Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express Review
This article was last updated Jul 21, 2020. Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
If you’re in the market for a cashback credit card that offers generous rewards on everyday purchases, such as groceries, gas and department store merchandise, you should look at the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.
We break down the pros and cons of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, and show how it compares to the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express – which also offers cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations. Terms apply to American Express credit card offers. See americanexpress.com for more information.
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express pros
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express cons
- Compare it to the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Which credit card is best for me?
Along with a solid welcome bonus, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores. 1% cash back on other purchases.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express pros
Rewards rate. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores. 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of Blue Cash Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as a statement credit whenever your reward dollars balance reaches $25 or more.
The supermarket category includes supermarkets located within the U.S. that offer a wide variety of food and household products, such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies. Note, superstores, convenience stores, warehouse clubs and specialty stores do not qualify for this category.
The U.S. gas station category includes merchants that primarily sell gasoline to consumers. Gas purchased from superstores, supermarkets or warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not eligible for the higher rewards rate.
U.S. department stores include the following: Bealls, Belk, Bloomingdale’s, Bon Ton Stores, Boscov’s, Century 21 Department stores, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Stein Mart.
Welcome bonus. New cardmembers receive a Earn 20% back on purchases at Amazon.com on the Card in the first 6 months, up to $200 back. Plus, earn $100 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months
Intro APR on purchases. If you need to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time, you can do so interest-free for more than a year with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. The card offers an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 15 months. Once the promotional period ends, a regular APR of 13.99%-23.99% variable will apply to any unpaid portion of the balance.
Annual fee. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express charges a $0 annual fee.
Additional Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express benefits:
- Car rental loss and damage insurance. When you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental company counter, you’ll receive coverage for damage to or theft of the rental vehicle in covered territories.
- Global Assist® Hotline. Traveling more than 100 miles from home qualifies you for 24/7 access to the Global Assist® Hotline. This feature offers various services that range from medical, legal and financial information to select emergency coordination and assistance services. Note, you’re responsible for the costs charged by any third-party service providers.
- Roadside assistance hotline. If you’re in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, you can qualify for emergency services like towing, changing of a flat tire or a battery boost. Third-party service costs are your responsibility, and there are some vehicle and road exclusions.
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership. Receive free two-day shipping from ShopRunner on eligible items at more than 100 participating stores when you enroll at com/americanexpress.
- Entertainment access. Cardholders receive exclusive access to ticket presales and cardmember-only events in select cities. Events include Broadway shows, concert tours, sporting events and more.
- Fraud protection: You won’t be held responsible for any fraudulent charges.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express cons
Limits on higher rewards rates. You are limited to earning the higher cashback rate to the first $6,000 you spend at U.S. supermarkets per year.
Additionally, the elevated rewards rates at supermarkets, gas stations and department stores only apply to locations inside the U.S.
Foreign transaction fees. If you use the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express to make purchases outside the U.S., you will be subject to foreign transaction fees of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express please click here.
Compare it with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are comparable credit cards, since they both offer elevated rewards rates on U.S. supermarket and U.S. gas station spending.
However, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a higher cashback rate in those categories, as well as cash back on select streaming services (including Netflix, Hulu, Apple Music, Disney+ and more) and transit (including taxis/ride-sharing services, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express members earn 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 and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Plus, earn 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and transit.
While the higher cashback rates may make the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express seem like the obvious choice among the two cards, keep in mind that – unlike the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express – the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express also charges an annual fee of $95.
To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
See how the two cards stack up side by side below.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express vs. {Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 20% back on purchases at Amazon.com on the Card in the first 6 months, up to $200 back. Plus, earn $100 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months | $250 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months. |
| Rewards rate | 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores. 1% cash back on other purchases. | 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 and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit. |
| Intro APR on purchases | 0% on purchases for 15 months | 0% on purchases for 12 months |
| Regular purchase APR | 13.99%-23.99% variable | 13.99%-23.99% variable |
| Foreign transaction fees | 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. | 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. |
If you spend a large amount each month on groceries, streaming services and gas, you stand to earn substantially more cash back with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
For example, if you max out the card’s spend cap by making $6,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases each year, you’ll earn $360 on those purchases alone. Just know, once you factor in the card’s $95 annual fee, that amount decreases to $265 per year.
By contrast, if you max out the U.S. supermarket spend cap with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you’ll only earn $180 cash back on those purchases each year.
That said, you could still come out on top with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express if you spend a decent amount at U.S. department stores each month, since the card offers an elevated rewards rate in that category. Additionally, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers a slightly longer introductory APR on purchases – giving you more time to pay off large purchases without incurring interest charges.
Read our Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express review.
Which credit card is best for me?
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a good option for grocery shoppers who want to earn a generous amount of cash back while paying a $0 annual fee. But if you want to earn an even higher cashback rate at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, select streaming services and transit, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express may be a better fit – especially if you plan to earn enough cash back to cover the annual fee each year.
