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The cash back rewards on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are about as impressive as it gets. It earns a staggering 6% back at U.S. supermarkets ($6,000 annual spending cap), as well as 3% back on transit and at U.S. gas stations. Terms apply. New cardholders can also score a sizable welcome offer. Find out more about this card's features and see how much it can save you in our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express review.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. Credit Score: Intro APR Purchases: 0%, 12 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 12 months Regular APR 16.99%-27.99% Variable Rewards Info IconCircle 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 and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases. 1% - 6% cash back Annual Fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. Welcome Offer Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. $250 statement credit
This credit card is a good fit for: Consumers who spend quite a bit on groceries and gas. Families are well suited to get the most value from this credit card's bonus categories. Top perksThe Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a great lineup of popular credit card benefits. Up to 6% cash backThis card has stellar cash back rates, as you earn:
A 6% cash back rate is among the highest we've seen from any credit card. What makes it even better is that you can earn that on groceries, one of the biggest monthly expenses for most consumers. With that and its gas, streaming, and transit rewards, this card can help you save quite a bit on everyday purchases. See more cards offering big rewards: Best Cash Back Credit Cards 0% intro APR offerThe Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a full-featured lineup of perks, including a long 0% intro APR offer of 12 months for purchases and balance transfers. A go-to 16.99%-27.99% Variable rate applies after the intro period. $250 welcome offerYou can earn $250 in statement credits when you spend $3,000 in purchases on your card within the first six months. As far as cash back cards are concerned, this is one of the biggest welcome bonuses we've seen, and most other cards only give you 90 days to reach your spending requirement. Terms apply. Find more valuable bonuses: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards Travel and purchase protectionsAmerican Express cards typically include a nice list of complimentary protections that cover eligible purchases. This one is no exception. It offers:
Terms apply. $120 annual Equinox creditThis card offers up to $120 back annually, in $10 monthly statement credits, for an Equinox+ membership. To receive the benefit, you must enroll in your American Express card account. Terms apply. Equinox+ is a fitness app with at-home workouts that normally costs $39.99 per month. If you've been interested in signing up, then the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express can save you $10 per month on a membership. Related: Read The Ascent's guide to the Best American Express Credit Cards.
Read more: Best Gas and Groceries Credit Cards As of Oct. 10, 2022
What could be improvedAlthough it has fantastic perks, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express also has a couple drawbacks worth mentioning. Annual feeThe Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has no annual fee for the first year, but you'll pay $95 per year after that (see rates and fees). The cash rewards this card offers can easily make up for that annual fee. For example, if you spend $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets per year, you'll earn $360 from that alone. Do your own math to make sure the benefits of this card are worth the cost. If you aren't a big spender, a no-annual-fee credit card may work better for you. RELATED: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards Foreign transaction feeThe Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee. This fee applies to purchases made in a foreign currency or with foreign merchants (see rates and fees). Between the card's foreign transaction fee and the fact that most of its bonus categories are only valid with U.S.-based businesses, you probably wouldn't want to use it as a travel card. Find the best credit card for your needsCompare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool. Suggested credit scoreA FICO® Score of 670 or higher is best when applying for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. As one of the top rewards credit cards, it's targeted at consumers who have credit scores in the good credit to excellent credit range. 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. Boost your chances: How to Increase Your Credit Score Is the Amex Blue Cash Preferred worth it?After the first year, your annual fee will be $95 for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. But when you consider its benefits and its sky-high cash back rates, this card easily justifies the cost for most people. Here's a hypothetical example of how much you could earn with this card per year:
With a reasonable spending total of $1,620 per month, you'd earn at least $578 cash back each year. After subtracting the annual fee, you're still coming out $483 ahead. It's worth noting that you need to have high spending in this card's bonus categories to take advantage of its rewards. If you don't, you're better off going through other credit card reviews to find one that works more with your spending habits. LEARN MORE: A Complete Guide to Amex Blue Cash Preferred Benefits The Amex Blue Cash Preferred is right for you if:You spend at least $350 per month across its bonus categories and you want to earn cash back rewards. Here are the most common situations where the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express would be one of the best credit cards to add to your wallet:
Learn more: Best Rewards Credit Cards FAQs
What credit score is needed for Amex Blue Cash?Is the Amex Blue Cash Everyday hard to get? The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is hard to get because applicants need to have a score of 670 or higher to be approved for the card. However, you'll have a better chance of being approved for the card if you have at least a very good FICO score (740 to 799).
How do you qualify for Blue Cash Preferred?You'll need good to excellent credit to qualify for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. Generally speaking, this is defined as a credit score of 690 or better. But a credit score alone isn't enough to qualify for any credit card.
What is the easiest Amex card to be approved for?Easiest American Express Cards to Get. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.. The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express.. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.. Hilton Honors American Express Card.. Is Blue Cash Preferred Card worth it?The Blue Cash Preferred card's $95 annual fee is easily worth it if you frequently spend within its bonus categories. Simply spending $132 per month at U.S. supermarkets (at least $1,584 per year in your 6 percent cash back category) alone will recoup the cost of your annual fee.
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