Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

This device is too small

If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.

Skip to main content
Advertiser Disclosure Many of the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which The Motley Fool receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear) and may influence which products we write about, but our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. We do not include all companies or offers available in the marketplace.
    |    Accessibility Options

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Review: A Lucrative Rewards Program and a Big Welcome Offer

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

See Full Bio

| 1 other [ + ]
Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Fact checker

Nathan Alderman has been a full-time Motley Fool employee since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As Motley Fool Money's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

See Full Bio

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is good for earning cash back on groceries, gas, and other everyday expenses. It earns an incredible 6% back at U.S. supermarkets ($6,000 annual spending cap), which is the highest rate I've found in that category. Terms apply.

Learn more about this card's features in our full review.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

Terms apply

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

Terms apply

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 12 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 12 months

APR

18.24%-29.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations. 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

1%-6% Cash Back

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

  • This card offers market-leading cash back at U.S. supermarkets. The welcome bonus and intro APR offer sweeten the deal. Terms apply. If you spend a lot on groceries (excluding wholesale clubs and superstores like Costco and Walmart), this card is worth considering.

    • Big welcome offer
    • U.S. supermarkets rewards
    • U.S. gas stations rewards
    • Streaming subscription rewards
    • Travel and purchase protections
    • Annual fee
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
    • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
    • Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
    • Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 18.24% - 29.24%.
    • 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
    • 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
    • 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
    • 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
    • 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
    • Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
    • $84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
    • Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
    • Terms Apply.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. • Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. • Extended warranty, purchase protection warranty, and car rental loss & damage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred review

Is the Amex Blue Cash Preferred worth it?

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express easily justifies its annual fee (a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. See rates and fees). The cash back rate at U.S. supermarkets is twice as much as what many grocery credit cards earn. Terms apply. If you spend money regularly in this card's bonus categories, you'll have no trouble getting your money's worth.

Author's note
Image of reviewer

There are a ton of credit cards with bonus categories where they earn more cash back/points. I'd rank this American Express card near the top. Its bonus categories are all areas where most people spend money regularly, and it earns high rates in each of them. While I haven't had this card (I normally stick with travel cards), I've used several American Express cards, and it's one of my favorite card issuers. It has a top-notch web platform and mobile app, and its customer service is second to none.

Apply now for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Terms apply

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

What everyone else is saying

Want to know what other financial websites and real cardholders think of this card? We've read the reviews and comments online -- here's what we found.

What other review sites say

Average review site rating: 4.3 / 5 stars

Everyone agrees that this is one of the top cash back credit cards. All the professional reviews we found pointed out the value in this card's cash back program. The spending cap on U.S. supermarket rewards (the 6% rate applies on up to $6,000 in U.S. supermarket spending per calendar year, terms apply) was a common criticism, though.

Reviewers also mentioned the annual fee. No one thought it was too much, considering the benefits you get. But the traditional advice for credit cards with annual fees is to make sure you'll get enough value out of them to outweigh the cost.

Online consensus

This card is more polarizing than I would've expected on social media. Lots of people love it, particularly those who have actually used it. Real-life cardholders have called it "great" and "the best card in my wallet."

The criticisms mainly come from the serious credit card enthusiasts -- people who don't mind opening several quality credit cards to squeeze out every last $1 of cash back. I saw a lot of comments along the lines of "You're better off opening Card A, Card B, and Card C." Others rightly pointed out that there's value in not needing to open and manage several credit cards, when you can get one that's more than good enough.

A smart point several people made online is that the U.S. supermarkets category doesn't include Walmart, Target, and warehouse clubs, all popular places to shop for groceries. If you do lots of your grocery shopping at those businesses, this may not be the right card for you.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred features and benefits

You can earn some serious cash back with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. Here are its cash back rates:

  • 6% back at U.S. supermarkets, capped at $6,000 per calendar year
  • 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
  • 3% back at U.S. gas stations
  • 3% back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more
  • 1% back on other purchases
  • Terms apply

I haven't seen many cash back cards that can match this one. The 6% rate at U.S. supermarkets alone is spectacular. If you spend $500 per month in that category, you'll earn $360 per year in cash back. Add in high rates on streaming, gas, and transit, and you could easily clear $500 back per year.

You receive cash back with this card as Reward Dollars. These are redeemable as a statement credit on your credit card bill or checking out at Amazon.com. Terms apply.

Save money up front with a big welcome offer and an intro annual fee

Any self-respecting rewards card needs a welcome offer, and this American Express card has a pretty good one. You earn a welcome offer of $250 in statement credits after spending $3,000 on purchases with your card in the first 6 months. Terms apply.

That's a larger welcome offer than what most cash back cards offer, but it also has a much larger spending requirement. Many cards offer a $200 bonus for spending $500 to $1,000 in the first three months. American Express makes you spend a lot more.

Still, earning $250 back is never a bad thing. You'll also save on this card's annual fee for the first year.

Valuable spending credits -- if you can use them

American Express is known for loading up its cards with spending credits that can be tricky to use. True to form, this card offers:

  • $84 Disney Bundle credit: Get up to $7 in monthly statement credits after spending $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription using your enrolled card. Terms apply.

With the Disney Bundle credit and the big grocery rewards, this card is great for families. If you already pay for a Disney Bundle or have been thinking of signing up, you'll save quite a bit on the monthly fee.

A 0% intro APR could be helpful for avoiding credit card interest

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers. A go-to 18.24%-29.24% Variable rate applies after the intro period. Terms apply.

This could be useful if you need time to pay off expensive bills, or if you want to refinance credit card debt. But if either of those is your primary goal right now, then this card may not be the best choice.

There are plenty of no annual fee cards with longer 0% intro APR periods. And there are balance transfer cards that give you more time to get out of credit card debt.

Complimentary protections and fantastic customer service round out the experience

American Express is known for providing a higher level of service than most card issuers. It routinely takes the top spot in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction studies.

Many American Express cards also have complimentary protections on purchases and travel bookings. Here are the protections that the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express provides on eligible purchases:

  • Purchase protection covering purchases that are accidentally damaged or stolen within the first 90 days
  • Extended warranty for up to one additional year on original manufacturer's warranties of five years or less
  • Return protection for eligible items the merchant won't take back within 90 days of purchase
  • Rental car insurance covering damage or theft to rental vehicles
  • Terms apply

What could be improved

The grocery rewards have a few strings attached

Arguably, this card's best feature is its cash back rate on groceries, but there are a couple of caveats to mention. The rate is 6% at U.S. supermarkets, on your first $6,000 in spending there per calendar year.

The U.S. supermarkets category doesn't cover all the places that people buy groceries. Wholesale clubs are excluded, so if you do most of your food shopping at Sam's Club, you won't be earning 6% on that. So are superstores, including Walmart and Target.

That $6,000 spending cap is also on the low side. It has been the limit since well before inflation was a hot-button issue. It'd be nice to see American Express raise this.

Extra fees cut into this card's value

We've already gone over this card's annual fee after the first year. The perks certainly justify that fee, but it's still important to make sure you'll get enough value from this card to make up for the cost. If you won't, check out other credit card reviews so you can find a better match.

This American Express card also charges a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. If you spend $5,000 in Europe for the summer, that'd cost you $135 in fees. Not a huge amount, but something you could avoid if you had a card with no foreign transaction fees.

Find the best credit card for your needs
Image of reviewer

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Compare Cards

What to know before applying

Amex Blue Cash Preferred credit score

A FICO® Score of 670 or higher is recommended when applying for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. Note that American Express uses several factors to evaluate your creditworthiness. Your credit score isn't the only thing that's important, but it does play a large role.

Pre-approval process

American Express has an online pre-approval tool where you can provide some basic information and get matched with card offers, with no impact to your credit score. If you already have any American Express cards, you can also check for pre-approvals in your account. Both options will show you any American Express pre-approvals you have, which may or may not include the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.

Intro APR

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers. While it's far from the longest intro period, it gives you time to pay off purchases or credit card debt without interest charges.

Fees

Here are the fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express:

  • Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
  • Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  • Cash advance fee: 5% ($10 minimum)
  • Foreign transaction fee: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
  • Returned payment fee: Up to $40
  • See rates and fees.

Credit limit

Reported credit limits for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express range from $1,000 to over $25,000. When you're approved for the card, American Express sets a credit limit for you based on several factors, including your income and credit history. If you plan to transfer a balance to this card, keep in mind that eligible balance transfers must be less than your credit limit and also can't exceed $7,500.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • The credit limit on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express depends on your income, credit score, and other financial details. Cardholders have reported credit limits ranging from $1,000 to well over $25,000.

  • The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express isn't necessarily hard to get, but it depends on your credit score. Successful applicants tend to have good or excellent credit, with a credit score of at least 670. If your credit score is lower than that, it's still possible to get approved, but it's less likely.

  • No, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is made of plastic.