If you're looking to earn cash back on groceries, gas, and streaming, there's a good chance you're deciding between two heavy hitters in the American Express lineup:

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
  
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

They sound similar — but there are key differences that could make one a way better fit for your wallet.

Let’s break them down.

💳 Annual Fee

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: $0 annual fee. See rates & fees.
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. See rates & fees.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Point Multipliers

Here’s where things get interesting. Let’s go category by category.

🥦 Groceries at U.S. Supermarkets

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1%)
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 6% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1%)

📺 U.S. Streaming Subscriptions

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions

⛽️ Gas / Transit

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per calendar year in each category, then 1%)
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (includes rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, etc.)

Note: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express doesn’t include U.S. online retail like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express does, but it does include broader transit options.

💵 Everything Else

• Both cards earn 1% cash back on other purchases.

🎁 Monthly Credits (Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Only)

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express comes with a couple of monthly credits that might help offset the fee:

• Up to $7 per month ($84 per year) in statement credits when you use your Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express to pay for a subscription to The Disney Bundle (which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+). Enrollment required. Terms apply.
• Up to $10 per month ($120 per year) in statement credits when you use the card for Equinox+ or eligible Equinox memberships. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

If you were already paying for these, this can be solid value. But if you’re not — don’t count them.

🔁 Redeeming Cash Back

Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars, which you can redeem as a statement credit. There’s no option to transfer to travel partners — this is strictly a cash back play.

Important Note: Both cards earns cash back only in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout, and NOT Membership Rewards points.

Blue Cash Everyday vs Blue Cash Preferred Calculator

Ask Sebby crunches the numbers for you to calculate the Expected Value of  Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express vs Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. For the expected value of points, we derive the approximate dollar value based on the numbers you enter in the calculator. Scroll down to the end of the post to see our methodology.  

The calculator below contains default figures and serve as an example only. Users should insert their own data for the most accurate results.  

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
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Calculation Methodology

The results from the above calculator are based on your ability to reach the minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome offer, your amount of spend on different categories, how you plan to redeem cashback, and how much relative value you assign to the other benefits.  

The “Years” referenced in the calculator refer to the cardmember year, based on when you are approved for the card.

• Year 1 = first 12 months of card membership
• Year 2 = the following 12 months afterward

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🧠 Final Thoughts

If you’re on a budget or just starting out, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a no-brainer.

But if you’re spending enough on groceries and streaming — or already pay for the Disney Bundle — then the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express can give you significantly more value, even after the fee kicks in.

Just make sure to run your numbers and see which one makes sense based on your actual spend.