American ExpressBlue Cash Preferred

3488 297728 06483

VALID THRU 06/31ALEX MORGAN

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Cash Back Cards · United States

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

4.6 / 5 editorial rating

Best for: Families with heavy supermarket and streaming spend

Reviewed by the CreditCardCompare editorial team · Fees and rates checked September 2026 — confirm on the issuer's site before you apply

Annual fee$95/yr

IssuerAmerican Express

NetworkAmex

Purchase APR19.24%–29.99% variable

Foreign transaction fee2.7%

Credit neededGood to Excellent (700+)

Pros

Leading rewards on grocery spending
Pays well across everyday categories

Cons

$95 annual fee
Charges a fee on foreign purchases
6% grocery rate stops after $6k a year

Compare USA cards

Rates and offers change. Confirm today's terms on the issuer's official site before applying. Independent comparison — not financial advice.

Our take on the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred is the best choice for a family that spends around $500 a month at U.S. supermarkets, because 6% cash back on up to $6,000 a year in grocery purchases produces $360 a year from that category alone. As of September 2026 Amex also pays 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit, and 1% elsewhere. The annual fee is $0 for the first year and $95 after that.

The $6,000 cap is the number to plan around. Once you pass it, supermarket purchases drop to 1%, so households spending well above $500 a month on groceries get less from each extra dollar. Compared with a no-fee 2% card, the 4-point gap on groceries is worth $240 a year at the cap, plus whatever streaming adds, and that margin is what has to beat the $95 fee.

The weaker areas are travel and general spending. Purchases outside the bonus categories earn 1%, so this card pairs best with a flat-rate card for everything else. It is a household spending card, not a travel card, and it earns cash back rather than points you could move to an airline.

Good fit if

Your household spends $400 to $500 a month at U.S. supermarkets
You pay for several U.S. streaming subscriptions each month
You commute by transit or drive enough that 3% on gas and transit adds up

Skip it if

You want rewards that can become airline miles or hotel points
You spend less than about $200 a month on groceries, where a no-fee card will likely come out ahead

Worked example

Assume $500 a month at U.S. supermarkets, $40 on streaming, $150 on gas and $1,000 on everything else. Groceries reach the $6,000 cap exactly and earn $360 at 6%. Streaming is $480 a year at 6%, or $28.80. Gas is $1,800 at 3%, or $54. Other spending is $12,000 at 1%, or $120. That is $562.80 in cash back in the first year, when the fee is $0. From the second year, subtract the $95 fee for $467.80 net. These figures are conservative because they count Reward Dollars only at face value as statement credits.

How it stacks up

The Blue Cash Everyday has no annual fee but a lower supermarket rate, so the Preferred wins once grocery spending is high enough for the extra cash back to cover $95. Families who also eat out a lot may compare the American Express Gold Card, which earns 4x at U.S. supermarkets with a much higher $25,000 cap and adds 4x at restaurants, for a $325 fee.

For grocery-heavy households this beats most flat-rate cards, paying 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year, plus 6% on select streaming and 3% on transit and gas. Max the grocery cap and that's $360 back before other categories. The catch: it's a $95 fee (as of 2026, sometimes intro $0), so a light grocery shopper does better with a no-fee 2% card. Supermarket spend drops to 1% past the cap, and warehouse clubs usually don't count. Check terms on americanexpress.com.