Blue Cash Preferred (BCP) earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6K/year and 3% at gas stations. Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6K/year. The $95 fee gap breaks even at roughly $3,167 in annual grocery spend — if you spend more than that at U.S. supermarkets, BCP pays more after fees. Source: americanexpress.com, Q2 2026.
American Express
Best card for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services.
Pros
American Express
No-annual-fee cash back on U.S. supermarkets, online retail, and gas.
Pros
| Spec | American Express Blue Cash Preferred | Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express |
|---|---|---|
| Origination fee | $0 yr 1, then $95 | $0 |
| Best for | Families with significant grocery and streaming spend who can clear the low AF hurdle after year 1. | Grocery shoppers who want cash back without paying an annual fee. |
◈ marks the stronger option for that row.
Pick American Express Blue Cash Preferred if: Families with significant grocery and streaming spend who can clear the low AF hurdle after year 1.
Pick Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express if: Grocery shoppers who want cash back without paying an annual fee.
Find your card type — 60-second quiz →
See all picks, methodology, and side-by-side comparison in Best Personal Credit Cards 2026.
The 3% earn difference (6% vs 3%) at U.S. supermarkets covers the $95 fee at about $3,167 in grocery spend per year — roughly $264/month. The average U.S. household spent $5,703 on groceries in 2023 (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey), which would generate an extra $171 cash back under BCP vs Everyday after the fee. For most families shopping at supermarkets regularly, BCP pays more net.
Neither card earns the 6%/3% grocery rate at Costco, Walmart, or Target — Amex excludes superstores and warehouse clubs from the U.S. supermarket category. Both cards earn 1% at those stores. For Costco shoppers, a co-branded Costco card or flat-rate cash-back card often earns more. Verify current category exclusions at americanexpress.com.
No. Blue Cash Preferred earns Reward Dollars — statement credits, not Membership Rewards points. Reward Dollars cannot be transferred to airline or hotel partners. If travel-point flexibility is important, Amex Gold (earns Membership Rewards at 4X dining + grocery) is the relevant comparison. BCP and Everyday are optimized for cash-back simplicity.
Yes — both Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday charge a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside the United States. Neither card is designed for international travel. If you travel abroad and want a rewards card with no foreign transaction fee, an Amex Membership Rewards card (Gold, Green) or a travel card from another issuer would be more appropriate. (Source: americanexpress.com.)
Both Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday include purchase protection against accidental damage or theft (up to 90 days from purchase, up to a per-claim maximum) and extended warranty coverage on eligible purchases. The specific coverage limits differ between the two cards — Preferred's annual fee tier generally includes higher per-claim limits. Review the current benefit guides at americanexpress.com for exact amounts. (Source: AmericanExpress.com benefit guides.)
Yes — both cards cap the elevated U.S. supermarket rate at $6,000 in purchases per calendar year; spending above that threshold earns 1% for the remainder of the year. Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% up to $6K/yr, then 1%. Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% up to $6K/yr, then 1%. The $6,000 cap is equivalent to $500/month in supermarket spend — households spending above that won't see the full differential on their over-cap purchases. (Source: americanexpress.com.)
Blue Cash Preferred includes up to $7/month (up to $84/year) in statement credits for eligible streaming subscriptions, which includes Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+) when you enroll and pay through your card. Blue Cash Everyday does not include this streaming credit. The $84 annual streaming credit partially offsets BCP's $95 annual fee — effectively reducing the net fee to ~$11 for cardholders who use the streaming benefit. Verify current eligible streaming services and enrollment steps at americanexpress.com. (Source: americanexpress.com.)
Both Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday earn 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations. This is an unlimited category — there is no annual cap on gas rewards for either card, unlike the $6,000/year supermarket cap. The gas rate is equal between the two cards, so the gas station earnings are not a differentiator when choosing between BCP and BCE — the decision turns on grocery spend volume and the streaming credit. (Source: americanexpress.com.)
Yes. Both Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday cardholders have access to Amex Offers — targeted statement credit and bonus-rewards promotions at specific merchants, redeemable by adding the offer to your card. Amex Offers are one of the hidden-value features of any American Express card and are not limited to premium-tier products. Offers are card-specific and change frequently — check your current offers in the Amex app or online account portal. (Source: americanexpress.com.)
Yes — Blue Cash Preferred and Everyday earn the U.S. supermarket rate on eligible online grocery orders placed through U.S. supermarket websites or apps (for example, ordering pickup or delivery through your local supermarket's digital platform). Orders placed through Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods use Amazon's merchant category code, not a supermarket MCC, and typically earn only 1% on BCP/BCE. Grocery delivery apps like Instacart that charge to a supermarket's MCC may qualify; verify by checking your statements after use. (Source: americanexpress.com.)
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Lending is not the issuer of any product compared here; affiliate links may pay a referral commission at no cost to you — selection is independent of compensation.