amex Membership Rewards points, which TPG currently values at 2 cents apiece. So we'd peg those bonus points at around $300 in value.
Winner: Everyday Preferred. The bonus is worth slightly more than the Blue Cash Preferred's one.
Related: The best cash-back cards
Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred benefits
Neither of these cards is packed with perks, but there are a few.
Both offer secondary car rental insurance,* return protection,** purchase protection,** extended warranty,** and Amex Offers discounts as well as free ShopRunner membership.
With the Blue Cash Preferred, you'll also earn up to $84 annually ($7/month) in statement credits toward an eligible subscription (subject to auto-renewal) of Disney+, ESPN+ and or Hulu and up to $120 annually (up to $10/month) in statement credits toward auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+. Enrollment required.
Unfortunately, both also charge foreign transaction fees of 2.7% (see rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred).
Winner: Blue Cash Preferred, with its superior list of perks.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Earning rewards with the Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred
When it comes to cash-back credit cards, the Blue Cash Preferred is a top all-around earner. The card racks up multiple percentage points in numerous categories, including:
- 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year; then 1%)
- 6% back on U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% back on transit (including parking, tolls, ride-hailing services and subway)
- 3% back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% everywhere else
There are two things to pinpoint about this earning formula. First, it features a wide array of bonus-eligible categories where consumers tend to spend a lot, such as supermarkets and gas, which can really rack up statement credits quickly.
Second, getting 6% back, even on a single category, is a phenomenal rate of return. You probably won't see a huge return on your spending for streaming services unless you subscribe to many of them, but that grocery bonus could net you $360 cash back if you max it out each year.
Related: The best American Express credit cards
The Amex EveryDay Preferred offers some pretty attractive bonus opportunities as well. The card accrues 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on up to $6,000 per year at supermarkets and 2 points per dollar with no cap at gas stations, plus 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
And, for every billing cycle in which you use your card to make 30 purchases or more, you get a 50% points bonus. That brings your potential earnings up to 4.5 points per dollar at supermarkets and 3 points per dollar at gas stations. Since these are full Membership Rewards points, we peg those figures at 6%-9.5% return on spending in the bonus categories and 3% back on everyday spending. Nonetheless, how much value you get from your Membership Rewards points will really depend on how you redeem them.
Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred, given its high earnings rates and the value of Amex points.
Related: Why the Amex Blue Cash Preferred comes out on top during the pandemic
Redeeming rewards with the Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred
With the Blue Cash Preferred Card, you can redeem your rewards for cash back (with no minimum redemption amount) in one of three ways:
- Receive a statement credit.
- Redeem for gift cards.
- Shop with your rewards.
The best strategy is usually to redeem for a statement credit since you can buy gift cards from a retailer with your credit card, earn even more cash back on those purchases, and then redeem your points for those purchases.
With the Amex EveryDay Preferred, you earn American Express Membership Rewards points to transfer to airline and hotel partners.
You can also make direct redemptions of your points, like cash back, but this is not usually a great deal. For flights booked through AmexTravel.com, you get a rate of 1 cent apiece, but just 0.7 cents per point for other bookings such as hotels and car rentals. For statement credits against purchases, you only get 0.6 cents per point and around 0.7 cents per point on Amazon.com purchases.
Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred. The Blue Cash Preferred is hard to beat if you want cash back. However, for the versatility of being able to transfer your points to airline and hotel partners or book directly through Amex Travel, you can't beat valuable Membership Rewards points.
Transferring rewards with the Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred
Cashback on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred can't be transferred.
The best value from the points you earn on the EveryDay Preferred comes from converting your Amex points into the points currency of Amex's 21 airline or hotel partner programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
TPG managing editor for credit cards Matt Moffitt likes to convert his Amex points during frequent transfer bonus promotions and redeem them for long-haul business-class tickets.
Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred. It has many more redemption options.
Should I get the Amex EveryDay Preferred or Amex Blue Cash Preferred?
The Blue Cash Preferred is one of the best cash-back credit cards available from any issuer, thanks to its high earn rates at supermarkets and on streaming services for a reasonable annual fee. But if you're looking for a card that earns transferable points and opens up decent bonus-earning opportunities, the Amex EveryDay Preferred is the better choice.
Bottom line
The Amex EveryDay Preferred and the Blue Cash Preferred can offer value for you, whether you're a serious traveler or someone who prefers cash-back. They also have similar annual fees, welcome offers and earning structures, with similar benefits to boot.
Which card is right depends on how you aim to redeem your rewards. If you want to earn both cash back and Amex points, then both cards could fit your wallet.
Read our full reviews of the Amex EveryDay and the Blue Cash Preferred.
Apply here: Amex Blue Cash Preferred
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card, click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
