Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs Citi Custom Cash 2026: Grocery Rewards Compared

American Express

American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Best card for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services.

• Annual fee: $0 yr 1, then $95
• Welcome bonus: $250
• Top rewards: 6%
• Gas / transit: 3%

Pros

• 6% on U.S. supermarkets is the highest grocery rate on any personal card
• 6% on select streaming (Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Spotify, etc.)
• 3% on U.S. gas stations and transit
• First year free makes the trial risk-free

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Citi

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Automatically earns 5% on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle — no activation.

• Annual fee: $0
• Welcome bonus: Varies
• Top category earn: 5% cash back
• All other spend: 1% cash back

Pros

• 5% automatic on top category — no rotating-category activation required
• Pairs with Citi Strata Premier for ThankYou point transfers
• No annual fee
• Strong intro APR offer (verify current terms at issuer)

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The math: Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% on grocery up to $6K/year, costing $95/year. Custom Cash earns 5% on grocery up to $6K/year (capped at $500/month × 12 = $6K) for free. On $6K/year grocery spend, Blue Cash Preferred earns $360 − $95 fee = $265 net; Custom Cash earns $300 − $0 fee = $300 net. At $6K/year, Custom Cash wins. Blue Cash Preferred's 3% streaming/transit adds value — if you can use those credits, BCP pulls ahead. Also note: Custom Cash applies 5% to only one category; if grocery isn't your top spend that month, another category earns the 5% instead. Verify current terms at each issuer.

Yes — Citi Custom Cash automatically applies 5% to whatever eligible category you spend the most in during a billing cycle, with no activation required. Eligible categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment. This flexibility is the card's key feature — if your top spend category shifts month to month, the 5% follows it. The 5% cap is $500/month; above that, spending earns 1%.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred has a $95 annual fee, but Amex has periodically offered a first-year annual fee waiver for new cardholders as a promotional offer. Whether a fee waiver is available depends on the current offer at the time of application — verify at americanexpress.com. A first-year waiver effectively lets you test the card's grocery and streaming credits before committing to the ongoing $95 fee. If no waiver is offered, run the break-even math: $95 fee requires ~$1,583/year in U.S. supermarket spending at 6% to outpace the no-fee Citi Custom Cash at 5%. (Verify current terms/offers at americanexpress.com)

On its own, Citi Custom Cash does not transfer points to travel partners — it earns ThankYou Points redeemable for cash back, gift cards, or travel at 1 cent per point. However, if you also hold a Citi Strata Premier or Citi Prestige card, you can combine your ThankYou balances and transfer to 15+ airline and hotel partners (Turkish Airlines, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Wyndham, and others). Without a companion premium Citi card, Custom Cash is effectively a cash-back card. Source: citi.com.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions — one of the highest streaming earn rates available. This category is fixed and applies automatically to eligible streaming services. Citi Custom Cash can earn 5% on streaming if streaming is your top eligible spending category for that billing cycle, but if another category (grocery, dining, gas) outspends streaming, the 5% goes to that category instead. For dedicated streaming households, Blue Cash Preferred's guaranteed 6% on streaming beats Custom Cash's conditional 5%. Verify current eligible streaming services at americanexpress.com. (Verify current terms/offers at americanexpress.com)

Amex Blue Cash Preferred includes purchase protection (coverage against accidental damage or theft for a limited window after purchase, up to a per-item limit) and extended warranty protection (adds up to one year to eligible manufacturer warranties). Citi Custom Cash's purchase protection and extended warranty benefits have varied by card version — verify current benefit availability at citi.com. For cardholders making large appliance or electronics purchases, Amex's purchase protection track record is generally considered strong. Always review the full benefit guide before relying on card protections. (Verify current terms/offers at americanexpress.com and citi.com)

Amex Blue Cash Preferred has offered new cardholders a statement credit welcome bonus after meeting a minimum spending threshold in the first few months — historically in the $250–$350 range. The current offer, including any first-year annual fee waiver, changes periodically. Citi Custom Cash has also offered a welcome bonus for new cardholders, typically a cash back or ThankYou Point bonus after meeting a spend threshold. Verify both current offers at americanexpress.com and citi.com at the time of application. (Verify current terms/offers at each issuer)

Amex Blue Cash Preferred has offered a 0% intro APR on purchases for a promotional period (typically 12 months) for new cardholders — after which a variable APR applies. Citi Custom Cash has also offered a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for a promotional period. Both offers are subject to change; verify current intro APR promotions at americanexpress.com and citi.com before applying. A 0% intro period can make either card useful for a planned large purchase (appliance, home improvement) paid off interest-free over the promotional window. (Verify current terms/offers at each issuer)

Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns cash back only — specifically Reward Dollars redeemable as a statement credit. It does not earn Amex Membership Rewards points and cannot transfer rewards to airline or hotel partners. This is a key structural difference from Amex Gold or Amex Platinum, which earn transferable MR points. If travel point transfers are important to you, Blue Cash Preferred is not the right Amex card — consider the Amex Gold (4X dining, 4X supermarkets, transferable MR) instead. Source: americanexpress.com. (Verify current terms/offers at americanexpress.com)

Citi Custom Cash earns 5% on your top eligible spending category up to $500 per billing cycle — purchases in that category beyond $500 earn 1% for the rest of the cycle. The $500 cap resets each billing period. For cardholders who consistently spend more than $500/month in a single category (e.g., $800/month at supermarkets), a second card that covers the overage at a competitive rate — such as Amex Blue Cash Preferred at 6% on grocery — may be worth pairing. The Custom Cash is most efficient for cardholders whose top category spend stays near or under $500/month. Source: citi.com.