Card showdown: American Express Blue Cash Preferred versus EveryDay Preferred

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No matter how frugal you are, there’s almost no escaping common everyday purchases like groceries, gas and transportation. You’re going to have to spend this money anyway, so earning the most rewards for these expenses is a smart move.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express are both excellent rewards credit cards to consider if you spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, because those purchases earn a bonus. However, one might be a better fit for you than the other depending on other spending you make and the types of rewards you like to earn.

For people who prefer cash back, the Blue Cash Preferred is the best bet. Otherwise, the flexibility of transferable Amex Membership Rewards points for travel might make the Amex EveryDay Preferred a winner. But if you like earning cash back and points, you’ll have to assess your personal spending habits and travel goals to decide which card is right for you.

We’ll guide you in our American Express Blue Cash Preferred vs EveryDay Preferred card showdown.

The information for the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred versus EveryDay Preferred

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred is a cash-back credit card and the Amex EveryDay Preferred is an excellent travel credit card for anyone who likes to earn Amex Membership Rewards points (I’ve had it in my wallet for five years). It’s especially great for those who can take advantage of its 50% points bonus when you make 30 or more transactions in a billing period.

They’re both great, so you can’t lose with either. Let’s compare these two American Express cards.

Best welcome bonus

This is a toughie because one card earns straight cash and the other Membership Rewards points, so it’s not quite comparing apples to apples. When you open the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll earn a $250 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. And with the Amex EveryDay Preferred, you’ll earn 15,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after meeting the same spending requirement.

Your Amex points value can vary greatly depending on how you use your American Express Membership Rewards points. At minimum, you can get a value of one cent per point when you redeem for gift cards or airfare through the Amex travel portal, so you should expect to get at least $150 from the Amex EveryDay Preferred welcome bonus. However, you could receive potentially much more value when you use your points with Amex transfer partners like Delta, Air Canada Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines or Marriott.

Winner: It’s a tie. Looking at straight cash value, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred comes out on top. However, if you’re good at squeezing value from Amex Membership Rewards points, it could tip the scales in favor of the EveryDay Preferred because we value Amex points at two cents each when you transfer them to the right travel partners.

Best for earning

The Blue Cash Preferred has broader bonus categories than the Amex EveryDay Preferred, but there’s some overlap.

With the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll earn (terms apply):

• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1% cash back)
• 6% cash back on over 20 select U.S. streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.)
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations & transit (including taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more)
• 1% cash back on everything else

And with the Amex EveryDay Preferred, you’ll earn (terms apply):

• 3x Amex points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x point)
• 2x Amex points at U.S. gas stations
• 2x Amex points at Amex Travel (like prepaid hotel stays, vacation packages and cruises)
• 1x Amex points on everything else

However, the Amex EveryDay Preferred has a superpower — when you make 30 or more transactions in a billing cycle, you’ll earn a 50% bonus on the points you’ve earned for that period. If you can meet this requirement, you’d effectively be earning 4.5x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1x) and 3x points at gas stations.

Overall, you’ve got a much bigger earning potential with the Amex Blue Cash Preferred because it’s got more bonus categories. And it’s better suited to anyone who doesn’t own a vehicle because you’ll earn a bonus on transit purchases including rideshare services like Uber.

Winner: Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Best redemption value

You’ve only got one way to redeem rewards from the Blue Cash Preferred, and that’s for cold hard cash.

With the Amex EveryDay Preferred, you have tons more options for how to use American Express points. The best way to use Amex points depends on your travel goals, but here’s what to expect from Amex points value:

• Cash back – 0.6 cents per point for statement credit, one cent each for gift cards
• Travel booked through the Amex Travel portal – One cent per point (~1.54 cents if you also have The Business Platinum Card® from American Express because of the 35% Pay With Points rebate) for flights, 0.7 cents each for other travel
• Transfer to airline and hotel partners – Between 0.4 and 7 cents per point

Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred (as long as you redeem for one cent per point or more)

Best travel protection and shopping benefits

The Amex EveryDay Preferred and Blue Cash Preferred’s benefits are evenly matched when it comes to shopping and travel protection perks. Both offer:

• Purchase protection
• Return protection
• Extended warranty
• Secondary rental car insurance
• Access to Amex Offers
• Free ShopRunner membership(enrollment required).

Winner: It’s a tie

Best annual fee

The annual fee for the Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred is $95 (see rates and fees).

Winner: It’s a tie

Best foreign transaction fees

Don’t use either of these cards overseas, because both the Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred have no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).

Winner: It’s a tie

Best worldwide acceptance

Because they’re both Amex cards, the Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred have equal worldwide acceptance.

Winner: It’s a tie

Bottom line

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Amex EveryDay Preferred are closely matched, so the best card for you really depends on these factors:

• Do you prefer the simplicity of cash back? The Amex Blue Cash Preferred will suit you better. Plus, it’s got an improved welcome bonus.
• Do you spend a lot in categories like streaming services (such as Hulu) and transit (like commuter trains, buses and Uber)? The Amex Blue Cash Preferred is a clear winner for you, too.
• Are you savvy with Amex Membership Rewards points and able to squeeze much more than one cent per point in value from them? Consider the Amex EveryDay Preferred instead.

Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from having both cards. I’ve got my eye on the Blue Cash Preferred even though I already have the EveryDay Preferred in my wallet. Its always a good idea to diversify the rewards you earn, after all.

Which card do you think comes out on top?

For the rates and fees of the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, please click here.