Who should (and who shouldn't) get the Blue Cash Preferred card?

Quick summary

The article reviews a cash-back card that offers elevated rewards at select merchants, including supermarkets, streaming services, transit and gas stations.
Cash back is provided as reward dollars, redeemable for statement credits or at select online merchants.
The card features a straightforward reward structure, making it appealing for those who prefer simplicity over complex earning strategies.
It is best suited for individuals who spend significantly in the highlighted bonus categories.

What to consider

Eligibility for the welcome offer may vary and not all applicants will qualify.
Bonus rewards at supermarkets are capped annually, after which a lower rate applies.
Monthly statement credits for select streaming services require enrollment and are subject to auto-renewal.

What you'll miss from the article

A detailed comparison of cash-back versus travel-rewards cards, plus insights on maximizing value based on your spending habits.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

With winter and holiday travel upon us, it's not only time to reevaluate how you use your current cards but also to look at what cards to add to your wallet for the future. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one such card to consider.

The Blue Cash Preferred allows you to find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as $300 cash back after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout. Plus, it comes with a $0 introduction annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees).

Let’s dive into whether the Blue Cash Preferred is the right card to add to your wallet — and who should and shouldn’t get one.

Key benefits of the Amex Blue Cash Preferred

The most notable perk of the Blue Cash Preferred is its generous bonuses for certain spending categories. While some cards may earn a cash-back (or points) bonus on only one or two categories, the Blue Cash Preferred actually offers a bonus on four areas of spending:

6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1%)
3% cash back on transit (parking, tolls, ride-hailing, subway, etc.)
3% cash back at U.S. gas stations

You'll earn 1% cash back everywhere else. Cardholders receive cash back in the form of Reward Dollars that they can redeem as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.

Earning 6% cash back (and even 3% cash back) is nothing to sneeze at. If you take a closer look, these categories benefit everyday spending the most. From groceries to streaming, these are generally the areas where people are spending more now than before, whether they're traveling or not.

Cardmembers can also receive up to $10 in monthly statement credits for Disney Streaming purchases at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites (subject to auto-renewal). That's up to $120 in yearly value for these popular streaming services. Enrollment is required.

Who should get the Blue Cash Preferred card?

You want to earn cash back

This is obviously the first thing you should consider deciding if the Blue Cash Preferred is right for you. The age-old question, especially for many card beginners: Is it better to earn points or cash back on your purchases?

If you want to travel (at least one day) and your top priority is getting the most value from a credit card, you should get a points- or miles-earning card. You can get a far greater return out of a points rewards card by maximizing the perks and redemption options when compared to most cash-back cards.

You spend a significant amount in the bonus categories

If you don’t have a lot of spending on at least one or two of the bonus categories (U.S. streaming subscriptions, U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per calendar year, 1% thereafter, transit and U.S. gas stations), then it likely doesn’t make sense to get this card.

For instance, you’d earn $360 if you max out the cash-back benefit on U.S. supermarkets per year, making the intro annual fee — which is $0 for the first year, then $95 annually — more than worth it. That breaks down to spending $500 on groceries per month.

Additionally, the average U.S. consumer subscribes to 12 media and entertainment services, so the 6% cash back on the card should come in handy. However, streaming as a category likely wouldn’t earn you a significant haul of cash back since services usually are no more than $20 each per month.

Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can redeem as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.

You don’t want to remember temporary categories

The Blue Cash Preferred is built for simplicity. It has relevant, simple bonus categories and easy cash-back earning. To redeem, you can receive a statement credit, get gift cards or shop directly with your rewards.

Who shouldn't get the Blue Cash Preferred Card?

Conversely, there are several reasons why the Blue Cash Preferred might not be the best fit for you.

You prefer points or miles to cash back

The Blue Cash Preferred's selling point is its simple cash-back structure.

Portrait of a beautiful girl banking online — MIXMEDIA/GETTY IMAGES

If you want a card better suited for travel rewards, you'd be much better off with something like the American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express, where you can stack up points to your heart's content.

You want loads of perks

Similarly, the Blue Cash Preferred offers few additional bells and whistles. Compare that to Amex Platinum's plethora of annual statement credits, which work best for frequent travelers and high spenders.

You can handle complex earning structures

If you don't mind doing a little more day-to-day credit card calculus — juggling all the pieces of plastic in your wallet and deciding which card is best for every purchase — you might prefer one of the aforementioned Amex cards. Or, you might want rather a cash-back card with a more complicated earning structure than the Blue Cash Preferred.

Bottom line

Amex’s Blue Cash Preferred is one of the best rewards credit cards — and for good reason. It's a lucrative card if you can maximize the bonus categories and want to earn cash back (instead of points).

Even if you decide against applying for the Blue Cash Preferred, check out TPG’s list of the best credit cards to find the right card to meet your earning goals.

Apply here: Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred, click here.

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

Let’s dive into whether the Blue Cash Preferred is the right card to add to your wallet — and who should and shouldn’t get one.

Key benefits of the Amex Blue Cash Preferred

6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1%)
3% cash back on transit (parking, tolls, ride-hailing, subway, etc.)
3% cash back at U.S. gas stations

You'll earn 1% cash back everywhere else. Cardholders receive cash back in the form of Reward Dollars that they can redeem as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.