Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Blue Cash Preferred: Do you want points or cash-back?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

American Express fields a diverse range of rewards credit cards, with options ranging from cash-back cards to premium products with benefits such as airport lounge access and annual travel statement credits.

Right in the middle of the pack are the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and the Amex EveryDay Preferred® Credit Card from American Express.

The first earns cash back of between 1% and 6% on purchases; the second earns Membership Rewards points that you can transfer to 18 airline and three hotel loyalty programs.

Given their similar annual fees, welcome offers and earning structures, you might be trying to decide between these two cards. The good news is, there’s no wrong choice. You just need to decide if a cash-back card or one earning transferable points fits your rewards strategy better.

Here’s how the two cards compare.

The information for the Amex Everyday Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred comparison

	The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express	Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Annual fee	$95	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees)
Welcome offer	15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in three months	$250 back after spending $3,000 in the first six months of card membership. You will receive the $250 in the form statement credits.
Earning	3 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, then 1 point per dollar spent 2 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations 1 point per dollar everywhere else 50% bonus points every billing period with 30 or more purchases	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1% 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% on transit and at U.S. gas stations 1% on everything else
Redemptions	Transfer to 18 airlines and 3 hotels Statement credits	Cash back for statement credits, gift cards, direct shopping
Other benefits	Travel and shopping protections Amex Offers ShopRunner	Travel and shopping protections Amex Offers ShopRunner Up to $84 annually in statement credits toward Disney+, ESPN+ and or Hulu Up to $120 annually in statement credits toward select Equinox services Enrollment is required for select benefits.

The information for The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Now for the details on each card and their respective benefits.

Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred welcome offer

Let’s get to the first major difference between the cards.

New Blue Cash Preferred card members can earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on their new card within the first six months.

Related: The best cash-back cards

The current welcome offer for the Amex Everyday Preferred is 15,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening. These are full-fledged, transferable Amex Membership Rewards points, which TPG currently values at 2 cents apiece. So we’d peg those bonus points at around $300 in value.

Winner: Everyday Preferred. The bonus is worth more than the Blue Cash Preferred’s one.

Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred benefits

Neither of these cards is packed with perks, but there are a few.

Both offer secondary car rental insurance,* return protection,** purchase protection,** extended warranty,** and Amex Offers discounts as well as free ShopRunner membership.

With the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll also earn up to $84 annually in statement credits toward Disney+, ESPN+ and or Hulu and up to $120 annually in statement credits toward select Equinox services.

Unfortunately, both also charge foreign transaction fees of 2.7% (see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred).

Winner: Blue Cash Preferred.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Earning rewards with the Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred

When it comes to cash-back credit cards, the Blue Cash Preferred is a top all-around earner. The card racks up multiple percentage points in numerous categories including:

6% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year; then 1%)
6% back on U.S. streaming subscriptions
3% back on transit (including parking, tolls, ride-hailing services and subway)
3% back at U.S. gas stations
1% everywhere else

There are two things to pinpoint about this earning formula. First, it features a wide array of bonus-eligible categories where consumers tend to spend a lot, such as supermarkets and gas, which can really rack up statement credits quickly.

Second, getting 6% back, even on a single category, is a phenomenal rate of return. You probably won’t see a huge return on your spending for streaming services unless you subscribe to many of them, but that grocery bonus could net you $360 cash back if you max it out each year.

The Amex EveryDay Preferred offers some pretty attractive bonus opportunities as well. The card accrues 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on up to $6,000 per year at supermarkets and 2 points per dollar with no cap at gas stations, plus 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

And, for every billing cycle in which you use your card to make 30 purchases or more, you get a 50% points bonus. That brings your potential earning up to 4.5 points per dollar at supermarkets and 3 points per dollar at gas stations. Since these are full Membership Rewards points, we peg those figures at 6%-9.5% return on spending in the bonus categories and 3% back on everyday spending. Nonetheless, how much value you get from your Membership Rewards points will really depend on how you redeem them.

Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred, given its high earnings rates and the value of Amex points.

Redeeming rewards with the Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred

With the Blue Cash Preferred Card, you can redeem your rewards for cash back (with no minimum redemption amount) in one of three ways:

Receive a statement credit
Redeem for gift cards
Shop with your rewards

The best strategy is usually to redeem for a statement credit since you can buy gift cards from a retailer with your credit card, earn even more cash back on those purchases, and then redeem your points for those purchases.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

With the Amex EveryDay Preferred, you earn American Express Membership Rewards points to transfer to airline and hotel partners.

You can also make direct redemptions of your points, like cash back, but this is not usually a great deal. For flights booked through AmexTravel.com, you get a rate of 1 cent apiece, but just 0.7 cents per point for other bookings such as hotels and car rentals. For statement credits against purchases, you only get 0.6 cents per point and around 0.7 cents per point on Amazon.com purchases.

Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred. The Blue Cash Preferred is hard to beat if you’re looking for cash back. However, for the versatility of being able to transfer your points to airline and hotel partners or book directly through Amex Travel, you can’t beat valuable Membership Rewards points.

Transferring rewards with the Amex EveryDay Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Cash back on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred can’t be transferred.

The best value from the points you earn on the EveryDay Preferred comes from converting your Amex points into the points currency of 18 airline or 3 hotel partner programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

(Photo by The Points Guy) — THE POINTS GUY

Senior credit cards editor Matt Moffitt likes to convert his Amex points during frequent transfer bonus promotions and redeem them for long-haul business-class tickets.

Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred.

Should I get the Amex EveryDay Preferred or Amex Blue Cash Preferred?

The Blue Cash Preferred is one of the best cash-back credit cards available from any issuer, thanks to its high earn rates at supermarkets and on streaming services for a reasonable annual fee. But if you’re looking for a card that earns transferable points and opens up decent bonus-earning opportunities, the Amex EveryDay Preferred is the better choice.

Bottom line

The Amex EveryDay Preferred and the Blue Cash Preferred can offer value for you, whether you’re a serious traveler or someone who prefers cash-back. They also have similar annual fees, welcome offers and earning structures, with similar benefits to boot.

Which card is right depends on how you aim to redeem your rewards. If you want to earn both cash back and Amex points, then both cards could fit your wallet.

Read our full reviews of the Amex EveryDay and the Blue Cash Preferred.

Official application link: Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Additional reporting by Eric Rosen and Chris Dong.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.